‘Say, “He is God the One, God the eternal.

He begot none nor was He begotten.

No one is comparable to Him”

(The Qur’an, Chapter 112, Verses 1 to 4)

Muslims believe in One, Unique, Incomparable God; in angels as created by God; in the prophets through whom His revelations were brought to mankind; in the Day of Judgement and individual accountability for actions; in God’s complete authority over human destiny and in life after death.

Muslims believe in a chain of prophets starting with Adam and including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elias, Jonah, John the Baptist, and Jesus, peace be upon them.

Muslims believe that the Torah, Psalms and the Gospels were revelations from God but his final revealed message to man was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel, a reconfirmation of the eternal message and a summing-up of all that has gone before, this is called the Qur’an.

‘He has sent down upon you, [O Muhammad], the Book (Quran) in truth, confirming what was before it. And He revealed the Torah and the Gospel.’

(The Qur’an, Chapter 4, Verse 82)

The Qur’an is the exact words revealed by God through the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad. It was memorized by Muhammad and then dictated to his Companions (who also committed to memory the Quran word by word), and written down by scribes, who cross-checked it during his lifetime.

Not one word of its 114 chapters has been changed over the centuries, so that the Qur’an is in every detail (in both composition and meaning), the unique and miraculous text which was revealed to Muhammad more than fourteen centuries ago.

By time, Man is in a state of loss indeed, except for those who believe, do good deeds, urge one another to the truth, and urge one another to steadfastness.

(The Qur’an, Chapter 103, Verses 1 to 3)

The Qur’an is the most influential book in the world. The way it impacts the daily lives of billions is unprecedented. Only a book from God can create an influence that is long-lasting and meaningful on the human psyche.

The Qur’an, the last revealed Word of God, is the prime source of every Muslim’s faith and practice, its basic theme is the relationship between God and His creatures, historical narratives of previous prophets and the nations they were sent to, and the hereafter – where those who enter Paradise will never get old, tired or bored, nor feel hungry or thirsty, and every moment will be better than the moment before it.

The Qur’an also deals with all the subjects which concern us as human beings: wisdom, doctrine, worship, and law, at the same time, it provides guidelines for a just society, proper human conduct and an equitable economic system.

‘Say (O Muhammad, to mankind), ‘If you love God, follow me, and God will love you and forgive you your sins; God is most forgiving, most merciful.’

(The Qur’an, Chapter 3, Verse 31)

Yes, the ‘Sunnah’, the practice and example of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him), is the second authority for Muslims. A Hadith is a reliably transmitted report of what the Prophet Peace and blessings be upon him) said, did, or approved.

Muhammad is not the father of any one of you men; he is God’s Messenger and the seal of the prophets: God knows everything.

(The Qur’an, Chapter 33, Verse 40)

Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him), was born in Makkah in the year 570 AD, at a time when Christianity was not yet fully established in Europe. Since his father died before his birth, and his mother shortly afterwards, he was raised by his uncle from the respected ‘Quraysh’ tribe. As he grew up, he became known for his truthfulness, generosity and sincerity, to the extent he was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes.

Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him), was of a deeply religious nature, and had long detested the decadence of his society. It became his habit to meditate from time to time in the Cave of Hira near the summit of Jabal al-Nur, the ‘Mountain of Light’ near Makkah.

‘Recite! In the name of your Lord who created,

He created man from a clinging form,

Recite! Your Lord is the Most Gracious One,

Who taught by [means of] the pen,

Who taught man what he did not know.’

(The Qur’an, Chapter 96, Verses 1 to 5)

At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him) received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. This revelation, which continued for twenty-three years, is known as the Qur’an.

As soon as he began to recite the words he heard from Gabriel, and to preach the truth which God had revealed to him, he and his small group of followers suffered bitter persecution which grew so fierce that in the year 622 God gave them the command to emigrate. This event, the Hijra, ‘migration’, in which they left Makkah for the city of Madinah some 260 miles to the north, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar.

After several years, the Prophet and his followers were able to return to Makkah, where they forgave their enemies and established Islam definitively. Before the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) died at the age of 63, the greater part of Arabia was Muslim, and within a century of his death Islam had spread to Spain in the west and as far east as China.

’O mankind, it is you who stand in need of God- God needs nothing and is worthy of all praise.’

(The Qu’ran, Chapter 35, Verse 15)

God has created everything; he continually sustains the entire cosmos and provides for us out of His bounty. The Qur’an continually repeats this concept in various ways, which evokes a sense of awe in the heart of the reader.

Since God created us, our very existence is solely dependent upon Him. We are not self-sufficient, even if some of us are deluded in thinking that we are. Whether we live a life of luxury and ease, or in poverty and hardship, we are ultimately dependent on God.

Only those who faithfully follow God’s guidance are worthy of His love. This makes perfect sense. God does not love a person because of their riches, beauty, lineage, strength, eloquence, intellect, race or gender. Rather, God loves those who are the most conscious of Him.

‘It is God who brought you out of your mothers’ wombs knowing nothing, and gave you hearing and sight and minds, so that you might be thankful.’

(The Qur’an, Chapter 16, Verse 78)

Simply by saying and affirming the words: ‘There is no god worthy of worship apart from Allah, and Muhammad is the final Messenger of God.’ By this declaration the believer announces his or her faith in all of God’s messengers, and the scriptures they brought.