Islam: Questions & Answers

What is the correct name of the religion?

ISLAM. The name is derived from the Arabic word salam which means peace—like the Hebrew word shalom. Literally, Islam means making peace by submitting to the will of God—the very source of peace.

MUHAMMADANISM is not an appropriate name for this religion. It suggests that Muslims worship of Muhammad (and they don’t).

MUSLIM is the name of the follower of the religion. A Muslim (or, if a woman, Muslima) is a person who submits to God. (It is incorrect to call followers of this religions “Islams.”)

When and where did Islam begin?

Islam began historically on the Arabian peninsula, in the towns of Mecca and Medina (near the west coast inland from the Red Sea). Muhammad (570-632 CE) preached a message he (and all Muslims) believed to be revealed by God. Muslims believe him to an ordinary man with the extraordinary task of being God’s last and greatest prophet.

What is the Qur’an?

The Qur’an (sometimes spelled “Koran”) is the Holy Book of Islam, the written record of God’s revelation. It means “recital.” Muslims believe that the Qur’an was composed by God and recited by Muhammad in Arabic over a period of 23 years. It has 114 chapters (arranged, after the first one, from longest to shortest). It was collated and given final written form during the administration of Caliph Uthman (644-56 CE).

Are all Muslims Arabs?

Definitely not! Today Muslims live in all parts of the world, are of many different races and nationalities, and speak many different languages. There are approximately one billion Muslims in the world, but only about 180 million Arabs—and not all Arabs are Muslims. So, while Islam began among Arabs, Arab Muslims are now the minority.

When did Islam spread to so many parts of the world?

7th century: Middle East, North Africa, Persia, Afghanistan.

8th century: Spain (until 1492), Central Asia.

10th-13th centuries: Turkey, sub-Saharan Africa, India (including modern Pakistan and Bangladesh), Malaysia, Indoniesia.

14th-16th centuries: China, Philippines, Eastern Europe.

20th century: Western Europe and North America

What do Muslims believe?

There are six pillars of belief in Islam, based on the teachings of the Qur’an:

1. BELIEF IN GOD. Allah is the Arabic word for God. It means “the one to be worshipped” (like Elohim in Hebrew). The Qur’an has many named for God, the most common being “the Merciful” and “the Compassionate”.
2. BELIEF IN ANGELS. Angels are God’s servants in heaven. Gabriel is the Angel of Revelation who, Muslims, believe, was God’s agent in “reciting” the Qur’an to Muhammad.
3. BELIEF IN SCRIPTURES. The Qur’an, but also the scriptures that preceded it (the Torah and the Gospel) are to be honored.
4. BELIEF IN PROPHETS. Muhammad (the Seal of the Prophets), but also the dozens who came before him (especially Abraham, Moses, and Jesus).
5. BELIEF IN A DAY OF JUDGMENT. On the Last Day, human beings will be consigned to the Garden (Paradise, Heaven) or the Fire (Hell).
6. BELIEF IN GOD’S MEASURING OUT. Ultimately, God is in control of our destiny.

How do Muslims worship?

There are five pillars of practice in Islam, based on the teachings of the Qur’an:

1. TESTIMONY (shahada). Muslims declare, “I bear witness that there is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.”
2. PRAYER (salat). Five times a day, using a set pattern of postures and texts.
3. CHARITY (zakat). Returning 2.5% of one’s wealth to the community each year.
4. FASTING (sawm). Abstinence from food and drink from sunrise to sunset during the month of Ramadan in the Islamic lunar calendar.
5. PILGRIMAGE (hajj). A journey to Mecca during the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar once in one’s lifetime, health and resources permitting.

What is Shari‘ah?

Shari‘ah is a system of law based on the Qur’an and the Sunna (what Muhammad himself said and did, as recalled by his companions), and extended by legal reasoning to cover all aspects of social and individual life. This makes Islam a total way of life, not just a set of theological doctrines and cultic practices.

The fundamental principle of Shari‘ah is justice.

The Shari‘ah instructs Muslims about what is permissible (halal), what is prohibited (haram), and what falls into three categories between those extremes.

Sunni Islam recognizes four authentic schools of jurisprudence; Shi‘a Islam has its own.

What is the difference between Sunni and Shi‘i Muslims?

While there are small differences in belief and practice, the main difference lies in understanding of authority.

SUNNI. About 90% of Muslims worldwide. They try to put their belief into practice through the principle of consensus—i.e., Muslims should try to find agreement among themselves about matters of religion by studying the Qur’an together and by following the example of the Prophet Muhammad. They believe that Abu Bakr was had legitimate authority to lead the community upon the death of the Prophet Muhammad because the Prophet had not designated a successor, and Abu Bakr was chosen by consensus of the community.

SHI‘I. About 10% of Muslims. They live mainly in Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon. Unlike Sunni Muslims, they believe that Muhammad designated his close relative, Ali, to be the spiritual leader of the Muslim community upon his death. Shi‘a Muslims call Ali and his descendants their Imams, and believe that their religious authority continues and is greater than the consensus of the ordinary believers.

What is Jihad?

This Arabic word means “striving.” Islam teaches Muslims that they must strive to make their religion real in their lives and in society.

The Greater Jihad is Jihad of the Tongue (speaking about the faith), Jihad of the Hand (putting faith into action by good works), Jihad of the Heart (making faith real as a spiritual force in one’s life).

The Lesser Jihad is Jihad of the Sword (defense of the faith when under attack, and only as a last resort).

Jihad of the Sword is a defense measure only.

Hostage-taking and terrorism have no place in jihad.

Why is Islam a religion of violence?

It isn’t!

There are indeed some Muslims who want to use Jihad of the Sword as a means of defense against what they perceive to be evils of the modern world (especially Western materialism and secularism and Western political and economic power). Rarely, if ever, are these efforts truly measure up to the classic definitions of jihad.

Any tendency to regard Islam as “a religion of violence” should be counter-balanced by a critical look of the history of “Christian” Europe over the centuries, and of American and European Christians in the 20th century.

The vast majority of Muslims are peace-loving people!

How many Muslims are there in the United States?

It is difficult to say accurately. Estimates range from five to seven million.

Most US Muslims are immigrants since 1950, and their children who were born here. The majority of this population are American citizens; many are doctors, lawyers, business people, and teachers.

About one-third of US Muslims are African-Americans who have converted to Islam. Some interpret their acceptance of Islam as “reversion” to the religion of their ancestors in West Africa.

Episcopal Muslim Relations Committee of the Diocese of New York Ecumenical Commission, with help from Hartford Seminary’s Duncan Black Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations