Ø  My religion is called Islam.

Ø  I am Muslim because I believe in Islam. 

Ø  Islam is the great religion of God.

Ø  Islam is the final religion of God.

Ø  Islam is the only complete religion of God.

Allah (God) chose Muhammad (pbuh) to be His last Messenger.  Muhammad (pbuh) gave us the Message of Islam.  A Messen­ger of God is called a Prophet.  There were many Messengers of God (Prophets) before Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).  They taught the local people the Message of God.  Prophet Muhammad, however, had a Message to all humanity, his was a global Message.  His Message is called Al-Islam.

Allah is our creator, our maker.  Whenever we refer to Allah we should say: swt.  These letters stand for: Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala which means: Glorified is His Name, and Most High He is.

Ø  Allah (swt) taught Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) all about His Religion.

Ø  Allah's final religion is called Al-Islam, and we are called Muslims because we believe in the religion of Islam.

Allah (swt) taught Muhammad (pbuh) all about Islam through an angel.  The angel's name is Jibreel or Jubra'eel (Gabriel.)  Jubra'eel taught all of the Prophets of Allah (swt) about the Religion of Allah.

JUBRA'EEL TEACHES MUHAMMAD 

Jubra'eel (Gabriel), taught Muhammad (pbuh) all about Islam.  He taught Muhammad (pbuh) for a long time, over a period of twenty-three years.

Allah (swt) did not talk directly to His Messenger Muhammad (pbuh).  Allah sent Angel Jubra'eel to Muhammad (pbuh) time and time again to convey His Message.  Jubra'eel taught Muhammad (pbuh) everything Allah wanted him to learn.  Gradually, the teachings of Islam covered all aspects of life.  On receiving Allah's Message from Jub­ra'eel, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) delivered it to the people right away.  In this manner, early Muslims gradually learned more and more about Islam.  Islam made them wonderful people, decent and very good.

THE QURAN IS ALLAH'S BOOK 

Allah's guidance to humanity, as revealed, was immediately written, piece by piece.  Everything revealed to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was immediately recorded, and later compiled in the form of a book.  This Book is the most sacred of all books, because it is the Book of Allah.  It is called the Holy Quran.  The Holy Quran contains all the teachings of Allah about Islam.

Ø  The Holy Quran is the most important book for all Muslims.

Ø  This is important because it is the final Book of Allah.

We are very happy and proud because we follow the Book of Allah, the Holy Quran.  To be a better Muslim, a person should follow and apply the teachings of the Holy Quran.  When we follow its teachings, we become very good people.  A good Muslim is a good person.  When we are good Muslims we gain, and we become winners.  When we are good Muslims we will gain not only now but also gain in the Hereafter, we will be rewarded Paradise.

Allah (swt) wants us to be people of goodness.  Allah loves us a great deal.  Allah wants us to win now in this life and later in the Hereafter.  When we follow the Book of Allah, we deserve Heaven.  Allah (God) revealed Islam for our own good.

This is why Allah chose Muhammad (pbuh) to be His Nabiy (Prophet,) and this is why Allah taught Muhammad (pbuh) all there is about His religion.  That is why Muhammad (pbuh) worked for twenty-three years to teach us the religion of Allah.  Muhammad (pbuh) did this because Allah gave him this important position and responsibility.

OUR PROPHET TAUGHT US TO BELIEVE 

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) taught us to be good Muslims.  A Muslim believes in:

      1.  Almighty Allah (God).

      2.  All the Prophets of Allah.

      3.  All the Angels of Allah.

      4.  The Holy Books of Allah, as originally revealed.

      5.  The Day of Judgment and the Hereafter.

This is the basics of what constitutes Iman, or Fundamentals of the Faith.  We will learn more about these beliefs later on.

IMAN

(Basics of Belief) 

1. Allah (God), His Tawhid (Oneness,) and Attributes.

2. Muhammad and all other Prophets.

3. Angels, including the Archangels.

4. The revealed books:

   1. Scrolls of Ibrahim (Abraham).

   2. Torah:  only as originally revealed to Musa (Moses).

   3. Psalms: only as originally revealed to Dawood (David).

   4. Gospel: only as originally revealed to Isa (Jesus).

   5. The Quran

5. The Hereafter: Heaven and Hell, Day of Judgment.

6. Qadr: Being guided but free to choose.

See what Allah Almighty says in His Holy Book, the Holy Quran in Surah 2: Ayah 285:

آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللّهِ وَمَلآئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ وَقَالُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ

"LO!  ALLAH'S MESSENGER HAS BELIEVED IN WHAT WAS REVEALED TO HIM FROM HIS LORD, AND SO DID THE FAITHFUL; EACH BELIEVED IN ALLAH, HIS ANGELS, HIS BOOKS, AND HIS MESSENGERS......

QUESTIONS  

1. Who is the most important Being to believe in?

2. Who is the last Messenger of Allah (God)?

3. What is the name of the angel who brought Allah's Message to the Prophets?

4. What is the name of your Holy Book?

5. Who will deserve to be in Heaven?

6. What does a Muslim have faith in?

7. Which religion is the complete religion of Allah (swt)?

8. Which religion is the final religion of Allah (swt)?

9. What does Allah (swt) want from us?

10. Islam is the religion of Almighty Allah.  What is a believer in Islam called?

11. A Muslim believes in many sacred points called elements of faith.  Name these points.

12. Are you happy you are Muslim?