Islam is the religion practiced by Muslims. They believe that Allah is the only god. The founder of Islam is the prophet Mohammed. The word ‘Muslim’ means: ‘he who submits to Allah’. The best-known groups of Muslims are the Sunnis and the Shiites. The majority of Muslims live in Arab countries, Africa and Asia. The Middle East is almost entirely Islamic. There are also large minority groups in India and Russia.
History of Islam
Mohammed
- 571: The Prophet Muhammad is born. His tribe, the Quraysh, is the protector of the Ka’ba.
- 610: The prophet Gabriel tells Muhammad that it is Allah’s will that he spread his word.
- 622: Muhammad brings his followers to Medina. The Muslim calendar begins.
- 632: Muhammad dies. Abu Bakr Siddiq becomes the first caliph.
The Quran and the Conquests
- 634-644: The Middle East and Iraq are conquered.
- 644-656: The Quran is compiled.
- 710: Muslims conquer Spain.
- 749:Baghdad becomes the Islamic capital.
- 912-961: The Golden Age of Islamic Spain.
- 998-1166: The faith spreads across South Asia and Sufism across India and Iran.
- 1000-1200: The Crusades take place in Palestine.
- 1389: The Ottomans conquer the Balkans.
- 1453: The Ottomans conquer Constantinople. The name of the city is renamed Istanbul.
- 1588-1629: The faith is spread in Indonesia.
- 1757: Less power in India due to British victory.
- 1798: Egypt is conquered by Napoleon.
- 1804: Spread of the faith in West Africa.
Caliphate
- 1924: The concept of ‘caliphate’ is abolished.
- 1947: Pakistan is founded, the Muslims then have their own state.
- 1950-present: Muslims emigrate to Western countries and become stricter in their teachings.
The prophet Muhammad
The angel Gabriel
Muhammad was born in 571. He belonged to the tribe of the Quraysh. They worshiped idols. In 610 the angel Gabriel came to Muhammad and told him about the one God Allah. Muhammad had to teach his people to worship one god. Gabriel also told him about other prophets, such as Abraham, Moses and Jesus.
Proclaim faith
Mohammed had to battle with the people of Mecca and the surrounding area to proclaim the faith. In Medina he went to live in a simple house with his wife Khadija and his family. There he received many visitors very hospitably. Now his humble house has become the site of the Prophet’s Mosque.
The Five Pillars of Islam Arkan-ul-Islam
Five duties
Allah has imposed five duties on Muslims:
- Shahadad (the profession of faith): There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.
- Salat (prayer): Muslims must pray to Allah five times a day.
- Zakat (charity): Muslims should help the less fortunate.
- Saum (fasting): During Ramadan, the month of fasting, Muslims must fast.
- Hajj (pilgrimage): Once in their lifetime, Muslims should make a pilgrimage to Mecca, if possible.
The Quran
Allah and the prophets
The holy book of the Muslims is the Koran. Muslims revere this book because it contains the spoken words of Allah. The Torah and the Bible also contain stories revealed by God to the prophets. The Koran is often read during the Salat prayer. Reading from the Koran is done in the mosque and during celebrations. Reading is done in Arabic.
Quranic school for children
At the Koran school, children are taught to read the Koran. The imam of the mosque usually provides these lessons. The Sunnah is the book composed of stories about Muhammad and statements he made and were recorded.
The mosque
Prayer rooms
The holy place for gatherings of Muslims is the mosque. News is exchanged there and of course prayers are exchanged. Out of respect, Muslims leave their shoes outside the prayer rooms. Men pray in the large room, often under the dome of the mosque. Women have their own prayer room. They can hear the prayers from the men’s area and see the imam.
Call to prayer
The muezzin calls the faithful to prayer. At the minarets of a mosque there are loudspeakers that broadcast his call, five times a day. On Friday prayers are said in the mosque. If Muslims do not have time to pray five times a day, they may say the prayers in one go. Muslims have a special prayer mat on which prayers are said in the direction of Mecca. Prayer is performed in four postures: standing, bowing, kneeling and lying prone. The imam is the man who leads the prayers in the mosque. He must know the correct rules of Salaat.
Mecca
Pilgrimage
The Ka’ba in Mecca is the center of the Islamic faith. Mohammed was born in Mecca. Ibrahim (Abraham) built the Ka’ba on the orders of Allah. Once in their lifetime, if their condition permits, Muslims must make a pilgrimage to Mecca, the Hajj. There are hotels, tent camps and other accommodation options in and around Mecca during the fourteen-day Hajj. Hospitals are also designed to handle the large influx of pilgrims. Souvenirs are sold to the pilgrims.
Visit pilgrim
A pilgrim visits the Ka’ba and then many holy places around Mecca. They walk the route of the prophet’s last journey. Arafat is visited, among others, as well as Muzdalifa and Mina. The Ka’ba is also the end point of the pilgrimage. The pilgrims walk around the Ka’ba seven times and then pray at the stone of Ibrahim, who built the Ka’ba.
Public holidays
Sacrifice
- After Ramadan, the first day of the month of Shawwal, they celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr.
- On the tenth day of the month of Dhul-Hijjah, the last month of the year, they celebrate the Feast of Sacrifice in memory of Ibrahim, who wanted to sacrifice his son to Allah. Allah then wanted Ibrahim to sacrifice an animal. Today’s Muslims sacrifice sheep.
Halal and Haram
On those days, people first visit the mosque and then eat together with entire families. They also give each other gifts. Poor people are also provided for. All visitors are offered an extensive meal on that day.
Muslims eat halal (permissible) food. Forbidden food is Haram. Muslims are not allowed to eat blood, pork or meat from carnivorous animals. Drugs and alcohol are prohibited. A certain jelly is also prohibited. It is made from the horns and hooves of animals.
read more
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