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Islam |
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The literal meaning of Islam is peace; surrender of one’s will i.e. losing
oneself for the sake of God and surrendering one’s own pleasure for the pleasure
of God. The message of Islam was revealed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and
blessings on him) 1, 400 years ago. It was revealed through angel Gabriel (on whom
be peace) and was thus preserved in the Holy Quran.
The Holy Quran carries a Divine guarantee of safeguard from interpolation and it
claims that it combines the best features of the earlier scriptures. The prime message
of Islam is the Unity of God, that the Creator of the world is One and
He alone
is worthy of worship and that Muhammad (peace and blessings on him) is His Messenger
and Servant.
The follower of this belief is thus a Muslim - a Muslim’s other beliefs are: God’s
angels, previously revealed Books of God, all the prophets, from Adam to Jesus (peace
be on them both), the Day of Judgement and indeed the Decree of God. A Muslim has
five main duties to perform, namely; bearing witness to the Unity of God and Muhammad
(peace and blessings on him) as His Messenger, observing the prescribed prayer,
payment of Zakat, keeping the fasts of Ramadhan and performing the pilgrimage to
Mecca.
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