What do Muslims Believe?

Muslims believe in One, Unique, Incomparable God; in the angels created by Him; in the prophets through whom His revelations were brought to mankind; in the Day of Judgement and individual accountability for actions; in God’s complete authority over human destiny and in life after death. Muslims believe in a chain of prophets starting with Adam and including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elias, Jonah, John the Baptist, and Jesus, peace be upon them. But God’s final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message and a summing-up of all that has gone before, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through Gabriel.

How Does Someone Become a Muslim?

There is no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allah and that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is His Messenger. By this declaration, the believer announces his or her faith in all of God’s messengers, and the scriptures they brought.

What does ‘Islam’ Mean

The Arabic word ‘Islam’ simply means ‘submission’, and is derived from a word meaning ‘peace’. In a religious context, it means complete submission to the will of God.

Who is Muhammad?

Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was born in Makkah in the year 570, at a time when Christianity was not yet fully established in Europe. Since his father died before his birth, and his mother shortly afterwards, he was raised by his uncle from the respected tribe of Quraysh. As he grew up, he became known for his truthfulness, generosity and sincerity, hence he was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes. The historians describe him as calm and meditative.

Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was of a deeply religious nature and had long detested the decadence of his society. It became his habit to meditate from time to time in the Cave of Hira near the summit of Jabal al-Nur, the ‘Mountain of Light’ near Makkah.

How did he Become a Prophet and a Messenger of God?

At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad(peace and blessings be upon him) received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. This revelation, which continued for twenty-three years, is known as the Qur’an.

As soon as he began to recite the words he heard from Gabriel, and to preach the truth which God had revealed to him, he and his small group of followers suffered bitter persecution which grew so fierce that in the year 622 God gave them the command to emigrate. This event, the Hijra, ‘migration’, in which they left Makkah for the city of Madinah some 260 miles to the north, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar.

After several years, the Prophet and his followers were able to return to Makkah, where they forgave their enemies and established Islam definitively. Before the Prophet died at the age of 63, the greater part of Arabia was Muslim, and within a century of his death Islam had spread to Spain in the west and as far east as China.
What is the Qur’an?

The Qur’an is a record of the exact words revealed by God through the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was memorized by Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and then dictated to his Companions, and written down by scribes, who cross-checked it during his lifetime. Not one word of its 114 chapters, Surahs, has been changed over the centuries so that the Qur’an is in every detail the unique and miraculous text which was revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)14 centuries ago.

What is the Qur’an About?

The Qur’an, the last revealed Word of God, is the prime source of every Muslim’s faith and practice. It deals with all the subjects which concern us as human beings: wisdom, doctrine, worship, and law, but its basic theme is the relationship between God and His creatures. At the same time, it provides guidelines for a just society, proper human conduct and an equitable economic system.

Are there any Other Sacred Sources?
Sunnah, the practice and example of the Prophet, is the second authority for Muslims. Hadithis a reliably transmitted report of what the Prophet said, did, or approved. Belief in Sunnahis part of the Islamic faith.