Islamic Culture Facts Biography
Source:- Google.com.pkAs the world's second largest religion, Islam is followed by over a billion people on all continents of the world, and is the main religion of the Middle East, northern Africa and parts of Southeast Asia. Followers of the Islamic faith are called Muslims, and they take their religious guidance from a holy book called the Quran, which they believe to be the sacred words of Allah, their name for God.
Born in the city of Mecca in 570 A.D., Muhammad is the last of a long line a prophets sent by Allah. Muhammad is considered to be the founder of Islam because he received the word of Allah through the angel Gabriel and recorded these words, making the Muslim holy book the Quran. Muhammad began teaching Islam to his local community, but he and his followers were persecuted and forced to flee to Medina. The start of the Islamic calendar is marked by the establishment of the first Muslim community in Medina.
Muslim Beliefs
Muslims believe that there is only one god, Allah. Muslims also believe in angels, the Prophets, holy books, that there is a judgment day when Allah will decide who goes to heaven or hell, as well as that Allah has already decided how everything will happen. The Quran also outlines duties, called the Five Pillars of Islam. A declaration of faith, prayer, giving a portion of earnings to charity, fasting during Ramadan and making a pilgrimage to Mecca are the five obligations that all Muslims must try to fulfill.
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Worship
Muslims worship in a building called a mosque. Mosques don't contain statues or pictures and usually contain little furniture because prayer mats are used. Shoes must be removed when entering a mosque, people wash before prayer and women pray in a separate area of the mosque from the men. Muslims pray five times a day, with Friday the most important prayer day. Because it was Muhammad's place of birth, Muslims always pray facing Mecca.
Islamic Festivals
There are two main festivals celebrated by Muslims. The Festival of the Breaking of the Fast is celebrated at the end of the holy month of fasting, which is called Ramadan. The festival involves three days of celebrations where family and friends gather to eat, pray, give gifts to children and contribute to charity. The Festival of Sacrifice takes place 70 days later, coinciding with the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, the hajj. One tradition during this festival is to sacrifice an animal such as a sheep and give away one-third of the meat in remembrance of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son as proof of his commitment to Allah.
Islamic (Muslim) clothing is a product of comments in the Koran about how men and women should cover themselves and is also derived from the practices and quotes from the prophet Mohammad. In general, clothing will vary based on the climates and cultures of different countries. The Koran does not say what, exactly, should be worn, only the impression that should result from it. This has left dress open to interpretation. Nonetheless, generalized traditions of dress have emerged, especially for women.
Conversion to Islam requires nothing more than a brief statement testifying to one's belief in God and His Messenger. This testimony, known in Arabic as shahadah, marks the beginning of one's life as a Muslim. In Arabic, one version reads, "Ash hadu An laa ilaha illallah wa Ash hadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa Rasooluh," which translates to: "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is his servant and messenger." The shahadah is whispered into the ears of newborns as part of the call to prayer, and converts recite the statement in Arabic and their native language to formally complete a conversion to Islam. The shahadah is also part of the obligatory prayers.
Salah: Prayer
The five daily prayers are performed in a formula specified by accounts of the Prophet Muhammad leading prayer and praying alone, and involve reciting passages from the Qur'an, bowing, prostrating, sitting and standing in a manner articulated in fiqh, Islamic jurisprudence. Sunni Muslims pray five times daily: dawn, midday, afternoon, twilight, and after nightfall. Prayer times are determined according to the position of the sun, but Muslims calculate the times that the sun will be in the required positions for convenience. Shi'a Muslims combine two prayers twice a day, creating three distinct times for prayer. Salah is obligatory for Muslims beginning at the age of puberty, but women are exempt from salah during menstruation and postpartum bleeding.
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