NAME: SAIF UR REHMAN

REG#: 32280 (BSAF)

COURSE: WORLD HISTORY
ASSIGNMENT #1: ISLAM
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 26 OCT 2021

Table of content

Introduction……………………………1

History of islam…………………………2

Religious beliefs…………………………..3

Religious practices………………………….4

Conclusion…………………………………….5

References…………………………………....6
Topic:

ISLAM

Introduction:
WHAT IS ISLAM?
“Islam” is an Arabic term which means to submit one’s will to the will of God. It is the religion
that believes in one GOD supremacy. Muslims strongly believe that it is the true and the best
religion revealed to humanity. Islam is a universally followed religion. It is a complete religion
that guides humans in each and every single aspect of life whether individual, social, cultural,
global or political. It is the second largest religion in the world after Christianity, with about 1.8
billion followers. Scholars typically date the creation of Islam to the 7th century, making it the
youngest of the major world religions. Islam started in Mecca, in modern-day Saudi Arabia,
during the time of the Prophet Muhammad’s life and is now spreading rapidly throughout the
world.

What does Islam teaches us?

Islam teaches that Allah’s word was revealed to the prophet  Muhammad (PBUH)  through
the angel Gabriel. Muslims believe several prophets were sent to teach Allah’s law. They
respect some of the same prophets as Jews  and Christians, including Abraham, Moses, Noah
and Jesus is the major holy text of Islam. The Hadith is another important book. Muslims also
revere some material found in the Judeo - Christian Bible .. Muslims contend that Muhammad
was the final prophet. Mosques are places where Muslims worship.

History of Islam:
Arabia becomes the cradle of the world's third great monotheistic religion in the
seventh century. All three started in a tiny region of southwest Asia. First, there was
Judaism, which flourished somewhere between the Red Sea and Palestine; then there
was Christianity, which flourished at the northern end of the territory; and finally,
there was Islam, which flourished at Mecca, near to the Red Sea. Each newcomer to
this tight family of religions promises to improve on its predecessors' message,
delivering a better and more up-to-date version of the truth about the one God - in this
case, as revealed to God's Messenger, Muhammad. Islam is derived from the
word'surrender' (to God), and anyone who follows Islam is called a Muslim.

Muhammad and the Muslim era: from622

Muhammad and his companions are welcomed by the residents of Yathrib, a rich
oasis. As a result, the departure from Mecca in 622 is seen as the start of Islam.

The Muslim era begins with the Hegira, which means 'emigration' in Arabic and refers
to Muhammad's departure from Mecca. This event marks the start of year 1 in the
Muslim calendar. Yathrib is renamed Madinat al Nabi, or "city of the Prophet," and
thus Medina is born. Muhammad's popularity grows gradually in this area. Rather of
being a businessman, he is now primarily a religious, political, and even military
leader (Khadija has died in 619).

The Muslims and Mecca: 624-630

Relations with Mecca worsen to the point when the two sides engage in pitched
combat, with Muhammad commanding his forces on the battlefield. But, in the end, it
is his diplomacy that triumphs. In 629, he convinces the Meccans to let his followers
return to the city to make a pilgrimage to the Ka'ba and the Black Stone.
Islam and other religions: from the 7th century
The Qur'an instructs Muslims to be tolerant of the two older and closely related religions,
Judaism and Christianity, which share the key traits of monotheism and a sacred book with
Islam; they are all referred to as "people of the book" in the phrase. As a result, for the most part
in history, Jews and Christians have fared better under Islam than Jews and Muslims have fared
in Christian countries. Zoroastrianism does not feature in the Qur'an. But it also has one
god and a sacred book. The Muslim conquerors of Persia therefore show a degree of
tolerance to the state religion of the previous dynasty.

Arab civilization: from the 8th century

A distinct Arab culture emerges in widely different places by the end of the eighth century. It can
be seen in Baghdad in the east and Cordoba in the west as early as the eighth century. Between
the two, a similar centre exists in the nascent city of Cairo by the 10th century. Islam, the Arabic
language, and tolerance, which lets Christians and Jews to participate fully in society, are all
shared traits of these magnificent towns. The outcome was an increase in trade (making these
towns, with the exception of T'ang China, the most opulent of their time), as well as a level of
scholarship and intellectual vigour much exceeding that of modern Christian capitals.

Religious beliefs And Practices:

All practicing Muslims accept belief in the ‘Six Articles of Faith’ and are obliged to follow the
‘Five Pillars.’

1. Muslim profession of faith or shahada

2. Ritual Prayer or salah
3. Obligatory Charity or zakah.
4. Fasting or sawm
5. Pilgrimage or hajj.

1. Muslim profession of faith or shahada

 The Shahada is the Muslim profession of faith and the first of the ‘Five Pillars’ of Islam.
The word shahada in Arabic means ‘testimony.’ The shahada is to testify to two things: A
Muslim is simply one who bears witness and testifies that “nothing deserves worship
except God and Muhammad is the messenger of God.” One becomes a Muslim by
making this simple declaration It is obligatory for every Muslim to recite it at least once
in his or her lifetime, with full comprehension of its significance and heartfelt consent.
When Muslims get up in the morning and before going to sleep at night, they say this. In
every mosque, the call to prayer is repeated five times. Paradise has been guaranteed to
anyone who utters the shahada as their final words in this world.

2 Ritual Prayer or salah

Salah is a daily ritual prayer that all Muslims are required to perform as one of Islam's
five pillars. Every Muslim performs it five times a day. Salah is a specific form of prayer,
as opposed to praying on the spur of the moment. Five times a day, Muslims pray or,
maybe more accurately, worship:

• Between first light and sunrise.

• After the sun has passed the middle of the sky
• Between mid-afternoon and sunset
• Between darkness and midnight

Though doing salah alone is allowed, Muslims are encouraged to perform particular salah
with others in the mosque since it has special worth. The worshipers line up in parallel
rows behind the imam, or prayer leader, who instructs them as they perform physical
postures in conjunction with Quran recitations, with their faces oriented toward the
Kaaba in Mecca. The "call to prayer," or 'Adhan,' reverberates across the rooftops of
many Muslim countries. The muezzin, aided by a megaphone, exclaims, "Allahu Akbar!"
(God is the greatest),

3 Obligatory Charity or zakah.

Islam not only encourages, but also demands, charity. every Muslim who is financially
secure Giving charity to those who deserve it is an important aspect of Muslim culture
and one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The Islamic way of life. Zakat is regarded as
"compulsory charity"; it is a religious obligation.
Those who have received their wealth from God have an obligation to give back to God.
Some folks only know how to stockpile universal loving sentiments.
Teachings are the polar opposite of this mindset. It is known in Arabic as zakat, which
literally means "purification," because zakat is thought to cleanse one's heart of greed.
Fortune is natural, and for a person to part with some of his wealth, he must have a strong
faith in God. Zakat is a tax that must be paid on several types of property, including gold,
silver, and money, as well as animals, agricultural output, and business commodities, and
is due every year after one year of possession. It necessitates a yearly contribution of 2.5
percent of a person's wealth and assets.
4 Fasting or sawm
Fasting is not unique to the Muslims. It has been practiced for
centuries in connection with religious ceremonies by Christians,
Jews, Confucianists, Hindus, Taoists, and Jains. God mentions
this fact in the Quran: Fasting was used by several Native American communities to avert
disaster or as a kind of penance for transgression. Tribal fasts were held by Native North
Americans to avert impending disasters. To satisfy their gods, the Native Americans of
Mexico and the Incas of Peru conducted penitential fasts. Fasting was practised as a kind
of penance by ancient nations such as the Assyrians and Babylonians

5 Pilgrimage or hajj.
The Hajj (Mecca pilgrimage) is the fifth of the five pillars of Islam, which are basic
Muslim traditions and institutions. Pilgrimage to saints' shrines, monasteries for help
from holy men, or sites where miracles are said to have occurred is not permitted in
Islam, despite the fact that many Muslims do so. Pilgrimage is undertaken to the Kaaba,
the 'House of God,' which is located in the sacred city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Its
sanctity stems from the fact that the Prophet Abraham erected it for the worship of God.
God repaid him by assigning the House to himself, essentially glorifying it, and making it
the devotional epicentre that all Muslims face when praying (salah). ‘Every single one of
the tens of thousands of people at the airport, who were preparing to board a plane to
Jeddah, was dressed in this manner. No one would know if you were a king or a peasant.
Some influential figures, who were quietly pointed out to me, were dressed similarly to
me. We'd all started crying out "Labbayka! (Allahumma) Labbayka!" as we'd been
dressed. (At your disposal, Lord!)

Conclusion:
Islam is the religion of peace and teaches that the whole universe is run by one and only
GOD who is “ALLAH”- the all alone. ALLAH sended 1lakh 24 thousands Prophets for
the guidance of humanity and Muhammad (PBUH) was the last among them. Islam was
completed with his Prophethood. Quran, the Holy book revealed upon Muhammad
(PBUH) is the complete guidance for humanity till the Day of Judgement. It was
originated in Mecca during the Prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH).
It have 5 pillars on which our beliefs rely. Those pillars are Tauheed, Namaz, Roza,
Zakat and Hajj. This includes believing in oneness of Allah, worshipping Allah, fasting,
giving money to needy ones and do piligrimage once in a life, respectively. Ignoring any
of the pillar could lead us towards exit from the circle of Islam.
Islam also care about human rights and instructs us to fulfill them. Moreover it told us
what is permitted(halal) and what is forbidden(haram). Allah warned us strictly to follow
the Halal ones and avoids Haram.
Therefore it is in best favor of a muslim or a human to follow the path and teachings of
Islam to be successful in this world and hereafter too.
References:

https://www.mymasjid.ca/

https://www.history.com/

http://www.historyworld.net/default.asp?gtrack=mtop1

https://d1.islamhouse.com/data/en/ih_articles/single2/en_The_Five_Pillars_of_Islam.pdf

THE END