LECTURE TWO

Islamic Practice and Way of Life

Beginning with what are known as the Five Pillars of Islam

1. SHAHADA - Bearing Witness to God's existence & Muhammad's Messengership.

This is the first principle of Islam, & the only essential requirement for a man to be considered a muslim, just as the various articles of faith, Iman, make no sense without an initial belief in God, and Ihsan is defined as God-awareness.

The five pillars of Islam are performed in submission to God, and the first thing is to admit your belief and submission. Muslims avow their belief in God with a wonderfully subtle Arabic phrase, "La ilaha illa Allah", There is no god except The God.

The second half of the witnessing is harder for a non-muslim to understand. "Muhammad rasul Allah", Muhammad is the Messenger of God, leads a muslim to accept the obligations of the remaining four pillars of Islam.

For those very unfamiliar with Islam, I will try to give short descriptions, but hopefully sufficiently information rich to be useful. Muslims show great concern for the form of these religious acts, which makes it something they love to define, and there are books galore describing lists of requirements for their correct observance.

2. SALAAT - the formal prayer

In the early years of Islam, muslims had no formal prayer. Eventually, the Prophet was shown the form that prayer would take, but with no obligation to pray at any time. Then one night the Prophet had an experience known as the Night Journey or Miraj. The original brief description of the event has been elaborated by tradition, which tells how in that night the Prophet traveled to Jerusalem and back, riding on Buraq, the winged horse. There, he rose through the heavens meeting previous Prophets, finally drawing as close as two bows lengths from Allah. There he learned the frequency and timing of the Salaat.

To make Salaat you must be in a state of Wudu, which is achieved by a specific form of washing. The Wudu begins at the toilet, where after excretion muslims wash themselves clean of what is noxious and poisonous to the body. In the formal part of the Wudu, the hands, mouth, nostrils, face, forearms, crown of the head, ears, back of the neck, and feet are washed. More than just personal hygiene this is a sealing of the body, and the Wudu remains until it is broken when the excretory orifices open. When the Wudu is broken by sex this is a special event requiring ghusl, an all over wash, also required after childbirth, and after washing the dead. If water is not available, a state of purity is achieved through Tayyamum, a symbolic wash using sand or clean dust.

To make the Salaat we align ourselves towards Makkah, then begin with an act of Conscious Intention, and it is on our intentions that we are judged. The first words are the Takbir, Allahu Akbar, God is Great. The Salaat is then made up of a repeated sequence of actions and words known as a Rakah. Standing, Bowing, Standing, Prostration, Sitting, Prostration, Sitting - one Rakah. During the initial period of standing, one recites the opening chapter of the Qur'an, Fatihah, and sometimes other extracts. Different prayers at different times of day have different numbers of Rakahs, amd the Salaat is closed by a blessing of peace directed to all mankind, Salaamu aleikum, peace be upon you. There are five obligatory Salaat each day to be made, between dawn and sunrise, between mid-day and late afternoon, late afternoon, after sunset, and in the dark of night. Fajr, Dzuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and 'Isha.

There are some other slightly different forms of the Salaat for special occasions, such as the mid-day Salaat each Friday when muslims gather in the mosque for the Jummah prayer and sermon. But the obligatory prayers are seen as a minimum requirement, and the Prophet used to make many extra rakahs of voluntary prayer, which occupied many hours of his days and nights.

3. SAUM - Fasting

As the Salaat punctuates our days in time with the spinning earth, the month of Ramadan each lunar year moves slowly back through the seasons, full circle each 33 solar years, beginning and ending with the sight of the crescent moon. During this month muslims fast from food, drink, smoking and sex between first light and sunset. It also expected that a special effort is made to refrain from evil deeds, words and thoughts.

The first Revelation of the Qur'an was during a night towards the end of the month. It is known as Laylat-ul-Qadr, the Night of Power, and in many places this is celebrated with all night prayer. But at the end of Ramadan comes the great festival of Eid-ul-Fitr, and in some countries the holiday goes on for days.

4. ZAKAT - The Alms Tax

Ramadan is often considered the best month to pay the Zakat, a tax on all disposable wealth for redistribution to the poor. It is quite permissible to accumulate wealth, but it must be purified by alms. In fact, the meaning of Zakat is purification.

5. HAJJ - The Pilgrimage

The third month after Ramadan is Dhul Hijja, the month of the Pilgrimage. Pilgrimage can be made at any other time of year, and this is known as Umrah, the lesser pilgrimage, but Hajj, the greater pilgrimage takes place only in the first ten days of Dhul Hijja. Each muslim who has the financial means must try to make the Hajj once in his or her life.

In Hajj muslims commemorate their Ibrahimic heritage. Kaaba, which means the Cube, was originally built by Abraham (though many say on the site of an original temple built by Adam) and is also known as the Ancient House. Set in one corner is the Hajjar-al-Aswad, the Black Stone. Here one commences Tawaf, anti-clockwise circumnambulation of the Kaaba, after which the pilgrim runs seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah, as Haggar ran searching for water for Ismail, until the spring of Zam-zam issued from the ground in answer to her prayers. Next to Kaaba the pilgrim can also pray at a place known as the Station of Abraham.

Pilgrims travel to the plain of Arafat to spend time standing in prayer, then return to Kaaba after "Stoning the Devils" at Mina. Hajj ends with the sacrifice of a beast, which is distributed as food to the poor, and finally men shave their heads, and replace the Ihram with their normal clothing. After the Hajj comes Eid-ul-Adha, the second great muslim holiday.

But to understand how the Five Pillars are set in a muslim's life context, we need to know of a few more aspects of Islam.

IBADAH - Worship

In Islam, worship does not end with the five pillars, one should be serving God at all times, whether working or playing. Islamic cultures around the globe also praise God in a wide variety of ways on different occasions, Family events such as birth, circumcision, marriage, and death, Feast Days such as The Prophet's Birthday, or expressions of mourning such as the Shi'a events of Muharram. Some muslims organize activities and shrines near the tombs of famous holy men or saints, and gatherings for Prayer and Dzikr (Remembrance), can take a wide variety of forms under the auspices of different Sufi Orders.

DEEN - Way of Life

Deen is usually translated as "religion", but muslims prefer to speak of it as a way of life, the straight path - Sirat-al-mustaqim. Deen is "what you owe" to your Creator, a life spent in worship and shaped round the five pillars, a life given clear shape through Law, and this Law, known as the Shariah (the Road), is based on two sources - the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

THE QUR'AN

Its name means a Recitation or Reading. It is called Qur'an Karim (the bountiful or generous Qur'an), and Qur'an Majid (the glorious or majestic Qur'an) It describes itself as guidance for mankind, good news and a warning, and a mercy to the believers. It is an untranslatable congruity of extraordinary complexity & simplicity. Like life it juxtaposes beauty and horror. It is impossible to do it justice in ten minutes, but I will try to give you a taste.

The first Surah (chapter) is known as Fatihah - the Opening.

(Q: 1.1-7)

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
Praise belongs to God, the Lord of all Being,
the All-merciful, the All-compassionate,
the Master of the Day of Doom.

Thee only we serve; to Thee alone we pray for succour.
Guide us in the straight path,
the path of those whom Thou hast blessed,
not of those against whom Thou art wrathful,
nor of those who are astray.

Some of the main themes dealt with in Qur'an are as follows

God's Existence and Attributes

The word Allah appears in Qur'an more than 2,500 times, but other words are used to express different aspects of the Divine. Huwa, translated as "He", is also a Name of the Divine Presence.

(Q: 112.1-4)

Say: "He is God, One,
God, the Everlasting Refuge,
who has not begotten, and has not been begotten,
and equal to Him is not any one."

God is also referred to as Rabb (Lord), ar-Rahman (the All-Merciful) and other Names.

(Q: 59.22-24)

He is God;
there is no god but He.
He is the knower of the Unseen and the Visible;
He is the All-merciful, the All-compassionate.

He is God;
there is no god but He.
He is the King, the All-holy, the All-peacable,
the All-faithful, the All-preserver,
the All-mighty, the All-compeller,
the All-sublime.

Glory be to God, above that they associate!

He is God,
the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper.
To Him belong the Names Most Beautiful.
All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies Him;
He is the All-mighty, the All-wise.

The Creation of the unseen and the seen

Creation of the angels, jinn, and mankind are described, and in the heavens and the earth we are told where to look to see the "Signs of God".

(Q: 30.20-25)

And of His signs
is that He created you of dust; then lo,
you are mortals, all scattered abroad.

And of His signs
is that He created for you, of yourselves,
spouses, that you might repose in them,
and He has set between you love and mercy.
Surely in that are signs for a people who consider.

And of His signs
is the creation of the heavens and earth
and the variety of your tongues and hues.
Surely in that are signs for all living beings.

And of His signs
is your slumbering by night and day,
and your seeking after His bounty.
Surely in that are signs for a people who hear.

And of His signs
He shows you lightning, for fear and hope,
and that He sends down out of heaven water
and He revives the earth after it is dead.
Surely in that are signs for a people who understand.

And of His signs
is that the heaven and earth stand firm
by His command; then, when He calls you
once and suddenly, out of the earth, lo
you shall come forth.

The Messengers

Beginning with Adam the stories of many of God's Messengers are told. Some names will be unfamiliar to non-muslims, but many will seem very familiar, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael & Isaac, Lot, Jacob, Joseph, Moses & Aaron, David & Solomon, Zachariah, John the Baptist, Jesus, and of course Muhammad.

The good news and the warning

Descriptions of the Garden and the Fire.

Mankind

Man is dealt with as an individual, being given guidance as to many aspects of personal behaviour and moral values. Mankind is also considered as a muslim society, with a need for Family relationships, Economic & Political principles, and relationships with non-muslims.

SUNNAH - the example of Muhammad

His wife Aisha said the Prophet was "the Qur'an walking", and his words and actions are used as clarification to the Qur'an, in some cases making imprecise guidance specific, for example in the case of the Salaat, and sometimes showing the breadth of interpretation possible regarding particularities. The Prophet is reported to have said "I come with the religion of Truth and Tolerance", and collections of such sayings, known as Hadith, as well as commentaries and criticism fill many voluminous libraries. Of the six classical collections, those of Bukhari and Muslim are the best known.

SEERAH - the life of Muhammad

Muhammad was born in Makkah in c.570 AD. It was a centre for idol worship and pilgrimage in the time of Jahiliya (ignorance). It was a society where force reigned supreme, with brutal blood feuds that lasted for generations, and female infants often buried at birth.

Orphaned early in his life, Muhammad was looked after by his Uncle, and grew to be an upright and outstanding character, meriting his name - the Praiseworthy. His reputation for sincerity and honesty prompted an offer of marriage from his employer Khadija, a widow eighteen years his senior, and with her he lived happily and monogamously until she died.

At the age of forty while on a spiritual retreat in a cave at Mount Hira near Makkah, Muhammad received his first Quranic revelation. His few early followers suffered torture and persecution at the hands of the Makkan tribes, causing some of the muslims to travel to Christian Abyssinia for protection, but the problem was solved when citizens of Yathrib (later called Madinah) invited the Prophet to establish a muslim community in their town.

Despite the muslims having left Makkah, the Makkan tribes continued to harass the community, and over the years they were attacked in several major wars, yet the community kept on growing, eventually triumphing over the tribes in a bloodless battle taking control of Makkah. Recriminations against former enemies were forbidden, but the idols surrounding the Kaaba were destroyed. After having finally made pilgrimage to a Kaaba cleansed of idols, Muhammad fell ill, and having given away what little money remained in his possession he died in Madinah at the age of 63.