After Christianity, Islam is the religion with the most believers in the Netherlands. In many cases this concerns Dutch people of foreign origin. In the Netherlands, many have a negative image of Islam. This has only become worse due to the many attacks worldwide. That is why it is good to realize that the majority of Muslims in the Netherlands consist of well-meaning people who have completely found their place in Dutch society.
The origins of Islam
Islam is the second largest religion in the world with over 1 billion followers. The largest religion in the world is Christianity. Islam has its origins around the year 570 of our era, with the birth of the prophet Mohammed who, according to Islamic traditions, later received revelation from God at the age of forty. However, for the Muslims themselves, the history of Islam goes back much further. According to the perception of the Muslims, Ibrahim is the first Muslim. According to Muslims, Ibrahim was one of the first people on earth to believe in only one God.
Sunnis and Shiites
As with other major religions, not all Muslims believe the same in Islam. For example, after the death of the prophet Mohammed, there was a division into the Sunnis and the Shiites. When Mohammed died, the Muslims needed a new spiritual leader. Muhammad’s successor initially became Abu Bakr, who was given the title caliph. Abu Bakr owed this title to the fact that he was very close to the prophet during Muhammad’s lifetime. However, discussions were later initiated among the Muslims. Why is it so obvious that a caliph was appointed based on his degree of suitability? According to a group of Muslims, only Mohammed’s cousin Ali could become caliph. There should always be a family bond. This was the beginning of the Sunni and Shiite movements. The Sunnis believed that the caliph could be chosen based on suitability, the Shiites believed that the Karif should always have a family tie to Mohammed.
The Quran
The Quran is the holy book of Islam. Literally translated, the name Koran means revival. The Koran is seen by Muslims as literal representations of the message that the prophet Mohammed proclaimed at the time. The written version of the Quran dates from the years after Muhammad’s death in 632. According to an old legend, a secretary of Mohammad wrote down the first version of the Quran, but soon several variations on the text appeared.
Surahs
The text that has appeared in the Koran is divided into no fewer than 114 chapters. These chapters are called surahs. Except for Sura 1, the suras are ordered by length. The longest surah is Surah 2.
The Five Pillars of Islam
To understand Islam you must know the five pillars or fixed patterns on which Islam is built. These pillars are called the five pillars of Islam.
The Five Pillars of Islam
- the testimony of faith,
- the prayer,
- the alms
- the fasting
- the pilgrimage.
Statement of Faith.
Muslims must pronounce the shahada according to the five pillars of Islam. This is also called a confession of faith. Muslims do this briefly several times a day. By expressing this short confession of faith, Muslims always reflect on what their faith is all about.
Prayer.
Muslims seek contact with God through prayer. This prayer is accompanied by a special ritual. Before praying, a cleansing ritual is held, in which the believers symbolically cleanse themselves of all the dirt that you have to endure in your life. Prayer is always done with bare feet.
Times for prayer are:
early morning, afternoon, afternoon, sunset, late evening.
Alms
Every Muslim is expected to donate part of his income to the poor. This is often thought of as 2.5%.
Ramadan
During the ninth month of the Islamic year, Muslims traditionally fast. This fasting period is called Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims are not allowed to eat, drink, smoke or make love between sunrise and sunset.
Pilgrimage
The last pillar of Islam is the pilgrimage. During the pilgrimage, Muslims make a pilgrimage to Mecca, the birthplace of the prophet Mohammed.
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