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The Bendigo Islamic Community Centre

Islam; the facts

Bendigo Islamic What is Islam?

Community Centre Islam is one of the three Abrahamic
faiths, along with Christianity and
Judaism. Islam has members
around the world and Muslims
believe Mohammed to be the final
Messenger of God. His message is a What is the Quran?
universal one and is the culmination Quran is the Holy Book of Islam
of the teaching of all earlier prophets which was revealed by Allah to
such as Jesus, Moses, Abraham, the prophet Muhammad.
Jacob, Isaac and David.
Is Islam a diverse religion?
What are the basic
Yes. It’s a little-known fact that there
tenants of Islam? are more Muslims in Indonesia, for
There are five basic tenants of Islam. example, than there are in all Arab
1. The declaration of faith - there countries combined. Only about 12 per
is One God and Muhammad cent of Muslims worldwide are from
is his messenger Arab countries, despite the religion’s
holiest places being in the Middle East,
2. Praying five times a day
and the Quran being originally written
at prescribed times
in Arabic.
3. Fasting during the Islamic
Bendigo’s Muslim community has
month of Ramadan
different backgrounds, including
4. Paying charity from Australia, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan,
one’s excess wealth. Afghanistan, Iran, Egypt, Malaysia
5. Making pilgrimage to Mecca, and Indonesia.
known as Hajj, at least once in
a life time if one is able to do so.
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the ninth month of the
Muslim calendar. It is a month of self
discipline and purification, whose
end is marked with the celebration of
Eid al-Fitr. During Ramadan, Muslims
abstain from food, drink and sexual
intercourse from the break of dawn
until sundown. At night, after sun
set however, they eat and drink and
pursue a normal routine. The Islamic
calendar is based on the cycles of
the moon and has 354 days, so
Ramadan does not always occur at
the same time of year according to the
modern Gregorian 365-day calendar.  What does Islam say about
What does Allah mean?  The Quran teaches non-violence, with
Allah means God. Arabic-speaking
Christians, Muslims and Jews use the
same word. Allah is not “the Muslim
God,” but the same God worshiped
by Christians and Jews.
What is the position Bendigo Islamic
of women in Islam?  Community Centre
All human beings are considered
equal in Islam. Islam particularly Harmony. Unity. Community.
emphasizes that men and women are
spiritual equals in the eyes of Allah.
In Islam a woman has equal rights
to seek education, earn a living and
express her views. To find out more
Unfortunately some Muslim women about Islam go to
are oppressed due to the patriarchal icv.org.au
cultures they belong to, which Islam
clearly prohibits. For more information
about the Bendigo Islamic
Community Centre, go to
violence? bicc.org.au
the exception of limited self-defence.
Throughout history, political groups
and leaders have used Islam, and
other religions such as Christianity, to
justify many things, including violence.
BICC – More
than a mosque
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