What is Islam?????

The literal meaning of Islam is peace;
surrender of one’s will i.e. losing oneself for the sake of Allah and
surrendering one’s own pleasure for the pleasure of Allah. The message of Islam
was revealed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings on him) 1, 400
years ago. It was revealed through angel Gabriel (on whom be peace) and was thus
preserved in the Holy Quran. The Holy Quran carries a Divine guarantee of
safeguard from interpolation and it claims that it combines the best features of
the earlier scriptures.



The prime message of Islam is the Unity of Allah, that the Creator of the world
is One and He alone is worthy of worship and that Muhammad (peace and blessings
on him) is His Messenger and Servant. The follower of this belief is thus a
Muslim - a Muslim’s other beliefs are: Allah’s angels, previously revealed Books
of Allah, all the prophets, from Adam to Jesus (peace be on them both), the Day
of Judgement and indeed the Decree of Allah. A Muslim has five main duties to
perform, namely; bearing witness to the Unity of Allah and Muhammad (peace and
blessings on him) as His Messenger, observing the prescribed prayer, payment of
Zakat, keeping the fasts of Ramadhan and performing the pilgrimage to Makkah.



Islam believes that each person is born pure. The Holy Quran tells us that Allah
has given human beings a choice between good and evil and to seek Allah’s
pleasure through faith, prayer and charity. Islam believes that Allah created
mankind in His image and by imbuing the attributes of Allah on a human level
mankind can attain His nearness. Islam’s main message is to worship Allah and to
treat all Allah’s creation with kindness and compassion. Rights of parents in
old age, orphans and the needy are clearly stated. Women’s rights were
safeguarded 1,400 years ago when the rest of the world was in total darkness
about emancipation. Islamic teachings encompass every imaginable situation and
its rules and principles are truly universal and have stood the test of time.



In Islam virtue does not connote forsaking the bounties of nature that are
lawful. On the contrary one is encouraged to lead a healthy, active life with
the qualities of kindness, chastity, honesty, mercy, courage patience and
politeness. In short, Islam has a perfect and complete code for the guidance of
individuals and communities alike. As the entire message of Islam is derived
from the Holy Quran and indeed the Sunnah and Hadith (the traditions and
practices of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings on him) it is immutable in
the face of change in time and place. It may appear rigid to the casual eye, in
actual fact it is most certainly an adaptable way of life regardless of human
changes.



Islam teaches that the path to spiritual development is open to all. Any
individual who searches the One Creator can seek nearness to Allah 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 corner of the
earth.





"O humankind! Verily! We have created you from a male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. Verily! the noblest among you in the sight of Allah is the most God-fearing. Verily! Allah is The Knower, The Aware." The noble Qur'an, Al-Hujrat(49):13.