Concept of God; Chapter 1 – Islam
Concept of God; Chapter 1 – Islam
Etymology of the Word "God"
1. ……derive from a root *ǵʰeu̯- "to pour, libate" (Sanskrit huta, see hotṛ), or from a root *ǵʰau̯- (*ǵʰeu̯h2-) "to call, to invoke" (Sanskrit hūta). Sanskrit hutá…….. This form “appears in the Rig Veda, most ancient of Hindu scriptures [as] puru-hutas, ‘much invoked,’ epithet of the rain-and-thunder god Indra.”
2. …………… The common name most widely used in Semitic occurs as 'el in Hebrew, 'ilu in Babylonian, 'ilah in Arabic, etc.; and the root-meaning most probably is "the strong or mighty one."……
Islam
Islam means “To surrender to Allah and find peace”.
Allah:
The name for God in the Arabic language..
Islam teaches that Allah is not a male or a female, nor is He black or white. He is not even a human like us. The term "He" is when it is referred to Him because there is no "it" in Arabic and it seems disrespectful to call Allah an "it" in English. Allah sometimes refers to Himself as "We" or "Us" Allah is everywhere and nowhere. He is Loving and the upholder of justice and He is the Source of Creation.
The beginnings;
Ibrahim (Abraham) resolved, “To Him Who has created the heavens and the earth, I shall dedicate myself as a hanif and not be an idol worshiper.”
Some 4500 years ago Prophet Ibraheem (Abraham) and Prophet Ismaaeel (Ishmael) laid foundation stone of Ka’bah – the house of Allah on earth for the worship of Allah, the Exalted, Alone. "It was the first house built for public worship in Makkah.
“God says: "For We made the house a refuge and a place of security for the people. We commanded them to take the house of Ibrahim as a place of worship and We have commanded Ibrahim and Isma`il to purify My house for pilgrims and men in retreat, for those who kneel and prostrate themselves in prayer.”
Prophet Muhammad (pubh)
Prophet Muhammad was born to Abdullah and Aaminah on 20th April 570 CE on a Monday in Makah. Abdullah died before Prophet Muhammad’s birth. His mother died when he was six years old.
“On the seventeenth night of Ramadan, Prophet Muhammad was torn from sleep and felt himself enveloped by a devastating divine presence. An angel appeared to him and commanded him: 'Recite!' (iqra!). Prophet Muhammad refused, protesting 'I am not a reciter!' But, the angel simply enveloped him in an overpowering embrace, the angel released him and again commanded him to 'Recite!' (iqra!). Finally, at the end of a third embrace, Prophet Muhammad found the first words of a new scripture pouring from his mouth:
“Recite in the name of thy Sustainer, who has created - created man out of a germ-cell! Recite - for thy Sustainer is the Most Bountiful, One who has taught the use of the pen - taught him what he did not know.”
The word of God had been spoken for the first time in the Arabic language and this scripture would ultimately be called the Qur´an: the Recitation. On the mountainside he had vision of the angel Jibreel (Gabriel): In Islam Gabriel is often identified with the Holy Spirit of revelation, the means by which God communicates with men.
“…..the Koran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad bit by bit, line by line and verse by verse over a period of twenty-three years…..”
“Prophet Muhammad, recited it aloud, the Muslims learned it by heart and those few who were literate wrote it down. Some twenty years after Prophet Muhammad's death, the first official compilation of the revelations was made.”
“That is Allah , your Lord; there is no deity except Him, the Creator of all things, so worship Him. And He is Disposer of all things.” ---- (6;102) Surat Al-'An`ām (The Cattle) - سورة الأنعام
“………………During the first years of his mission, Prophet Muhammad attracted many converts from the younger generation… At one point, the whole of Mecca was ready to accept Prophet Muhammad's reformed religion of Al-Lah……. But when he condemned these ancient cults as idolatrous, he lost most of his followers overnight and Islam became a despised and persecuted minority…….”
When he said to his father and his people, "What do you worship?" (26:70)
They said, "We worship idols and remain to them devoted." (26:71)
Indeed, they are enemies to me, except the Lord of the worlds, (26:77)
------ Surat Ash-Shu`arā' (The Poets) - سورة الشعراء
And your Allah is One Allah: There is no god but He, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. (2:163) Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow) - سورة البقرة
……….“during the summer (22nd Sept.) of 622CE, in his Prophet Muhammad along with about seventy Muslims and their families set off for Yathrib (the Hijra or migration to Yathrib) or Medina, the City”…….
“In January 624, when it was clear that the hostility of the Medinan Jews was permanent, the new religion of al-Lah declared its independence. Prophet Muhammad commanded the Muslims to pray facing Mecca instead of Jerusalem.”
Prophet Muhammad died at the tenth year of Hijrah at the age of 63 on 8th June 632 CE.
The religion:
To become a Muslim you have to sincerely believe in and say the following phrase:
"Ash hadu an la ilaha ill Allah wa ash hadu anna Muhammadar Rasul Allah."
"I declare there is no god but Allah and I declare that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
Iman ul Mufassal;
Islam has seven main beliefs. They are contained in the formula known as the Iman ul Mufassal. It goes as follows, "I believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, Measurement, both the good and the bad are from Allah the exalted, and in life after death."
Arkan al Islami, or Pillars of Islam:
“Islam is built on five things: Declaring that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Establishing Prayer, paying the Charity, making a pilgrimage to the House and fasting in Ramadan."
“The other two practices are known as Da'wah and Jihad. Da'wah means calling others to Islam and Jihad means to struggle in Allah's cause.”
Salat [Islamic Worship]
The five daily prayers is said at a different fixed point during the day.
· Fajr: Before sunrise
· Zuhr: Just after noontime
· ’Asr: Late afternoon
· Maghrib: Just after sunset
· ’Isha: At night
Before prayer, one must be in a ritually pure condition. This means that hands, faces and feet must be washed before making salat. The procedure for attaining this cleanliness is called wudu, or ablution.
After ablution facing Mecca, prayer is begun by raising the hands to the ears and saying, in Arabic, “Allahu Akbar,” or “God is greater.” Next, hands are folded over lower chest with the right hand over the left and the first chapter of the Holy Qur’an, is recited which is the Lord’s Prayer. Following this “Ameen,” or “Let it be so is said.”The basic procedure to each prayer consists of standing and reciting a chapter from the Qur’an, bowing at the waist and glorifying God, and then prostrating twice on the ground while extolling God’s power. This complete cycle is called a Ra’kah, or unit of prayer. The early morning prayer consists of two units like this, whereas the two afternoon prayers and the night prayer consist of four units.
“In the Name of God, the Compassionate Source of All Mercy. All Praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds, the Compassionate Source of All Mercy and Master of the Day of Judgment. You alone do we serve and it is to You alone that we look for help. Guide us on the Straight Path; the path of those who have earned Your favor, not the path of those who have earned Your anger, nor of those who have gone astray.” -------- (Qur’an 1:1–7)
Reference:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_(word)
2. Reader’s Digest Family Word Finder.
3. http://quran.com/
4. The Life of Muhammad (pbuh) by Muhammad Husayn Haykal
5. The Life of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) by Abdul Waheed Khan
6. Guide to Islam for New Muslims By Yahiya Emerick.
7. The complete idiots guide to understanding Islam by Yahiya Emerick.
8. A History of God by Karen Armstrong.
Etymology of the Word "God"
1. ……derive from a root *ǵʰeu̯- "to pour, libate" (Sanskrit huta, see hotṛ), or from a root *ǵʰau̯- (*ǵʰeu̯h2-) "to call, to invoke" (Sanskrit hūta). Sanskrit hutá…….. This form “appears in the Rig Veda, most ancient of Hindu scriptures [as] puru-hutas, ‘much invoked,’ epithet of the rain-and-thunder god Indra.”
2. …………… The common name most widely used in Semitic occurs as 'el in Hebrew, 'ilu in Babylonian, 'ilah in Arabic, etc.; and the root-meaning most probably is "the strong or mighty one."……
Islam
Islam means “To surrender to Allah and find peace”.
Allah:
The name for God in the Arabic language..
Islam teaches that Allah is not a male or a female, nor is He black or white. He is not even a human like us. The term "He" is when it is referred to Him because there is no "it" in Arabic and it seems disrespectful to call Allah an "it" in English. Allah sometimes refers to Himself as "We" or "Us" Allah is everywhere and nowhere. He is Loving and the upholder of justice and He is the Source of Creation.
The beginnings;
Ibrahim (Abraham) resolved, “To Him Who has created the heavens and the earth, I shall dedicate myself as a hanif and not be an idol worshiper.”
Some 4500 years ago Prophet Ibraheem (Abraham) and Prophet Ismaaeel (Ishmael) laid foundation stone of Ka’bah – the house of Allah on earth for the worship of Allah, the Exalted, Alone. "It was the first house built for public worship in Makkah.
“God says: "For We made the house a refuge and a place of security for the people. We commanded them to take the house of Ibrahim as a place of worship and We have commanded Ibrahim and Isma`il to purify My house for pilgrims and men in retreat, for those who kneel and prostrate themselves in prayer.”
Prophet Muhammad (pubh)
Prophet Muhammad was born to Abdullah and Aaminah on 20th April 570 CE on a Monday in Makah. Abdullah died before Prophet Muhammad’s birth. His mother died when he was six years old.
“On the seventeenth night of Ramadan, Prophet Muhammad was torn from sleep and felt himself enveloped by a devastating divine presence. An angel appeared to him and commanded him: 'Recite!' (iqra!). Prophet Muhammad refused, protesting 'I am not a reciter!' But, the angel simply enveloped him in an overpowering embrace, the angel released him and again commanded him to 'Recite!' (iqra!). Finally, at the end of a third embrace, Prophet Muhammad found the first words of a new scripture pouring from his mouth:
“Recite in the name of thy Sustainer, who has created - created man out of a germ-cell! Recite - for thy Sustainer is the Most Bountiful, One who has taught the use of the pen - taught him what he did not know.”
The word of God had been spoken for the first time in the Arabic language and this scripture would ultimately be called the Qur´an: the Recitation. On the mountainside he had vision of the angel Jibreel (Gabriel): In Islam Gabriel is often identified with the Holy Spirit of revelation, the means by which God communicates with men.
“…..the Koran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad bit by bit, line by line and verse by verse over a period of twenty-three years…..”
“Prophet Muhammad, recited it aloud, the Muslims learned it by heart and those few who were literate wrote it down. Some twenty years after Prophet Muhammad's death, the first official compilation of the revelations was made.”
“That is Allah , your Lord; there is no deity except Him, the Creator of all things, so worship Him. And He is Disposer of all things.” ---- (6;102) Surat Al-'An`ām (The Cattle) - سورة الأنعام
“………………During the first years of his mission, Prophet Muhammad attracted many converts from the younger generation… At one point, the whole of Mecca was ready to accept Prophet Muhammad's reformed religion of Al-Lah……. But when he condemned these ancient cults as idolatrous, he lost most of his followers overnight and Islam became a despised and persecuted minority…….”
When he said to his father and his people, "What do you worship?" (26:70)
They said, "We worship idols and remain to them devoted." (26:71)
Indeed, they are enemies to me, except the Lord of the worlds, (26:77)
------ Surat Ash-Shu`arā' (The Poets) - سورة الشعراء
And your Allah is One Allah: There is no god but He, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. (2:163) Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow) - سورة البقرة
……….“during the summer (22nd Sept.) of 622CE, in his Prophet Muhammad along with about seventy Muslims and their families set off for Yathrib (the Hijra or migration to Yathrib) or Medina, the City”…….
“In January 624, when it was clear that the hostility of the Medinan Jews was permanent, the new religion of al-Lah declared its independence. Prophet Muhammad commanded the Muslims to pray facing Mecca instead of Jerusalem.”
Prophet Muhammad died at the tenth year of Hijrah at the age of 63 on 8th June 632 CE.
The religion:
To become a Muslim you have to sincerely believe in and say the following phrase:
"Ash hadu an la ilaha ill Allah wa ash hadu anna Muhammadar Rasul Allah."
"I declare there is no god but Allah and I declare that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
Iman ul Mufassal;
Islam has seven main beliefs. They are contained in the formula known as the Iman ul Mufassal. It goes as follows, "I believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, Measurement, both the good and the bad are from Allah the exalted, and in life after death."
Arkan al Islami, or Pillars of Islam:
“Islam is built on five things: Declaring that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Establishing Prayer, paying the Charity, making a pilgrimage to the House and fasting in Ramadan."
“The other two practices are known as Da'wah and Jihad. Da'wah means calling others to Islam and Jihad means to struggle in Allah's cause.”
Salat [Islamic Worship]
The five daily prayers is said at a different fixed point during the day.
· Fajr: Before sunrise
· Zuhr: Just after noontime
· ’Asr: Late afternoon
· Maghrib: Just after sunset
· ’Isha: At night
Before prayer, one must be in a ritually pure condition. This means that hands, faces and feet must be washed before making salat. The procedure for attaining this cleanliness is called wudu, or ablution.
After ablution facing Mecca, prayer is begun by raising the hands to the ears and saying, in Arabic, “Allahu Akbar,” or “God is greater.” Next, hands are folded over lower chest with the right hand over the left and the first chapter of the Holy Qur’an, is recited which is the Lord’s Prayer. Following this “Ameen,” or “Let it be so is said.”The basic procedure to each prayer consists of standing and reciting a chapter from the Qur’an, bowing at the waist and glorifying God, and then prostrating twice on the ground while extolling God’s power. This complete cycle is called a Ra’kah, or unit of prayer. The early morning prayer consists of two units like this, whereas the two afternoon prayers and the night prayer consist of four units.
“In the Name of God, the Compassionate Source of All Mercy. All Praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds, the Compassionate Source of All Mercy and Master of the Day of Judgment. You alone do we serve and it is to You alone that we look for help. Guide us on the Straight Path; the path of those who have earned Your favor, not the path of those who have earned Your anger, nor of those who have gone astray.” -------- (Qur’an 1:1–7)
Reference:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_(word)
2. Reader’s Digest Family Word Finder.
3. http://quran.com/
4. The Life of Muhammad (pbuh) by Muhammad Husayn Haykal
5. The Life of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) by Abdul Waheed Khan
6. Guide to Islam for New Muslims By Yahiya Emerick.
7. The complete idiots guide to understanding Islam by Yahiya Emerick.
8. A History of God by Karen Armstrong.