Islam
Islam is the religion, the way of life decreed by God for Mankind.
When Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) first received revelation from Allah (God) through the Angel Jibril (Gabriel), he became the final prophet; the conclusion of a line of prophets and messengers going back to the first human being, Adam, which included Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David and Jesus, to name just a few. This revelation is the Qur’an.
The Qur’an and the traditions and practices of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, known as the Sunnah, define Islam, as the religion and complete way of life that God has decreed for humanity for the rest of time.
There are five vital ‘pillars’ in Islam:
- Shahadah: bearing witness that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is His messenger.
- Salah: performing the compulsory prayers.
- Zakah: paying a portion of wealth for the poor and needy.
- Sawm: fasting in the month of Ramadan.
- Hajj: undertaking the Pilgrimage to Makkah at the set time (if one has the means).
How to become a Muslim
“There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger.”
The Arabic transliteration of the English phrase above is: “Ashhadu Alla Ilaha Illa Allah Wa Ashhadu Anna Muhammad Ar-Rasulu Allah”
This is the basic statement of the Islamic faith. Reciting this statement wholeheartedly and with sincerity and preferably in front of witnesses is all that anyone needs to do to become a Muslim. The Shahadah is the first of the Five Pillars of Islam.
When a Muslim recites this they proclaim:
- That Allah is the only God, and that Muhammad is his prophet
- That they personally accept this as true
- That they will obey all the commitments of Islam in their life.