تويت
Islam: Beliefs, Rituals and Laws
Islam is a set of beliefs, worship rituals, laws, and moral principles covering all aspects of life. It is the last version of the Divine message, which was revealed by Allah([1]) to all his messengers, starting from Adam throughout Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad the seal (the last) of the messengers (May peace and blessings of Allah be upon them all). All these messengers invited to what realizes felicity for all human beings. Each in his own time brought suitable teachings for his people; i.e., a specific time and a group of people. Then, Islam came to be a message for all accountable beings (the Jinn and the Humans). Addressing prophet Muhammad the Holy Quraan reads: {We have sent you but a mercy for the whole world.}([2])
What are the Basic Beliefs and Rituals?
The basic beliefs of Islam are based on the fact that this life is not the whole story, simply, because some people are born to enjoy their intelligence or wealth and others to suffer their dumbness or poverty. Some of them become victims of others who may as well escape punishment in this life. Some of them relax with their good luck, and others toil with their bad luck to the end of their lives. If this is what life is, then where is justice? Therefore, there must be an eternal life where the final account takes place and the infinite justice is realized.
The basic beliefs are constant throughout Divine messages. According to the Islamic version these include: believing in a creator for the whole universe, His angels, His books, His messengers, the day of resurrection and the prerecording of the universe’s events: the good of it and the bad.([3]) The Corner stone of the beliefs is to believe in one god and that He alone to be worshiped. The Holy Quraan reads: {Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him. But He forgives anything else to whom He pleases.}([4])
In addition to bearing witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is a messenger of Allah, the major worship rituals are to perform the obligatory prayers, to pay the obligatory charity (zakaat), to fast the month of Ramdhan and to perform pilgrimage for those who can afford it.([5]) These worship rituals are closely related to the Muslim’s daily life activities. For example, the five-time daily prayers are required to be performed at specific ranges of time, cleaning the exposed parts of one’s body, and doing some physical exercises…
All these remind a Muslim of the necessity of taking care of one’s time, observing cleanliness, organization, concentration in doing work and remembering one’s duty towards Allah… Paying charity and fasting remind a Muslim of his duties towards his fellow men… Performing pilgrimage in a specific place and time encourages communication and cooperation between the peoples from the different parts of the world.
It is true that some parts of the rituals are apparently similar to the rituals adoring idols, such as facing the Kaaba in Mecca during prayer and circumambulating it as a requirement of pilgrimage. In reality, there is a great difference between the two because:
1. The Islamic rituals which look illogical in appearance are direct commands of God and performing them means complete obedience to God.
2. The rituals invented by human beings are considered deviations from the original teachings, whether they are logical or illogical in appearance.
It is note-worthy that these beliefs and rituals are not subject to effect by the changes occurring to life style or the means except in a very limited sense. Among these approved changes is, for instance, to perform two bowings while traveling, instead of four, or the permission to postpone fasting the month of Ramdhan.
As far as the Shari’ah (law) that regulates the relation between people is concerned, it is more affected by the continuous changes of life styles and means. Even after fourteen centuries Islamic law is still efficient.
How Can We Apply 14-Century Old Laws Today?
Some Muslims and non-Muslims alike may wonder how can we implement a law of 14 centuries ago today. It is a logical question if we do not have enough idea about the nature of the Islamic Shari’ah. But then, we also forget that human beings have written constitutions to last hundreds of years. If this is possible for the humans why is it not possible for God, Whose knowledge encompasses everything across time and space?
([1] ) The word “Allah” is the unique name of God in Arabic, which does not have a
plural form.
([2] ) Holy Quraan 21 :107.
([3] ) Holy Quraan 2: 285; Muslim: The belief,
([4] ) Holy Quraan 4: 48, 116.
([5] ) Muslim: the belief
Islam is a set of beliefs, worship rituals, laws, and moral principles covering all aspects of life. It is the last version of the Divine message, which was revealed by Allah([1]) to all his messengers, starting from Adam throughout Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad the seal (the last) of the messengers (May peace and blessings of Allah be upon them all). All these messengers invited to what realizes felicity for all human beings. Each in his own time brought suitable teachings for his people; i.e., a specific time and a group of people. Then, Islam came to be a message for all accountable beings (the Jinn and the Humans). Addressing prophet Muhammad the Holy Quraan reads: {We have sent you but a mercy for the whole world.}([2])
What are the Basic Beliefs and Rituals?
The basic beliefs of Islam are based on the fact that this life is not the whole story, simply, because some people are born to enjoy their intelligence or wealth and others to suffer their dumbness or poverty. Some of them become victims of others who may as well escape punishment in this life. Some of them relax with their good luck, and others toil with their bad luck to the end of their lives. If this is what life is, then where is justice? Therefore, there must be an eternal life where the final account takes place and the infinite justice is realized.
The basic beliefs are constant throughout Divine messages. According to the Islamic version these include: believing in a creator for the whole universe, His angels, His books, His messengers, the day of resurrection and the prerecording of the universe’s events: the good of it and the bad.([3]) The Corner stone of the beliefs is to believe in one god and that He alone to be worshiped. The Holy Quraan reads: {Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him. But He forgives anything else to whom He pleases.}([4])
In addition to bearing witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is a messenger of Allah, the major worship rituals are to perform the obligatory prayers, to pay the obligatory charity (zakaat), to fast the month of Ramdhan and to perform pilgrimage for those who can afford it.([5]) These worship rituals are closely related to the Muslim’s daily life activities. For example, the five-time daily prayers are required to be performed at specific ranges of time, cleaning the exposed parts of one’s body, and doing some physical exercises…
All these remind a Muslim of the necessity of taking care of one’s time, observing cleanliness, organization, concentration in doing work and remembering one’s duty towards Allah… Paying charity and fasting remind a Muslim of his duties towards his fellow men… Performing pilgrimage in a specific place and time encourages communication and cooperation between the peoples from the different parts of the world.
It is true that some parts of the rituals are apparently similar to the rituals adoring idols, such as facing the Kaaba in Mecca during prayer and circumambulating it as a requirement of pilgrimage. In reality, there is a great difference between the two because:
1. The Islamic rituals which look illogical in appearance are direct commands of God and performing them means complete obedience to God.
2. The rituals invented by human beings are considered deviations from the original teachings, whether they are logical or illogical in appearance.
It is note-worthy that these beliefs and rituals are not subject to effect by the changes occurring to life style or the means except in a very limited sense. Among these approved changes is, for instance, to perform two bowings while traveling, instead of four, or the permission to postpone fasting the month of Ramdhan.
As far as the Shari’ah (law) that regulates the relation between people is concerned, it is more affected by the continuous changes of life styles and means. Even after fourteen centuries Islamic law is still efficient.
How Can We Apply 14-Century Old Laws Today?
Some Muslims and non-Muslims alike may wonder how can we implement a law of 14 centuries ago today. It is a logical question if we do not have enough idea about the nature of the Islamic Shari’ah. But then, we also forget that human beings have written constitutions to last hundreds of years. If this is possible for the humans why is it not possible for God, Whose knowledge encompasses everything across time and space?
([1] ) The word “Allah” is the unique name of God in Arabic, which does not have a
plural form.
([2] ) Holy Quraan 21 :107.
([3] ) Holy Quraan 2: 285; Muslim: The belief,
([4] ) Holy Quraan 4: 48, 116.
([5] ) Muslim: the belief
