In Depth Explenation of What Islam Is.

Earlier, I made a post which explains the basic beliefs of Islam.  In that Post I used a saying of Prophet Muhammad(Peace be upon him):

“Islam is that you should testify that there is no deity save Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, that you should perform salah (ritual prayer), pay the zakah(charity), fast during Ramadan, and perform Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (the Ka’bah at Makkah), if you can find a way to it (or find the means for making the journey to it).”

In that post I explained, the parts of the speech.  In this post I will try to simplify what I said.

One of the greatest Scholars in Islam, is a man named Nawawi, or as the Muslims call him, Imam Nawawi.  He has authored many books, most famously the 40 Hadith of Nawawi.  His 40 Hadith of Nawawi, are the 40 most important Hadith in Islam.  He died in the year 1277 CE.

Imam Nawawi wrote:

The sheikh and Imam Ibn Salah said: “Being a Muslim is outwardly established by one’s saying the two Testifications(Sheykh Nuh Ha Meem Keller, a moder American-Islamic scholar noted that these testifications do not need to be done in Arabic).  The Prophet only added the prayer, zakat, the pilgrimage, and the fast because they are the most patent and greatest of Islamic observances.  One’s submission(istislam) is perfected through performing them, and neglecting them suggests that one has dissolved or vitiated the terms of one’s compliance.  Moreover the term faith(iman) ecompasses all of the things by which Islam is explained in this hadith, and indeed, all acts of obedience, for they are fruits of the inner conviction that is underlying basis of faith, and are what strenghen, and complete and preserve it.”

The First Testification of Faith

From the Previous post, The first pillar of Islam, is the testification of faith also known in Arabic as the Shahada.  This is the bare minimum of being a Muslim.  The first part of the testification is “there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah”.  That is what I will explain in this post.

Before we start with the Shahada(Testification of faith), we must define Tawhid.  Tawhid comes from the root word Wahada, which means ‘to ascribe unity’ to something. Meaning he made something one. So the word Tawhid islamically means unify Allah in his lordship, his names and attributes, and his rights to be worshiped. These are the three types of Tawhid. These are mentioned in the Qur’an. The first four verses of the Qur’an testify to these.

“All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.”

• The Unification of Allah’s lordship.

“The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

Sovereign of the Day of Recompense.”

• The Names and Attributes of Allah.

“It is You we worship and You alone we ask for help.”

• His rights to be worshiped.

So all three forms of Tawhid are mentioned in these verses. Tawhid Rububiyah(of his lordship), there is only one lord, one creator, one sustainer, Allah. Tawhid Asma wa Sifa’t(his names and attributes), his names and attributes are perfect. And Tawhid Uluhiyah(his rights to be worshiped), Allah is the only one worthy of worship.

He Came To Teach You Your Religion

People Ask the simple Question, What is Islam?  Well Islam was amazingly described by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), when Angel Gabriel (peace be upon him) came and taught the companions of Muhammad the Religion.  Later on I will break this ahadith(speech atributed to Prohet Muhammad) into simple parts and explain them.

Translation:

Also on the authority of ‘Umar(may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

“While we were one day sitting with the Messenger of Allah(peace be upon him), there appeared before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes and with very black hair. No traces of journeying were visible on him, and none of us knew him.

He sat down close by the Prophet(peace be upon him), rested his knee against his thighs, and said, O Muhammad! Inform me about Islam.” Said the Messenger of Allah(peace be upon him), “Islam is that you should testify that there is no deity save Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, that you should perform salah (ritual prayer), pay the zakah(charity), fast during Ramadan, and perform Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (the Ka’bah at Makkah), if you can find a way to it (or find the means for making the journey to it).” Said he (the man), “You have spoken truly.”

We were astonished at his thus questioning him and telling him that he was right, but he went on to say, “Inform me about iman (faith).” He (the Messenger of Allah) answered, “It is that you believe in Allah and His angels and His Books and His Messengers and in the Last Day, and in fate (qadar), both in its good and in its evil aspects.” He said, “You have spoken truly.”

Then he (the man) said, “Inform me about Ihsan.” He (the Messenger of Allah) answered, ” It is that you should serve Allah as though you could see Him, for though you cannot see Him yet He sees you.” He said, “Inform me about the Hour.” He (the Messenger of Allah) said, “About that the one questioned knows no more than the questioner.” So he said, “Well, inform me about the signs thereof (i.e. of its coming).” Said he, “They are that the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress, that you will see the barefooted ones, the naked, the destitute, the herdsmen of the sheep (competing with each other) in raising lofty buildings.” Thereupon the man went off.

I waited a while, and then he (the Messenger of Allah) said, “O ‘Umar, do you know who that questioner was?” I replied, “Allah and His Messenger know better.” He said, “That was Jibril. He came to teach you your religion.”