This is not an exhaustive study of Islam as a religion. However, if one wishes to understand the moral attributes of the God of Islam, one needs at least a basic knowledge of Islam, its origins, and how one can determine with reasonable certainty what Islam teaches about morality and how those teachings are to be applied.
Islam is a religion that originated on the Arabian Peninsula (modern-day Saudi Arabia) at the beginning of the seventh century AD. The Arabic word Islam means “submission” or “surrender.” In the context of Islam, it refers to total submission – by all people – to the God of Islam. A person who follows the religion of Islam and who is fully submitted to Allah is called a Muslim.
Allah is the God of Islam and, according to Muslims, the only true God, and is worshipped as such. The word Allah means “the God” or “the only true God worthy of worship.” The name Allah was already known in the pre-Islamic period as the name of a deity worshipped by various Arab groups. According to Morey (1992:217), archaeological findings suggest that Allah was the name of the moon god who was worshipped as the chief deity in the Ka’aba in Mecca. Mecca is Islam’s holiest city, which all Muslims must visit at least once in their lifetime to worship at the Ka’aba. This obligatory pilgrimage to Mecca is called the Hajj.
Muhammad is the founder of Islam and lived from 571(570)–632 AD (sources differ on the exact year of his birth). Islam regards him as the last prophet and final messenger of their god (Allah). Muhammad claims this in the Qur’an. He refers to himself, among other things, as “honoured apostle” in Sura 69:40.
He received his first revelation in 610 AD in the form of a vision while in a trance-like state. At first he feared for his life and was unsure of the origin of the vision. His first wife, Khadija, comforted him and treated him for shock. She sought advice from her cousin, Waraqa-b-Naufal, who was the first person to interpret Muhammad’s experience as a genuine prophetic revelation. Khadija and her cousin convinced him that the revelation he had received came from the archangel of God, who had previously appeared to Moses. According to tradition, Muhammad then attempted to commit suicide, but the angel Gabriel appeared to him and assured him that he was the Apostle of Allah. Over the next 22 years, until his death in 632 AD, he continued to receive revelations in various ways. These revelations, remembered, transmitted orally, and later written down on various materials, were eventually compiled to form the Qur’an (see below).
Some of Muhammad’s contemporaries claimed that he was insane or possessed. This likely stemmed from the fact that he frequently entered trance states. The many denials in the Qur’an that Muhammad was insane or possessed also suggest that such suspicions existed in certain circles.
Sura 52:29: “By the grace of Allah thou art neither soothsayer nor madman.” (Pickthall, 1997:381) “… nor are you one possessed” (Ali 2000:484) (see also Sura 37:35–36; 44:14; 51:52; 68:2 & 51; 81:22).
The Qur’an is the primary book through which Islam is presented. It consists of visions or revelations received by Muhammad, the founder and prophet of Islam, while in states of ecstasy or trance. The Qur’an was compiled from these revelations, which were remembered and orally transmitted by his followers. They were later written down on various materials, including pieces of leather, leaves, stone tablets, and even bones. Only after Muhammad’s death were these written fragments collected and, around 650 AD, compiled into book form to create the Qur’an. Although there is no complete consensus among Muslims regarding its compilation, completeness, or content, most Muslims believe that the Qur’an was given word-for-word by Allah through the angel Gabriel to Muhammad.
The Qur’an consists of 114 chapters and is written in Arabic. Some Muslims do not accept any translations; therefore, translations are often referred to as “the meanings of…” (see the bibliography). In English and Arabic, the chapters are called Surah or Sura, meaning “step” or “degree.” Throughout this study, references to the Qur’an will follow the format Sura: chapter and verse (for example, Sura 5:20 or 24:45).
In Islam, the Qur’an is regarded as the final revelation of Allah, the God of Islam. It is taken extremely seriously, and all commands within it are considered direct instructions from Allah through Muhammad and must be obeyed.
The Hadith is, after the Qur’an, the most important body of writings on which Islam is based. It consists of collections written by various individuals who lived close to the time of Muhammad. These collections contain sayings attributed to him, as well as descriptions of his habits and practices. These are things a Muslim is obligated to follow. From these collections (the Hadith), the Sunnah or Sunna is derived. Sunna refers to what a Muslim must follow and therefore also functions as “law.” The literal meaning of sunna is “path” or “way,” in contrast to Shariah or Shariat, which means the religious law of Islam.
The most authoritative collection of the Hadith, accepted by approximately 90% of Muslims worldwide, is Sahih Al-Bukhari. The English translation by Dr. Muhammad Mushin Khan is titled The Translation of the Meanings of Sahih Al-Bukhari, published by Khitab Bhavan, New Delhi, 1987.
Sunna is defined by Al-Bukhari (Khan, 1987 Vol. 1 p. Lxxxi) as:
“All the traditions and practices of the Prophet that have become as models to be followed by the Muslims.”
There is another, less authoritative, version of the Hadith that will occasionally be referenced here. It is titled Al-Hadis, an English Translation and Commentary of MISHKAT-UL-MASABIH, published by Islamic Book Service, New Delhi 1998, compiled by Al-Haj Maulana Fazlul Karim. References to and quotations from this version can help provide a clearer understanding of the world of Islam. His quotations correspond in essence to Al-Bukhari’s explanation above:
Karim, 1998 Vol. 1 p.154: “The … Quran …. and the Hadis of the Holy Prophet shall be the foremost books in guiding the life of a true Muslim.”
Karim, 1998 Vol. 3 p.122: “Hence the observation of the rules of the Quran and Hadis is compulsory for preservation of the soul from fire and for its continued progress.”
The Hadith supports what is taught in the Qur’an. It is the guideline by which every Muslim is obligated to live—the path they must follow. What Muhammad said and did must be followed by every Muslim whenever necessary.
The Islamic faith rests on five principles, known as the Five Pillars of Islam. According to Al-Bukhari (Khan, 1987 Vol. 1 p.17), these principles are as follows:
- To confess that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and that Muhammad is Allah’s messenger.
- To perform the five obligatory daily prayers faithfully and correctly.
- To pay the Zakat, which is obligatory almsgiving.
- To undertake the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).
- To observe the fast during the month of Ramadan.
There are specific prescriptions for the observance and meaning of each of these principles (pillars). These will not be discussed in this book. It is sufficient to note that every Muslim is expected to adhere faithfully to the requirements associated with them.
How does the average non-Muslim experience Muslims in general?