Islam: Origins and Definition

• Islam stands as the most recently established among major global religions, ranks as the second largest after Christianity, and is recognized as one of the fastest-growing religions worldwide
• Muslim refers to a follower of Islam

Origin

• The term "Islam" is derived from the Arabic word meaning "to submit" or "to surrender oneself for obedience to God" or "to enter into a condition of peace and security with God through allegiance and surrender to Him."
• Muslim is from the Arabic word for a person who submits and refers to a “person who surrenders or submits himself to obey God”
• In Arabic, Allah combines "al," the definite article, and "ilah," meaning God, signifying "the one who is God."
• Islam originated from the Arabian desert people around the early 7th century
• These people developed their own beliefs before Islam's formal establishment and had been influenced by Byzantine Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism
• Judea, a home of Christianity, was located near Arabia, with cities like Damascus, Antioch, and Alexandria neighboring Mecca and Medina
• Byzantine rulers' antagonism towards Arab Christians likely fueled their acceptance of Islam
• The Arab people were also familiar with Judaism, with several desert tribes being Jewish in origin
• In 622 C.E., Muslim forces entered Medina, with many Jewish citizens
• Muslims may have had contact with Persian Zoroastrians, though its influence was less than that of Christianity and Judaism

Divisions

• Islam has three major denominations:
• Sunni: The traditionalists and are considered the Orthodox of Islam
• Shi'a: The largest faction that separated from the rest of the community
• Sufi: Those whose concern mainly dwell for a mystical union with God

Sacred Texts

• Quran (or Koran): Literally meaning "recitation" or "reading," it is the sacred writing of the Muslims
• Hadith: The collected deeds and sayings of Muhammad and his followers and is considered the second source of Shari'a Law

Beliefs

• God has sent prophets, including Musa (Moses) and “Isa (Jesus), to call people back because of human rebellion and transgression
• Conversion requires stating, "There is no God but Allah; Muhammad is the messenger of Allah” with witnesses
• Affirming this declaration and accepting Islamic laws makes one part of the fastest-growing religion

Contemporary Issues

• Islam and Women: The role of women varies greatly within Islamic nations, with some experiencing restrictions and others emerging as leaders
• Jihad: Meaning "effort" or "struggle," it is to convince unbelievers and has become controversial due to Arab nations' varying commitment to war against non-Muslims
• Militancy and Terrorism: Muslims condemn terrorism because Islam advocates peace and mercy and violence against innocents violates its principles
• Migration: Muslims migrated from Arabian nations in the late 19th century and European countries encouraged migration from former colonies after WWII to increase manpower