The word ‘Islam’ literally means ‘Peace and surrender to the will of Allah the Creator’.
It was founded by Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) over 1400 years ago in Arabia. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) received revelation from Allah (‘The God’) in which he was told that Islam was the final and most complete religion for mankind. The followers of Islam are called Muslims.
Islam’s holy book is The Holy Qur’an and this was revealed by Allah to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It is a source of complete guidance. Its teachings are in agreement with human nature. Islam is a religion revealed for the whole of mankind for all time to come. Learn more…
THE FOUNDER OF ISLAM
Prophet Muhammad(peace and blessings be upon him) (570-632 CE) was born in Makkah (Mecca), Arabia. He was known for his honesty and piety. He was also inspired with a strong love for Allah and mankind.
He married at the age of 25. Fifteen years later he received his first Qur’anic revelation from Allah whilst meditating in a cave called Hir’a near Makkah. This marked the beginning of the mission of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) as the apostle of Allah. His prime message was the Unity of Allah and he continued to stress this throughout his life.
True to his character Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) practised what he preached and provided a living example of all that Islam teaches. His humility, truthfulness, tolerance, resolve, courage, kindness and wisdom remain exemplary.
For more on the Prophet Muhammad ( peace be upon him), see ‘ The Prophet Muhammad’
THE HOLY BOOK OF ISLAM
The Holy Qur’an is the holy book of Islam. It is the Word of Allah and was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) over a period of 23 years. It is spread over 30 parts and has 114 chapters.
It contains a vast array of teachings and is a comprehensive code of conduct for mankind. It also contains numerous prophecies many of which have been fulfilled and many that remain to be fulfilled.
The Holy Qur’an is written in Arabic – the very language in which it was revealed. The word Qur’an means something that is recited over and over again and indeed Muslims recite the Holy Qur’an many times over in their lives. Despite being over 1400 years old the Qur’anic text has remained intact – as promised in the Qur’an by Allah Himself. The translation of the Holy Qur’an is now also available in more that 50 languages including English. Learn more…
THE PROMISED MESSIAH OF ISLAM
All religions contain prophecies that foretell the advent of a special individual, who will come as a reformer in the latter days. On February 13th, 1835, in the small Indian village of Qadian, a man named Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) was born. He belonged to a well-known and noble family.
From an early age he had a keen interest in religion. He was also known for his honesty, compassion and resolve. As time passed his knowledge and understanding of religion and its application to society deepened. Being a Muslim it was his firm belief that all religions were true at their source, and he always sought to uphold the dignity of all religions and their prophets. His earnest defence of religion was ultimately blessed by God and he received the revelation of his appointment by God in 1882. He continued to receive the blessing of revelation throughout the rest of his life.
God revealed to him that he was the Promised Messiah for whom the followers of all religions were waiting. He summarised the objectives of his advent in the following words:
“With God-given strength and with the power of His hand, I am here to set the world back on the path of reformation, righteousness and piety, and to remove their errors in faith and in action.”
Tadhkiratush Shahadatain
His mission was thus to revitalise the truth that all religions held within them and to revive the teachings of Islam. It was through this that he was to bring mankind together and establish everlasting peace. The Promised Messiah(as) said:
“Allah wants to pull towards His Unity all those with righteous disposition from among all the inhabitants of this world, be they in Europe or Asia. He wants to assemble all His chosen ones under one religion. This is the design of Allah for the accomplishment of which I have been raised.”
The Will
In 1889, under Divine guidance, The Promised Messiah(as) founded the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community – a community that has since grown in its stature and strength and remained active in conveying the message of Islam to the ends of the earth. Learn more…