Topic 1: What is Islam and faith

Mesude OzturkDialog Student Association

University of Oklahoma

What is Islam?

Islam has a wide population in the world is also the most misunderstood religion means the active submission to the one God teaches that God (Allah) is the source of all creation

and that human beings are the best of His creation is the final religion revealed to human beings through

the last Prophet Muhammad.

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Rules of Islam

Praying 5 times a day (salah) Fasting in the Ramadan Charity Visiting the Kabe Accepting one god and Mohammad is his the

last messenger

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What Muslims believe?

Muslims believe The first Prophet was Adam followed by a long chain

of Prophets to guide humanity. One God and in Muhammad as the final Prophet of

God The Qur’an, which is the holy book for Muslims, is the

word of God revealed to Prophet Muhammad and contains 114 chapters (called Suras).

Quran is the pure word of God, unadulterated over 14 centuries

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What Muslims believe?

Believing in One God Messengers of God Angels of God Books of God The big Judgment day Destiny and fate comes from God

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The Teachings of Islam Islam teaches that

human beings are born pure and sinless No one is responsible for, or can take responsibility for

the sins of others The doors of forgiveness are always open for those

who repent sincerely Islam balances the spiritual life by emphasizing

human responsibility with daily life People are created with a purpose.

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The Teachings of Islam

Apart from human responsibility, Islam also teaches human accountability

The final destination of human beings is the hereafter

Muslims believe that all human beings will be resurrected to account for their deeds in the day of Judgment Those who have performed righteous deeds will be

rewarded with eternal bliss in heaven and those who have performed evil acts will be punished in hell.

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What does Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) mean to us? “You have a good example in God’s Messenger

for whoever hopes for God and the Last Day, and remembers God often.” (33:22)

The Messenger Perfect Servant of God Perfect Example of

Husband Father Grandfather Friend Businessman Leader Statesman Educator

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Why is Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) important?

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Interpreter Living Quran Living Islam

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) teaches me build a relationship with God have a better understanding of myself have a better understanding of the universe

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Why is Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) important?

Perfection in humanism Ferrari & Mechanic

Answering the meaning of life Who am I? Where do I come from? Where do I go to?

Implications

Achieving pleasure of God

Great husband

Great father

Great friend

Great teacher

Truthful and trustworthy person

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Thank you

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Shia and Sunni

Islam has two major schools of thought – the Shi’a and the Sunni.

The Sunnis believe that the community selected its own leader after Prophet Muhammad’s death whereas

the Shi’as believe that the Prophet had appointed ‘Ali, by divine will, to be his successor. Leadership is thus divinely designated.

both the Sunnis and the Shi’as are united in their major beliefs i.e., they believe in the same God, the same book, the same Prophets and pray in the same direction.

The differences are mainly theological and jurisprudential.

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