SUBMISSION, FAITH, AND BEAUTY ™ | The Religion of Islam JOSEPHE. LUMBARD ZAYTUNA INSTITUTESussussiow, Farry, an BEAUTH: THERELIGION OFISLAS Coprgh 8 08 Zaps ns. dey ZléStalirand Mar Yo nme Hes angle Taree ‘Afababmad Malic wehgond ZAYTUNAINSTITUTE o7oalison Wy, Suite 320 ‘adaeycaltorapesoe ‘United Sees of ames open. o blenny. og 05483979 15a 978o-g7ea8ap-o apticurdia the nied Sats ofdmerie ‘hsb ued hate yew gmat Sew san eA ore th coe dsgnby Abate Whites Bos devgo by Soba Nakbende SecinFe Quadra, Zakaryand Forts Condnted Contents Invocations IntRopuction One Message, Many Messengers ‘The Prophet Mukarumad d and the Message ofisam Chapter One: FAITH ‘The Oneness of God ‘The Attributes of God ‘The Measuring Out Human Rights Gender and Equatity Angels Prophecy Jesus:98 and Christianity The Return Chapter Two: SUBMISSION Testimony Prayer Alms Tax Fasting Pilgrimage Islamic Law Chapter Three: BEAUTY Chapter Four: THE END OF TIME Photo Credits ‘About the AuthorDedicated to the hearts in search of the divine truth, ‘May God guide you with grace along your path. Invocations G Aninvocation of God'sblssings and peacefor the Prophet Muhammad: “Peace and blessings of God be upon him." 4 An invocation ofGod'speaceupona prophet: “Peacebe upon hin.” :@ Avinvocation of God's peace upon two prophets: Peace be upon them.” ‘agp An invocation of God's peaceupon more than two prophets: ‘Peace be upon them.” && An invocation ofGod's peace upon a female companion ofthe Prophet: “May God bepleased with he.” & Aninvocation of God's peace upon a male companion ofthe Prophet: “May God be pleased with him.”INTRODUCTION’ a reaffirmation of the one truth that n been and will never cease to bet a fh. This isthe the whole of existence. To know and live this reality is th Silty, Passion ind us to the truth sssions of human be minders of this truth were periodically sent to humankind chrough the infinite mercy of God. a These remin re sent in the form of messengers or prophets who, brought the revelations chrough which we are again reminded that truth is d that our joy, contentment, and the first halfof the testimony of faith spoken by Muslim: is nodeity butGod” (ash-hadu ana ilaha ila lah). In many English-spe this truth is often misun and mistaken fe e of paganism, largely due to simple linguistic barrier. Muslims mostoften refer to God using the Arabic name Allah, which sa proper noun that designates the incomparable creator of the h and earth. Many non-Arabic speaking people mistakenly assume that. is the name of a deity » Judaism and Christianity, simply because they hear the word “Allah” used rend uth paragraphs of thi sation Rove ben ode to he euthor' rina tex byINTRODUCTION instead of the word “God.” This false assumption is refuted by the fact that both Arab Jews and Arab Christians also refer to God as Allah. The name Allah is the Arabic equivalent for God, and both terms can be interchanged synonymously. Because this book was prepared for readers versed in the English language, the word “God” will be used throughout except where Arabic terminology is specifically required. ‘The word islam can be translated into English as “submission.” Contrary to the negative connotations of the word in common English usage, the ‘meaning of submission as it pertains to Islam is “the act of recognizing the oneness of God” (tawhid). This submission is most often thought of as an act of bearing witness that there is no deity but God, although this is only its ‘most elementary manifestation. To bear witness with one’s tongue and ‘mind to God’s oneness is butthe first step toward inner unification, wherein the dispersed elements of the soul are unified in the drive to realize the immutable truth and live in accord with it. People who practice the religion of Islam are known as Muslims. ‘The word Muslim can be translated into English as “one who submits.” ‘Muslims believe thatthe last of God’s revelations to humanity is the Qur'an, which was revealed by God through the Angel Gabriel xe to the Prophet ‘Muhammad &, over a twenty-three year period (610-632 CE). Beliefiin the Prophet Muhammad's status as a prophet (and by extension, the soundness oftherevelation ofthe Qur'an) isaffirmedin the second halfof the testimony offaith: “and testify that Muhammad isthe Messenger ofGod” (wa ask-hadu ‘nna Muhammadan rasulullah). For Muslims, the text ofthe Qur'an is the eter- nal and immutable word of God that has been preserved in its original form and language forover fourteen hundred years. ‘One Message, Many Messengers The Qur'an was sent by God to remind humanity of the unifying truth of God's oneness, and Muslims believe that this same truth was conveyed to «every propher that came before the Prophet Muhammad 6. God tells us in the Qur'an, ‘And Wenever sent a messenger before you, savethat We revealed to him, saying, “Theres no deity but so worship Me.” (21:25) xii INTRODUCTION God specifically addresses Moses