God (Allah)
Islam is based on six basic principles. Of these, the most important is that there is only one God – or Allah (peace be upon him).
- Allah is the one and only god
- Allah is eternal, omniscient, and omnipotent
- Allah can be approached by praying, reciting the Qur’an
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
Islam’s development begins with the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the last true Prophet of Islam.
- Born in Makkah (Mecca), Saudi Arabia in 570CE
- At 40, received revelations from Allah through the Angel Jibreel, or Gabriel
- In 622CE, he established the first Islamic community – or ‘Ummah
- Continued to lead the community until his death in 632CE
Five pillars
- Shahadah Declaration of faith
- Salat/Namaz Five daily prayers
- Ramadan Month of fasting
- Zakat Giving alms
- Hajj Pilgrimage to Mecca
Origins
Islam began over 1300 years ago in Arabia when the Prophet Muhammad received a series of revelations from Allah through the Angel Jibreel, or Gabriel. These revelations form Islam’s holiest book, the Qur’an.
Statistics
With over a thousand million followers, Islam is the second most popular faith in the world. It is also the UK’s second most popular faith, with around 1.6 million followers. Up to 73,000 of them live in Tower Hamlets.
Worship
- Muslims worship in a mosque
- Ritual prayers take place five times a day
- Prayers are preceded by careful preparation
- They are accompanied by ritual movements
Fasting
During Ramadan month, Muslims abstain from food and drink from just before dawn to sunset.
Diet
Muslims are not permitted to drink alcohol or eat pork. Nor are they allowed to eat meat, fat, gelatine or rennet from animals that have not been slaughtered correctly.
Muslims are permitted to eat all forms of vegetarian food, which many of them regard as their safest and simplest option.
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