Islam is one of the world religions that is practiced by over one billion people, with about 20% of these in the Middle East. The term “Islam” means surrender and the followers of Islam are called Muslims who surrender to the will of Allah, the Arabic word for God. In this religion, Allah is seen as the creator, sustainer and restorer of life. The will of God was transmitted to Mohammed in the Koran. He was persecuted for his teachings and fled to Mecca. Here his teachings were accepted and the Islamic religion emerged. The date of the flight of Mohammed, called the hijrah, in 622 AD, is the date Muslims attribute to the beginnings of their calendar. Islam has acquired a characteristic of uniting the spiritual and temporal and aspects of life. It seeks to regulate an individual’s relationship with God, as well as the relationship with people in social setting. There is an Islamic private institution and an Islamic code governing society as a whole. To the followers, Islam is a religious community committed to bringing its own value systems to the world through the jihad – holy war.

Some Basic Beliefs of Islam

The most basic belief is the shahadah, the Muslim confession of faith - There is no god but God; Muhammad is the prophet of God. They believe that God is merciful and is always willing to forgive if the person is genuinely repentant.

The fundamental beliefs of Islam also include believing in angels, both good and bad, the books and Scriptures revealed to Mohammed, a series of prophets and the Last Day of Judgement. The foundation of Islam is the Five Pillars:

• Iman (Faith) – faith or belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the prophet
• Salah (Prayer) – prayers have to be preformed five times a day – dawn, mid-dau, late afternoon, sunset and nightfall. There are no priests and a learned person from the congregation leads the prayers. The usual place for prayers is in a Mosque, but they can be said anywhere.
• Zakah (Financial obligation of Muslims) – everything belongs to God and is only held by humans in trust for him. Usually Muslims are expected to give a fortieth of their capital, but each one calculates his/her own zakah. An individual can give much more in secret if he/she desires.
• Sawm (Fasting) – Every year in the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from dawn until sunset. They refrain from food, drink and sexual relations with their spouses. This is a method of self-purification to cut oneself off from worldly comforts and focus upon the purpose of life.
• Hijj (Pilgrimage) – Muslims who are financially able to do so are expected to make one pilgrimage to Mecca during their lifetime. The annual pilgrimage begins in the twelfth month of the year. The pilgrims wear simple clothes and no distinction is made between rich and poor. At Mecca, the pilgrims make seven trips between the hills of Safa and Marwa. Then they stand together on the plains of Arafat and join in prayers of forgiveness.

Holy Days of Islam

There are two main Islamic festivals:

• Eid-ul- Fitr – This is a celebration at the end of Ramadan. Muslims go to the Mosque to pray and then special celebration meals are served. Many families get together to celebrate.
• Eid – ul – Adha – This is the end of the pilgrimage. Muslims sacrifice a goat to symbolize the time when the Prophet Abraham was about to sacrifice his son to God and replaced him with an animal.

Other Holy days:

• The Islamic New Year – the first day of the first Islamic month – Muharram
• Ashura – the tenth day of Muharram and is a time of fasting and inner thoughts.
• Mawlid an-Nabi – Mohammed’s birthday
• Isra Mer’Aj – celebrated on the 27 th day of Rajab, the seventh month of the calendar. It is a very special night in the Islamic faith meaning “the night journey and ascension” of Mohammed.
• Ramadan – a holy month dominated by prayer and fasting.

On this site you can find out more about the variations of this religion, including:

• Shiite Muslim Overview: This provides details on the religion as a whole, as well as information about the beliefs and the holy days celebrated by the Shiite Muslim community.
• Sunni Muslim Overview: You can learn more about this religion in general, as well as more specific details with regards to the beliefs and the celebrated holy days of Sunni Muslims.