Islam and MuslimsIslam is the religion and faith of about one fifth of the world's population, or, more than 1.2 billion people. Its adherents are called Muslims. Interestingly, only 20% of the world's Muslims are Arabs, but throughout the Arab world approximately 95% of the people are Muslims. Islam (which means "to submit to the will of God Almighty") is the last in an ancient continuum of God's messages revealed to humanity through chosen Messengers, from Adam to Muhammad -- including Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them all). There are about 650,000 Muslims in this country and half are Canadian-born. About one third trace their origins to the Indian subcontinent, one third from Arab and Middle Eastern countries, and the remaining third are from more than 30 other nations around the globe.

The Faith of IslamIslam's basic belief is that there is only ONE God, who is unique, incomparable, eternal, absolute, perfect, and without peer or associates. Other important tenets of Islam are: - that God is the Creator of all that exists; - that God sent Messengers to humankind, of whom Muhammad was the last - that the Qur'an is the Word of God; - that humans are responsible to God for their actions; - and that, on Judgment Day, an All-Knowing and Merciful God will judge all humans according to their faith, intentions, and deeds in this life.

The Messenger of IslamMuhammad (peace be upon him) was the Prophet and Messenger through whom God sent the last divine revelation to humankind. Muhammad was born around the year 570 C.E. in the Arabian city of Makkah (traditionally spelled Mecca). In the middle of the city stands an ancient house of worship called the Ka'bah, which was built by Abraham and his son Ishmael. Muhammad was orphaned at age six and grew up in the care of relatives. When he was 40 years old, God called him to teach people to worship the One God and revealed to him the text of the Holy Qur'an. But Muhammad faced severe opposition and persecution from the population of Makkah, who believed in multiple pagan deities. In the early fall of 622, Muhammad and his followers emigrated from Makkah, northward to the town of Yathrib (later renamed al-Madinah, or Medina). This emigration -- historically known as the Hijrah -- marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar, because it was in Yathrib that the followers of Muhammad developed a society organized along the teachings of the Qur'an. In 630 Muhammad peacefully re-entered Makkah, where he cleared the Ka'bah of idols. Two years later, he took ill, and died on June 8, 632 C.E.

The Book of IslamThe Qur'an is the holy book, or scripture, of Islam. It is the Word of God, originally transmitted to Muhammad in Arabic by the Angel Gabriel. But it was always meant for all humanity, not for any exclusive group. At its core is the teaching of monotheism -- the worship of One God and no others -- but the Qur'an also provides guidance for every aspect of a believer's life. There is only one version of the Qur'an, unchanged since Muhammad received it. A number of his followers had carefully memorized each of God's revelations, word for word -- an achievement still common among Muslims today. Muslim scholars regard versions of the Qur'an in other languages to be interpretations or paraphrases, rather than true translations, and in Arabic literature there is no work whose eloquence, clarity and erudition approach that of the text of the Holy Qur'an.

The Ka'bahThe Ka'bah is the black one-room cubical stone structure in the courtyard of the Great Mosque at Makkah. It was built by Adam and rebuilt by Ibrahim (Abraham) and his son Ismail (Ishmael) as the first place on earth wholly dedicated to the worship of God Almighty, the One True Creator of all. It has been given the honorary name, Beit-allah-alharam, meaning "the sacred house of God." The interior of the Ka'bah is now completely empty, and it is not entered except for a ritual cleaning each year. A new black cloth covering, called the kiswah, embroidered in gold with Qur'anic calligraphy, is made for it each year. When Muslims pray, wherever in the world they are, they face toward the Ka'bah. During the Hajj -- a spiritual pilgrimage that every Muslim aspires to take at least once in his or her life -- pilgrims circle the Ka'bah seven times in a ritual called the "tawaf," or circumambulation, literally a walking of the circumference. The circumambulation performed at times other than Hajj, throughout the rest of the year, is called tawaf.

How do Muslims practice their faith?Islam, in Arabic, means "submission," that is, submission to the will of God. It also means "peace," specifically, the peace one finds through submission to God's will. Muslims accept five primary obligations in life, commonly called the "Five Pillars of Islam." In practice, of course, Muslims can be seen observing all of these to varying degrees, for the responsibility of fulfilling the obligations lies on the shoulders of each individual. I - The profession of faith (shahadah): This is a simple statement of the words, "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God." II - Prayer (salah): Muslims pray five times a day -- at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset and evening -- facing toward the Ka'bah, the House of God, in the Great Mosque at Makkah. They may pray wherever they are when prayer-time arrives, in any clean place, preferably in the company of other Muslims. On Fridays at noon, Muslims pray in congregation in mosques, or masjids; this weekly prayer is called the Salatul Jumah. III - Charity: (zakah): A fixed proportion (2.5%) of a Muslim's net worth -- not just his or her current income -- is prescribed to be donated for the welfare of the community as a whole. IV - Fasting (sawm): Every day from dawn to dusk during the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims must abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual contact and, even more than at other times, they must also avoid undesirable, or imperfect behaviours. V - Pilgrimage (Hajj): The journey to Makkah is obligatory once in a lifetime for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to make it. The Hajj proper is made between the eighth and 13th days of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, and every pilgrim carries out specified rituals at particular times. At any other time of year, Muslims can perform similar prayers and rituals and thus complete the 'Umrah, or "lesser pilgrimage." Understanding the Islamic Calendar The Islamic calendar is based on a lunar year of 12 full lunar cycles, taking exactly 354 and 11/30th days. Each new year in the Islamic calendar thus begins 10 or 11 days earlier in the 364 and one-quarter-day solar calendar. The 12 months of the Islamic year are: Muharram, Safar, Rabi' al-Awwal ("Rabi' I"), Rabi' al-Thani ("Rabi II"), Jumada al-Ula ("Jumada I"), Jumada al-Akhirah (Jumada II), Rajab, Sha'ban, Ramadan, Shawwal, Dhu al-Qa'dah, and Dhy al-Hijjah. The first day of Year One of the Islamic calendar was set as the first day of the hijrah, the Prophet's migration from Makkah to Madinah on July 26, 622 C.E. The Western convention in designating Islamic dates is thus by the abbreviation AH, which stands for the Latin anno hegirae, or "Year of the Hijrah." To roughly convert an Islamic calendar year (AH) into a Gregorian equivalent (A.D./C.E.), or vice versa, use one of the following equations. AD = 622 + (32/33 x AH) AH = 33/32 x (AD - 622)

Islam and other ReligionsThere are five divine guidelines that the Qur'an clearly presents to Muslims for building tolerance and understanding among differing religions. 1- Everyone's God-given human dignity must be respected, regardless of his or her faith, race, ethnic origin, gender, or social status (17:70). Because everyone is created by God Almighty, the Maker of All, humans must treat one another with full honour, respect, and loving-kindness. 2- Islam teaches it is by Divine Will that God's human creation follows different religions, or no religion at all -- no religion is nevertheless a faith, or belief-system. (11:118), (10:99), (18:29). But God Almighty is not pleased when some humans choose not to believe. (39:7) 3- The Qur'an states clearly that freedom of religion is a God-given right (18:29), (10:99). 4- The final judgment of all humanity lies in the hands of God, the One Almighty, their Creator, to whom we all will ultimately return (22:68-69), (42:15). 5- God loves justice and those who strive to practice it, especially toward people who are different from them in any way, particularly in matters of religious belief (5:8), (60:8). Islam's Contribution to Human Civilization Islam's golden age in science, technology and intellectual culture spanned about 500 years, from the ninth until the 14th centuries. Muslim achievements in these areas greatly influenced the European Renaissance of the 15th and 16th centuries, as well as the birth of modern scientific method in the 17th century. Bertrand Russell, the famous British philosopher, has rightly claimed, it was Muslims "who introduced the empirical method" in the study of nature and cultivated it widely when they were leaders of the civilized world. The scientific method, as it has been developed in modern western science, was indeed invented by Muslims and first practiced by them on a large scale. Muslim scientists then were not only Arabs, but also people of other racial and ethnic groups such as Persians, East Indians, and Chinese. Decades ago, when the Italian Orientalist, Assendro Baussani tried to hammer home the point that "Islam is an integral part of Western intellectual culture," he was one of the few Western voices then aware of the historical role of Islam in European civilization. Very few people today know that Ibn Sina's best medical work, The Canon of Medicine, was taught for centuries in western universities and was one of the most frequently-printed scientific texts of the Renaissance. When the famous 13th-century theologian, St. Thomas Aquinas, wanted to create a new rational theology, he studied an Islamized Arabic version of Aristotle. Aquinas realized that Aristotle had found a new home in Islam, so he wanted to seek one in Christianity as well. Given the fact that today some people believe in an imminent "clash of civilizations" and a fundamental incompatibility between Islam and the West, it is worth remembering that our two civilizations do share a precious intellectual heritage in common. The West takes great pride in modern science as one of the greatest achievements of its intellect, an achievement no one should deny or belittle. Modern science could not have developed without the Renaissance. But without Islamic science and philosophy to build on, there would have been no Renaissance!

Islam's Contribution to Human CivilizationIslam's golden age in science, technology and intellectual culture spanned about 500 years, from the 9th until the 14th centuries. Muslim achievements in these areas greatly influenced the European Renaissance of the 15th and 16th centuries, as well as the birth of modern scientific method in the 17th century. Bertrand Russell, the famous British philosopher, has rightly claimed, it was Muslims "who introduced the empirical method" in the study of nature and cultivated it widely when they were leaders of the civilized world. The scientific method, as it has been developed in modern western science, was indeed invented by Muslims and first practiced by them on a large scale. Muslim scientists then were not only Arabs, but also people of other racial and ethnic groups such as Persians, East Indians, and Chinese. Decades ago, when the Italian Orientalist, Assendro Baussani tried to hammer home the point that "Islam is an integral part of western intellectual culture," he was one of the few western voices then aware of the historical role of Islam in European civilization. Very few people today know that Ibn Sina's best medical work, The Canon of Medicine, was taught for centuries in western universities and was one of the most frequently-printed scientific texts of the Renaissance. When the famous 13th-century theologian, St. Thomas Aquinas, wanted to create a new rational theology, he studied an Islamized Arabic version of Aristotle. Aquinas realized that Aristotle had found a new home in Islam, so he wanted to seek one in Christianity as well. Given the fact that today some people believe in an imminent "clash of civilizations" and a fundamental incompatibility between Islam and the West, it is worth remembering that our two civilizations do share a precious intellectual heritage in common. The West takes great pride in modern science as one of the greatest achievements of its intellect, an achievement no one should deny or belittle. Modern science could not have developed without the Renaissance. But without Islamic science and philosophy to build on, there would have been no Renaissance!

Masterpieces of Islamic ArtThe list below, chosen by Islamic art historians Jonathan M. Bloom and Sheila S. Blair, includes only 10 symbolic "pages" or glimpses from the vast "manuscript" of Islamic civilization, but they offer a vibrant cross-section of the riches contained in the whole. 1- The Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, built in 692 C.E. The first great work of Islamic architecture. It was built over the rock from which the Prophet Muhammad made his miraculous ascent to heaven, described in Chapter (Sura) 17 of the Qur'an. 2- The Malwiya minaret, Samarra, Iraq, mid-ninth century C.E. This 50-metre (160-foot) helicoidal tower of sun-dried and baked brick, was probably modeled on ancient ziggurats. It symbolizes the power of Islam at the zenith of the Baghdad-based Abbasid Caliphate. 3- The Mughira pyxis, carved at Cordoba, Spain, 968 C.E. This small and exquisite box, carved from a cylindrical section of elephant tusk, is the most beautiful of the handful of known Islamic ivory carvings. Now in The Louvre, Paris. 4- The minbar from the Kutubiyya Mosque, Marrakesh, Morocco, 1137 C.E. This wooden pulpit, nearly four metres (13 feet) tall, was carved in Cordoba by descendants of the workmen who carved the Mughira pyxis. Hundreds of thousands of pieces of wood and bone are carved and fitted together with consummate artistry. 5- The mihrab from the Maydan Mosque, Kashan, Iran, 1226 C.E. (A mihrab is a niche in the wall of a mosque or masjid, indicating the direction of the Ka'bah.) Composed of glazed ceramic slabs fitted into a complex, harmonious ensemble of calligraphy and arabesques, this is the acme of the difficult luster technique of overglaze decoration, perfected by Persian ceramicists. Now in the Islamic Museum of Berlin. 6- The Baptistere of Saint-Louis, Cairo, 1300 C.E. This hammered bronze basin, inlaid with silver and gold, is decorated on both the interior and exterior with marvelous figural scenes showing hunters, servants, and warriors. First made to catch water after hand-washing before prayers, it was only later used as a baptismal font by the French court. Now in The Louvre. 7- The Ahmad al-Suhrawardi Qur'an manuscript, Baghdad, 1307 C.E. This is arguably the finest display of the calligrapher's art. The paper was polished to an impeccable smoothness, allowing the pen to glide effortlessly across its pearly surface. This was a multi-volume manuscript created for an anonymous patron, but the original set is now dispersed. The colophon is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. 8- The Ardebil Carpets, Iran, 1539-40 C.E. These two enormous carpets were worked in 10 colors of silk and wool. Each has more than 25 million knots, making them one of the most splendid examples of the weaver's art. This one is in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London; the other is in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. 9- The Selimiye Mosque, Edirne, Turkey, 1574 C.E. The breathtaking interior of this mosque is the masterpiece of Ottoman architect Sinan, who created a huge and uninterrupted space under a towering dome. The centralized space of the prayer hall literally and symbolically embraces the community of believers and unites them under God's radiance. 10- The Taj Mahal, Agra, India, 1647 C.E. This enormous white marble mausoleum is set in a garden along the banks of the Jamuna River, the centerpiece of a complex designed to evoke the gardens of Paradise that await faithful believers. The Source: The Canadian Islamic Congress

For more information about Islam please follow these linkshttp://www.sultan.org/ http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?ln=eng http://www.islaminfo.com/new/intro_to_islam.asp

For more information about Islam# The Holy Qur'an - Interpretation & Commentary by Yusuf Ali. Presented here as a paperback edition. The latest edition of the world’s most popular English rendering of the Qur’an. This edition features revised translation commentary and a newly compiled comprehensive index, in addition to the full Arabic text of the Qur’an. ISBN: 0915957590 [buy from chapters.ca] # Islam: Religion of Life, by Abdul Wadod Shalabi (translated by T. J. Winter (Abdul-Hakim Murad). This book is written about Islam from within. It seeks to show something of the true nature of the faith, thereby challenging the accepted stereotypes which so badly compromise the present dialogue of civilizations. By explaining the significance of the formal practices and doctrines of the Islamic religion, it endeavors to build a bridge over what must be the deepest yet most irrational gulf ever to have cleaved apart two cultures. ISBN: 1929694083 [buy from amazon.ca] # The Essential Koran: The Heart of Islam, by Thomas Cleary. These selections from the Quran are designed to help introduce the sacred text to non-Muslim Westerners so that they may be introduced to the sacred book and be better equipped to study it in its entirety. Central ideas of the Quran, such as knowledge of God and refutations of unbelievers’ arguments, sacrificing to help others and so forth, are shared through the selections. ISBN: 0062501984 [buy from chapters.ca] # Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources, by Martin Lings (Abu Bakr Siraj ad-Din). This book is primarily based on Sirat Rasul Allah by ibn Ishaq (recension by ibn Hisham) with supplemental information taken from the "six sahihs" hadith collections, the biographies of ibn Sa'd, and the history of Tabari. It is written in a wonderfully clear and engaging style. ISBN: 0892811706 [buy from chapters.ca] # The Lives of Man, by Imam Abdallah Ibn 'Alawi Al-Haddad (translated by Mostapha Badawi). This deeply spiritual text explains that every human being passes through a series of "lives"; before conception, life in the world, life in the grave, the resurrection, and finally the Garden or the Fire. A complete Muslim must be aware of each of these if he is to be sufficiently prepared for eternal life. This book addresses many relevant questions and answers them on the bases of the Qur'an and Hadith. ISBN: 1887752145 [buy from chapters.ca] # Islam & the Destiny of Man, by Charles Le Gai Eaton. This remarkable book, written by a prominent European intellectual who converted to Islam in 1951, explores the essence of what it means to be a Muslim in today's world. The author begins with an overview of the historic confrontation between Islam and Christendom and an analysis of the differences between the three monotheistic faiths. Then he examines the role that the Qur'an and the Prophet (pbuh) play in forming the Muslim view of man's destiny. This book is concerned "not with the religion of Islam in isolation, but with the very nature of religious faith, its spiritual and intellectual foundations, and the light it casts upon the mysteries and paradoxes of the human condition." ISBN: 088706163X [buy from amazon.ca] # The Inner Dimesions of Islamic Worship, by Imam al-Ghazali. These selections from his `Ihya `Ulum al-Din explain, in his characteristically powerful and inspiring way, how to reap the rich harvests of spiritual, moral and social upliftment that must be their reward. It is an especially important book for young men and women of today who are seeking the pleasure of God - a lifestyle impossible to maintain without an understanding of the inner resources which Islam offers. ISBN: 0860371255 [buy from amazon.ca]

Islam in DetailIman al-Aqidah al-Tahawiyya Islam What is a Madhab? Understanding the Four Madhabs Why Muslims Follow Madhhabs Ihsan Islamic Spirituality Good Counsel to Fellow Muslims Hadith Jibreel On the authority of ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him), who said: Once while we were sitting in the company of Allah’s Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) there came upon us a man with snow-white attire and his hair was jet black. There were no signs of travelling upon him; and none of us recognized him. He sat along with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and knelt before the Prophet’s knees and placed his palms on the Prophet’s thighs and said: ‘O Muhammad! Inform me about al-ISLAM’. The Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “al-ISLAM is to testify that La Ilaha Illa Allah, Muhammad Rasullullah (i.e. none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah), to establish the Salah (the five daily prayers), to pay the Zakah (obligatory charity), to observe the fast of Ramadan, and to perform the Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (the Holy Mosque n Makka) if you can afford it”. The man said: ‘You have told the truth’. ‘Umar said: ‘It amazed us that he would ask the question and he then would verify the truth himself’. The man said: ‘Tell me about al-IMAN (faith)’. The Prophet replied: “It is to affirm your faith in Allah, His angels, His Books His Messengers and the Last Day, and to believe in the Divine Destiny whether it be good or bad”. The man said: ‘You have told the truth’. He again said: ‘Tell me about al-IHSAN’ (i.e. the performance of some action in a goodly manner, goodness)’. The prophet said: “It is to worship Allah as though you see Him, and know that He sees you, even if you do not see Him”. The man said: ‘Tell me about the Hour (Doomsday)’. The Prophet said: “I – the one questioned – do not know about it more than you – the questioner”. The man said: ‘Tell me about its signs’. The Prophet said: “It is when a slave gives birth to her own mistress (or master), and when you see the barefooted and tattered needy shepherds vying with one another in erecting high buildings”. The man then departed and ‘Umar stayed with the Prophet for a while. The Prophet said: “O ‘Umar! Have you recognized the Questioner?” ‘Umar said: ‘Allah and His Messenger know best’. The Prophet said: “It is Gibreel (Angel Gabriel), who has come to teach you your religion” Reported by Muslim.