Published by “Read! In the name of thy lord who created. Created man from a clot of congealed blood. Read! For your lord is most gracious, He who taught the use of the pen, taught man that which he knew not.” Today, this is the first verses of Chapter 96 of the Qur’an, the Holy Book of Islam. It was revealed to a man named Muhammad from angel Jibraeel[1] (Gabriel). It later was known that this would the beginning of Islam[2]. In Mecca, Saudi Arabia, it began. The first to accept the religion of Islam (be a Muslim[3]) was Khadijah, Muhammad’s wife. As he began to preach this religion, few accepted it and the leaders of Mecca persecuted them. Before, the people of Mecca would believe in idol-worshipping and they believed in a large amount of Gods. However, when Muhammad came, he preached a monotheistic message which angered most people. On the contrary, his message that all people are equal before the eyes of Allah[4] (God) attracted many of the poor and mistreated. Through the hardships, Muhammad, who, in Islam, was the last prophet of God, finally made the hijra (migration) where he migrated to the city of Yathrib (present-day Medina). He was welcomed into the city by all the people that had heard of him and converted to Islam. They sang a famous song as he entered. There, he and the Muslims spread Islam. Years after, he’d returned to Mecca and they’d handed the city to him. All those who disbelieved accepted Islam thereafter. Though, it seemed a bit odd for this to happen. But the teachings of Islam are truly wherein all this was enabled to occur.
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Islam was taught based on five pillars. The first one is called Iman[5], which means faith. It is the testifying that one believes in the one God, His angels, His books (which included the Bible and Torah), His prophets (which included Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad being the last), Qadr (which was the belief that everything was pre-ordained by God), and the Day of Judgment (where everyone would be accountable for their deeds and would enter Heaven or Hell). This all is encompassed in Iman. The next pillar is Salah[6], or the five daily prayers. The true essence and reasoning behind these five prayers is that it is a way to connect to Allah and always be reminded of Him. Each prayer had a specific time: before dawn, in the early afternoon, in the late afternoon, after sunset, and later in the night. At these specified times, they were opportunities to take out a minute or two to remind yourself of your belief and that what you do in life, you will be responsible for. The third pillar was Zakah[7], or giving money to the needy. Yearly, a person who can afford to must give at least 2.5% of their wealth to the poor and needy. This small gesture (Only $2.50 out of $100) was a way to remember those less fortunate and to help them. This concept was greatly liked because in the time before Muhammad, the rich used to take advantage of those weaker than them. With this practice, it allows those Muslims who have luxury to give to those who don’t have as much. The brotherhood that all Muslims are equal was the binding contract between all of the Muslims. The fourth pillar was Saum[8], or the fasting in the holy month of Ramadan. In the month of Ramadan was when the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed. Each day in Ramadan, Muslims must fast from food, drink, their bad habits (anger, cursing, etc.), and also intercourse from dawn to dusk. This is a way for them, again, to feel what those less fortunate than them feel. It also is a sacrifice made to give the Muslims a sense of patience. In the Qur’an it says, “Oh you who believe [In Islam], fasting has been prescribed to you as it has been prescribed to those before you, that ye may learn self-restraint.” (Chapter 2, Verse 183, Qur’an). The final pillar of Islam is the Hajj. This is a pilgrimage made to Mecca where Islam began. It is made by millions of Muslims every year. There, they see all the sights of the history of their religion and way of life. In the Hajj, all women wear their Hijab[9], or the covering in Islam for women, in the same manner and men must wear the Ihraam[10], which is attire that is similar to a sheet. With this, nobody’s wealth or status could be distinguished: they’re all equal. Anyone who can afford to make this pilgrimage is required to in Islam.
Also, later in history, many Islamic scholars developed the body of laws known as the Shari’a. Islam is based on the teachings from the Qur’an and the Sunnah[11]. The Sunnah includes what the Prophet Muhammad taught and exemplified for Muslims. As his wife once said, he was the “walking Qur’an.” These two main sources were compiled into the laws that now make the Shari’a.
Islam may also have spread and interested women at that time based on its teaching of equality. Before Muhammad’s time, it was a custom to bury your daughter after her birth. This was because she was seen as one who would not carry the family’s name, and therefore, useless. The male-dominated society would use, buy, sell, and dispose of women. However, the Muslims refuted that women were equal to men and they’d questioned a leader by asking if he’d respected the womb that gave birth to him. Islam accepted women as people and they were equal before the eyes of Allah. Women had to wear the Hijab which was a covering for them where they cover their hair and other body parts. At that time, and even today, beauty could get you in situations where something looked down upon could happen. Therefore, the women wore the Hijab as a sign of modesty, and protection. They’d save their beauty for their husbands. This allowed them to see this way of life as compared to the previous ways and accept Islam.
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As time progressed, and as Muhammad passed away, the trouble and triumph truly began. The Muslims had four Khalifahs[12] (caliphs) who led after Muhammad. The Muslims spread and conquered many across Europe, Asia, and Africa. They’d experienced many great golden ages. Many Muslim scholars began developing key concepts in the areas of mathematics, astronomy, and even medicine. Some Muslims also studied philosophy and tried to use reason to explain Islam. The main reason this new feeling and zeal for learning came about was from the Prophet Muhammad’s teaching. Although Muhammad was illiterate, he saw great value in literacy. When they’d won wars against the Meccans, they’d tell those imprisoned (men only) that if they could teach ten Muslims to read, then they will go free. He’d believed in the value of learning and gaining knowledge because that was what Islam was. The first word that began Islam was Iqra’[13], which meant “Read!” Islam didn’t begin with pray, die for your lord, or fight. It began with “Read, in the name of your lord.” Therefore, great value was put on knowledge and therefore, it made an effect on Muslims to learn and gain as much knowledge as possible.
Finally, and inevitably, there was a split in Islam. Many believed that anyone could be the successor to Muhammad while some believed that only his blood line could lead. The Sunni thought the former and the Shiites thought the latter. Later, the Shiites also saw honor in martyrdom. Today most Muslims are Sunni. Furthermore, more groups began to arise such as the Sufis, who were spiritual Muslims that believed in contemplation, meditation and other ritual-like acts. There also was the Salafi people, the Sikhs (the combiners of Hinduism and Islam) and even those who followed closely the great four Imams of Islam (great scholars that studied and wrote about the specifics of the Qur’an and Sunnah).
Islam spread far and wide and even today it is the second largest religion. In fact, now, there are more Muslims than Roman Catholic, which means if one considers Christianity to be separate (Roman Catholics and Protestants), Islam would the be the largest religion. Although misconceptions have taken place based on the few with extremist beliefs in Islam, it is still widely and properly practiced. This way of life will continue despite the few bad apples on display.
[1] Jibraeel (jib-raw-eel)
[2] Islam (Iss-lamb)
[3] Muslim (mooss-limb) (mooss, oo as in “took”)
[4] Allah (uh-law)
[5] Iman (eee-man)
[6] Salah (suh-law)
[7] Zakah (zuh-kaa)
[8] Saum (sowm) (sow, ow as in “now“)
[9] Hijab (he-jab)
[10] Ihraam (ih-rom)
[11] Sunnah (soon-naw) (soon, oo as in ‘took’)
[12] Khalifah (kh-uh-lee-fuh) (kh, sounds like one snoring)
[13] Iqra’ (ih-kuh-ruh) (at the end, it makes a sound like one interrupted, e.g. “I was going to ru-,” “Run what? A mile?”)
