An Educator's Primer on Islam

Who are Muslims?

The word Muslim is derived from the same Arabic root as the word Islam, and literally means, “one who willfully submits (to God)” (Shaikh, 1995). The 2 common definitions of a Muslim is one who follows or adheres to Islam.

Do Muslims believe God is a male?

No. Muslim scholars of all ages - male and female - have agreed that “God, as the Creator of all beings, is the author of gender but is not gendered. While English translations of Arabic texts generally refer to Allah as ‘He', this only reflects the absence of a neutral pronoun in Arabic, and does not indicate that God is ‘masculine'” (Winter & Williams, 2002). God describes Himself in the Qur'an as being unlike any of His creation, indicating that nothing in creation resembles Him.

What is the Qur’an?

The word Qur'an literally means “the reading” or “the recitation” (Shaikh, 1995), and refers to the exact words revealed by God through the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad1 (Winter & Williams, 2002). Muslims believe the Qur'an to be the final revelation from God to humanity, following revelations given to previous Messengers, including the Gospel of Prophet Jesus, the Psalms of Prophet David, the Torah of Prophet Moses, and the Scrolls of Prophet Abraham.

1 Whenever the names of Prophets are mentioned, Muslims say “peace and blessings be upon them”, out of love, respect and reverence.

Who was Muhammad?

A descendent of Prophet Abraham, Muhammad was born in Makkah (in modern day, Saudi Arabia) in the year 570 C.E. At the age of 40, he was chosen by God to be His last Prophet and Messenger to convey the message of Islam to humanity over a period of 23 years. According to the Islamic worldview, God sent Messengers and Prophets to guide humanity over time, beginning with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus - to name a few.

What is the meaning of Islam?

Islam is the name of the religion revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The term Islam derives from an Arabic root that generates words with interrelated meanings, including “submission,” “commitment,” and “peace” (Shaikh, 195). In a religious context, Islam refers to the voluntary submission and commitment of living in accordance with God's will (Tarsin, 2015). Islam is both a religion and a complete way of life that leads one on a path towards peace, mercy and forgiveness (Winter & Williams, 2002).

The use of the term “Muhammadanism” or “Mohammedan” is a misnomer that should not be used in place of the term Islam, as it suggests Muslims worship Muhammad rather than God.

Is the religion of Islam considered an Abrahamic Faith?

Islam is considered as one of the three monotheistic Abrahamic faiths, alongside Christianity and Judaism. Three Prophets that are integral to these Abrahamic faiths are Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad as their lineages are traced to Prophet Abraham. According to Islam, all of the Prophets brought a common, monotheistic message to humanity. Many are surprised to learn that more similarities than differences exist between the three faiths, and by extension, all faiths.

What are the “Five Pillars” of Islam?

The five pillars of Islam outline the outward acts of worship - what Muslims do as part of their faith:

1) Testimony of Faith - to bear witness that there is no god but God, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.

2) Performance of the daily five ritual prayers.

3) Paying the alms tax annually (which is a fixed percentage of an adult's savings).

4) Fasting during the month of Ramadan.

5) Performing the Hajj, or pilgrimage, to the Ka`bah once in a lifetime, if one is able.

What is the Ka`bah?

The Ka`bah is a cube-like structure located in the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Muslims believe the Ka`bah was built by the Prophet Abraham and his son, Prophet Ishmael, on the same site where the Prophet Adam had first constructed a house of worship (Lumbard, 2008). The Ka`bah itself is not worshipped, but serves as a unified focal point for the direction of prayer. In the Greater Toronto Area, the direction Muslims face is North-East, or approximately 550 North towards East (clockwise).

What do Muslims believe?

Muslims believe in the absolute Oneness and Uniqueness of God; in His Angels; in His Prophets, who were human beings chosen by God; in His Books, in which revelations were brought to humankind; the Day of Judgement and accountability for one's actions; and, in the Divine decree. Belief in these tenets of faith is referred to as Iman in Arabic.

How are the five pillars of Islam and beliefs (Iman) connected?

Islam and Iman are connected by Ihsan, which means to “make beautiful or good.” In this regard, a tradition of the Prophet Muhammad states that Ihsan is, “to adore/worship God as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, He nevertheless sees you”, referring to beautifying the internal spiritual state of being (Tarsin, 2015).

What are the major sects in Islam?

According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2010, the 2020 projection of the Muslim population worldwide is approximately 1.9 billion (Pew Research Center, 2015). Often thought of as an “Arab religion”, approximately 62% of the Muslim population lives in the Asia-Pacific region, whereas approximately 20% live in the Middle East-North Africa region. Based on the same survey, 0.3% of the Muslim population resides in North America.

Islam consists of two major sects – the Sunni and the Shia. Based on 2009 figures, the majority of Muslims worldwide adhere to Sunni Islam (87 – 90% of the Muslim population), while Shia Islam is a smaller community (10 – 13%) (Pew Research Center, 2015). Additional branches exist within Shia Islam, most notably the Ismailis, whose spiritual leader is Prince Shah Karim Al-Husseini Aga Khan, commonly referred to as Aga Khan (approximately 15 million followers, or less than 1%). In addition to the two major sects, missions and movements also exist, such as the Ahmadiyya mission founded in 1889 in Qadian, India, by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (Britannica, 2015), and the Nation of Islam movement, founded in the United States of America in 1930 (Melton, 2020).

How long have Muslims been in Canada?

The earliest documented account of Canadian Muslims were James and Agnes Love, who immigrated from Scotland and settled in Ontario in 1854. They gave birth to the first Muslim born in the territory that was to become Canada, named ‘James' after his father. “Their youngest son, Alexander, was born in 1868, one year after Confederation, and secured his spot in history as the first recorded Muslim born in Canada as we know it today” (Munir, 2015). According to a 2016 Environics Survey, the Muslim population of Canada is over 1 million, or just over 3 percent of the total population.

What is the “Muslim” experience in Canada?

Muslims have been contributing to all aspects of Canadian society since their arrival in 1854, prior to Confederation (Elghawaby & Munir, 2017). A 2016 study conducted by Environics found that a greater percentage of Canadian Muslims identify as being proud Canadians than the overall Canadian population at large. The study also found that an increasing majority of Muslims also believethat non-Muslim opinions of Islam are generally positive rather than negative.

Are Canadian Muslims monolithic in practice?

The diversity of the Canadian Muslim community is most evident in the Greater Toronto Area. Muslims from all over the world, including those bornin Canada, reside here. It is important to note that Muslims are not monolithic in many outward practices of Islam, similar to other faith-based communities from various parts of the world. A common recurring stereotype is constantly promoted in public discourse: “Muslims are seen as all being much the same as each other, regardless of their nationality, social class and political outlook, and regardless of whether they are observant in their beliefs and practice” (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, 2011). This stereotype negates the rich diversity present amongst the Canadian Muslim community, promoting further stereotypes and misconceptions that impact how Canadians of other faiths and traditions view their fellow citizens.

How do we understand the diversity within a Muslim community?

The way Islam is understood and practiced differs somewhat amongst the sects and movements in the global Muslim community - including in the Canadian Muslim community. To add to the complexity of practices, differences may also exist within a sect. Similar observations can be made in other faiths like Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism, where one's practice and approach may differ between various geographic regions.

How is modesty understood in Islam?

The concept of modesty is emphasized in the daily life of Muslims, and is understood as a means of enhancing human dignity. How modesty is understood generally defines the way some Muslims interact in society with respect to language, physical appearance and gender interactions, to name a few areas. Like many faiths, there is a vast diversity of practice related to modest dress and interaction. Similar practices are seen amongst traditional Christian communities, Orthodox Jews, some Indigenous communities, and others. For example, some Muslims may avoid physical contact between genders based on their understanding of modesty and faith. In particular, some men and women do not usually greet each other with a handshake or a hug unless they are immediate family. Greetings between men and women are done with a kind smile and perhaps placing the right hand over the heart as a gesture of respect and love.

What is Hijab?

The hijab is a headscarf worn by some Muslim women who have reached adulthood as defined by the onset of puberty. The hijab is a piece of cloth that covers the hair, ears and neck, exposing only the face. The Arabic word khimar, as mentioned in the Qur'an, is a more traditional term used to denote the hijab. A minute sub-segment of Muslim women in Canada (estimated at less than a few hundred) choose to wear the niqab, which is a face covering in addition to the hijab. Women who choose to cover their heads are not exclusive to Islam; some Christian, Jewish, Sikh, Hindu, and Rastafarian women also wear a form of head covering as part of their religious or cultural practices. This theme is captured in the children's book, Hats of Faith by Medeia Cohan-Petrolino.

Do all Muslim girls/women wear the Hijab?

Female Muslim students may or may not wear the hijab, based on individual choice. Sometimes, they may wear the hijab regularly for a period of time, and then decide not to wear it. Many identity and societal factors are at play with regards to wearing the hijab - including parental pressure. In a popular Marvel comic titled, “Ms. Marvel”, one of the Muslim characters expresses her frustration when asked if her father forced her to wear the hijab, stating, “Actually, my dad wants me to take it off. He thinks it's a phase” - an experience shared by some Canadian Muslim women (Wilson, 2014).

What is the ritual prayer, and what does it involve?

Salah is the Arabic term for the ritual or canonical prayers. One of the five pillars of Islam, Muslims perform the Salah five times a day, throughout their lives. The prayer consists of a particular sequence of actions that make up a “unit” of prayer. Each unit of prayer includes standing, bowing, prostrating, and sitting, repeated multiple times throughout the prayer, depending on the number of units per prayer (Tarsin, 2015). In the Ismaili sect, in most cases, the prayer is performed in a sitting position with occasional standing at particular times. During the Salah, Muslims quietly recite verses from the Qur'an and say certain Arabic supplications in a particular order. Muslims also make du'a (personal supplications/prayers) anytime one feels the need.

What is the Friday Prayer?

Similar to the other faith traditions where a spiritual leader provides a sermon and prayer, the Friday prayer takes place at the same time as the mid-day prayer every Friday (hence, the term “Friday prayer”), and includes a khutbah (Arabic for sermon) delivered by the Imam (prayer leader) to the congregation prior to the prayer. The khutbah consists of lessons to draw one closer to God, to encourage Muslims to reinvigorate their love and practice of Islam in their daily lives, and to encourage one to do acts of goodness in society.

How are congregational prayers setup with respect to gender?

Muslims try to emulate what the Prophet Muhammad did during his time. The setup of the prayer is a reflection of this, where men stood in the front rows and women stood in the back rows, and this format is common amongst the majority of Muslims around the world today. In most cases in Canada, the women's section is located on a floor above the men's section. In other mosques, the prayer setup may be organized with men and women praying side by side, separated by a space in between, such as in the Ismaili community.

Gender separation was and is a way for men and women to feel comfortable in their own space and not feel self-conscious about certain movements required for prayer. It is significant to note that male and female scholars of Islam never considered where women and men perform their prayer in terms of gender superiority/inferiority, and as such, it should not be perceived in this manner. Scholars of Islam focused on gender equality and distinctiveness and did not attempt to view prayer arrangments as a statement of women's value in relation to men.

What is Ramadan?

Fasting is an act of worship common across many faiths and traditions. In Islam, fasting can be optional or an obligation upon Muslims, depending on the time of year. The obligatory fast (Sawm in Arabic) takes place daily during the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Many Muslims typically commence fasting after the onset of puberty during the daylight hours, refraining from eating, drinking, and marital relations from dawn (i.e. the first appearance of light on the horizon) to sunset. Younger children may choose to fast alongside their families if they wish and some may fast ‘half days' or between meals as a way to feel a part of the broader community.

Fasting during this month is an opportunity for Muslims to focus on their spiritual state, exerting themselves to develop discipline in oneself and increased inner and outer consciousness of God. One of the ways these are achieved is through self-purification; that is, improving qualities of good character, increasing in acts of worship and getting involved in charitable acts and giving. The experience also allows one to become more sympathetic to those in need and to develop empathy for those who may not have the luxury of knowing from where their next meal is coming or if they can even access clean drinking water. Fasting is also an intensely personal form of worship since, unless one is with the person all day, no one would necessarily know that the person was fasting.

Since Muslims follow the lunar calendar, the month of Ramadan begins approximately 11 days earlier every year in relation to the Gregorian/solar calendar. As the month moves forward annually, “it moves through all the seasons in every geographic region of the earth, which has the effect of dividing fairly the rigours of the fast between the Muslim populations living north and south of the equator” (Du Pasquier, 84).

Unique to the month of Ramadan are late night prayers in which, often, the entire Qur'an is recited for the duration of the month. The length of the night prayers in congregation ranges from 20 minutes to approximately 90 minutes. Muslim students attending the prayers are advised to organize their time more wisely to ensure academic responsibilities are met.

Why do Muslims perform the Hajj?

The Hajj refers to the pilgrimage one makes to the Ka`bah located in the Grand Mosque4 in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The Hajj is the fifth “pillar” of Islam, an act of worship that one is encouraged to perform at least once in their lifetime, if one is physically and financially able to do so. The Hajj takes place during Dhu al-Hijjah (or Dhul Hijjah, translated as the Month of Hajj), the 12th lunar month of the Islamic calendar, and the various rites it includes takes several days to complete. According to the Islamic worldview, “the rites of the Hajj commemorate the trials and sacrifices of Prophet Abraham, his wife Hajar, and their son, Prophet Ishmael” (Shaikh, 25), and was re-established by the Prophet Muhammad over fourteen centuries ago. The rites of the Hajj have been performed by pilgrims in the same manner as prescribed by the Prophet Muhammad. Many Muslims who embark on the Hajj also try to visit the Grand Mosque in Madinah known as The Prophet Muhammad's Mosque.5

4 The Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, is one of three holy sanctuaries in Islam; the other two being the Prophet Muhammad's Mosque in Madinah, and the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem (Tarsin, 2015).
5 For resource materials on the Hajj, see sections 3.0 and 4.0 in the Guidebook. For quick reference, an excellent website on the Hajj is PBS: Sacred Journeys

What makes food Halal?

The Qur'an requires Muslims to eat food that is halal and pure. The Arabic term Halal generally means “lawful”. Two aspects of food need to be looked at: Halal meat, and food that is Halal (i.e. cheese containing no animal-derived pepsin/rennet).

What are some common Islamic festivals and observances?

Two main festivals are celebrated by Muslims: Eid al-Fitr, the festival of the breaking of the fast, marking the end of the lunar month of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha, the festival that commemorates the completion of the Hajj and celebrates the story of the Abrahamic sacrifices, as mentioned in the Bible and Qur'an. The celebrations include an additional congregational prayer in the morning, followed by gatherings of family and friends, celebrated in any way one wishes. The manner in which Eid is celebrated can also be a reflection of some cultural practices of the country where people reside. It is important to note that both Eids are celebrated based on the sighting of the new moon. Since the lunar calendar is approximately 11 days shorter than the Gregorian/solar calendar, the Eid days occur earlier each year.

Related to Eid al-Adha is the Day of ‘Arafah (also known as the Day of Atonement), which takes place on the 9th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the day before this Eid festival. Muslims who are not participating in the pilgrimage may spend the Day of ‘Arafah by fasting, performing additional acts of worship, and reciting personal supplications as a way of partaking in spiritual self-purification in solidarity with those performing the Hajj (Lumbard, 2008).

Another major observance amongst the Sunni and Shia is the Ashura of Muharram, although the observances differ in meaning amongst the sects. Ashura means the 10th day of the lunar month of Muharram (the first month of 12 lunar months). On Ashura, Sunni Muslims are encouraged to fast as an act of gratitude to God, as they believe Moses and his people were saved from Pharaoh and his army on this day. The Shia Muslims observe this day in a state of sadness, as it is when Imam Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, was killed. Shia Muslims spend this day in prayer and remembrance. Some Sunnis also observe this day in a solemn manner.

Additional festivals may take place amongst Muslim communities, based on traditional and cultural practices. For example, Ismaili Muslims may observe Khushali, which celebrates the Imamat (religious leadership) of the Aga Khan.

What social duties does Islam encourage?

Similar to other faiths and traditions, Islam places great emphasis on family, neighbours, and community. Muslims are required to treat their families with love, respect, graciousness and forgiveness. Parents and the elderly are to be honoured and taken care of in times of need.6 Neighbours are to be respected and looked after, ensuring that none goes hungry while the other has enough food. Muslims are to forgive those who offended or wronged them, comfort the brokenhearted, treat the weak and the needy with gentleness, fulfill the needs of those in hardship, and continue to contribute positively in all aspects of society with excellence.

6 Pensions for the elderly were established in the Muslim world shortly after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.