The word ISLAM, means submission i.e. submission to the will of Allah. It is the religion desired by ‘ALLAH’ for all of His creatures. The root of the name of the religion is ‘Salam’ which means peace. The peace amongst the dwellers all the worlds. This ultimate peace can only be achieved by accepting the golden principles of Islam.
Those who follow Islam are known as Muslims. All Muslims acquire the personal and social peace by acting upon the golden principles of Islam. These principles of Islam are given by the long chain of Prophets who came to every nation, race and tribe. Muslims believe that at least 124,000 Prophets and Messengers have been sent on this earth to keep the people on the right track selected by The Creator. The teachings of all the Apostles were same, yet people tend to change their teachings and religion, and mix their own interest with their teachings so as to achieve worldly interests, and as a result different religions are now seen in the world.
Muhammad is the last Messenger of Islam. Born in 571 C.E in Makkah, he was entrusted with the Message of Islam at the age of 40 yrs. . He purified the message of Islam as understood by the people at that time, and in fact revived and completed The Religion. The revelation he received from Allah is Quran (the Holy Book). The Quran is made easy to Muslims by his life, and his sayings. The sayings and acts of Muhammad (peace be upon him) are known as Hadiths, which are compiled into the six voluminous books, and all the Muslims collectively agree on them.
The golden principles of Islam are based on following
1. Creed
(Shahadat)
For anyone to
become a Muslim the person first
has to believe and bare witness of ‘Tauheed’ (oneness of God), and ‘Risalat’ (prophecy of Muhammad (peace
be upon him)). This is commonly known as ‘Shahadat’. Tauheed is the
message given by all the prophets including Muhammad (pbuh). The phrase Tauheed
means, to believe that there in none worthy of worship accept Allah, He is the
only Creator, The God, The Provider, The Owner, The Perfect etc. In fact Allah
himself has said that He has 99
beautiful names.
‘Risalat’ means to believe in the prophecy of Muhammad (pbuh). To believe that he is the last messenger of Allah, and his teachings are nothing but the explanation of the teachings of Allah Al-mighty. To believe in all the previous prophets, who were sent by Allah from time to time. All of them had the same message.
2.
Prayers
(Salat)
After
embracing Islam a person has to keep his belief i.e ‘Eeman’ fresh and purified constantly throughout
his life. For this purpose every Muslim has to offer Salat five times a day,
everyday. Each Salat gives a person a chance to make a contact
with his Creator, and ask for His guidance, mercy, and blessing. This effort
renews his bond with Allah, and his belief becomes even stronger, and as a
result the person gains inner peace, and the society of Praying Muslims gains
social peace. Praying five times is mandatory, whereas a Muslim can offer his
Salat in various other occasions like to ask for something special, or to please
Allah in times of difficulty, or as an act of thankfulness to Allah
3.
Fasting
(Saum)
The Muslims
are ordered to offer Saum. The fasting is required to keep their mind and
desires under control. It also cultivates a sense of brotherhood and equality
with the poor and hungry fellow Muslims. Saum strengthens the mind and body and strengthens the thoughts. It acts as
a shield against personal and social sins. The compulsory Saum are that of the month
of Ramadan, whereas Muslims are encouraged to fast at various other days of the
year, and whenever there is a need to offer compensation for a sin, or just to
please Allah, or as an act of thankfulness to Allah.
4.
Purifying Alms
(Zakat)
The Zakat is
the form of obligatory charity given to the needy. This is not a tax collected
by the Government to fulfill its own expenditure. It is a right of the poor and
the needy in the wealth of those who have a right amount of wealth in their
possession. The Zakat purifies the
wealth. Socially, it reduces the difference between rich and the poor.
The poorest of the poor get the benefit and progress to a much needed so called ‘Middle Class’,
and thus acts as a poverty alleviation policy of Islam. If people provide Zakat
regularly to the needy, a time comes when there are no more people left to ask
for Zakat, which is the ultimate goal of this principle, and which actually
happened many times in history. Zakat is not the only form of cherity in Islam,
other forms of cherity like ‘Sadqa’ and ‘Khairat’ are used to promote the status
of poor, these are not mandatory, but are used to please Allah, to help their
fellow Muslims, or to offer as a compensation of sins etc.
5.
Pilgrimage
(Hajj)
The
Muslims who can afford Hajj financially and physically are ordered to perform
Hajj atleast once in their life times. During Hajj, the Muslims, have to visit
holiest places of Muslim i.e. Macca and Madina, and other places near these
cities, and perform their Hajj Prayers, in different forms. It is so important
that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) has said that those who can afford to perform Hajj
and don’t perform it in their lives, then they may die as Jews or as
Christians.