Crash Course in Islam

Muslims, like people of many faiths, believe in an afterlife. In Heaven and in Hell. But there is no original sin in Islam. So, everyone has the same potential to get into Heaven ndash; in fact Muslims believe a child who dies goes to Heaven regardless of the religion of his or her parents. Belief in Heaven is an important tenet of Islam. What you may be familiar with when it comes to Muslim Heaven is the idea of levels ndash; Muslims do believe there are different levels of Heaven but there is no solid number on just how many there are, although some Islamic texts do say there are seven. The levels of Heaven represent closeness to God ndash; the higher the level the closer to the understanding of Allah. In Heaven there will be no suffering, no pain, no sickness. It is often described as a better and brighter version of this world ndash; but some scholars caution there is no way to really describe Heaven as it is unknowable for those on this earth.

Like tithing or alms-giving in Judaism and Christianity, Muslims are required to donate a certain amount of their wealth to charitymdash;this practice, which is commonly called Zakat, is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Zakat requires only those who can afford it to give a portion of their wealth to the poor ndash; many often give more than is required. Itrsquo;s seen as a way to purify a Muslim of greed and to increase a generous spirit. In some countries in the past Zakat was managed by the government ndash; seen as a way to regulate the economy and to ensure a fair distribution of wealth. One could also practice Zakat by freeing slaves or contributing to the community though service. Today, many Muslims still practice Zakat by working in their communities, or through charitable giving ndash; although itrsquo;s largely a personal thing, with most governments no longer regulating the practice. Charitable giving is not confined to Zakat, however. Often Muslims breaking their fast at Ramadan will make a donation in repentance for some sin, but that act of charity does not count toward the yearly requirement to practice Zakat.

In Christian faiths, to become a full-fledged member of the religion one must be baptized. To become a Muslim, however, a person simply needs to make the profession of faith. In English the profession of faith is ldquo;There is no god but God and Muhammad is his messenger.rdquo; And while this can be made privately, Muslims believe itrsquo;s best if the profession of faith is done before witnesses. When uttering what is called the ldquo;Shahadardquo; a person is stating that, indeed, he believes Allah is the only god, that Allah never had a son and that Allah is indivisible. The second part of the statement, that Muhammad is Allahrsquo;s messenger, means that a person is willing to follow the teachings of the Prophet. A Muslim is willing to avoid those things Muhammad said were forbidden and to worship Allah as Muhammad has said to because the manner of worship was, in fact, revealed to the Prophet by Allah. Someone who becomes a Muslim is also agreeing to accept the six articles of faith in Islam as well as the Five Pillars of the faith.

For many people the image of the crescent moon and Islam go hand-in-hand. The two have become so entwined in the popular imagination that itrsquo;s lead some to believe that Muslims worship a moon god, which isnrsquo;t true. Muslims worship Allah who they believe is also the god of the Jews and Christians. But how did the two, the moon and Islam, become so closely associated? It all goes back to the Ottomans. The Muslim Ottoman Empire controlled large swaths of the Middle East and North Africa when, as any empire builders, they decided they wanted to expand and the territory they wanted was in Europe ndash; eventually they would come to control Greece, much of the Balkans and portions of eastern Europe. On the Ottoman flag was the crescent moon ndash; a symbol the Turks adopted from the city of Constantinople after conquering it. Because the crescent moon was the symbol for the Ottomans, it also became the symbol for Muslims in general for many in the West. It has since been adopted by some Muslim nations ndash; finding its way onto the flags of countries as diverse as Malaysia, Pakistan and Algeria. Although some in the Muslim community reject the crescent moon because it can be seen as a pagan symbol.

Itrsquo;s been a staple of novels and films about the ldquo;exotic eastrdquo; ndash; the harem. Itrsquo;s typically shown as a large room full of beautiful women lying about on silken pillows awaiting the arrival of the prince or sultan or caliph to whom they belong. And, while there is a kernel of truth to that depiction ndash; the Ottomans as well as Persians famously kept large harems of women ndash; the original harems were something different. Western art has turned the harem into a kind of sexual playground, but, originally, the harem was simply the area of the house where the female relatives, and often, the children lived. The word harem comes from the Arabic ldquo;haramrdquo; which means ldquo;something forbidden or kept saferdquo;. It was the part of the home in which Muslim women lived their lives, where they could take off the headscarf and relax. The only men allowed in this section of the house were family members. The idea of the harem, or womenrsquo;s only section of the home, actually predates Islam. Chinese rulers and nobility also kept the women of their households away from outsiders. And in some European cultures wives and daughters lived secluded lives and rarely saw anyone outside their own families.

The Five Pillars of Islam are the foundation of the entire faith. Without the pillars there is no Islam. The pillars include: The profession of faith ndash; There is no God but God, and Muhammad is his messenger. It is considered by many scholars the most important of the five. Prayer is also considered a pillar ndash; it is intended to focus a Muslimrsquo;s mind on Allah and is practiced five times a day. The giving of alms, Zakat, is another important pillar, although only those who have the means to give must. Observing the month of Ramadan ndash; in which Muslims fast from sunup to sundown ndash; is the fourth pillar. The fifth is the Hajj ndash; the once in a lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca Muslims are expected to make if they can afford it. These five are the most widely observed and recognized pillars of Islam. There are some who think a sixth ndash; jihad ndash; should be added. And there are other groups who think they there should be as many as seven ndash; but the majority of Muslims live their lives within the framework of the five pillars.

Every day millions of Muslims turn toward Mecca and pray. They are required to pray five times a day ndash; at daybreak, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and evening, although there are some Muslims who combine prayers. The prayers are said in Arabic, no matter what the personrsquo;s native tongue. Prayer in Islam is ritualized, with some critics saying the ritual takes away from the spiritual. But Muslims donrsquo;t see it that way. The five prayers, together with the movements involved in them, are designed to combine meditation, devotion, moral elevation and physical exercise. The prayers can be said together at mosque or alone. The prayer is begun by saying ldquo;Allahu akbarrdquo; or ldquo;God is most greatrdquo; ndash; then Muslims recite the first 7 verses of Chapter 1 of the Qurrsquo;an. Before a prayer can be said, though, Muslims must go through a ritual cleansing ndash; this to ensure they are both physically and spiritually pure before going before Allah.

Many religions have a mystical branch and Islam is no different ndash; in Islam, the Sufis are the mystics. Named after the course wool garment worn by the first Sufis, these mystics attempt to discipline both the mind and body in order to directly experience God. Although, unlike mystics of other religions, Sufis do not think they must withdraw from the world in order to find God. For them, their struggle is one that takes place firmly in the ldquo;realrdquo; world. Sufism began in the 7th Century as a movement to reform Islam. There were some who felt that, with the expansion of the Islamic empire, the faith was being diluted and was focused too much on material things. Sufis wanted to refocus Islam on the internal struggle to become closer to God ndash; the struggle to be deserving of Godrsquo;s love. This is not to say there is any one way to be a Sufi ndash; there are many different sects who emphasize a different path toward knowing Allah. Some sects have even sprung up in the Westhellip;outside of what is traditionally considered the Muslim world.

Jerusalem is a sacred place in Islam. It is the third holiest shrine, after Mecca and Medina. This is, in part, because of the cityrsquo;s association with important Abrahamic prophets hellip; including Kings David and Solomon as well as Jesus. The three are considered Prophets of Islam. Jerusalem also served as the first North Star of sorts for Muslims ndash; in the beginning it was toward Jerusalem, not Mecca, that Muslims prayed. It was also from Jerusalem, the Temple Mount in fact, that Muslims believe Muhammad ascended to Heaven. There, after consulting many prophets, including Moses, Muhammad asked Allah for the number of times Muslims should pray. From fifty, Allah made them five. The Dome of the Rock, considered one of the holiest sites in Islam, was constructed over the place itrsquo;s believed Muhammad ascended to Heaven. Not far from the Dome sits the al Aqsa Mosque ndash; it too considered among the holiest of places in Islam. Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad led a prayer there with all the messengers and prophets in human history.

There is a lot of debate over what exactly is ldquo;Muslimrdquo; or ldquo;Islamicrdquo; art. How do you define the art of a religion that spans cultures? Therersquo;s no easy answer to that ndash; but there is one form of Islamic art that has crossed cultural and national barriers: Calligraphy. Arabic is sacred in Islam because it is the language that Allah used to communicate with the Prophet Muhammad. Once the Qurrsquo;an began to be written down on tree leaves and leather, people began to focus on beautifying the text in order to honor the words of Allah. Because of this, calligraphy flourished and has become the most revered form of art in the Muslim world. Out of the pure text grew abstract flourishes and geometric designs ndash; these too becoming hallmarks of Islamic art. The depiction of other things ndash; like humans and animals ndash; is up for debate. There are those who see no problem with depicting human beings. While others argue that depicting living beings is a form of idolatry and a sin against Allah. Some architecture can also be considered examples of Islamic art. The most famous being the Taj Mahal in India.

In the Old Testament Abraham cannot have a child with his wife, Sarah. So, she gives him her handmaiden Hagar. With Hagar Abraham has a child, a son, Ishmael. Eventually, though, in her old age Sarah conceives of a child with divine help. That child is Isaac. After the birth of her son, Sarah forces Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away from their home. Although, in the Qurrsquo;an, it is Allah who tells Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael into the desert. While some Jews and Christians believe they are descendents of Isaac, Muslims believe they are the inheritors of Ishmaelrsquo;s legacy - that they, along with Jews and Christians, are the ldquo;children of Abrahamrdquo;. And they believe it was Ishmael, not Isaac, Abraham almost sacrificed to God. The sparing of Ishmaelrsquo;s life is celebrated with the festival Eid ul-Adha. When God spared Ishmael, the boy was replaced with a ram ndash; it is because of this Muslims make animal sacrifices during the festival. Ishmael is highly regarded in Islam for his goodness and wisdom. After wandering in the desert with his mother ndash; Hagarrsquo;s search for water is reenacted during the Hajj each year ndash; they settled in Mecca. There it is believed Ishmael built the Karsquo;aba with Abraham.

Many people outside Islam think they know what jihad means ndash; "holy war," theyrsquo;ve been told by pundits or reporters. And, in part, theyrsquo;re righthellip;but thatrsquo;s not the whole story. Jihad can mean ldquo;holy war,rdquo; or more correctly, ldquo;struggle,rdquo; ndash; but the struggle doesnrsquo;t have to be with those outside Islam. In fact, jihad is something that often focuses Muslims inward. There are actually two jihads ndash; the Lesser and the Greater Jihad. The lesser jihad is actually the one most people are familiar with ndash; ldquo;holy war.rdquo; But the Qurrsquo;an cautions Muslims against fighting unnecessarily. War is to be waged as a defensive measure, not an offensive one. The more important jihad is the Greater Jihad. It is an inner struggle for Allah ndash; a struggle to be a better person ndash; in this sense pursuing a degree can be seen as jihad. But jihad can also been seen as a struggle to improve society ndash; although Gandhi was not Muslim his struggle for Indian independence can be considered this kind of jihad. On a religious level, Jihad is an attempt to find harmony among the ideas of submission to Allah, faith and righteous living.

The short answer to that question is no, they arenrsquo;t. Although Islam is the predominate religion among Arabs, there are a number of Christians and Jews who are, in fact, Arab. The term, Arab, is a tricky one. Like the ldquo;Hispanicrdquo; label here in the United States, the ldquo;Arabrdquo; label refers to peoples of myriad backgrounds. The ldquo;Arabrdquo; world stretches from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic. As you can imagine, in a region that vast, there are a lot of differences. But, there are three signposts that help Arabs define themselves: The first is genealogy ndash; this means a person calling him or herself an Arab is descended from people whorsquo;ve lived there for decades or centuries. The second is language ndash; Arabs speak Arabic as their native tongue. The third is political identity ndash; the simple fact that someone is born in an Arab country and speaks Arabic makes them Arab. Religion, in no way, comes into the definition of ldquo;Arabrdquo;. Arab Muslims tend to be Shia, Sunni, Sufi or Druze. There are also a number of branches of Christianity in the Arab world ndash; there are the Coptic Christians of Egypt as well as populations in places like Lebanon and Syria that follow teachings of the Orthodox Church. And, while Arab Jews no longer classify themselves as that, they still exist. Although they are now found mostly in Tunisia, Morocco and Iraq.

Yoursquo;ve seen it in movies or read about it in books ndash; a caliph or prince surveying his harem full of beautiful wives and concubines. Or maybe yoursquo;ve read news reports about men in Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia taking more than one wife. However yoursquo;ve come to it, you may have an idea that polygamy is considered okay in the Muslim world. But yoursquo;d only be partly right. The Koran does allow a man to have more than one wife, up to four, if he can support them. The Prophet Muhammad, himself, had multiple wives ndash; many of whom were widows of the conflicts between Mecca and Medina, or in some other way social outcasts. However, that doesnrsquo;t mean all modern Muslim nations treat polygamy the same way. Just as there is a diversity of individuals identifying as Muslim, so to is there a diversity of opinions on whether polygamy is really good Muslim practice. In more secular countries, like Tunisia and Turkey, polygamy is illegal. While in religious nations it is practiced more widely hellip; the President of Sudan actually encourages polygamy. In Malaysia, it is also allowed but very tightly regulated. The one constant in all of this, however, is that women are not allowed to marry more than one man.

For many people, when they think of Muslim dress, they think of the headscarf. Or, hijab, as itrsquo;s come to be known. There is some debate in the Muslim world over whether or not the headscarf is required of women ndash; but what is required by the Qurrsquo;an is that both men and women dress modestly. That they not draw unwanted attention to themselves and that they set themselves apart from others in the way they dress. For women ndash; that has often come down to the headscarf, but thatrsquo;s only the most visible manifestation of this requirement to dress modestly. The term hijab is meant to refer simply to the way a woman dresses. Of course, standards of modestly vary from culture to culture ndash; so there is some debate over what women must do. There are some countries where women must cover all their bodies in long cloak-like garments. In other places women must only cover their heads, although even that requirement isnrsquo;t given in all places. Men, too, must dress modestly. Although, again, what that means is often defined culturally ndash; the one standard of sorts being that men should cover themselves from navel to knees. Which has sometimes caused problems for men who play sports like soccer.