In Jordan, more than a religion, Islam, is a way of life. Therefore, their values, laws, traditions and daily routine are directly related with the islamic duties and rules.
Islam means absolute submission to the will of Allah.
Quran, The Holy Book
It is the source of every Muslim’s faith and practice.
Quran means the recitation. The mosque's calling for pray is made through recitation.
Quran's content in general terms
- How God create the world and the man;
- How the messenger received the mission from angel Gabriel;
- How jews and christians are following false religions;
- How the disbelievers and hypocrite will be punished;
- Provides guidelines and detailed teachings for worship, marriage, divorce, children, women's dress code, political and cultural life;
- Instructions for conduct in society and punishments;
- Proper conduct in war and treaties;
- The resurrection after death and how people will be judge according to their deeds in earth;
- It is mentioned Jinn - invisible creatures that have free will and can take the form of a human or animal and can also possess man. Both man and jinn were created to realize the wonders of Allah's powers;
- The importance of obeying the messenger and to accept his message as true;
- Underlines the importance of recognizing God's Oneness, total submission, obedience, worship, faith,
- and more.
Reestablishment of the primordial Religion of humankind
Muslims view Islam not as a "new" religion, since it embodies the same message and guidance that God revealed to all His prophets such as Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus, among others (Quran 4:163/164 - Sahih International), but rather a reestablishment of the primordial religion of humankind.
Muslims believe that the original revelations or scriptures given by God to His previous messengers had been lost or modified over time (Quran 19:58/59, Quran Aal-E-Imran, Sahih International).
Considering that, muslims believe that:
- Christians and Jews are the people of the Book.
- Jesus is not son of God. He is, indeed, son of the virgin Mary and is a God's messenger (Quran 19:35).
- The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is considered as 3 Gods and therefore is not recognized (Quran 4:171 - Sahih International).
- Jesus didn't die in the cross. God raised him to Himself (Quran 4:157/158 - Sahih International).
Who was the messenger Muhammad?
- Muhammad was born in Mecca, around 570 AD to a widowed mother who died six years later. He grew up poor and worked for his uncle, Abu Talib, as a camel herder. He was illiterate, unable to read or write till his death.
- At the age of 25, he met and married Khadija - a wealthy widow, who was 40 years at that time;
- He worked in his wife business and became a successful merchant;
- At the age of 40, he told his wife that he had been visited by the angel Gabriel in a dream. Thus, began a series of revelations known as the Quran;
- After the death of his wife, Muhammed had 11 wives. Some were captives' widows from the wars, like Rayhana bint Zayd;
- According the Quran 33:21, God declared Muhammed to be the excellent pattern of conduct for mankind;
- He spent the last 23 years of his life advocating the message of Islam among the peoples of the Arabian Peninsula and working to implement the principles and teachings of Islam in society;
Muslims believe that Muhammad was the final God's messenger and that the Bible announced his arrival.
The Ban of Pictures of Mohammed
Several passages in the Qur’an prohibit idolatry, and worshipping statues or pictures (Surat Al-'A`rāf 7/148, Surat Ţāhā 20/88-89, Surat Al-'Anbyā' 21/52 and others).
Therefore, long has been forbidden any depictions of the messenger Mohammed to avoid the temptation of worship and deification.
Portraying Mohammed is considered blasphemy. Islam is very strict about monotheism, the Oneness of God.
Sahih Muslim vol.3 no.5268 (p.1160) "Ibn ‘Umar reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) having said: Those who paint pictures would be punished on the Day of Resurrection and it would be said to them: Breathe soul into what you have created.2519".
In Jordan, the only pictures you can find in public and private companies are the king of Jordan, his son and his father.
Sunnah and Hadith
The Prophet is considered by all Muslims a guide and role model for living a successful life. (Quran 33:21)
Who follows the Prophet receives God's mercy, forgiveness and gain entrance into Paradise.
So, in addiction to the Quoran, Sunni Muslims also follow the Sunnah and the Hadith.
- The Sunnah describes Muhammed's way of life, practices and deeds. That's why some muslims are sunni cause they follow the sunnah. The majority of the Jordanians are sunni muslims.
- The Hadith is the messenger's sayings and teachings. "The Hadith must not contradict the Quran. No Word should be changed in the Quran".
Some sayings in Hadith:
"Take advantage of five things before five others happen: your youth before you grow old; your health before you fall sick; your money before you became poor; your leisure before you became busy and your life before you die."
"Actions are judge according to their intentions, and very person will be judge according what they intend."
"God will show no compassion on the one who has no compassion towards humankind."
"Powerful is not he who knocks the other down. Indeed, powerful is he who controls himself when he is angry."
"The most perfect in faith amongst muslim men is he who is best in manner and kindest to his wife."
"He who eats his fill while his neighbor goes without food is not a believer."
The Five Pillars of Worship in Islam
- Shahada is the testimony of faith by saying with conviction that: “There is no true god (deity) but God (Allah), and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God.”
- Salat that is a formal ritualized prayer that should be done five specified times each day, facing Mecca.
Women should be fully covered just showing face and hands.
Their nails cannot be painted and they cannot pray while menstruating.
Women and Men should make a ritual of cleaning with water before praying.
If they had sexual intercourse they should shower completely before praying.
- Zakat is an obligatory charitable contribution. Every muslim should give annually 2.5 percent of their liquid assets and income-producing property to charity.
- Saum: Fast from dawn to dusk each day during the ninth month (Ramadan). This is a time of spiritual renewal. (Hadith Qudsi 10)
- Hajj: At least once in life, every Muslim should make the pilgrimage to Mecca in the twelfth Muslim month. During the five main days of the hajj.
Those on the pilgrimage will duplicate the ritual first performed by Abraham, including circling the sacred shrine (Ka`ba), standing on the plain of `Arafat, and offering a sacrifice.
Islamic Law
Sharia known as Islamic Law has its sources in the Quran and the Sunnah. It is considered the higher law reflecting God’s will.
The Sharia regulates all the aspects of the muslim life.
Under the Sharia law the crimes should be punished through: Qiṣāṣ (Quran 2:178), Diyah (Quron 4:92), Tazir and Hudud.
- Qiṣās - allows equal retaliation in cases such as murder or injury;
- Diyah - is the financial compensation paid to the victim or family of the victim in the cases of murder, bodily harm or property damage;
- Tazir - refers to punishment for offenses at the discretion of the judge or ruler of the state.
- The Hudud or Hadd Punishments are described in the Quran or Hadith, as the following:
- Adultery - Stoning
- Fornication - 100 lashes (Quron 24:2)
- Woman rape - 80 lashes (Quron 24:4)
- Consumption of alcohol - Lashing
- Theft - Amputation of a hand (Quran 5:38)
- Lying - Amputation total or partial of the tongue (except in Taqiyya cases)
- Lying for children - Chewing hot spices
- Sexual abuse of a child - Death
- Accusing chaste women without 4 witnesses - 80 lashes (Quran 24:4)
- Criticizing or denying any part the Quran, Allah or Muhammad - Death
- A non-Muslim who leads a Muslim away from Islam - Death
- A Muslim who becomes a non-Muslim - Death
- A non-Muslim man who marries a Muslim woman - Death
- others.
"The hudud punishments cannot be pardoned by the victim or by the state, and the punishments must be carried out in public."
These punishments are not applied in Jordan.
These punishments are not applied in Jordan.
Fiqh
It's the science that is being used to achieve a deeper understanding and knowledge of the Sharia Law in order to obtain a proper interpretation and application of God's divine will, for the humans.
Sharia Law in Jordan
Some of the Muslim countries that apparently didn't adopt the whole Sharia, might be applying the Sharia using Fiqh.
Jordan has Sharia courts and Civil courts. Sharia courts have jurisdiction over personal status laws like: marriage, divorce, child custody, adoption, guardianship, inheritance matters and others. The civil courts adjudicate all civil and criminal cases.
To Convert
To convert to Islam, one should go to a local sharia court and demonstrate faith and belief by saying, in front of a Imam: " lā ʾilāha ʾillā-llāhu muḥammadun rasūlu-llāh (لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا الله مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ الله) " that means: “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet".
Criticizing the Islam
Although the Quran mentions other religions, talking about Islam, Allah and the messenger Mohammad has to be done very carefully. This is a very sensitive subject for the muslim people. As the Quran is never to be doubted or questioned (Quran 2:2), and it is punishable by death, in the Sharia Law.
Although the Quran mentions other religions, talking about Islam, Allah and the messenger Mohammad has to be done very carefully. This is a very sensitive subject for the muslim people. As the Quran is never to be doubted or questioned (Quran 2:2), and it is punishable by death, in the Sharia Law.
By the Jordanian law, criticizing the Islam is considered crime of defamation, punishable by jail.
Sources:
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/islam-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html
http://www.mei.columbia.edu/HANDOUT8.PDF
https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcorão
https://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-7.htm
https://quran.com/4
https://www.quora.com/Why-is-drawing-the-prophet-considered-disrespectful-in-Islam-when-the-Quran-does-not-explicitly-forbid-images-of-Muhammad
http://www.kalamullah.com/Books/Quran%20-%20Saheeh%20International%20Translation%20.pdf
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/17/opinion/sunday/a-lesson-for-newt-gingrich-what-shariah-is-and-isnt.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FShariah%20(Islamic%20Law)&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=collection&_r=0
http://sunnah.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudud