The Beginning: What is Islam.

Assalamu'alaikum my fellow brothers and sisters,

This is the first post in this blog which intends to reveal the true way of Islam void of any outer influences except the al-Quran and as-Sunnah (Hadith)

But first let's begin by asking ourself, what is Islam?
It is a religion but what EXACTLY are its teachings?
Is it true as those people who despise Islam says?

We will together unravel the truth of Islam with an intellectual and presence of proof from the main source of Islamic teachings; al-Quran and as-Sunnah.

Islam is  derived from the Arabic word سام (sa-la-ma) which literally means peace, to be secured, to free, to be reconciled and to submit oneself, to resign and to surrender. Technically Islam is the religion that submits oneself or surrender oneself to God; Allah. and those who is a believer of Islam is called a Muslim (for man) and Muslimah (for woman), which carries the same meaning, which is the one who surrenders.

In one of the source of Islamic teachings, the as-Sunnah there is a told about what is Islam, what is Iman (faith), what is Ihsan and the minor signs of the Final Hour.


It is narrated on the authority of Yahya b. Ya'mur that the first man who discussed about Qadr (Divine Decree) in Basra was Ma'bad al-Juhani. I along with Humaid b. 'Abdur-Rahman Himyari set out for prilgrimage or for 'Umrah and said: Should it so happen that we come into contact with one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) we shall ask him a bout what is talked about Taqdir (Division Decree). Accidentally we came across Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab, while he was entering the mosque. My companion and I surrounded him. One of us (stood) on his right and the other stood on his left. I expected that my companion would authorize me to speak. I therefore said: Abu Abdur Rahman! there have appeared some people in our land who recite the Holy Qur'an and pursue knowledge. And then after talking about their affairs, added: They (such people) claim that there is no such thing as Divine Decree and events are not predestined. He (Abdullah ibn Umar) said: When you happen to meet such people tell them that I have nothing to do with them and they have nothing to do with me. And verily they are in no way responsible for my (belief). Abdullah ibn Umar swore by Him (the Lord) (and said): If any one of them (who does not believe in the Divine Decree) had with him gold equal to the bulk of (the mountain) Uhud and then, it (in the way of Allah), Allah would not accept it unless he affirmed his faith in Divine Decree. He further said: My father, Umar ibn al-Khattab, told me: One day we were sitting in the company of Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) when there appeared before us a man dressed in pure white clothes, his hair extraordinarily black. There were no signs of travel on him. None amongst us recognized him. At last he sat with the Apostle (peace be upon him) He knelt before him placed his palms on his thighs and said: Muhammad, inform me about al-Islam. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Al-Islam implies that you testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, and you establish prayer, pay Zakat, observe the fast of Ramadan, and perform pilgrimage to the (House) if you are solvent enough (to bear the expense of) the journey. He (the inquirer) said: You have told the truth. He (Umar ibn al-Khattab) said: It amazed us that he would put the question and then he would himself verify the truth. He (the inquirer) said: Inform me about Iman (faith). He (the Holy Prophet) replied: That you affirm your faith in Allah, in His angels, in His Books, in His Apostles, in the Day of Judgment, and you affirm your faith in the Divine Decree about good and evil. He (the inquirer) said: You have told the truth. He (the inquirer) again said: Inform me about al-Ihsan (performance of good deeds). He (the Holy Prophet) said: That you worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, for though you don't see Him, He, verily, sees you. He (the enquirer) again said: Inform me about the hour (of the Doom). He (the Holy Prophet) remarked: One who is asked knows no more than the one who is inquiring (about it). He (the inquirer) said: Tell me some of its indications. He (the Holy Prophet) said: That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress and master, that you will find barefooted, destitute goat-herds vying with one another in the construction of magnificent buildings. He (the narrator, Umar ibn al-Khattab) said: Then he (the inquirer) went on his way but I stayed with him (the Holy Prophet) for a long while. He then, said to me: Umar, do you know who this inquirer was? I replied: Allah and His Apostle knows best. He (the Holy Prophet) remarked: He was Gabriel (the angel). He came to you in order to instruct you in matters of religion.


(Hadith recorded by Muslim Book 1. Hadith 1)

From the Hadith, these information could be extracted.
Islam is:

1. To testify that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.
2. To establish prayers
3. To pay Zakat
4. To fast during the month of Ramadhan
5. Perform pilgrimage to the house of Allah (Hajj) if you are capable of it.

Iman is:

1. To affirm your faith to Allah
2. To affirm your faith to His Angels
3. To affirm your faith to His Books 
4. To affirm your faith to His Apostles
5. To affirm your faith to the Day of Judgment
6. To affirm your faith to the Divine Decree of Good and Evil

Ihsan is:

That you worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, for though you don't see Him, He, verily, sees you.

The minor signs of the Final Hour are:

1. The slave-girl will give birth to his master or mistress
2. The building of tall and grand buildings.

From this points derived from the Hadith we were able to see what is Islam, Iman, Ihsan, and the minor signs of the Final Hour.

Which we will delve deeper in another time.

Syukran, Thank you for reading

Assalamu'alaikum.