A Concise Introduction to Islam: by Richard T.

Nolan
"ISLAM" is derived from the Arabic root salaama meanin !eace" !urity" submission and obedience. Islam stands for ma#in !eace by submittin to the $ill of %od and obeyin &is la$. 'e$s and Christians vie$ Islam as the latest of the $orld(s reat reli ions. &o$ever" $orld$ide Muslims )sometimes $ritten "Moslems"* understand their universal reli ion as the "final reli ion" and the "!rimal reli ion." As "final"" Islam is %od(s final revelation of !ro!hetic reli ion" in fulfillment of all that had !receded. Moses $as iven the La$+ ,avid $as iven the -salms+ 'esus $as iven the %os!el. 'udaism offers %od(s messa e of .ustice" and Christianity !roclaims the love of %od. To Mohammed )/012345 A.,.+ s!elled in a variety of $ays* the %od of Abraham and 'esus revealed the 6ur(an )Arabic for "recital"" sometimes $ritten 7oran*. The 6ur(an" $ritten in Arabic" is the Sacred Scri!ture of Islam" the !erfection of all !revious divine revelations" and is to be understood literally as the direct $ords of %od. In this sense of scri!tural literalism" all Muslims may be called "fundamentalists." &o$ever" $hen referrin to the a ressive behaviors of a fe$" "militants" and "e8tremists" are better cate ories. Muslims believe in all !ro!hets of the 9ible. The 6ur(an itself mentions the Torah and the %os!el as scri!tures revealed by %od to Moses and 'esus. &o$ever" the 6ur(an indicates that over time" chan es $ere made to the actual biblical te8ts" because of commentary blended $ith the ori inal te8t" as $ell as losses to the te8ts throu h transmission and other causes. :or these reasons" Muslims cannot rely absolutely on the Torah and %os!els as sources of revelation" unless they confirm $hat is in the 6ur(an or at least are in harmony $ith it. As "Seal of the -ro!hets" and a!ostle of Allah )$hich means "the %od" in Arabic*" Mohammed is neither divine nor the focal !oint of Islam+ therefore" the reli ion should not be called Mohammadanism. :or the one billion or more Muslims )about 3 million in the ;nited States*" $ho are of many racial and ethnic bac# rounds 2 Arabs bein a minority" Islam is the middle $ay bet$een 'udaism and Christianity+ it restores the unity of the children of Abraham and overcomes the limitations of 'udaism and Christianity. 'esus" the !ro!het to "the lost shee! of Israel"" limits Christianity+ 'udaism is similarly limited. Islam !roclaims a !ractical synthesis of 'udaism and Christianity for all humanity. <vercomin the incom!leteness of the .ustice of 'udaism and the idealistic love of Christianity" Islam brin s to fulfillment all that 'udaism and Christianity antici!ated. :or the Muslim believer" Islam is !erfected 'udaism and !erfected Christianity. As "!rimal"" Islam is the authentic reli ion of Adam" of Abraham" and of human nature. Islam is not youn er than 'udaism and Christianity+ it !receded both. Not only is it the reli ion of the "S!o#en 9oo#" )the 6ur(an*" it is as $ell the reli ion of the "Created 9oo#" )the fabric of the universe itself*. Accordin to the Muslim faith" every !erson is born a Muslim" and distortions of one(s environment lead a

!erson astray to become a Christian" a 'e$" or an unbeliever. To be human means to be Muslim. 9eliefs The doctrines underlyin Islam include )=* belief in the %od of Abraham" 'esus" and Mohammed+ )5* belief in the 6ur(an" $hich is verbally infallible. Accordin to the account" the an el %abriel a!!eared and revealed to Mohammed the contents of this sacred boo# over several years. )4* belief in the !ro!hets of Allah" of $hom Mohammed is the last and reatest and the one commissioned to deliver Allah(s messa e to humanity. Abraham" Moses" and 'esus of Na>areth also are reco ni>ed !ro!hets. Moreover" in the 6ur(an 'esus is reco ni>ed as the Messiah" and Mary is hi hly res!ected. )?* 9elief in an afterlife $hen all !eo!le $ill be .ud ed for their deeds and brou ht to heaven or condemned to hell. Islam also teaches that !eace should be established in the human societies of this $orld. To !artici!ate $ith %od in the establishment of !eace" Muslims are called u!on to be en a ed in jihad" meanin "strivin ." The basic jihad is the stru le of the self" to s!ea# about one(s faith" to brin it in obedience to %od" and to ma#e sure that one is livin a holy and ri hteous life. Another stru le is jihad as "holy $ar" fou ht only $hen the faith is bein attac#ed or $hen Muslims are not allo$ed to !ractice their faith. @ery fe$ Muslims call for the " jihad of the s$ord" even in circumstances they believe to be $ron ful. The ummah" or Islamic community or state" is the vibrant avenue for the reali>ation of %od(s Aill and should serve as an e8am!le to the rest of the $orld. In Islamic social theory" the ummah is formed from the threefold consensus of its members: consensus of the mind" consensus of the heart" and consensus of arms. The ummah is formed from the consensus of minds in that all the members of the society share the same vie$ of reality. It is formed from the consensus of hearts in that all members hold the same values. It is formed from the consensus of arms in that all member e8ert themselves to actuali>e their values. The 6ur(an states !lainly that the ummah is the !reeminent of all human communities iven to man#ind by %od. -ractices The ":ive -illars of Islam" )obli ations or duties* are =* the confession of faith: "There is no %od but %od" and Mohammed is his messen er." 5* !rayer five times a day+ 4* sharin of $ealth" alms ivin " !racticed in a variety of $ays+ ?* fastin for reflection and self2disci!line durin the month of Ramadan+ and /* !il rima e to Mecca" at least once in one(s lifetime" if !ossible. Althou h there are no cler y as such" a clerical class of reli ious scholars and local reli ious leaders evolved. Muslims are called to !rayer five times each day"

and on :riday it is !referred that the noon !rayer be said in a mosBue )a !lace of atherin *.

Shi(ites and Sunnis After Mohammed died" a division arose over succession to the -ro!het. This resulted in the emer ence of the Sunnis 2 no$ constitutin about C1 !ercent of all Muslims 2 $ho consider themselves the orthodo8 branch of Islam. The other rou!" the Shi(ites" $ho !rimarily live in Iran" also consider themselves as authentic Muslims. Sunnis and Shi(ites differ on the issue of succession and in some of their inter!retations of the Shari(ah )the strai ht !ath*" a com!rehensive code of morality and reli ious duties based on the 6ur(an and the &adith )traditions of the !ro!het(s $ords and deeds*. Characteristics of Shi(ite Islam include a tradition of honorable martyrdom and in times of crisis the need to em!loy stron action" includin holy $ar. Accordin to Shi(ite beliefs" the overnment of a nation should be a theocracy 2 a overnment ruled by %od throu h the Imam )a s!ecial s!iritual leader*. As $ith any rou!" Shi(ites include moderates and e8tremists. Contem!orary Islamic Issues Issues facin Muslims on a lobal basis are of a !ractical nature and have to do $ith Muslim society. -hiloso!hical and theolo ical concerns continue to be of secondary im!ortance" for the faith has already been delivered in final form. &o$ever" there is conflict bet$een traditionalists and modernists. Traditionalists are committed to the ori inal beliefs and !ractices of Islam" includin faithfulness to a literal understandin of 6ur(anic la$ and its a!!lications to contem!orary life. Modernists believe that the !rinci!les" oals" and fundamental !ur!oses of reli ious la$ are unchan in " but the s!ecific forms in $hich the eternal truths are e8!ressed must chan e constantly in the face of chan in human circumstances. Muslim leaders are divided over national loyalties. As a result of colonialism" the Muslim $orld has bro#en into many nation states. Some leaders a!!rove of this develo!ment" but others fear that the unifyin s!irit of Islam is betrayed by !olitical nationalism. Althou h it has had no centrali>ed authority for centuries" Islam has retained a remar#able s!irit of unity+ $ith the emer in variety of !olitical structures in the Muslim $orld" ho$ever" some believers 2 !robably a minority 2 $ould !refer a more centrali>ed leadershi! for reli ious unity. <thers believe that %od alone should rule $ithout any earthly mediatin authority.