Understanding Islam: Core Concepts, Practices, and Divisions

The Quran: Nature and Authority

• The Quran was initially passed down orally by Prophet Muhammad, who memorized it and conveyed it to his followers. It was later formally written down under the caliphate.

• Muslim View of the Quran vs. Jewish/Christian View of the Bible:

  • For Jews and Christians, the Bible's authors were inspired prophetic figures or letter writers (e.g., Isaiah, Mark, Paul) who expressed their opinions with varying styles and viewpoints, albeit under divine inspiration.

  • For Muslims, the Quran consists of the literal words of God (Allah), spoken directly to Prophet Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel.

  • Christian "Word of God": For Christians, the literal Word of God is Jesus, who is called the Word of God in the Gospel of John and represents God's closest communication with humanity through incarnation.

  • Muslim "Word of God": For Muslims, the Quran truly is the literal Word of God, representing God's ultimate and most fully present interaction with human beings.

• Uncreated Nature of the Quran: Many Muslims believe the Quran is uncreated, existing with God (at least in God's mind) from the very beginning of creation. This is similar to how some Jews view the Torah given to Moses, believing it existed at or before creation.

• Importance of Arabic: The Quran was revealed in Arabic. Muslims believe that reciting or understanding it in Arabic is almost preferable, as translations are seen as potentially diminishing its value or meaning. This contrasts with Judaism and Christianity, where scriptures (Hebrew Bible and Greek New Testament) were readily translated into numerous languages.

Key Figures: Muhammad and Abraham

• Muhammad's Sinlessness: Many Muslims consider Prophet Muhammad to be sinless. For example, even before receiving revelations from Gabriel at age $40$, he refused to offer sacrifices to the Arabian gods in Mecca, believing they were not true deities.

• Abraham (Ibrahim): He is a very important prophet in Islam. A similar story exists in Judaism (passed down orally, not in the Bible) where Abraham rejected his father Terah's idolatry in Ur. Abraham reportedly gathered and burned idols made of wood, declaring them mere firewood and not real gods. This story resonates with Muslim early Muslims, who respected Ibrahim for rejecting polytheism and recognizing the unity of God (Tawhid), akin to the Jewish Shema: "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one."

Islamic Texts Beyond the Quran

• Length Comparison:

  • The Quran is roughly as long as the Christian New Testament.

  • The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) is approximately $3$ times longer than the New Testament.

• Development of Supplementary Texts:

  • Judaism: Developed the oral law (Mishnah), followed by commentaries (Talmud), and further commentaries on the Talmud, leading to extensive textual tradition.

  • Christianity: Early Christian scholars (Church Fathers) wrote commentaries on scripture and other theological matters. Collections of their Greek writings alone fill about $165$ volumes, with Latin writings being even more extensive (around $250$ volumes).

  • "People of the Book": The Quran refers to Jews and Christians as "People of the Book." Muslims themselves are also deeply committed to the text of the Quran and subsequent collections.

• Sunnah and Hadiths:

  • Sunnah (Sunnah): Refers to the words and deeds of Prophet Muhammad. Stories about his life began circulating and being memorized during his lifetime and were later written down. Sunni Muslims (the largest denomination) are named after Sunnah because they follow Muhammad's path.

  • Hadiths (Hadith): Collections of individual stories about Muhammad's words and actions. Collection efforts intensified after his death, particularly over the first $2$ to $3$ centuries, with his wife Aisha being instrumental in verifying attestations.

    • Thousands of Hadiths were collected (some estimate up to $200,000$).

    • Scholars categorized Hadiths into three levels of authenticity:

      • Sound (Sahih): Solid, trustworthy, and definitely attributable to Muhammad.

      • Good (Hasan): Valuable but less trustworthy than sound Hadiths.

      • Weak (Dahif): Doubtful authenticity.

    • This critical evaluation is similar to modern New Testament scholarship assessing the authenticity of Jesus' words.

The Five Pillars of Islam

These are the 5 central beliefs and practices for Muslims.

• 1. Shahada (Creed):

  • A short statement: "There is no god but God (Allah), and Muhammad is the messenger of God."

  • Reciting and believing this creed is essential for conversion to Islam.

• 2. Salat (Prayer):

  • Muslims are expected to pray five times a day.

  • Prayers are performed facing the Kaaba in Mecca.

  • The prayer times are: at dawn, at noon, in the midafternoon, in the early evening (after sunset), and after dark.

  • The tradition traces its origin to a vision of Muhammad, where Moses advised him to ask God to reduce the initial command of $100$ prayers per day to $5$.

  • The Call to Prayer (Adhan) is broadcast from mosques in Muslim countries and is a loud, daily reminder of one's relationship with God.

• 3. Zakat (Almsgiving):

  • Muslims are expected to give a portion of their income to the poor, provided they are above a certain financial threshold.

• 4. Sawm (Fasting during Ramadan):

  • Muslims fast for the entire month of Ramadan.

  • Fasting occurs during daylight hours and is a period of introspection.

  • Floating Nature of Ramadan: Ramadan's date shifts annually in the solar calendar because Islam follows a strictly lunar calendar.

    • A lunar month is about $29$ days, making a lunar year approximately $354$ days long.

    • A solar year is approximately $365.25$ days long.

    • This difference means the Islamic calendar is roughly $11$ days shorter each solar year, causing Ramadan to occur earlier by about $11$ days each year (e.g., if it starts on February $28$ one year, it will start around February $17$ the next).

    • Contrast with Jewish Calendar: Jews also use a lunar calendar but synchronize it with the solar year by adding a $13^{th}$ intercalary month (Adar II) every few years to keep seasonal holidays (like Passover in spring) in their appropriate seasons.

• 5. Hajj (Pilgrimage):

  • Muslims are expected to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime, if they are physically and financially able.

  • The pilgrimage involves observing the rituals around the Kaaba, a cubic building in Mecca that predates Islam and was adopted as a central shrine by Muslims.

Other Important Islamic Concepts

• Jihad (Jihad): This Arabic word primarily means "struggle."

  • Its primary meaning is inner struggle—the effort to be a good follower of God and adhere to Allah's will.

  • However, some extreme interpretations have twisted it to mean struggle against the world, using it to justify violence.

• Tawhid (Tawhid):

  • The doctrine of the absolute oneness and unity of God.

  • The Arabic word means "unity."

  • A Quranic verse states: "He is Allah, One, Allah, the Everlasting Refuge. He has not begotten, nor has he been begotten, and equal to him is none."

  • This doctrine explicitly rejects the Christian concept of the Trinity and Jesus as "begotten by God," and denies any partners, children, or wives for God.

• Names of God: Muslim tradition identifies $99$ different names for God, which are characteristics or attributes of God, such as "The Merciful," "The Compassionate," or "The Helper."

• Shirk (Shirk):

  • Ascribing partners to Allah; polytheism.

  • Islam vehemently rejects shirk as it combines God with others. This includes rejecting pre-Islamic Arabian beliefs, such as Allah having three daughters.

• Iman (Iman):

  • Means faith or trust (in God).

  • It is considered the most important requirement for humans.

  • Muhammad's followers are often referred to as "those who have faith."

• Prophets:

  • The Quran names $25$ prophets, but Islam recognizes many more, potentially up to $124,000$.

  • Prophet Muhammad: The most important prophet.

  • Isa (Jesus): Considered the second most important prophet.

  • Ibrahim (Abraham): Highly revered for his rejection of idolatry and recognition of God's oneness, embodying the principle of Tawhid.

• Angels: Muslims believe in angels as servants and messengers of God (e.g., Gabriel).

• Jinn (jinn):

  • Invisible spirits made of invisible fire.

  • They can be good or bad.

  • Pre-Islamic Arabian religion associated jinn with natural phenomena like trees, rocks, and rivers.

  • The Quran includes a story of a group of jinn who converted to Islam upon hearing the Quran recited, demonstrating the power of God's word.

  • Iblis (Satan): A bad Jinni (singular of jinn), also called Satan.

    • In Islamic tradition, Iblis's fall occurred when God commanded all creation to honor Adam (the first man, also considered a prophet). Iblis refused, either out of pride (he was too proud to worship someone created after him) or because he believed only God himself deserves worship. He was cast out from God's presence and given the task of tempting human beings. This differs from the traditional Jewish/Christian concept of Satan as a fallen angel inherent in biblical narratives, further elaborated by figures like John Milton in "Paradise Lost."

• Afterlife (Differentiated):

  • Muslims believe in a differentiated afterlife, generally equivalent to heaven and hell.

  • Paradise (Jannah): Often described as a "walled garden" (from Old Persian pairidaēza). It is the good place for those who have led good lives.

  • Fire (Jahannam): Equivalent to hell, where those who are judged negatively are sent.

  • Final judgment determines whether individuals are sent to Paradise or the Fire.

Branches of Islam: Sunni and Shia

There are two main branches of Islam:

• Sunni Islam (Sunni):

  • Comprises approximately $85-90\%$ of Muslims worldwide.

  • The name comes from Sunnah, signifying their adherence to the