Predestination

Predestination is a religious concept that God determines the fate of the universe throughout all time and space. In Islam, predestination is described as al-qada wa al-qader which in english means the divine decree and the predestination. This phrase describes how God has measured out the span of every person's life and what will happen during it and whether they will follow the righteous path or not. People have control over their lives but anything they do has to be done by God's will.

http://www.abrahamic-faith.com/shamoun/Predestination%20in%20Islam.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predestination
http://www.answering-christianity.com/bassam_zawadi/predestination.htm

The Six Articles

The Islamic religion is a very flexible religion, as many people have different practices and methods of worship. However, the core beliefs of the religion are summarized in the six articles. According to these articles, a person of the Islamic faith must believe in:

1. One God
2. The angels of God
3. The prophets, the main prophet is Muhammed
4. The books of God
5. God's will, or predestination
6. The Day of Judgement in the afterlife

http://almuslimin.org/ISLAAM/six_articles_faith_Muslim
http://www.muhajabah.com/intro.htm#sixfaith

Major Islamic Holidays

Ramadan- month of fasting during daylight hours in the 9th month of the Islamic calendar.

Eid ul-Fitr- celebration for the end of Ramadan.

Eid ul-Adha- celebrates the sacrifice of Ishmael by his father Abraham.

http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2004&m=December&x=20041203104427ndyblehs7.091922e-02

http://www.colostate.edu/orgs/MSA/events/Ramadan.html

Shiite and Sunni

Sunni Islam: The majority of the Muslim community belongs to the Sunni division of the religion. They follow the Sunnah which means “the way of the prophet,” referring to the religious guidelines of Muhammad, their leader. They follow the most traditional and universal Muslim beliefs.

Shiite Islam: Shiite Islam is the next largest division of the Muslim community. They follow less traditional Muslim values and beliefs and branch off from the mainstream religion. They honor Ali ibn Abi Talib, cousins and descendants of Muhammad, whom they believe should be worshipped instead of Muhammad.

http://hnn.us/articles/934.html

The Qu'ran

The Qu'ran (القرآن) is the record of the words spoken to Muhammed by Allah.

• It is divided into sections called the surahs.
• For a long time the Qu'ran was recited orally and wasn't written until after Muhammed's death.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qur%27an

http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/ISLAM/QURAN.HTM

Prayer Rugs

• Ensures the cleanliness of a Muslim’s place of prayer.


• Helps create an isolated space to focus on their prayer.


• Usually about one meter long and often made with silk or cotton.


• The design on the rug is often geometric, flower-patterned, arabesque, or illustrates Islamic landmarks.


• The rug is made to have a “top” and a “bottom”. The rug is laid flat on the ground and is pointed towards Mecca during prayer.

http://islam.about.com/od/prayer/f/prayer_rugs.htm

http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9061221/prayer-rug

Mosque(مسجد): Islamic place of worship.

Muslims(مسلم): followers of the prophet Muhammed and the religion Islam.

Monotheism: The belief that there is only one god.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslims

http://www.saudiembassy.net/Country/Islam/Isl.asp

Islamic Countries

Islam: the Arabic word for surrender or submission, the name given to the religion preached by the prophet Muhammad.

Islam is the second largest religion after Christianity
Countries include:
-Belgium
-France
-Germany
-Albania
-Bosnia – Herzegovina
- United States
- Egypt
-Indonesia
- Turkey

http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/islam/blfaq_islam_countries.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_by_country

Beliefs

Prophets don’t fortell the future; God selects them to convert people to Islam. The Qur’ran mentions 25 prophets starting with Adam and ending with Muhammed.

Beliefs
-children are born without sin
-all people can lead themselves to salvation with the help of God
-people can achieve salvation by following the books of prophets
-heaven and hell (where people go after death based on their actions during life)

http://www.ldolphin.org/islam.shtml
http://www.religioustolerance.org/isl_intr.htm

the fifth pillar

5. Pilgrimage: the Qur’ran commands Muslims to make a hajj which is a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime, if they are physically and financially able to.
a. Men must wear 2 pieces of unsewn white cloth called the ihram
b. Women must wear a white down and headscarf
c. While wearing these clothes no one can kill any animal or insect, removed any hair or engage in any sexual act.
d. Then they stand at Arafat and listen to sermon from Mount Arafat.
e. Muslims may also spend the night at Muzdalifah, throw stones at the 3 pillars (where Ishmael drove away Satan’s temptations).
f. They may also sacrifice an animal such as a sheep or a goat
g. Additional acts include
i. Kissing or touching the Black Stone
ii. Running seven times along a corridor of the Great Mosque.
iii. Taking water from a well called Zamzam.


http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Article?id=ar282380&st=islam

the fourth pillar

4. Fasting: must fast in the month of Ramadan
a. Ninth month of Islamic calendar which is lunar
b. While fasting Muslims don’t eat food, drink any beverages including water, smoke or having any type of sexual relations.
c. At night or before sunlight they may do all these things
d. Some people may be excused from fasting including the sick, injured, elderly and pregnant or nursing women.

http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Article?id=ar282380&st=islam

MUHAMMED

Muhammed: “prophet”
· born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia in 570.
· Spent a lot of time meditating by himself.
· Visited by angel Jibreel who told him to speak the words of god.
· The Qu’ran tells of the rest of Muhammed’s revelations.
· Preached of the teaching of Islam: that Allah is the only god and people should follow the will of Allah.
· Leaders in Mecca felt threatened by Muhammed so he left and led his people from Mecca to Medina in 622. (Hijrah)
· He returned 10 years later with so many followers that they were able to take Mecca back.
· Accepted as true prophet of Allah.
· Died in 632

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/history/muhammad_1.shtml

the third pillar

3. Almsgiving: Arabic term is zakat = purification.
a. Muslims must give a certain percentage of their wealth to the needy, which helps them recognize that all things belong to God.
b. Zakat is paid once a year in the form of a tax.
c. Most donations go to mosques, Islamic centers, or welfare organizations

http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Article?id=ar282380&st=islam

the second pillar

1. Prayer: required to pray 5 times a day; just before dawn, midday, midafternoon, just after sunset and at night.
a. Prayer is called salat
b. Most important demonstration of devotion to God
c. Before praying Muslims must wash their hands, their face, parts of their arms and head, and their feet.
d. When praying Muslims stand facing the Holy city of Mecca in Saudia Arabia.
e. Repeat “God is the greatest” and an opening verse of the Qur’ran called Fatihah.
f. Each cycle of prayer is called a raka which means bowing in Arabic. Cycle includes; Qur’ran recitation, the bow, kneeling face down twice, sitting and standing up.
g. Fridays, Muslims gather together to pray. Typically men pray at the front of the group and women pray in a separate section behind or beside them.

http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Article?id=ar282380&st=islam

the first pillar

1. Shahadah: means an act of bearing witness, the basis of all the other pillars.
a. “I bear witness that there is no God but Allah” à 1 God, monotheism
b. “I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah” à Muhammad = God’s messenger

http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Article?id=ar282380&st=islam

Allah

Allah: the Arabic word for God or the Supreme Being

Muslims Creed:
“There is no god but Allah,
and Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah.”

http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Article?id=ar282380&st=islam

Welcome to our Islam blog. Our group members are Claire Cashin Carah and Derrick.