Jihad & Shari'ah Law

Jihad

The word jihad means "to strive." Jihad represents the human struggle to overcome difficulties and do things that would be pleasing to god. Jihad has always been an important Islamic concept. One hadith, or account of Muhammad's life recorded in book form, tells about the prophet's return from a battle. He declared that he and his men carried out the "lesser jihad," the external struggle against opression.

Jihad can also be a physical struggle against other people. The Qur'an tells Muslims to fight to protect themselves from those who would do them harm or to right a terrible wrong.


Shari'ah Law

The body, or collection of Islamic law is called shari'ah, "the way to be followed." It is based on the Qur'an and the Sunnah. (The Sunnah is a collection of sayings and practices that a Muslim must follow to live a life that is pleasing to god.) Shari'ah covers Muslims' duties toward Allah. It guides them in their personal behavior and relationships with others. Shari'ah promotes obedience to the Qur'an and respect towards others.

The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Pillars

3- "Give alms", "Zakat", the third pillar:

Every middle and upper class Muslim must give 2½% of what they possess... not of what they earn, but of the value of all they possess!...

4- "Fasting", "Sayim", on the month of "Ramadan",

the 9th month of the lunar year, because in this month Muhammad received his initial commission as a prophet, and because 10 years later he made the Hegira from Mecca to Medina on the same month. All people over 14 are required to take no food nor drink during the daylight.

5- "Pilgrimage to Mecca", The Hajj, if possible, at least once in a lifetime, remembering the place where God's climatic revelation was first disclosed, and to kiss the "Kaaba", the black stone, supposedly the oldest religious structure in the world, built by Abraham and Ishmael...

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The Second Pillar - Salat

2- "Prayer": "Five times a day"... "Fridays"... The "Salat":

To pray 5 times a day, facing toward Mecca. The person bows, kneels, and then into a prostate position with the forehead touching the ground, wherever he is...

Before prayer, the body must be purified by water, or sand if water is not available. The hands, feet, and face all are to be washed. Even the bathrooms are so arranged that the occupant will face in the direction of Mecca. The summons for prayer is announced by a "muezzin" (caller) from atop a "minaret" (tall tower).

The essential prayer is the Shahada just described. And the most common and important in both private and public worship is the Sura 1, "The Opening":

Praise be to God, Lord of the Universe!, The compassionate, the Merciful, King of the Day of Judgment!. You alone we worship, and to you alone we turn for help. Guide us to the straight path, The path of those whom You have favored, Not of those who have incurred Your wrath, Nor of those who have gone astray".

This "opening Sura", is the one of the "straight path"... if a Muslin were asked to summarize the way his religion councils man to live, he may answer: "Islam teaches man to walk in the straight path".

On "Fridays", at noon, Muslims congregate in the Mosques for the "Assembly", to pray with a special "salat", and the sermon.

The officials of the Mosque are, the "iman" (leader), the "preacher", and the "muezzin" (who calls to prayer from the minaret). No priests.

One of the most impressive sights in the religion of man occurs when, in a dimly lighted mosque, hundreds of men stand shoulder to shoulder, then kneel and prostate themselves toward Mecca.

The "call to prayer" ("adhan"), is made 5 times a day by the "muezzin ("caller") from all the minarets in the world, and now from radio and television in the 5 continents, and always in Arabic: It consists of 7 short statements, the most important phrases of the Arabic language:

Allahu akbar! (God is the greatest!). Allahu akbar!. La ilaha illa Allah (there is no God but Allah). I testify that Muhammad is the prophet of Allah. Arise and pray; arise and pray. Allahu akbar. La ilaha illa Allah.

"Muslims" pray very much, with fervor, and respect, it is the basis of their success!.

The "Tasbih" ("Rosary"), or "Subha": On top of praying 5 times a day, the Muslims have always at hand their "tasbih" (rosary), similar to the one of the Catholics, but with 99 beads, corresponding to the 99 attributes the Koran gives to God: The "Compassionate", the "Merciful"... or to the 99 times the Koran mentions the name "Allah". They have also a "smaller Rosary", with 33 beads, one third of the regular one.

When you visit any Muslim Country, the peasants are all day praying and playing with their tasbih (rosary), usually with the smaller one.

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The First Pillar - Shahadah

The Shahada is the profession or declaration of faith that a Muslim says in ordert to show belief in one God and in Muhammad's prophethood. They say the following...

The Shahada: "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet". Both occur in the Koran, but not together. It is called the "shahada", and the prayer also asserts the belief in the Koran, the angels, and the last judgment.

The greatest phrase of the Arabic language: "La ilaha illa Allah", "there is no God but Allah". A Muslim is supposed to pray the Shahada at least once in his lifetime correctly, slowly, thoughtfully, aloud, with full understanding, and with heartfelt conviction in its truth... but they actually pray it many times a day.

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The 5 Pillars of Isam

In Islam there is a belief in a 5 Pillar System of faith. In order to fulfill the will of Allah, Muslims must engage in each of the 5 Pillars. Click on each below to learn more about them.

1- Profession of Faith, Shahadah, "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet".
2- "Prayer": "Five times a day"... "Fridays"... The "Salat":
3- "Give alms", "Zakat"
4- "Fasting", "Sayim", on the month of "Ramadan"
5- "Pilgrimage to Mecca", the "Hajj"

The 5 Basic Beliefs of Islam

The Five Basic Tenets:

1-There is only "one God", Allah, creator of the whole universe, who is just, compassionate, and merciful. The absolute unity and power resides in God. Creator of life and death, the guide to righteous, the friend and protector of the sick and the poor. He chastises eternally the infidels to Hell, and he rewards the faithful with eternal Heaven.

-"Allah", "The God", comes from "Al" ("The"), and "Illah" ("God")... not just "a God", but "The God", for there is only one.

Believe in "Angels", who intercede with Allah for the forgiveness of the faithful.

2- "Muhammad", was the last of the great prophets. Jewish prophets and Jesus were his predecessors.

3- The "Koran", was the last of the sacred books, which include also the Torah, Psalms, and Gospels of Jesus.

4- "Life on Earth", is a test and only a preparation for the eternal life to come. the "faithful" are those who adore Allah, praise the Prophet Muhammad, obey the Koran doing good deeds, and fulfill the 5 pillars of Islam.

The Koran forbids representation of human and animal figures. It denounces usury, games of chance, alcohol, pork... "pride" is a cardinal sin.

5- The "Final Judgment": The faithful will go to eternal Heaven, and the infidels to eternal Hell, with the vividly rewards and punishments recorded in the Koran.

This is how the life of the faithful is described in the Koran, Sura 2:

... "True piety is this: To believe in God, and the Last Day, the angels and the Book, and the prophets, to give one's substance however cherished to kinsmen and orphans, the needy, the traveler, the beggars, and to ransom the slave, to perform prayers, and to pay the alms, and they who fulfill the covenant and endure with fortitude, misfortune, hardships and peril, these are they who are true in their faith, these are the truly God-fearing".

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