Islamic Creed

1- Pillars of Islam

1. Creed ( al-Shahadah):

The verbal commitment and pledge that there is only one God and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God, is considered to be the Creed of Islam. To be a Muslim you must  say this Shahadah .( In Arabic : Ash'hadou al'la elaha Ela'allah wa anah Muhamadan rasool Allah)

2.Prayer (al-Salah):

The performance of the five daily prayers is required of Muslims, so that they can be mindful of one's obligations.

"Verily, the Prayer is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours. "  (Al-Nisa , 4:1039)

3.Fasting (al-Saum):

Fasting is total abstinence from food, liquids, etc. from dawn to sunset during the entire month of Ramadan. The entire essence of fasting is for one to attain greater heights of righteousness by getting closer to Allah through prayers, good deeds and by keeping worldly desires under control.

"O you who believe, the Fasting is decreed upon you as it was decreed upon those before you, so that you may learn to self-guard against evil. " ( Al Baqarah , 2:183)

4.Charity (al-Zakat):

This is an annual payment of a certain percentage of a Muslim's property, which is distributed among the poor or other rightful beneficiaries. Zakat means to grow in purity.  

"And be steadfast in prayer and prescribed charity. Whatsoever good you send forth, you will find it with Allah. Indeed Allah is watching all you do " (Al Baqarah, 2:110)

5. Pligrimage (al-Hajj):

        The performance of pilgrimage to Makkah is required once in a life time if means are available. Hajj is in part in memory of the trials and tribulations of Prophet Abraham, his wife Hagar and his eldest son Prophet Ishmael.

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2-Faith concept in Islam

Muslims must agree to and hold the following beliefs as inviolable:

1) Oneness of God

He is One and the Only One. He is not two-in-one or three-in-one. This means that Islam rejects the idea of a trinity, a son of God, or any man-god. By implication, people are created equal in front of the Law of God. There is no superiority for one race over another. However, God has created the races with different ethnic cultures, colors, languages, beliefs, and skills, so as to interest and inspire one another.

2) The Revealed Books

Christians, Jews, and Muslims are all "People of the Book". All have received teachings revealed directly from God, and perhaps others before them have received revealed Books as well, even though their books may have been lost or fragmented. The Qur'an, being the only fully authentic and unchanged of the revealed Books, is considered the final treasure given to mankind. Muslims are required to believe in and respect all revealed Books that have descended to mankind throughout its history.

       God promised in the Qur'an to protect its contents until the end of history, and evidence of that protection can be found in the thousands and thousands of children, as well as devout adults, who can recite the entire Qur'an by memory , from cover to cover, as well as the millions who can and do recite portions of it every day of their lives.

3) The Prophets of God

Muslims believe that God sent different messengers throughout the history of mankind. All came with the same message and the same teachings. It was the people who misunderstood and misinterpreted them. Muslims believe in, among others, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Ismail, Jacob, Moses, David, Jesus, and Muhammad. The Prophets of Christianity and Judaism are indeed the Prophets of Islam.

4) Angels

Muslims believe that there are unseen creatures such as angels created by God for special missions in the universe. At the end of every prayer, Muslims give the greeting of "Peace" to the angels which accompany them over each shoulder - to the right, the Recording Angel for our good deeds; to the left, the Recording Angel for our sins. The Qur’an was revealed and taught to Prophet Muhammad through the agency of the Angel Gabriel.

 5) The Day of Judgement

Muslims believe that there is a Day of Judgement when all people of the world throughout the history of mankind till the last day of life on earth, are to be brought for accounting, reward, and punishment. The Prophet enjoined all Muslims to hold the reality of this day in awe and trepidation, and to manage all their earthly affairs with the inevitability of this day in mind.

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