The Foundation and Sources of Islam

Islam: its foundation and its sources

There are only two absolute sources of Islam:

• the Quran 
• and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad.

What is Sunnah?

Sunnah is an Arabic word that means habit or usual practice. The Muslim usage of this term refers to the sayings and living habits of Muhammad, the last prophet of Islam.
The Sunnah of Muhammad includes his specific words, habits, practices, and silent approvals. It is significant to the spirituality of Islam because it addresses ways of life dealing with friends, family, and government.
sunnah indeed often stands synonymous to hadith as most of the personality traits of Muhammad are known through descriptions about him, his sayings and his actions, after becoming a prophet at the age of forty.

Guidelines for Islamic Law

According to Muslims, The Quran and the Sunnah are the absolute sources in Islam because they constitute the revelation received by the Prophet  from God. God inspired the Prophet with both the Quran and the Sunnah. Hence, all beliefs and practices are subservient to these foundations: if something is consistent with them, it may be accepted; if something contradicts them, it must be rejected.

Confucianism?

What is Confucianism?

Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (551–478 BC).

• Confucianism is a complex system of moral, social, political, philosophical, and quasi-religious thought 
• It has had tremendous influence on the culture and history of East Asia. 
• It might be considered a state religion of some East Asian countries, because of governmental promotion of Confucian philosophies.

Believers of Confucianism

Cultures and countries strongly influenced by Confucianism include mainland China, Taiwan, Korea, and Vietnam, as well as various territories settled predominantly by Chinese people, such as Singapore. Japan was influenced by Confucianism in a different way.

Principles of Confucianism

In Confucianism, human beings are teachable, improvable and perfectible through personal and communal endeavour especially including self-cultivation and self-creation. A main idea of Confucianism is the cultivation of virtue and the development of moral perfection.

Source: Wikipedia

Books of Allah

Muslims believe in all the books revealed by Allah

Allah revealed Books of guidance through his prophets. Muslims believe in all the Original Books of Allah mentioned in the Qura’n, the Tawrat (Turah of Moses), the Zabur (Psalma of David), the Injeel (Gospel) and Suhuf Ibrahim (the Scrollsof Abraham). The Qur'an is the only book of Allah which exists unchanged in its original form. The other Books are not in their original languages and are distorted and mixed with human words. The Qur'an was recorded as soon as it was revealed and was memorised by heart by Muslims.

Allah - Muslims God!

Allah

Allah is the name of God. Some people ascribe false attributes to Allah. Muslims have their knowledge of Allah through what He revealed in the Holy Qura’n or through Prophet Muhammad ( peace be upon him). The following are some texts that describe Allah.

“Allah, there is no god save Him, the Alive, the Eternal, Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. Into Him belongs what so ever is in the heavens and what so ever is in the earth. Who is he that intercedes with Him save by His leave? He knows that which is in front of them and that which is behind them, while they encompass nothing of His knowledge save that He will. His Throne includes the heavens and the earth, and He is never weary of preserving them. He is the Sublime, the Tremendous” (Qur'an. 2:255).
“All that is in the heavens and earth glorify Allah and He is the Mighty, the Wise. His is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. He ordains life and death and has power over all things. He is the First and the Last and the Inward and the Outward. He has knowledge of all things” (Qur'an. 57:1-4).
“Everything will perish save His countenance. His is the command and unto Him you will be brought back”(Qur'an. 28:88).
“The Originator of the heavens and the earth, when He will a thing He only says unto it “BE” and it is (Qur'an. 2:117)
“And not an atom’s weight in the earth or in the heavens escapes your Lord’s knowledge; neither is there anything smaller than that or larger, but is recorded in a clear decree” (Qur'an. 10-61).
“He knows what you conceal and what you reveal and God knows well the (secrets) of (all) hearts. (Qur'an. 64:4).
“There is nothing like unto Him” (Qur'an. 42:11).

Some Basic Islamic Beliefs

The religion of Islam is the acceptance of and obedience to the teachings of God which He revealed to His last prophet, Muhammad. It's based on 7 beliefs:

1. Belief in God:
   Muslims believe in one, unique, incomparable God, Who has no son nor partner, and that none has the right to be worshipped but Him alone. He is the true God, and every other deity is false. He has the most magnificent names and sublime perfect attributes. No one shares His divinity, nor His attributes. In the Qur’an, God describes Himself:
   

   Say: “He is God, the One. God, to Whom the creatures turn for their needs. He begetsnot, nor was He begotten, and there is none like Him.”

2. Belief in the Angels:
   Muslims believe in the existence of the angels and that they are honored creatures. The angels worship God alone, obey Him, and act only by His command. Among the angels is Gabriel, who brought down the Qur’an to Muhammad.
3. Belief in God’s Revealed Books:
   Muslims believe that God revealed books to His messengers as proof for mankind and as guidance for them. Among these books is the Qur’an, which God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. God has guaranteed the Qur’an’s protection from any corruption or distortion. God has said:
   

   Indeed,We have sent down the Qur’an, and surely We will guard it (from corruption). (Qur’an, 15:9)

4. Belief in the Prophets and Messengers of God:
   Muslims believe in the prophets and messengers of God, starting with Adam, including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them). But God’s final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Muslims believe that Muhammad is the last prophet sent by God, as God has said:
   

   Muhammad is not the father of any one of your men, but he is the Messenger of God and the last of the prophets... (Qur’an, 33:40)

   Muslims believe that all the prophets and messengers were created human beings who had none of the divine qualities of God.
5. Belief in the Day of Judgment:
   Muslims believe in the Day of Judgment (the Day of Resurrection) when all people will be resurrected for God’s judgment according to their beliefs and deeds.
6. Belief in Al-Qadar:
   Muslims believe in Al-Qadar, which is Divine Predestination, but this belief in Divine Predestination does not mean that human beings do not have freewill. Rather, Muslims believe that God has given human beings freewill. This means that they can choose right or wrong and that they are responsible for their choices.
   

Definition of islam

Islam is the religion articulated by the Quran, the word of God and by the prophet's demonstrations and real life examples (the Sunnah.)
It's worthwhile noticing that the religion of Islam is not named after a person as in the case of "Christianity" which was named after Jesus Christ, "Buddhism" after Gutama Buddha , "Marxism" after Karl Marx, and "Confucianism" after Confucius.
In the same way, Islam is not named after a tribe like "Judaism" after the tribe of Judah and "Hinduism" after the Hindus. The word "Islam" itself means "Submission to Allah."