Young Wrexham

Islam

Islam is a religion based on the teachings of the prophet sent by Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him). Peace be upon him, or pbuh is said every time Muhammad's name is mentioned, out of respect.

Followers of Islam are known as Muslims. There are two main groups of Muslims. Sunnis make up about 90% of Muslims, and Shi'ites the rest.

There are around 1.54 million Muslims in Wales and England, with around 46,000 of those living in Wales. Islam is the largest non-Christian faith in Wales, served by about 40 mosques, following the first mosque that was established in Cardiff in 1860.

Beliefs

Muhammad (pbuh) was the most important of the prophets sent by Allah, but others include Ibrahim (Abraham) and Isa (Jesus). Muslims believe that the holy book, the Qur'an, was dictated directly to Muhammad (pbuh) by Allah.

There are Five Pillars of Islam, five rules every Muslim must live their life by, which are:

• Shahadah: a declaration of faith that every Muslim must make to be a true follower of Islam - "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad (pbuh) is his messenger"
• Salat: saying prayers five times a day
• Sawm: abstaining during daylight hours in Ramadan
• Zakah: giving money to the poor
• Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca

The Five Pillars of Islam mean that Muslims can live by Islamic teachings in their everyday lives.

• Ramadan is a month of fasting which takes place in the ninth lunar month of the Muslim calendar, which is why it changes slightly every year on our calendar
• During this time, Muslims abstain from any indulgence and do not eat or drink at all during daylight hours
• Muslims do not believe in reincarnation, and believe that after death, every person is judged by Allah
• Those who have followed the prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) teachings will live in paradise, and those who have not will go to hell

Customs

• The Islamic holy day is a Friday, and the most important service is held at midday 12 o’clock. Muslims must pray five times a day, called to prayer by a call from a tower called a minaret
• If Muslims cannot get to a mosque they can pray in any place. Wherever they are, when Muslims pray they must face Mecca, and they must perform ritual cleaning before prayer
• A Muslim place of worship is called a mosque, and a teacher of Islam is called an imam
• Zakah is a tax on the savings of all Muslims, which reminds Muslims that all their money ultimately belongs to Allah. There are very strict rules about how money raised from zakah is spent
• Muslims do not believe in taking any kind of drug, except for medication. This includes alcohol, and if you visit a Muslim country you should be aware that drinking alcohol might be illegal
• Muhammad (pbuh) taught that men and women are equal in the eyes of Allah, but that men and women have very distinct roles in Islamic society. Men are seen as the protectors of women
• Muslim women generally cover up their hair. How much they wear varies from a small headscarf to a full burkha that covers women from head to toe with only a small grid so they can see. Muslims say that it can be empowering for women to be free of showing off her physical appearance, but some people think it is oppressive for women
• Muhammad (pbuh) also taught that whatever their race, all people are children of Allah, as long as they follow the teachings of Islam