Basic Concepts in Islam (1)

Background and History

The word Islam is triliteral root SLM, which means "submission" or "peace derivative" in this case something in the sense of peace that comes through submission to God. " A Muslim is also "one who leads." patterns Semitic language (Arabic, Aramaic, Hebrew) are linked and very similar to each other, the Hebrew shalom ("peace"), for example, is triliteral from the same root (Islam, Muslim, Salam, Shalom) is derived .

The human central / historical figure of Islam, the Prophet Muhammad (570-632 AD). According to tradition, in 610 CE Muhammad heard a voice, to recite his "call." What should I pray? "He asked. The response came in the form of revelations and visions of God (Allah) by the angel Gabriel in the next two or more years, from Mecca in what is now known as Saudi Arabia. For twelve years, Muhammad preached the message of Allah in Mecca, but due to the increasingly hostile reaction to his message, Muhammad forced to flee to Medina (Yathrib) in 622 CE. connected in Medina, Muhammad, a community was embroiled in controversy tribal division and asked for his unifying leadership. Since this is the crucial moment in the history of Islam, As the Islamic calendar year 622 CE as the year 1 (the year of the Hegira, or "migration"). It is in Medina, was nurtured and developed a large following and an army that after eight years of struggle for the soul of Arabia, defeated his opponents in Mecca. After his triumphant return to Mecca in 630 CE, Muhammad cleaned the Holy Kaaba (see below), the destruction of his idols, his condemnation of the polytheistic practices and rededicate Allah the one God. When the Islamic creed says: "There is no god but God and Mohammed is his prophet." Therefore, it is inaccurate and disrespectful to Islam as "Muhammadanism" as Westerners have traditionally covered by this focuses on Muhammad and not God. As a prophet but Muhammad is the channel or vehicle for the revelations of Allah With almost all of Arabia under his control, Muhammad returned to Medina, where he died in 632 CE.