Understanding Islam and Muslims
By Ameena Jandall, Director of the Islamic Networks Group

This is the first in a series of articles dealing with the topic of Islam and Muslims.  To better understand our Muslim neighbors, it is important to learn some of basics about one of the most misunderstood and little known religions in the United States.

Although it is a monotheistic faith with roots in the same  region that saw the birth of Judaism and Christianity, it is often associated with religions of the Far East.  On the contrary, Islam describes itself as the original creed of the prophets mentioned in the Old Testament, beginning with Adam, who is regarded not only as the first human, but also as the first messenger of God.  Included among the messengers Muslims revere are such familiar names as Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus.  While Islam per se began with the Prophet Muhammed in 7^th century Arabia,  "Islam" which means "submission to one God," is regarded as the original faith of all the prophets.

Central to the Islamic worldview is belief in the transitory nature of this life, and the permanent nature of the next.  There is no concept of original sin or the sinful nature of human beings, but rather, that each individual is responsible for their own actions, and will be compensated accordingly.  Therefore, both correct belief and action are considered equally important.  The oneness of God, or "Allah" is at the heart of the Islam, and much of the holy book, the Qur'an, is filled with descriptions of His power and glory.  Second in the Islamic creed or "Declaration of Faith" is the belief that Muhammed, born in Arabia in 570 C.E., is the last and final messenger of God.  The Qur'an is regarded as the last and final revelations in a series of holy books, including the Torah, the Psalms, and the Gospel.

Belief and action go hand in hand.  Therefore, a Muslim, or "one who submits to God," is expected to act in certain ways.  As in most divine religions, the tenets are similar concerning prohibited acts, such as murder, theft, lying, cheating, and extramarital sex.  The consumption of  pork products and alcoholic beverages are also forbidden, the former for health reasons and the latter for the obvious societal ones.  To support an Islamic lifestyle, Muslims arc enjoined to practice what is known as the "Five Pillars of Islam."  Beginning with the Declaration of Faith, that "There is no God but one God, and Muhammed is the Messenger of God," they include five daily prayers, fasting during the month of Ramadan, giving annual charity known as "Zakat," and making the "Haji," or pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime. All these acts are at once individual as well as communal, involving both a direct relationship between God and man/woman, as well as between people.

Since Islam is both a highly individual as well as communal way of life, the family as the basic building block of society is considered paramount.  Marriage it highly encouraged in Islam, described as "half of faith," and is the only avenue for lawful sexual relations.  Therefore, Islam emphasizes chastity and modesty as a means of reducing sexual exploitation or corruption.  Veiling the entire face as is practiced in some Muslim countries is often a cultural practice rather than for religious reasons, which specify the covering of everything but the face and hands.  The abuse of this, or any of the other tenets governing toe treatment of women by various Muslim cultures or individuals, is in direct contradiction to the very spirit of Islam.  Islam is a liberating force for women and all oppressed members of society, granting  such rights as the right to own and inherit one's own money, to participate in politics, trade and in the military.

Muslims, far from being a homogeneous group, are a varied and diverse peoples representing numerous nations and cultures, with multiple languages, traditions, foods and dress.  Muslims number over one billion people in countries throughout the world, stretching from Indonesia in the east, to Morocco in the west.  Contrary to common perception, the majority of Muslims - over eighty percent - are non-Arabs, with between 25-30% in the Indian sub-continent, 20% in Africa, 18% in 22 different Arab nations, and 17% in Southwest Asia.  Some of the first people to set foot on the American continent were Muslims, first as guides to the Spaniards, and then as African slaves.  Today Islam has been called the fastest growing religion in the United States.  It is estimated that there are between 6 and 8 million Muslims, the majority of whom are indigenous African-American converts.

California has one of the highest populations of Muslims, numbering over one million, concentrated in the major urban areas of Los Angeles and San Francisco.  On the whole, American Muslims tend to be either entrepreneurs or highly educated professionals, especially in the fields of engineering, medicine, and more recently, computer science.  Muslims may be your neighbors, co-workers, or classmates.  Get to know them!

(Part II in the series will cover issues relating to prejudice, stereotyping, and hate crimes affecting Muslims.  Part III will describe how this prejudice actually affects the court system and public policy.)