MOSAIC - The training kit for Euro-Mediterranean youth work

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The most important facts and beliefs of Islam can be summarised as follows:
God (Allah) is the creator and judge of humankind, omnipotent, compassionate
and merciful. Everything occurs at his command, and submission to God is the
basis of Islam.
Muslim faith rests on belief in one God, the angels, the scriptures (from the Torah
to the Koran), the prophets (from Adam to Muhammad), Judgment Day and
Destiny (good and bad).
Muhammad is the final prophet of God. He was both a prophet and a very human
figure, an ideal model for Muslims to follow as they strive to do God’s will, and
an example for guidance in all aspects of life.
Human beings have been created free and in the image of God. They have been
given an intellect which allows them to discern between good and bad, and to
choose whether or not to struggle for justice, combat evil and follow the good.
On the last day, God will judge every person according to their deeds and all
the dead will be resurrected and either rewarded with heaven or punished with
hell.
Being a Muslim rests on five pillars:
affirmation of the faith (shahâda), that is, to profess that “there is only one God,
and Muhammad is the messenger of God”;
praying five times a day (al-salât), at dawn, midday, afternoon, sunset and
evening, either in the mosque collectively or at a clean place individually;
fasting (al-sawm) by abstaining from food, drink, smoking and sexual relations
from dawn to sunset every day during the month of Ramadan, commemorating
the revelation of the Koran to Muhammad;
making the pilgrimage to Mecca (al-hajj) at least once in a lifetime if one’s
financial and physical conditions allow;
paying a tax (al-zakât) on one’s capital for the benefit of the poor and needy of
society.
The Muslim place of communal worship is called the mosque (masjid). An
imâm is the person leading the prayer and worship in the mosque.
The Koran (Qur’an) is the sacred book of Islam. The sayings and deeds of
Muhammad (Sunna) and ‘traditions’ (Hadith) are also important sources of
belief and practice.
The day of communal worship is Friday in Islam. Believers gather at the mosque to
pray and hear a sermon. In many Muslim countries, this means, in practice, that
weekends are usually on Fridays and Saturdays. Muslims do not eat pork and, in
accordance with Mohammad’s sayings, they avoid the consumption of intoxicating
or alcoholic beverages. Halâl (lawful) meat must come from animals slaughtered
according to Islamic rules.
There are many religious festivals and feasts in Islam. ‘Id al-Fitr 93 or ‘Id al-saghîr (small
festival) marks the end of Ramadan and fasting, and is celebrated for three days following
the end of Ramadan. ‘Id al-Adha 94 or ‘Id al-Qurban or ‘Id al-kabîr (major festival)
marks the end of the pilgrimage (Hajj) and commemorates the ransoming of Abraham’s
son Ishmael with a ram. To symbolise that event, families who can afford it sacrifice
a ritually acceptable animal (sheep, goat, camel or cow) and then divide the flesh
equally among themselves, the poor, and friends and neighbours. This happens about
T-Kit No.11 - MOSAIC - The training kit for Euro-Mediterranean youth work