Islam

The religious belief in Allah as the sole deity to exist, and in Muhammad as his prophet.

Islam is a major world religion that was founded in Arabia and based upon the teachings of Muhammad, who is called "the Prophet." The Arabic word "Islam" literally means "to surrender," in religious terms it means to surrend to the will and law of God. According to the Koran, Islam is the oldest and most Universal religion, and asserts that physical Nature in itself is Muslim, because it obeys the laws of God. Another fundamental of Islamic doctrine and practice includes the Sunna, or the "exemplary conduct of the Prophet Muhammad."

Islam is a religion of monotheism, central to the belief that there is only one God, whom is unitary and omnipotent. Muslims believe that God alone created Nature through a primorial act of mercy, and without Allah there would be absolutely nothing. Muslims also believe that God provided each element of creation with it’s own laws governing conduct, so that all things follow a universal pattern. The result, they believe, is that all things are a well-ordered and harmonius whole of which everything in known existence has it’s proper place and limitations. The four fundamental functions of all things are: creation, sustenance, guidance, and judgement. All of Nature is viewed as subservient to humanity, of which people are allowed to exploit it and benefit from it as they see fit.

Humanity, on the other hand, is believed to be created for only one ultimate purpose – to be in service of God. Islam teaches that this is only possible by worship of Allah alone, and to construct an ethical social order free from "corruptions" that go against the law of God. Ethics in the Koran dictate that "reforming the Earth" (also called Jihad) is the ideal human ambition, and the Koran also condemns human traits such as self-aggrandizing, pettiness, narrow-mindedness, and selfishness. Islam teaches that because of humanity’s moral weaknesses, that Allah has sent prophets to teach both individuals and nations correct spiritual behavior. Islam believes that many prophets exist, and that they are human and have no share in divinity. However, they are regarded as perfect examples for all people, even if some prophets are superior to other prophets.

The practices of Islam include the "Five Pillars of Islam," and are regarded as universal in Islamic belief and central to the collective community:

• "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his Prophet"

• Five daily prayers – one before sunrise, one in early afternoon, one in early afternoon, one in late afternoon, one right after sunset, and one before retiring and before midnight.

• Pay zakat – a tax levied by Muhammad to help the poor

• Fast on the month of Ramadan

• At least one pilgrimage to Mecca in an individual’s lifetime

The law of Islam is based upon four sources called "Roots of Law." The Koran is the first, regarded as the speech of God to Muhammad through the angel of revelation Gabriel. It is regarded as infallible, as Muslims do not believe it was written by Muhammad himself. The second is the Sunna, or Hadith – the body of traditions based upon what the Prophet said and did regarding specific issues. Unlike the Koran, the Sunna is not considered infallible. The third source is called Ijtihad, which means "responsible individual opinion." It has been used when an issue is not covered by passages in the Koran or Sunna, and a jurist may resolve the issue by using analogical reasoning. The fourth source of law is the Ijma, or "consensus" of the community, which is deducted by discarding some opinions and accepting others. Because Islam has no official dogmatic authority, this is an informal process that requires a long period of time.

In occultism, Islam has historically has had practices of animism, familiar spirits, exorcisms, and other occult practices detailed in the book "The Influence of Animism on Islam" by Samual M. Zwemer.

See also: Arabic Astrology, djinn, Iblis

Sources of information:

• Infopedia CD-Rom, 1995
• The Indotalisman Web Site
• The Influence of Animism on Islam, Samual M. Zwemer

Another view of Islam:

• FFI : Faith Freedom International A Comprehensive Political Incorrect view from Dissident
• Answering-islam.org A Christian but a very comprehensive sites on the web. There is a wealth of material on Islam and Quran.
• Secularizing Islam by Ibn Warraq One of the best sites for liberal views on Islam. (highly recommended)