Throughout the course of my life at UWindsor’s Her Campus, I’ve shared my experiences as a Muslim woman as well as crash courses on the hijab and on Ramadan. I’ve always been very passionate and very open about my faith and have always loved sharing it. So I thought that instead of my shared personal experiences, I would dish out some fun and interesting facts about Islam itself that you may not know!
Five Pillars
The five pillars of Islam are actions that Muslims are required to follow. They must donate to charity (Zakat), they must fast during the holy month of Ramadan (Sawm), they must pray five times a day (Salah), they must declare their faith (Shahada: “There is no God but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God”), and they must make a pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj). The exception to Hajj is that it must be done only if we can afford it, because unfortunately, it is very expensive.
God Has 99 Names!
Yup, you read that right! 99 names! God, or Allah as known by Muslims, possesses 99 names, each having different meanings. Some of these names are Ar-Rahmaan (The Beneficent), Ar-Raheem (The Merciful), An-Nur (The Light), and Al-Khaaliq (The Creator).
The Islamic Calendar
In the Western calendar, it is dependent on the Earth’s orbit around the sun. In other words, it follows a solar calendar. But the Islamic calendar, which also consists of 12 months, is dependent on the phases of the moon! For instance, the first day of Ramadan is determined by a moon sighting – it begins after the new crescent moon is spotted. In addition, did you know that the Islamic calendar is 11 days shorter than the Western calendar? True story!
The Non-Existent Image of Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)
I’m sure it is common knowledge that there is no image of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Muslims consider it Haram (a sin) to assume his image. There is a reason for that! Muhammad (PBUH) is a messenger of God and has taught Muslims the revelations sent to him. These revelations make up the holy Qur’an. But he was a human being and must not be worshipped. Muslims pray to God and God alone, and the Prophet (PBUH) did not want to be worshipped with his image on display like an idol. Therefore, assuming his image is considered offensive to Muslims.
Inability to Read and Write
The Qur’an is considered a miracle in Islam. There are several reasons for that, but here’s one that may surprise you. As I’ve mentioned in the above fact, revelations of God’s words and teachings were sent to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The first time this happened, Muhammad (PBUH) was meditating in a cave when the angel Gabriel was revealed to him. Gabriel said to him, “Read in the name of your lord.” Do you know what the Prophet’s (PBUH) response was? “I cannot read.” He was an illiterate man! And yet, he was able to distinguish the revelations that make up the Qur’an.
Mothers
I have heard from several people that Islam is a “woman-hating religion” or is considered sexist towards women. I am more than happy to tell you that this is not at all true! True Islam strives to protect women and view them as equals. Different roles are provided to men and women, considered God-given, so while women are considered equal to men, this does not make them identical to men. It is important to make that distinction. Loving and caring mothers, for example, should be regarded with utmost respect. There is a Hadith (a statement, a story) in Islam, in which the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Heaven lies underneath your mother’s feet.” Another reads as follows: “A man came to the Prophet and said, ‘O Messenger of God! Who among the people is the most worthy of my good companionship?’ The Prophet said, ‘Your mother.’ The man said, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet said, ‘Then your mother.’ The man further asked, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet said, ‘Then your mother.’ The man asked again, ‘Then who?’ the Prophet said, ‘Then your father.’” Respect your mothers, guys!
Cats!
This probably seems random to you. Cats? What do cats have to do with Islam? Well, I’ll tell you! Cats are considered very clean animals, and in Islam, cleanliness is of utmost importance. I mean, we have to be clean in order to pray or read the Qur’an. Cats are admired for their cleanliness and are even permitted to enter mosques! In fact, it has even been said that cats are the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) favourite animal and has owned one himself! There is a story told by Muslims that one day, the Prophet (PBUH) was preparing for prayer and was dressing himself. He soon found his cat asleep on his robes. Rather than wake her up, he cut the sleeve of the robe off to leave her undisturbed. Then, he stroked the beautiful creature three times, which is said to have given cats the ability to land on all fours. Cats are not just considered clean animals in Islam. They are also considered holy. And yes, I do have a cat myself and he is the most precious little baby in the world!