They are the framework of the Muslim life: faith, prayer, concern for the needy,

self-purification, and the pilgrimage to Makkah for those who are able.

There is no god worthy of worship except God and Muhammad is His messenger. This

declaration of faith is called the Shahada, a simple formula which all the faithful pronounce. In

Arabic, the first part is la ilaha illa'Llah - 'there is no god except God'; ilaha (god) can refer

to anything which we may be tempted to put in place of God -- wealth, power, and the like.

Then comes illa'Llah:' except God, the source of all Creation. The second part of the

Shahada is Muhammadun rasulu'Llah: 'Muhammad is the messenger of God'. A message of

guidance has come through a man like ourselves.

A translation of the Call to Prayer is:

Allah is most great. Allah is most great.

Allah is most great. Allah is most great.

I testify that there is no god except Allah.

I testify that there is no god except Allah.

I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.

I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.

Come to prayer! Come to prayer!

Come to success (in this life and the Hereafter)! Come to success!

Allah is most great. Allah is most great.

There is no god except Allah.

Salah is the name for the obligatory prayers which are performed five times a day, and are a

direct link between the worshipper and God. There is no hierarchical authority in Islam, and

no priests, so the prayers are led by a learned person who knows the Qur'an, chosen by the

congregation. These five prayers contain verses from the Qur'an, and are said in Arabic, the

language of the Revelation, but personal supplication can be offered in one's own language.

Prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and nightfall, and thus determine the

rhythm of the entire day. Although it is preferable to worship together in a mosque, a Muslim

may pray almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories and universities. Visitors to the

Muslim world are struck by the centrality of prayers in daily life.

One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to God, and that wealth

is therefore held by human beings in trust. The word zakat means both 'purification' and

'growth'. Our possessions are purified by setting aside a proportion for those in need, and,

like the pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth.

Each Muslim calculates his or her own zakat individually. For most purposes this involves

the payment each year of two and a half percent of one's capital.

A pious person may also give as much as he or she pleases as sadaqa, and does so preferably

in secret. Although this word can be translated as 'voluntary charity' it has a wider meaning.

The Prophet said 'even meeting your brother with a cheerful face is charity'.

The Prophet said: 'Charity is a necessity for every Muslim'. He was asked: 'What if a person

has nothing?' The Prophet replied: 'He should work with his own hands for his benefit and

then give something out of such earnings in charity'. The Companions asked: 'What if he is

not able to work?' The Prophet said: 'He should help poor and needy persons.' The

Companions further asked 'What is he cannot do even that?' The Prophet said 'He should

urge others to do good'. The Companions said 'What if he lacks that also?' The Prophet said

'He should check himself from doing evil. That is also charity.'

Every year in the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from first light until sundown,

abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations. Those who are sick, elderly, or on a

journey, and women who are pregnant or nursing are permitted to break the fast and make

up an equal number of days later in the year. If they are physically unable to do this, they

must feed a needy person for every day missed. Children begin to fast (and to observe the

prayer) from puberty, although many start earlier.

Although the fast is most beneficial to the health, it is regarded principally as a method of

self-purification. By cutting oneself off from worldly comforts, even for a short time, a fasting

person gains true sympathy with those who go hungry as well as growth in one's spiritual life.

The annual pilgrimage to Makkah -- the Hajj -- is an obligation only for those who are

physically and financially able to perform it. Nevertheless, about two million people go to

Makkah each year from every corner of the globe providing a unique opportunity for those

of different nations to meet one another. Although Makkah is always filled with visitors, the

annual Hajj begins in the twelfth month of the Islamic year (which is lunar, not solar, so that

Hajj and Ramadan fall sometimes in summer, sometimes in winter). Pilgrims wear special

clothes: simple garments which strip away distinctions of class and culture, so that all stand

equal before God.

The rites of the Hajj, which are of Abrahamic origin, include circling the Ka'abah seven

times, and going seven times between the mountains of Safa and Marwa as did Hagar during

her search for water. Then the pilgrims stand together on the wide plain of Arafa and join in

prayers for God's forgiveness, in what is often thought of as a preview of the Last

Judgement.

In previous centuries the Hajj was an arduous undertaking. Today, however, Saudi Arabia

provides millions of people with water, modern transport, and the most up-to-date health

facilities.

The close of the Hajj is marked by a festival, the Eid al-Adha, which is celebrated with

prayers and the exchange of gifts in Muslim communities everywhere. This, and the Eid

al-Fitr, a feast-day commemorating the end of Ramadan, are the main festivals of the Muslim

calendar.

The Qur'an says: God forbids you not, with regards to those who fight you not for (your) faith

nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them; for God loveth

those who are just. (Qur'an, 60:8)

It is one function of Islamic law to protect the privileged status of minorities, and this is why

non-Muslim places of worship have flourished all over the Islamic world. History provides

many examples of Muslim tolerance towards other faiths: when the caliph Omar entered

Jerusalem in the year 634, Islam granted freedom of worship to all religious communities in

the city.

Islamic law also permits non- Muslim minorities to set up their own courts, which implement

family laws drawn up by the minorities themselves.

Muslims respect and revere Jesus, and await his Second Coming. They consider him one of

the greatest of God's Messengers to mankind. A Muslim never refers to him simply as

'Jesus', but always adds the phrase 'upon him be peace'. The Qur'an confirms his virgin birth

(a chapter of the Qur'an is entitled 'Mary'), and Mary is considered the purest woman in all

creation. The Qur'an describes the Annunciation as follows:

'Behold!' the Angel said, 'God has chosen you, and purified you, and chosen you above the

women of all nations. O Mary, God gives you good news of a word from Him, whose name

shall be the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and the Hereafter, and one of

those brought near to God. He shall speak to the people from his cradle and in maturity, and

shall be of the righteous.'

She said: 'O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?' He said: 'Even

so; God creates what He will. When He decrees a thing, He says to it, "Be!" and it is.'

(Qur'an, 3:42-7)

Jesus was born miraculously through the same power which had brought Adam into being

without a father:

Truly, the likeness of Jesus with God is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, and

then said to him, 'Be!' and he was. (3:59)

During his prophetic mission Jesus performed many miracles. The Qur'an tells us that he

said:

I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I make for you out of clay, as it were, the

figure of a bird, and breathe into it and it becomes a bird by God's leave. And I heal the blind,

and the lepers, and I raise the dead by God's leave. (3:49)

Neither Muhammad nor Jesus came to change the basic doctrine of the belief in One God,

brought by earlier prophets, but to confirm and renew it. In the Qur'an Jesus is reported as

saying that he came:

To attest the law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden

you; I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear God and obey me. (3:50)

Whoever believes there is no god but God, alone without partner, that Muhammad is His

messenger, that Jesus is the servant and messenger of God, His word breathed into Mary

and a spirit emanating from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are true, shall be received by

God into Heaven. (Hadith from Bukhari)

Islam sees a woman, whether single or married, as an individual in her own right, with the

right to own and dispose of her property and earnings. A marriage dowry is given by the

groom to the bridge for her own personal use, and she keeps her own family name rather

than taking her husband's.

Both men and women are expected to dress in a way which is modest and dignified; the

traditions of female dress found in some Muslim countries are often the expression of local

customs.

The Messenger of God said:

'The most perfect in faith amongst believers is he who is best in manner and kindest to his

wife.'

The religion of Islam was revealed for all societies and all times and so accommodates widely

differing social requirements. Circumstances may warrant the taking of another wife but the

right is granted, according to the Qur'an, only on condition that the husband is scrupulously

fair.

A Muslim marriage is not a 'sacrament', but a simple, legal agreement in which either

partner is free to include conditions. Marriage customs thus vary widely from country to

country. As a result, divorce is not common, although it is not forbidden as a last resort.

According to Islam, no Muslim girl can be forced to marry against her will: her parents will

simply suggest young men they think may be suitable.

In the Islamic world there are no old people's homes. The strain of caring for one's parents

in this most difficult time of their lives is considered an honor and blessing, and an

opportunity for great spiritual growth. God asks that we not only pray for our parents, but act

with limitless compassion, remembering that when we were helpless children they preferred

us to themselves. Mothers are particularly honored: the Prophet taught that 'Paradise lies at

the feet of mothers'. When they reach old age, Muslim parents are treated mercifully, with

the same kindness and selflessness.

In Islam, serving one's parents is a duty second only to prayer, and it is their right to expect

it. It is considered despicable to express any irritation when, through no fault of their own,

the old become difficult.

The Qur'an says: Your Lord has commanded that you worship none but Him, and be kind to

parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, do not say 'uff' to them or chide

them, but speak to them in terms of honor and kindness. Treat them with humility, and say,

'My Lord! Have mercy on them, for they did care for me when I was little'. (17:23-4)

Like Jews and Christians, Muslims believe that the present life is only a trial preparation for

the next realm of existence. Basic articles of faith include: the Day of Judgement,

resurrection, Heaven and Hell. When a Muslim dies, he or she is washed, usually by a family

member, wrapped in a clean white cloth, and buried with a simple prayer preferably the same

day. Muslims consider this one of the final services they can do for their relatives, and an

opportunity to remember their own brief existence here on earth. The Prophet taught that

three things can continue to help a person even after death; charity which he had given,

knowledge which he had taught and prayers on their behalf by a righteous child.

Like Christianity, Islam permits fighting in self-defence, in defence of religion, or on the part

of those who have been expelled forcibly from their homes. It lays down strict rules of

combat which include prohibitions against harming civilians and against destroying crops,

trees and livestock. As Muslims see it, injustice would be triumphant in the world if good

men were not prepared to risk their lives in a righteous cause. The Qur'an says:

Fight in the cause of God against those who fight you, but do not transgress limits. God does

not love transgressors. (2:190)

If they seek peace, then seek you peace. And trust in God for He is the One that heareth and

knoweth all things. (8:61)

War, therefore, is the last resort, and is subject to the rigorous conditions laid down by the

sacred law. The term Jihad literally means 'struggle', and Muslims believe that there are two

kinds of Jihad. The other 'Jihad' is the inner struggle which everyone wages against

egotistic desires, for the sake of attaining inner peace.

Although much simpler than the dietary law followed by Jews and the early Christians, the

code which Muslims observe forbids the consumption of pig meat or any kind of intoxicating

drink. The Prophet taught that 'your body has rights over you', and the consumption of

wholesome food and the leading of a healthy lifestyle are seen as religious obligations.

The Prophet said: 'Ask God for certainty (of faith) and well-being; for after certainty, no one

is given any gift better than health!'

It is almost impossible to generalize about American Muslims: converts, immigrants, factory

workers, doctors; all are making their own contribution to America's future. This complex

community is unified by a common faith, underpinned by a countrywide network of a thousand

mosques.

Muslims were early arrivals in North America. By the eighteenth century there were many

thousands of them, working as slaves on plantations. These early communities, cut off from

their heritage and families, inevitably lost their Islamic identity as time went by. Today many

Afro-American Muslims play an important role in the Islamic community.

The nineteenth century, however, saw the beginnings of an influx of Arab Muslims, most of

whom settled in the major industrial centers where they worshipped in hired rooms. The

early twentieth century witnessed the arrival of several hundred thousand Muslims from

Eastern Europe: the first Albanian mosque was opened in Maine in 1915; others soon

followed, and a group of Polish Muslims opened a mosque in Brooklyn in 1928.

In 1947 the Washington Islamic Center was founded during the term of President Truman,

and several nationwide organizations were set up in the fifties. The same period saw the

establishment of other communities whose lives were in many ways modelled after Islam.

More recently, numerous members of these groups have entered the fold of Muslim

orthodoxy. Today there are about five million Muslims in America.

Freedom of conscience is laid down by the Qur'an itself: 'There is no compulsion in religion'.

(2:256)

The life and property of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered sacred whether a

person is Muslim or not.

Racism is incomprehensible to Muslims, for the Qur'an speaks of human equality in the

following terms:

O mankind! We created you from a single soul, male and female, and made you into nations

and tribes, so that you may come to know one another. Truly, the most honored of you in

God's sight is the greatest of you in peity. God is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (49:13)