Faith

Islam is the youngest of the three great monotheistic religions. It occurred in the 7th century C. E. in Mecca, where the Prophet Muhammed first received divine revelations. The Qur’an, as we know it today, is a collection of the verses, carefully assembled into coherent chapters (Surahs).

The Five Pillars

Islam rests on the belief in the absolute oneness and unity of God (Tawhîd) and the prophethood of Muhammad. Both are part of the Islamic creed (Shahada), the first of the so-called “Five Pillars” of Islam. This term refers the basic acts of worship every Muslim has to perform. Beside the Shahada, the Five Pillars also comprise the five daily prayers (Salâh), the Fast in the month of Ramadan, the alimony (Zakat), and the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) which a Muslim is ought to perform at least once in life. Every pillar strengthens the relationship between man and God and raises awareness for other people’s needs.

Islam in everyday life

Islam is a living religion. Its commandments are best reflected in a Muslim’s way of life. Values like patience, helpfulness, generosity, modesty, and mercy on humans and animals are but a small part of its ethic teachings.

Every act of a Muslim is informed by the belief in an eternal life after death. One day, everyone will be held accountable for even the most insignificant misdeed and wrong committed against another creature. That is why Muslims strive to be valuable members of society.

Muhammad – God’s messenger

The Prophet Muhammad is without a doubt one of the most fascinating figures in world history. Upon hearing or pronouncing his name, Muslims say a blessing like “peace be upon him” to stress his status. Many biographies have been written about his life and work, the most prominent of which was authored by Ibn Ishâk, an 8th century scholar. Despite these efforts, many aspects of his personality still remain elusive to many people.

Muhammad was born around 571 C. E. in Mecca as the only son of a caravan trader. After the untimely death of both parents, he grew up in his uncle’s house. Even as a young boy, Muhammad had a reputation of being exceptionally trustworthy. When he was 40 years old, he received the first revelation by the archangel Gabriel. Until his death in 632 C. E., Muhammad worked tirelessly to spread the divine message.

A prophet is characterized by his impeccable traits. Before he conveys the divine message to people, he himself is required to internalize it.

The Qur’an mentions many prophets by name, among them Adam, Noah, Lot, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus. At the heart of every prophetic message lies the belief in God, the Hereafter, and the realization of justice and mercy, to name but a few.

Sayings of the Prophet

For Muslims, the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad are almost of the same importance as the Qur’an. The Hadiths are the second source of Islamic legal rulings and comprise detailed examples of the Prophet’s exemplary conduct (Sunna).

Throughout the 8th century C. E., a new scientific branch emerged, which focused entirely on the sayings of the prophet. Hadith science aimed at classifying the large body of narrations along criteria of authenticity. The most renowned and widely recognized Hadith collections are the “Six Books” (“Kutub as-Sitta”) by Bukârî, Muslim, Tirmizî, Abû Dâwûd, Nasâî, and Ibn Mâdscha.