Muslims call their religion Islam, and the Arabic word Islam implies the attainment of peace through submission to Allah. The word Muslim is an adjective derived from the noun Islam, and implies one who has peace within himself from his submission to Allah.
Islam was the religion given to Adam The first Man on Earth who was created by God, not as fallen being. all The Prophets & Messengers of God "Allah" to humankind on Earth were Muslims! including Adam, Abraham, Moses, Aaron, Jacob, Jesus and Mohammad. they have the same basic Message to Mankind:
"La Ilaha Illa Allah"
which means no God worth of worshiping Except Allah and anything else is his servant and creation.
Although those prophets came with different books, practices and methods of worshiping, Prophet Mohammad (peace and blessings be upon him and all other prophets) was the last Messenger of Allah On earth Before the Day of Judgment.
The Basic Message of Islam is the absolute Unity of Allah 'God' and he is not independent on anything or anyone else or even alike, he is not three on one nor father and son, Muslims beliefs on Jesus as Allah's Prophet and Messenger and his servant just like all other prophets Including Mohammad and Moses.
Islam believes that God and his creations are completely different entities, Allah is not his creation nor he is a part of it, Islam believes that his essence and his great knowledge are everywhere on his creation.
Islam calls the human away from the worshiping of the creation of Allah and invites him to the worshiping of the creator - Allah himself, because the greatest sin of humanity is the worshiping of the creation.
Among the basics of Islamic Religion, the most important part is the belief in one God 'Allah' and He is the only Creator, Ruler, Lord, Administrator and Master of all that exists, And this Universe exists and functions because the will of Allah alone.
Allah responds to man's prayer and He is the only one who has the power to accept or reject it. He is the Master of man's destiny, no one ever else can interfere with the fate of others or even with his own fate!
All the human's hopes and fears should be only directed to Allah. he is the object of fear & source of favour.
That's the bedrock and most fundamental aspect of Islam religion, May Allah guide all of us to the truth and thank you for your time.
Who is a Muslim?
Since there is no priesthood in Islam, no clergy and no official religious institution, all one has to do to become a Muslim is to be personally convinced of the truth of what Islam teaches and bear witness that "There is no god except Allah, and that Muhammad is His Prophet."
One of the great beauties of Islam is its simplicity, its naturalness, and its lack of formalities. Islam is the religion of Adam and of mankind in its earliest and most advanced stages of development. Allah says in the Holy Qur'an:
"So set your face to the religion of Islam as a man by nature upright, the nature of Allah with which He has inspired mankind and molded them. There is no changing to the creation of Allah. That is the right religion, but most men know not." (Qur'an 30:30)
The Five Pillars of Islam
Islam sets down five principle duties which are obligatory upon all Muslims, and form the structure, or pillars, of his/her life. They are:
1. Belief in the Oneness of Allah, and the bearing of witness to this belief by the words. "I bear witness that there is no god except Allah, and that Muhammad is His Prophet and Messenger."
2. The five daily prayers at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset and nightfall. These five daily prayers help one to develop Allah consciousness in his/her everyday life. The importance of these cannot be over-emphasized. They are a constant reminder to the worshipper of the Presence and Power of Allah and help the worshipper to keep himself from deviating from the Right Path.
3. The bestowal of charity on one's fellow man. Islam places great emphasis on generosity and charity as a means of purifying one's soul and getting closer to Allah. The Muslim is enjoined to give voluntarily whenever he/she can; however, he/she is required each year to pay an obligatory charity tax of two and a half percent of his/her annual net earnings that exceed necessities, to go to the poor and the needy, etc. The Zakat - charity - thus enables the Muslim community to take care of all its members and insures that no one will be deprived of his/her basic human right to exist.
4. Fasting during the ninth month of the lunar year 'Ramadan'. This fast is enjoined upon Muslims of good health and sound body who have attained the age of physical maturity and are not prevented from performing the fast by various circumstances like travel, sickness, mental illness, or specifically in the case of women, menstruation, or childbirth. The fast of Ramadan begins at dawn and last until sunset. During this period the Muslim abstains from eating, and drinking, sexual activity and smoking. Fasting teaches self discipline and control, while purifying the soul and body and strengthening one's consciousness of Allah.
5. The pilgrimage to Mecca. The pilgrimage is required of all Muslims at least once during their lifetime, if they have the financial means. The annual pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the greatest events of the Muslim world, uniting Muslims from every race and from every corner of the world. This is a great experience in the life of a Muslim which enables him to draw himself closer to Allah. We would like to remind the reader that the Holy Mosque in Mecca was built by Prophet Abraham and his son, the Prophet Ishmail, peace be upon them.
