Things to Know About Islam

Things to Know About Islam
What We Call God

Allah is the Arabic word for God. It is used by Arab Christians as well as
Muslims. For Muslims, God was not created and there is no other being like him. They
believe that one of God’s most important qualities is his “Oneness.” According to
Muslims if God is One, then there cannot be different or rival Gods, such as a God for the
Jews, a God for the Christians and a God for the Polytheists. God is believed to have 99
beautiful names. These are descriptive adjectives given throughout the Quran, including
All Powerful Creator of the Cosmos, The Compassionate, The Merciful, The Guardian,
The Loving, The Patient and The Ever Forgiving. Muslims traditionally repeat these
descriptive names with the help of a rosary known as a misbah. This rosary has 100
beads. Ninety-nine represent God’s qualities while one larger bead symbolizes God.

Holy Book

The Muslim holy book is called the Quran. It is believed to be the word of God,
revealed to Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel over a period of 22 years. Initially
written on any available materials, it was compiled in its final form after the death of
Muhammad in 632 AD. It is divided into 114 chapters (suras) consisting of verses
(ayat). All chapters except for chapter nine start with “in the name of God the merciful
and the compassionate.” Muslims learn the Quran in its original language, Arabic,
because its recitation as the word of God is a ritual that allows Muslims to experience
God symbolically, as a community of faithful. That is comparable to the symbolic
Christian experience of God found in taking of the Eucharist, which defines the Christian
community. Islam prohibits pictorial depictions of God as way to discourage idol
worship. As a result, the art of writing (calligraphy) is used to decorate the Quran and
mosques. Muslims look to the Quran along with the Hadith (a collection of teachings
thought to derive from the prophet and his companions) for guidance in many aspects of
life. Muslim law, known as Shari’a, is based upon the Quran and the Hadith.

Worship and Prayer

Muslims gather at their mosque on Fridays at noon for communal prayer. The
Imam leads the prayer and addresses the congregation from a stepped platform called
minbar. He never preaches from the top step, which is symbolically reserved for the
prophet Muhammad. Mosques are built with a special tower called a minaret, where a
person known as the muezzin calls the people to prayer five times a day. When Muslims
pray they face toward Mecca, the birthplace of Muhammad. The direction is marked by
an alcove known as the mihrab, which serves as a focal point for the prayer hall.
The prayer hall has no seats because prayer involves standing, kneeling and
prostrating. All prayers start with the same call for peace for Muhammad, his followers
and the descendants of Abraham. In some mosques there are separate balconies for
women. Before praying, Muslims clean themselves by washing their face, mouth,
nostrils, hands, lower arms and feet.