Voices of Islam (6 page)

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Voices of Tradition

God’s mercy and power through contemplating the amazing world around us, and walking the earth in a spirit of humility and grace.

THE CONCEPTS OF ISLAM AND RELIGION

Before we can begin to explore Islam’s Pillars and Articles of Faith, it is first necessary to take a deeper look at the Arabic language in order to give more meaning to some of the terms many people are already familiar with. The word
Islam
itself is the best one to begin with. Almost all Arabic words are based on a three-consonant root that is shared with other words that have a related meaning. There are a small number of words with a four- or fi letter root, but the three-letter linguistic pattern is predominant. The three- letter root for the word
Islam
is S-L-M. Other words in Arabic that share the same root have the meanings of ‘‘peace,’’ ‘‘submission,’’ ‘‘security,’’ ‘‘sin- cerity,’’ and ‘‘safety.’’ The inference here is that one who submits to the will of God is at peace, but one who is in constant conflict with God’s will and the world around her is destined to live a life filled with tension and agitation, as if something is missing; for Muslims, what is missing are faith and serenity.

When Muslims use the expression, ‘‘submission to the will of God,’’ it is not a call to fatalism, but rather a reference to the fact that there are many times in a person’s life when taking an easy path is tempting, and following the dictates of a religion can be demanding. A devout Muslim submits to God’s injunctions without challenging or questioning them, while trying to understand their inner meanings. A good example is the fasting month of Ramadan. For a Muslim, this is a time when getting out of bed even earlier than usual, in order to eat before dawn, can be a challenge. Of course for most people, staying in bed and curling up under their blankets in the morning is far more appealing than getting up to eat and pray, and not every Muslim has the willpower to actually pull those blankets off and get moving. Yet those who do, soon discover that Ramadan is a time of joy as well as hard- ship. It is a time when people renew their commitment to their faith and reconnect with the Muslims in their community, perhaps some whom they have not seen for a long time. What was initially a hardship soon comes with ease, and those who succeed in their Ramadan efforts often exhibit an outer calm that reflects their inner peace at knowing that they have heeded the call of their Lord. They have submitted to His will, and it has brought them a feeling of serenity and detachment. The Qur’an describes such people thusly:

[They] feared God, Most Gracious and unseen And brought a heart turned in devotion to Him. Enter ye therein in peace and security.

This is a day of eternal life!

(Qur’an 50:33–34)

Pillars of Religion and Faith
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Religiously speaking, a
Muslim
is not simply a follower of the religion of Islam, but also a person who has reached a state of peace through submission to the will of God. This is someone who has obtained
salama,
another term that shares the S-L-M root and means ‘‘perfection,’’ ‘‘wholeness,’’ and ‘‘security.’’ This is a person who is devout in her
din,
or religion. This concept,
din,
also has a linguistic root (D-Y-N) that reveals a deeper meaning of Islamic belief and practice. Meanings of other Arabic words that share this root are ‘‘indebted,’’ ‘‘requited,’’ ‘‘at the disposal of,’’ ‘‘judgment,’’ and ‘‘brought to account.’’ As we shall see, Islam is a religion that constantly reminds its followers that they owe a debt to their creator, and the Five Pillars of Islam are just one segment of that sacred indebtedness that serves as a daily guide for the truly devout.

THE HADITH OF THE ANGEL GABRIEL

One of the most widely used teaching methods among traditional Islamic scholars is the study of
Hadith,
the recorded sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad. The primary hadith for teaching the Five Pillars of Islam and the Articles of Faith is referred to as the ‘‘Hadith of the Angel Gabriel.’’ Students around the world memorize this tradition and use it as a primary guide to their understanding of Islam. Below is this hadith—which will inform this entire chapter—to demonstrate how such a time-honored teaching tool continues to be useful in the study and practice of Islam:

‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said: One day when we were with God’s Messenger, (Prophet Muhammad) a man with very white clothing and very black hair came up to us. No mark of travel was visible on him, and none of us recognized him. Sitting down before the Messenger of God, leaning his knees against his, and placing his hands on his thighs, he said, ‘‘Tell me, Muhammad, about Islam.’’

The Messenger of God replied, ‘‘Islam means that you should bear witness that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is God’s Messenger, that you should perform the ritual prayer, pay the alms tax, fast during Ramadan, and make the pilgrimage to the House (the Ka‘ba in Mecca) if you are able to go there.’’

The man said, ‘‘You have spoken the truth.’’ We were surprised at his questioning the Prophet and then declaring that he had spoken the truth. He said, ‘‘Now tell me about faith (
iman
).’’

The Messenger of God replied, ‘‘Faith means that you have faith in God,

His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and that you have faith in the measuring out, both its good and its evil.’’

Remarking that the Prophet had spoken the truth, the man then said, ‘‘Now tell me about virtue (
ihsan
).’’

The Messenger of God replied, ‘‘Virtue means that you should worship God as if you see Him, for even if you do not see Him, He sees you.’’

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Voices of Tradition

Then the man said, ‘‘Tell me about the Hour [of Judgment].’’

The Messenger of God replied, ‘‘About that, he who is questioned knows no more than the questioner.’’

The man said, ‘‘Then tell me about its signs.’’

The Messenger of God said, ‘‘The slave girl will give birth to her mistress, and you will see the barefoot, the naked, the destitute, and the shepherds vying with each other in constructing tall buildings.’’

Then the man went away. After I had waited for a long time, the the Messen- ger of God said to me, ‘‘Do you know who the questioner was, ‘Umar?’’ I replied, ‘‘God and His Messenger know best.’’ The Messenger of God said, ‘‘He was Gabriel. He came to teach you your religion (
din
).’’
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In this chapter, I hope (
In sha’Allah
, God willing) to take the reader on the first step of a journey toward understanding the deeper meanings of the Five Pillars of Islam, along with the other aspects of Islam that guide Muslims along their spiritual path. So come along on a joyous
rihla
—an Arabic term that means ‘‘journey for the sake of knowledge’’—and open up to the various beliefs, books, angels, and prophets that have served as guides for Muslims since the fi t light of dawn graced our world with its beauty. As the Holy Qur’an says: ‘‘Relate the story so that they might refl upon it’’ (Qur’an 7:176).

THE FIRST PILLAR OF ISLAM: THE PROCLAMATION OF FAITH (
SHAHADA
)

There is no god but He:

That is the witness of God, His angels, and those endowed with knowledge, Standing firm in justice. There is no god but He—

The Exalted in Power, the Wise.

(Qur’an 3:18)

La ilaha illa’ llah wa Muhammadun Rasul Allah,
‘‘There is no deity but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.’’ Muslim fathers tradi- tionally whisper the
Shahada,
the Islamic declaration of faith, into the ears of their newborn children to ensure that commitment to a strict monotheist faith is the fi thing they hear. For those who were not born into Islam, stating this declaration out loud in front of witnesses is their first step in con- version to Islam. The three-letter root of the word
Shahada,
SH-H-D, means ‘‘to bear witness’’ or ‘‘to testify.’’ In the noun form, it means ‘‘testimony’’ or ‘‘that which is witnessed.’’ A
shahid
is one who witnesses. The Qur’an uses the word
Shahada
for one of the titles or names of God: Knower of the Unseen (
al-Ghayb
) and the Seen or Witnessed (
al-Shahada
).

For the Muslim, reciting the Shahada is a verifi tion of what is in the heart, as well as a commitment to follow the Divine Command to worship

Pillars of Religion and Faith
9

our Creator. What is witnessed or testified when one takes this vow to become a Muslim is that this person believes in the reality of one God and agrees to submit to His divine will and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God. By pronouncing the Shahada, Muslims also imply their intention to perform the other four pillars of Islam and live their life as a Muslim, to the best of their ability. This is clearly stated in the Hadith of the Angel Gabriel in which Muhammad is asked to discuss the meaning of Islam. The reply begins with, ‘‘Islam means that you should bear witness that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is God’s Messenger.’’ Gabriel continues with, ‘‘You should perform the ritual prayer, pay the purifi tion tax, fast during Ramadan, and make the pilgrimage to the House (the Ka‘ba in Mecca) if you are able to go there.’’ All of these fi pillars are inherent in the declaration of faith called the Shahada.

When a new Muslim makes this proclamation, it is a joyous occasion that often attracts more than the required two witnesses and that sometimes takes on a partylike atmosphere with food and celebration afterward. From that point on, the new Muslim is a member of the
Umma,
the Community of Muslims. Other Muslims are expected to take the responsibility of offering guidance and advice to new converts and comforting them in times of need, just as one’s mother would. This group responsibility is reflected in the fact that the Arabic term for mother,
umm,
shares the same root (U-M-M) as
Umma
or ‘‘community.’’

The Shahada consists of two declarations that are sometimes referred to as the First Shahada and the Second Shahada. The First Shahada, ‘‘There is no deity but God,’’ is an expression of
Tawhid,
a concept that means ‘‘the oneness or unity of God.’’ Islam stresses monotheism so strictly that God states in the Qur’an—which Muslims believe to be the Word of God—that the only unforgivable sin is the association of other deities with Him.

God forgiveth not that partners should be set up with Him, But he forgiveth anything else, to whomever He pleaseth.

To set up partners with God is to devise a sin most heinous indeed.

(Qur’an 4:48)

Islam’s deep commitment to monotheism is evidenced by the fact that the first part of the first Pillar of Islam is the declaration that there is only one God and that He is the only entity that is truly worthy of worship. The concept of divine unity that is inherent in the first part of the Shahada also refers to the believer’s indebtedness to the Creator and one’s gratitude for God’s creation. The concept of unity within the word
tawhid
is a reminder to Muslims that they are part of something so much greater than themselves that it is almost impossible to fathom. When one considers everything that has been created—every human being, every animal, and

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Voices of Tradition

every drop of water since the beginning of time—it creates a sense of awe and humility. To worship something other than the One who created everything is an act of arrogance, a sin. Likewise, to deliberately or carelessly harm any part of creation except in self-defense, to mistreat a dog, for example, is also a sin. Part of a person’s commitment to living a truly Islamic life is to see the created world as a reflection of Divine Mercy and to be a gentle presence on this planet for the short time that she is here.

According to the Islamic faith, a primary element of primordial human nature is an innate, instinctive awareness of the reality of the one God and an understanding that it is the worship of God that makes one fully human. The Arabic term for this original human nature is
Fitra,
which uses the three-letter root F-T-R. Its related words are
fatara,
‘‘to originate,’’ and
tafattara,
‘‘to be split open or rent asunder,’’ which implies that something has opened up and come forth. The Qur’an states that all of humanity—all descendants of Adam and Eve, past, present, and future—has entered into a covenant with God and have agreed to worship only Him. If they stray from this belief, they have departed from what Islam calls ‘‘The Straight Path’’ (
al-Sirat al-Mustaqim
).

When your Lord drew forth from the Children of Adam and From their loins, their descendants,

And made them testify concerning themselves,

Saying, ‘‘Am I not your Lord who cherishes and sustains you?’’ They said: ‘‘Yea! We do so testify!’’

Lest you should say on the Day of Judgment: ‘‘Of this, we were never mindful.’’

(Qur’an 7:172)

Muslims are reminded of their covenant with God on a daily basis: the five canonical prayers each include a recitation of the Shahada, as does the call to prayer. By proclaiming the Shahada, Muslims signify that they have joined a tradition of revelation and a spiritual journey that began even before the creation of the first human being on the face of the Earth.

The Second Shahada declares, ‘‘Muhammad is the Messenger of God.’’ Revelation is the means by which God has offered guidance to human beings. As previously stated, Muslims revere the Qur’an as the eternal Word of God that was transmitted to all people via the Prophet Muhammad, who was illiterate and did not ‘‘write’’ the Qur’an as some books mistakenly claim. Instead, Gabriel, the Angel of Revelation, recited the holy writ of Islam to the Prophet. While Muslims see the First Shahada as a reflection of a universal, cosmic truth—all beings were created to worship their Lord—the Second Shahada is germane specifically to the religion of Islam. Muslims do not assume that members of the other two Abrahamic faiths, Judaism and