Importance Of Beliefs And Values In Islam

Arkhan al Islam or the five pillars of faith are the foundations of Islam which govern the everyday actions and practices of Islamic adherents around the world. These core teachings of Islam are essential in order for Muslims to be able to efficiently express and practice their beliefs. Adherents are expected to follow these pillars as it is stated in the Qur’an, believed to be the direct word of Allah, revealed through the revelation to the prophet Muhammad. The five pillars are a crucial part of Islam, therefore being perfect examples of expressions of faith, as they shape how the Islamic faith is lived out. Both Sunni and Shi’ia Muslims agree of the fundamentals of Islam, and carry out practicing these beliefs in similar yet slightly altered ways. By living out these pillars, adherents are showing full submission to Allah and will assist adherents in gaining a place in the afterlife.

Central to the Muslim belief is the importance of devotion and total submission to Allah. This is put into practice through the Five Pillars of Islam –the five obligatory duties that must be performed by all practising Muslims. These are the acts of faith, prayer, charity, fasting and pilgrimage. Carrying out these duties creates structure in a Muslim’s life, teaching them to devote their time to Allah and not get caught up in their own secular lives. The effect the Five Pillars of Islam has on not only the individual but the community as a whole is substantial. Constantly

the 5 Pillars of Islam. You must believe that Muhammad is the only prophet of god and to support

obliged to follow the ‘Five Pillars.’  They are 1) Muslim profession of faith or shahada, 2) Ritual

The teachings of Muhamad are based on brotherhood and the belief of all Muslims on a common faith. The Koran is the scriptural basis of Islam and it is believed to be the words of God delivered to Muhammad by Angel Gabriel. The five fundamental pillars of Islam are the confession, prayer, zakat, the haji and fasting. The haji is the prescribed visit to Mecca for all Muslims in a lifestyle. Islam also believes in the end of the world and Judgement day.

When given this assignment, I was trying to think of a special population that I wanted to learn more about. Many different special populations came to mind. However, there is one in particular that I felt I knew very little about and began to question numerous aspects of their society; this culture is the Muslim culture. After doing some research, I realized that one of the most important dynamics to the Muslim culture is their Islamic faith. Islam is not only a religion, but it is a way of life to this population (Burrell, D., Pg. 18). The beliefs that Muslims uphold, in this religious sense, govern their way of life in almost every way possible. Once recognizing that religion is an extreme influential factor to their society, I wanted to learn what part of the religion gives the fundamental basis to this particular belief system. What I found regarding this are the five pillars of Islamic faith (IslamReligion.com).

There are seven key convictions that each Muslim must acknowledge. These center convictions are faith in God, confidence in the holy messengers, faith in the uncovered Books of God, confidence in God's numerous prophets, tolerating that there will be a Last Day, confidence in the awesome estimation of human undertakings, confidence in an eternal

Like many other religions, the Muslim faith has experienced many changes and branches. Like Christianity, the original faith is still practiced by some, but others have started new branches with their own unique interpretation being Muslim. Despite these differences within the Muslim religion, one set of rules for moral guidance is central to all. These rules are the Five Pillars of Islam. The Five Pillars act as a moral compass for Muslims and are universally accepted as they are mentioned specifically in the Qur’an, the sacred Muslim book of God’s words as they were recited to Muhammad (Molloy, 425).

The question topic Describe and analyse how beliefs influence actions and how actions influence beliefs based on Islamic theology firstly one must begin to understand or define the meaning of belief which is ‘A light god creates in the heart of a person’ also ‘something believed; an opinion or conviction’

The basic message of Islam was that there was one God who ruled over the other Gods and whose name was Allah. Muslim Prophet Muhammad was the last and greatest prophet of Allah. He believed that Allah had exposed himself in Moses and Jesus and thru the Hebrew and Christian traditions (203). The last revelations were given to him. These revelations were written down in a holy book that became the Qur 'an. The teachings of Muhammad formed the foundation for the religion of Islam. Islam means, "submission to the will of Allah". Allah was the almighty who created the world and everything in it (203). His worshipper 's were called Muslims. Islam was a way to set religious beliefs as well as a way of life. The Islamic society had a certain way in which they behave. They had their morals recorded in the Qur 'an and this served as their code of ethics and law (203). They has to followed a basic righteous code that was compose of the Five Pillars of Islam. These first pillar, was that there is no other God but Allah and Muhammad is the prophet. The second pillar is that regular prayers to worship Allah are required 5 times a day and a public prayer on Friday at midday. The third pillar was that money must be given to the poor and needy. The fourth pillar was the observance of the Holy month of Ramadan with fasting from dawn to sunset. The fifth pillar was to make a pilgrimage to Mecca

Islam, now one of the major religions of the world, was found by a prophet, named Muhammad. The idea of Islam is the believer, called a Muslim, accepts surrender to the will of Allah, who is their God. Allah is viewed as the creator of the world. Islam is much like Christianity, as they are both monotheistic, potentially believing in the same God. Islam’s practices are written in the holy book, called the Qur’an, or Koran in English. Allah revealed the Koran to his messenger, Muhammad, who is considered the last of a series of prophets (Rahmin). Within the Islam religion, Muslims practice the Five Pillars of Islam, which is one of the most important practices. The Five Pillars of Islam are the five obligations that every muslim must satisfy in order to live a good and responsible life according to Islam (Five Pillars of Islam). Carrying out the Five Pillars demonstrates the Muslim is putting their faith first. The first pillar is called “Shahadah,” which focuses on reciting the Muslim profession of faith (Five Pillars of Islam).

No matter how sincerely a person may believe, it is pointless to live life without putting that faith into action and practice. The most important Muslim practices are the Five Pillars of Islam. These duties are rooted in the teachings of the Qur’an and in the example of the prophet, Muhammad. Therefore, Muslims are expected to observe them with the utmost respect and devotion. These pillars form the foundation for all good deeds and acts of worship to God. And, carrying out the Five Pillars demonstrates that faith comes first.

The holy Quran is a collection of the divinely inspired utterances and discourses (Ahmed, 16). It is composed of some 300 pages which are divided into 114 Surahs (chapters). The general tone of the holy Quran is sombre and meditative. It is a dialogue between God and humanity. At the core is a moral earnestness (Ahmed, 16). The Quran also teaches that humanity is created by God and therefore God understands its weaknesses and in Allah humans find the source of peace. Islam’s appeal lay – and – lies in the simplicity: one God, one Book, one Prophet (Ahmed, 17). Islam is a religion of balance, equilibrium, and compassion. The Islamic virtues are courage, generosity, cleanliness, and piety: and in his life the Prophet exemplifies them (Ahmed, 17).

The third article of faith in Islam, is the belief in all the prophets and messengers sent by God, ending with Muhammad. All messengers were chosen by God to teach mankind. They were all human, and have no share in divinity, but they are the perfect paradigms for humanity. The messages were all the same, as it came from one God. Their fundamental message was identical, reminding mankind of Allah’s oneness, the reward of a good life, and the Day of Judgment and the terrible punishment for disbelievers (“Islamic Path”). In the Quran, the holy book of Islam, it states the names of the twenty-five prophets, and every Muslim accepts them all. Except for Muhammad, all prophets are considered to be national or local messengers. Muhammad, on the other hand, is considered a prophet for all the nations. He is also described as the “Seal of all Prophets,” as stated in the Quran. He stands as the last messenger. In the Quran, the phenomena of earlier prophets are recognized. Those prophets included, Abraham, Noah, Jesus, Moses, and many others.

There are six articles of faith in Islam. These articles are the fundamental beliefs which a person must have in edict to be deliberated as a proper Muslim within the Islamic faith. (Zayn, 2017)