{"name":"Basics of Islam","slug":"basics-of-islam","description":"What is Islam and who are Muslims? This section covers some of the basic questions asked about Islam and pillars that define the faith.","summary":"Islam continues the call to worship Allah alone that every prophet delivered, and it was completed through Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with a final sacred law. These questions and answers explain the meaning of Islam, who Allah is, the Qur'an, the six articles of faith, the five pillars, and the Muslim view of Jesus. They also cover charity, holidays, dietary law, and divorce.","quick_facts":[{"text":"Islam continues the same monotheistic call that every prophet from Adam to Abraham, Moses, and Jesus delivered: a call to worship Allah alone. With Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the final messenger, it also brought a new sharia (sacred law) that abrogates the laws of earlier prophets. The name Islam carries the meanings of submission, surrender, and peace. Accepting it reaffirms a covenant made before creation, in which every soul recognized God as Lord.","source":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#what-is-islam"},{"text":"Allah is simply the Arabic word for God, and Arab Christians use it as well. The word has no gender or plural form, which reflects God's absolute oneness and His uniqueness from all creation. He is beyond time and space, the Creator and Sustainer of all the worlds. His Beautiful Names describe His attributes without limiting Him. The names most repeated in the Qur'an and in daily prayers are the Most Merciful and the Most Kind.","source":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#who-is-allah"},{"text":"Islamic practice rests on five pillars, each necessary for the structure of the faith to stand. They are the testimony of faith (shahada), prayer (salat), obligatory almsgiving (zakat), fasting in Ramadan (sawm), and pilgrimage (hajj). The shahada must be affirmed in the heart and spoken by the tongue. Prayer fulfills humanity's purpose of worship, and zakat is distinctive because it joins devotion to God with direct benefit to the community.","source":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#what-are-the-five-pillars-of-islam"},{"text":"Jesus, son of Mary, is among a select group of prophets known for extraordinary resolve, together with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Muhammad ﷺ. Muslims affirm his virgin birth, his miracles, and his title as the Messiah (al-Masih). They believe he will return before the Day of Judgment to defeat the False Messiah and rule justly. They reject the claims that he was crucified or is divine, and hold that God saved him and raised him to the heavens.","source":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#who-is-jesus-in-islam"},{"text":"Muslim belief rests on six articles of faith: belief in God, His angels, His revealed books, His messengers, the Day of Judgment, and divine decree. The Qur'an is the final revealed book. It was given to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through the Angel Gabriel (Jibril) over twenty-three years and has been preserved without change. On the Day of Judgment, all people will be resurrected, judged by their deeds, and sent to Paradise or the Hellfire.","source":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#what-do-muslims-believe"}],"url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam","mdUrl":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam.md","section_count":24,"sections":[{"question":"What is Islam?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#what-is-islam"},{"question":"What does Islam mean?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#what-does-islam-mean"},{"question":"What do Muslims believe?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#what-do-muslims-believe"},{"question":"Who is Allah?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#who-is-allah"},{"question":"What is the Qur'an?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#what-is-the-qur-an"},{"question":"Who is Prophet Muhammad?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#who-is-prophet-muhammad"},{"question":"What are the five pillars of Islam?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#what-are-the-five-pillars-of-islam"},{"question":"What is the Islamic testimony of faith (shahada)?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#what-is-the-islamic-testimony-of-faith-shahada"},{"question":"Why do Muslims pray daily?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#why-do-muslims-pray-daily"},{"question":"What is zakat?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#what-is-zakat"},{"question":"What is sadaqa?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#what-is-sadaqa"},{"question":"What holidays do Muslims celebrate?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#what-holidays-do-muslims-celebrate"},{"question":"What is Ramadan?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#what-is-ramadan"},{"question":"Why do Muslims have to fast for a full month?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#why-do-muslims-have-to-fast-for-a-full-month"},{"question":"Do Muslims fast outside of Ramadan?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#do-muslims-fast-outside-of-ramadan"},{"question":"What is the significance of the Hajj pilgrimage?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#what-is-the-significance-of-the-hajj-pilgrimage"},{"question":"Who is Jesus in Islam?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#who-is-jesus-in-islam"},{"question":"Do Muslims believe in the crucifixion of Jesus?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#do-muslims-believe-in-the-crucifixion-of-jesus"},{"question":"Do Muslims believe in the Holy Spirit?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#do-muslims-believe-in-the-holy-spirit"},{"question":"Do Muslims believe in Heaven and Hell?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#do-muslims-believe-in-heaven-and-hell"},{"question":"Are there dietary restrictions in Islam?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#are-there-dietary-restrictions-in-islam"},{"question":"What does halal mean?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#what-does-halal-mean"},{"question":"Are kosher and halal the same?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#are-kosher-and-halal-the-same"},{"question":"Is divorce allowed in Islam?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/basics-of-islam#is-divorce-allowed-in-islam"}]}