What is Islam?
If you are travelling in Malaysia you are surrounded by Islam. You hear the call to prayer, you pass mosques on the way to dinner, and you may be curious without knowing where to ask. This page is a plain introduction. Nothing here asks anything of you.
One God, and nothing beside Him
Islam rests on a single idea: there is one God, eternal and uncreated, who shares His authority with nothing and no one. Everything else in the religion follows from that, including its answer to what the purpose of life is.
Muslims call God Allah. It is worth knowing that this is simply the Arabic word for God, and that Arabic speaking Christians and Jews have always used the same word in their own prayers. It is not the name of a different or a rival deity.
Muslims understand this God to be the God of Abraham, the same God worshipped in Judaism and Christianity, though the three traditions describe Him differently and disagree in ways that matter to each of them.
Who Muhammad was
Muhammad was born in Mecca in the sixth century. Muslims believe he received revelation over twenty three years and that he was the last in a long line of prophets which includes Abraham, Moses and Jesus, all of whom Muslims honour and none of whom they consider divine.
One point is often misunderstood, so it is worth saying plainly: Muslims do not worship Muhammad. He is deeply loved and closely imitated, but worship belongs to God alone. Calling Muslims Mohammedans, a term still found in older books, describes a religion that does not exist.
The Qur’an
The Qur’an is the text Muslims hold to be the speech of God, preserved in Arabic since the seventh century. It is a little shorter than the New Testament.
It is meant to be heard as much as read. That is why recitation is an art form in the Muslim world, and why the first encounter most visitors have with the Qur’an is a sound drifting across a city at dawn rather than a book on a shelf.
What Muslims actually do
Belief in Islam is expressed through five practices. They are ordinary, repetitive, and they shape the day.
The declaration
A person becomes Muslim by stating, sincerely, that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is His messenger. There is no initiation ceremony beyond this.
Prayer
Five short prayers spread across the day, from before dawn to night. This is the part of Muslim life visitors notice most, because it interrupts everything else, including business and travel.
Giving
A fixed share of accumulated wealth, not income, given annually to those entitled to receive it. It is treated as an obligation and a debt, not as charity.
Fasting
During Ramadan, Muslims take no food or water from dawn until sunset for a month. In Malaysia you will see the whole rhythm of the country shift during it.
Pilgrimage
The journey to Mecca, required once in a lifetime of those who can afford it and are physically able.
Questions visitors ask us
Is Islam an Arab religion?
No. Arabs are a small minority of Muslims worldwide. The largest Muslim populations are in Indonesia, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. Malaysia, where you are now, is a good illustration: the language of daily life here is Malay, not Arabic.
Do I need to believe anything to enter a mosque?
No. Mosques in Malaysia receive non Muslim visitors every day, and you are welcome to look, sit and ask. If you would like someone to walk you through one, we run free mosque tours in Kuala Lumpur and Melaka.
What about women in Islam?
This is the question we are asked most, and it deserves more than a paragraph. What we can say briefly is that practice across the Muslim world varies enormously, that culture and religion are often confused with each other, and that Muslim women themselves disagree about a good deal of it. It is a conversation worth having in person rather than reading a summary of.
Why do Muslims want to talk about their faith?
Because sharing it is understood as an obligation and a kindness rather than a sales exercise. You can read about why we started this academy if you are curious what motivates the people you will meet.
The best way to learn is to walk in
Reading gets you a certain distance. Standing in a prayer hall and asking a person your own questions gets you further, and it takes about an hour.
Our guides are registered volunteers at Masjid Wilayah and Masjid Negara. The tour is free, and you will not be pressured toward anything.