Muslim Student Association

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The literal meaning of “Islam” is peace and submission. Peace means to be at peace with you and your surroundings, and submission means submission to God and obeying his commandments. The prime message of Islam is the unity of God, that the Creator of the world is One and He alone is worthy of worship and that Muhammad is His messenger and servant. Islam teaches that the path to spiritual development is open to all. Any individual who searches the One Creator can seek nearness to God through sincere and earnest worship; it is central to establishing a relationship with the Almighty. This positive message for humanity fills hearts with hope and courage. At present there are 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide and they form the majority in more than 50 countries of the world. Today Islam is the fastest growing faith in the world—its beautiful message is reaching millions in the far corners of the earth.

Allah is the Arabic word for “one God.” He is not just the Muslim God; He is the God of all creations.

The word “Muslim” means one who willingly submits to the will of God. He is one who loses himself for the sake of God and surrenders his own pleasure for the pleasure of God. The state of being a Muslim can be according to the degree to which one is submitting to the will of God, in his beliefs and actions.

Muhammad was born in Mecca (in Arabia) in 570 AD. His father died before he was born and his mother died when he was six. He did not attend any formal school and was raised at first by a nurse (the custom in those days), and then by his grandfather and uncle. As a young man, he was known as a righteous person. He was given the Prophethood at the age of forty when the angel Gabriel appeared in a cave he was in.

The revelations given to Muhammad over the course of 23 years are all found in the book of the Qur’an, which Muslims consider as the final and the last word of God. The Qur’an has been preserved, unchanged, in its original form and confirms the truth in the Torah, the Psalms, and the Gospel. It is the only scripture in existence today in its original Arabic text. The Qur’an claims that it combines the best features of the earlier scriptures.

No. Muslims do not worship Muhammad or any other prophets, although they believe in all prophets. Muslims believe that Muhammad was the last of the prophets. God alone is to be worshipped, not any human being.

Muslims think highly of Jesus and his mother, Mary. The Qur’an says that Jesus was born of a miraculous birth without a father.

In Islam, the two major sects are the Sunni and the Shia. Both have many things in common, like following the Qur’an and the prophets, praying five times a day, fasting during Ramadan, and going for Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). The differences are like those found between any two different schools of thought. The Sunni follow Prophet Muhammad in accordance with his sayings and actions. Those who also follow the sayings and views of Muhammad’s son-in-law, Ali, whom they believe was the rightful successor to the Prophet are the Shia.

The five articles of faith are the following: 1) the belief (iman) in one God and that Muhammad is His messenger, 2) prayers (Salat) five times a day, 3) fasting (siyam) during the month of Ramadan, 4) charity (Zakat) for the poor, and 5) Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime if one can physically and financially afford it.

Yes. Islam believes that each person is born pure. The Qur’an tells us that God has given humans a choice between good and evil and to seek God’s pleasure through faith, prayer and charity. Those who do good deeds are rewarded and those who do wrong are punished.

Muslims are told in the Qur'an not to eat pork or pork products, drink intoxicants like wine, or use drugs. The Qur'an also says in Surah Maa'ida that Muslims shall only eat halal zabiha meat, which is meat that is only killed or sacrificed in the name of Allah.

According to the Qur’an, “There is no compulsion in religion” (2:256), so no one can be forced to become a Muslim. In the United States, Islam is the fastest growing religion and has more than six million followers, and no sword is around.

No. Islam is a religion of peace and submission, and it stresses the sanctity of human life.

To have more than one wife is permissible for Muslim men provided it is not to satisfy lust but to meet social solutions and needs. This is only allowed provided he is capable of treating them equally. Historically, all of the prophets except Jesus, who did not marry, had more than one wife.