About Islam

islam

Origins
Islam means submission to Allah (God). Islam was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad who lived from 570 CE to 632 CE in Mecca in modern-day Saudi Arabia. Muhammad was called to prophethood when God dictated the Qur'an to him through the archangel Gabriel. Although he gained a small following in his tribe, Muhammad was initially persecuted for his beliefs. In 622 CE he fled to Yathrib, now called Medina, where the first Muslim political community was formed. Enlisting the help of nomadic Arab clans, Muhammad returned to Mecca, stripping the city of all signs of pagan belief. He was generous to those he defeated, however, and many converted to Islam. Two years later, in front of the Ka'ba in Mecca, he declared Islam the religion of the people, saying he had fulfilled his mission and that he left behind him the Book of Allah and a set of clear commandments.


History and Spread
By the time of Muhammad's death, many people of the Arabian Peninsula had begun to follow Islam. A series of caliphs and dynasties led the Muslim community after Muhammad's death, creating an Islamic empire that expanded as far as modern-day Pakistan in the east, Spain in the north, and North Africa to the south. This was a period of great intellectual, cultural and spiritual vitality. In Spain, Islamic civilisation lasted until 1492 when the Christian monarchs regained power. After the collapse of the Empire, Islam remained the dominant religion in most Middle Eastern countries and significant pockets throughout North Africa and Asia.


In Australia
The history of Islam in Australia pre-dates European settlement. From 1650, Muslim fisherman from South East Asia communicated and traded with Aborigines from Australia's north. Some inter-marriage occurred. In the 1860s, some 3000 camel drivers - with camels - came from Afghanistan and the Indian sub-continent. This group contributed to the exploration of the Australian outback, working on both the railway line between Port Augusta and Alice Springs, and the Overland Telegraph Line from Adelaide to Darwin, which connected Australia to London via India.

Since the late 1960s there have been a number of significant Muslim migrations into Australia, most notably from Turkey and Lebanon. In the 1990s, refugees and migrants from the Horn of Africa, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Indonesia and Malaysia have all made their home in Australia.

Some Islamic societies in Australia are affiliated with AFIC (The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils), which does not control the individual societies but gives a public voice and face to Islam, both in state and federal politics and matters of community representation. Between 1991 and 1996, the Muslim community grew by 36 per cent (approx. 53 000). In 1996, there were over 280,000 Muslims in Australia, belonging to over 70 ethnic groups (ABS).


Key Movements
Islam is divided into two main sects, the Sunni and the Shi'a. This division arose over the order of caliph succession in the first century of the Islamic calendar.

Shi'ites believe that the true authority and leadership of Muslims after Muhammad's son-in-law, Ali, continued through a line of imams (religious teachers). Sunnis uphold the supremacy of the caliphs, the line of rulers elected by the people and mandated to guard the prophetic legacy in the administration of community affairs. This gave rise to the development of Shari'a law.

Shi'ites constitute less than 10 per cent of world's Muslims, and possess many internal divisions. The largest contemporary Shi'a group are the Ithna'asharis, or Twelvers. Shi'ites are a majority in Iran. Sunni Muslims constitute 90% of the world's Muslims and are considered the orthodox face of Islam.

There are various mystic strands of Islam, such as Sufism and the Ibadites of Oman, East Africa and Algeria. These are not, strictly speaking, sectarian divisions.


Organisational Structure
Muslims do not require an intermediary between themselves and God. Imams - religious teachers and leaders of prayer in the mosques - do, however, play a significant role. They are often formally educated in matters of religion and jurisprudence, and systems exist for settling questions of law and religious observance. The al-Azahr, a Islamic university in Cairo, is conventionally regarded as the highest authority in Sunni Islam. The Shi'a developed a hierarchy in line with their beliefs in the succession of rule; in Iran, this finds expression in the system of ayatollahs (senior interpreters and arbiters of religious law).

Mosques are not denominational and are run on a number of models depending on the mosque's governing constitution. Some are ethnically-based.


Key Beliefs

• Muslims hold six articles of belief



• There is only one God without limit, called Allah.



• Muhammad received the Qur'an as a copy of the eternal Qur'an which is inscribed in heaven.



• God created heavenly beings called angels to serve God and they are opposed by evil spirits.



• God sent his prophets to the earth at their appointed times, and the Prophet Muhammad was the last and greatest messenger of God.



• There will be a last day of world history called the Day of Judgement. Good and evil will be weighed in the balance. The wicked will be punished and the just will enjoy eternal life in Paradise.



• Everything in the universe has a predetermined course. Nothing happens without the will or knowledge of God.

The sunna is a collection of traditions, moral sayings and anecdotes (hadiths) of Muhammad. It embodies all the elaborations of Qur'anic teaching.

The practice of religious faith is also built on the five pillars of Islam:

• Shahadah (declaration of faith): "I bear witness that there is no god, but God; I bear witness that Muhammad is the prophet of God." By reciting this, one enters Islamic faith.



• Salaah (prayer): Muslims are required to pray five times a day, washing themselves before prayer and facing in the direction of Mecca while praying.
  
  
• Zakat (charity): Muslims are required to give away a percentage of their earnings to those less fortunate, regardless of their religion.



• Saum (fasting): Muslims fast for one lunar month each year, a period called Ramadan. During this time, Muslims reflect on their behaviour and strive to purify their thoughts.



• Hajj (pilgrimage): If it is financially possible, Muslims are required to travel to Mecca once in their lifetime.



• Ijma means 'the agreement of Islam.' It is an important mechanism for resolving theological conflicts because it is embodies a sense of past community in present action.



• Sharia is the sacred law of Islam, based on the divine revelations contained in the Qur'an and sunna.



• Dietary requirements. Animals have souls and so need to be slaughtered in a special way. This is the meaning of halal (permitted).

Key Festivals

• Ramadan: Celebrates the gift of the Qur'an. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims must fast between sunrise and sunset.
  
  
• Eid-al-Fitr: The festival for the first day after Ramadan.
  
  
• Dhu Al-Hijja: The month of pilgrimage during which all Muslims, at least once in their life, should try to make the pilgrimage to Mecca.
  
  
• Eid-al-adha: The Festival of Sacrifice which occurs 70 days after Eid-al-Fitr. It commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son for God. Every family who can afford it must slaughter an animal and distribute the meat among relatives, neighbours and the poor.
  
  
• The first day of Muharram: The Islamic New Year begins on the day Muhammad left Mecca to travel to Medina.
  
  
• The twelfth day of Rabi I: Celebrates the birth of the prophet.
  
  
• Mirajun Nabi: Commemorates the prophet's journey from Mecca to the heavens.