Muslims believe that God has spoken to us through the prophets revealing his will and mind. They do believe that Jesus existed but only as another prophet. Jesus was not the son of God, but rather one of the prophets like Moses and Abraham. The Muslims say Muhammad was the last and greatest prophet of them all. According to the people of Islam. Judaism and Christianity have contaminated God's words with their "human misunderstandings". These religions speak of the truth, however, they have added other beliefs that are not what God intended them to be. Muhammad did translate God's words without the human error that the other religions had.
|
Creed:
"There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger." In order to be a true Muslim, a person must recite this sentence and truly believe in it. It is said everyday during prayers and it is very important to the Muslim people. This is also the first thing said to a newborn baby right after they are born into this world. Truly believing and reciting the creed, is one of the most significant practices in the Islam religion. |
Prayer: Muslims are supposed to pray five times a day everyday. It must be done before dawn, midday, midafternoon, sunset, and at nighttime. They may pray at home in private or at a mosque, however, on Fridays, they must pray in public. As they pray, they must be in a position of complete submission and face in the direction of Mecca. Before praying, Muslims perform a ritual purification with water where they wash their face, neck, hands and feet. |
Charity to the Poor:
Muslims donate a percentage of their income, their herds, or their total produce to the poor. Muhammad preached about being kind and generous to everyone especially the lower class and poor. Percentages from their income varies, but most commonly, 2.5% of it is donated to charity for the poor. Muslims must also Show generosity and help the poor during their everyday lives without being told they have to. |
Fasting During Ramadan:
Ramadan is the period in which Muhammad first had his revelations. It is celebrated during the ninth month of the lunar calendar. Fasting during this month is a way to celebrate Muhammad's first revelations. Muslims must keep away from any food, liquid, tobacco, and sex for that entire month of Ramadan. The fasting is a way to discipline oneself, and develop sympathy for the poor and the hungry. After the moth is over, the people have a feast, parties, and even festivals that can last up to three days. |
Pilgrimage to Mecca:
All Muslims must travel at least once in their life to Mecca and to the Kabah. This is one of the top if not most important practice in the Islam religion. This journey symbolizes an interior journey to the spiritual goals of a personal transformation and of new understandings. Muslims will purify themselves with water, pray, and walk around the Kabah counterclockwise seven times. They will also walk quickly up and down a corridor that connects two hills to reenact the search of water that Hagar did for her son Ishmael. When they are done, they will drink from a well that is believed to have been shown to Hagar by an angel. These are only a few of the rituals that the Muslims do during their time at Mecca. |