TERMINOLOGY, LAWS, AND REGULATIONS

In Islam, the people worship one God. Their name for God is Allah. Mohammed preached that Allah demands complete obedience and submission and punishes those who do not obey.

NOTE: As you study the text and figures in this section, be aware of variations in spelling in regard to the English translation of Arabic words representing Islamic holy days, rituals, literary works, and so forth.

The presentation of these different spellings is intentional to allow you to become aware of the various transliterations for these words.

Qur'an (Koran)

The sacred book of Islam is the Qur'an (Koran). The Qur'an contains the words of Allah as revealed to Mohammed. It is written in Arabic and is the best-known and most widely read book in Arabic literature. Islam also recognizes some parts of the

Hebrew Torah as sacred, as well as the Psalms of the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus.

Not surprisingly, most ethics taught in Islam are the same as those taught in Judaism and Christianity. Although Moslems consider Mohammed to be the last and greatest prophet of Allah, they also number among their prophets many of the Hebrew prophets told about in the Old Testament of the Bible. Jesus and John the Baptist are also recognized as prophets in Islam.

Mecca

The holy city of Islam is Mecca. In addition to Mecca, there are other cities Moslems consider to be holy. One of them is Jerusalem, which is also a holy city for both Christians and Jews. Another holy city, Medina, is where Mohammed and his followers gained their first great success with their religion. The historical exodus of Mohammed to Medina is called the Hegira. From this event, the Moslem calendar takes its beginning as Year One.

Shari'ah

Perhaps the most misunderstood aspect of Islamic life is the Shari' ah, or Islamic law. Shari'ah has as its base the following elements:

l The Qur'an, the scripture

l The Sums, Mohammed's words

l The Ijma, the traditions and customs of the Islamic community

l The Ijtihad, the individual human endeavor to understand and solve problems in the light of the Qur'an and Sums

These principles governing morals and behavior are the source of Islamic legislation. Figure 1-8 provides an overview of the Shari'ah and a general definition of some of its terms.

Dietary Laws

Islam dietary laws require Moslems to eat only the meat of an animal that was slaughtered with a sharp knife. The knife must penetrate the innermost part of the animal's neck. During this procedure, a prayer is said to proclaim that the life of this animal is being taken to provide life for humans. All the blood is then drained from the carcass.

Figure 1-8.-The Shari'ah, Islamic law.

Under Islamic dietary laws, all fish is permitted. Milk is permitted as long as comes from an animal that is an approved source of food. Gluttony and overindulgence in any food or drink are discouraged. In the Islamic culture, hospitality is a commitment.

Holidays

As an RP, you will need to recognize that Moslem personnel may request special leave or liberty to observe Islamic holidays. Figure 1-9 marks the Islamic holidays and festivals observed by Moslems during the year.

RITES

Islamic rites are the traditional acts of worship. These rites are duties that all Moslems must perform, no matter where they may happen to live. In fact, it is the unified duty of all Moslems to provide the way and resources so that the followers of Islam can carry out these duties faithfully. For example, before a Moslem engages in worship, Islamic law requires a pre-prayer ablution, or washing, of the body with pure water. The law demands cleanliness of the body, the clothes, and the place wherever Islamic prayers may be held. In Islam, the law and the rites of worship are inseparable essentials.

Ibadat

The obligatory acts of worship, or ibadat, are referred to as The Five Pillars of Islam. The ibadat includes the following acts or rites of worship:

Figure 1-9.-Islamic religious holidays.

. Skhahadah, the declaration of faith. Every day every Moslem must say, "There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet."

. Salat, the prescribed prayers. Salat is a recitation from the Holy Qur'an and glorification of God accompanied by various bodily postures, such as those shown in figure 1-10. The performance of Salat must

Figure 1-10.-Bodily postures of worship.

take place within established time periods five times a day. The five times of worship are daybreak, noon, afternoon, the close of day, and night, and correspond to the organization of man's time around various daily activities or routines.

l Sawm, fasting. Sawm takes place during the month of Ramadan. Islam has a lunar calendar in which the months are all either 29 or 30 days long. The ninth month, Ramadan, is the month in which the first revelation of the Qur'an came to the Holy Prophet. The fast from food (total abstinence), drink (Moslems may never drink alcoholic drinks), and sex trains Moslems in both self-discipline and scrupulous obedience to God's commands. . Zakat, giving to the poor. A Moslem worships by

means of his or her wealth through an obligatory form of giving to those in need. Included in Zakat is voluntary charity, to the extent that one can afford, to those in need. l Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. To every

Moslem, Mecca, the city where Mohammed was born, is the chief holy city. Five times a day, a devout Moslem turns toward Mecca and prays. A Moslem is also supposed to visit Mecca at least once during his or her lifetime. Hajji is a title that refers to a Moslem who has made the holy pilgrimage to Mecca.