Muslims: Beliefs, Dress, Customs, and History

The feminine form of Muslim is Muslimah. It literally means "one who submits (to God)".

Islam is a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure. It is the second-largest religion in the world today.

The Koran describes many Biblical prophets and messengers as Muslims: Adam, Noah, Moses and Jesus and his apostles. The Koran states that these men were Muslims because they submitted to God, preached his message and upheld his values.

Beliefs

Muslims believe that Islam existed long before Muhammad.

Muhammad is considered to have been God's final prophet.

The Qur'an is believed to be the flawless final revelation of God to humanity, valid until the day of the Resurrection.

Muslims claim that Jews and Christians forgot or distorted the word of God after it was revealed to them.

Qiyamah is the Muslim equivalent of the Christian belief in the Last Judgement.

Homosexuality is punishable by death.

The Qur'an calls for the expulsion of any non-Muslim invaders. This is interpreted by some Muslims as needing to get the US out of middle eastern countries such as Afganistan and Iraq. This phrase is also used to defend terrorist attacks.

Those who die in defense of Islam will make it to Paradise.

What is Paradise?

This is the Islam life after death basically. They believe there will be no sickness, pain, sadness or death there. A quote from the Qur'an says:

"[They will sit] on gold-encrusted thrones of happiness, reclining upon them, facing one another in [love]. Immortal youths will wait upon them with goblets, and ewers, and cups filled with water from unsullied springs by which their minds will not be clouded and which will not make them drunk; and with fruit of any kind that they choose, and with flesh of any fowl that they may desire."

The Five Pillars of Islam

The Testimony of Faith (Shahadah) - no one is worthy of worship except Allah

Ritual Prayer (Salat) - five times daily prayer

Obligatory almsgiving (Zakat) - generally 2.5% of a person's total savings. This money or produce is distributed among the poor.

Siyam- Fasting

The Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) - a compulsory once in a lifetime trip for those who have the ability to do it

The Muslim Way of Dress

The Qur'an says this:

"...women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their chests and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers..."

Many Muslim men would feel shy to expose a bare chest or bare legs in public. As with women, men are not to wear clothing that is tight or see-through.

Muslims are to dress in modest clothing, without attracting attention to oneself. Many Muslims choose earth-tone colors such as green, blue, gray, as well as the usual black and white.

Interesting Fact

Today, Muslims may be found throughout the world, particularly in the Middle East, North Africa, and South and Central Asia. Only about 20 percent of Muslims originate from Arab countries.