Islam is a verb and a noun at the same time. The first meaning of Islam is the verb from the root aslama (a verb), meaning to: “surrender; submit; obey; sincerity and in peace.”
The second meaning of Islam is the noun form from the same root, and it describes the last and final form of the way of life as perscribed by the Creator for His Creation. This is the name used in the Holy Quran for Muslims to call themselves as followers of Islam. This would make them Islam-ers” in English, but of course in Arabic the prefix “mu” is added to denote the one preforming the action or verb and instead it becomes “mu”-“islam” or “Muslim.”
Islam can be understood in a very general sense to be the true religion of God, as it is from Him and according to His commandments without adding to or taking away from the basic precepts.
Beliefs in Islam
Pillars of Faith
1.Allah (The One Almighty God of all)
2.Angels (made from light)
3.Books (all revealed scriptures
are from Allah)
4.Prophets (messengers of Allah)
5.Day of Judgment (everyone will
be resurrected)
6. Predestination (Divine Decree of Allah)
Every Muslim is required to believe in all
six of the above to be considered as a
true Muslim.
Pillars of Action
1. Shahadah (Testimony of Faith)
The first pillar of Islam is to believe and declare the faith by saying the Shahadah (lit. ‘witness’), known as the Kalimah.
2. Salah (Daily Ritual Prayers)
Prayer (Salah), in the sense of worship, is the second pillar of Islam. Prayer is obligatory and must be performed five times a day. These five times are dawn (Fajr), immediately after noon (Dhuhr), mid-afternoon (‘Asr), sunset (Maghrib), and early night (Isha’).
3. Sawm (Fasting the Month of Ramadhan)
The fourth pillar of Islam is fasting. Allah prescribes daily fasting for all able, adult Muslims during the whole of the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the lunar calendar, beginning with the sighting of the new moon.
4. Zakah (Alms Tax for Poor)
The third pillar of Islam is the alms-tax (Zakah). The word in Arabic implies “purification” and it is understood to mean that a person “purifies” his holdings of wealth from greed and stinginess.
5. Haj (Pilgrimage to Makkah)
The fifth pillar of Islam is to make a pilgrimage (Haj) to Makkah, in Saudi Arabia, at least once in one’s lifetime. This pillar is obligatory for every Muslim, male or female, provided that he/she is physically and financially able to do so.
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