There are two main festivals (‘Id, sing.) in the Islamic calendar. The first comes after the yearly performance of hajj. It is called ‘Id-ul-Adha or Eid-ul-Adha’ (the festival of Sacrifice; some Muslims sacrifice an animal which is then distributed amongst family, friends, neighbours and the needy). The second is to mark the end of the month of the month of Ramadan and hence the end of fasting. It is called ‘Id-ul-Fitr or Eid-ul-Fitr’ (the festival of the breaking of the fast). The day of Friday (yawm al-Jumu’ah) is also a festival but on a smaller scale. Muslims all over the world also commemorate the birth of the Prophet (Mawlid an-nabi). Shi’ah Muslims have many more festivals as they celebrate the birth of each of the Imams and other events such as Ghadir Khumm.

These two mains festivals are celebrated over three days and people from different cultures have different practices. Festivals are celebrated with the family and with the community. On Eid, people wear their best or new clothes; go to mosque to pray and wish each other a blessed Eid (Eid mubarak); and in some communities, breakfast is served at the mosque for Eid-ul-Fitr. Families exchange gifts (children traditionally are given money), have lots of sweets, visit family and friends (to whom gifts or sweets may be taken), visit the graveyard and give charity (sadaqah) to the poor and the needy. The birth of the Prophet and the Imams is celebrated on the night before the day of their birth. There is usually a lecture at the mosque followed by the recitation of poetry (qasadah) and other acts of worship.

The importance of these festivals is in their religious and spiritual significance. Eid-ul-Adha goes back to the story of the Prophet Abraham and the command of God to sacrifice his son. This Eid symbolises one’s total submission to the will of God and one’s readiness to give or sacrifice anything if God wished him to just like the prophet Abraham. ‘Eid-ul-Fitr is a time for Muslims to thank God for the opportunity they were given to fast another Ramadan and to ask God for the same opportunity again. During this month, it is recommended to pray for forgiveness and hence one hopes at the end of Ramadan that his prayers have been answered. Ramadan is sometimes also called the minor fast as it is a time in which Muslims would have been working on their spirituality and their closeness with God through discipline, self-control and more awareness but which they should carry on for the rest of the year which is the major fast (in this sense, fast no longer refers to the physical aspect of it only). Festivals are also an occasion for people to meet each other again. Every person is more careful about their duties and obligations and the spirit of ‘id offers an opportunity to make amends and encourages reconciliation. These gatherings strengthen communities by bringing families and friends together as they worship God as a unit.

On the two Eids, Muslims perform an ablution (ghusl) in the morning and then go to the mosque for a special ‘id prayer performed in congregation and which is followed by a sermon. Muslims are recommended to spend some time in worship and to read certain supplications. Giving sadaqah is highly recommended on the day of Eid. On the day of Eid-ul-Fitr, each household must pay a fixed amount of money called fitrah or zakat-ul-Fitr which is then distributed to the poor.

As the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle, Islamic festivals do not always occur on the same days. An example of this would be the Eid-ul-Fitr may take place on either the 29th or the 30th of the month of Ramadan depending on the sighting of the moon.

The Qur’an tells the stories of only a number of prophets among the 124,000 prophets that have been sent. Some of the ones told in some detail are the stories of Adam and Eve and their fall from Heaven, Noah and the Ark, Abraham and his trials, Joseph, Moses and Pharaoh, and Mary and the miraculous birth of Jesus. Whilst the Qur’an makes reference to the Prophet’s personality and being, it does not really tell stories about him in the way it does with those mentioned above. Nevertheless stories about the Prophet and his life are the most important in Islam but they are found in the Sunnah or in biographies (sirah). As for the Shi’ah who view their Imams as the extension of prophethood and hence as perfect examples just like the Prophet, stories about the Imams and their lives play a central role in their faith.

First, some of these stories are narrated in the Qur’an which Muslims believe is the verbatim word of God. Therefore it is a sacred book with God as its ‘author’. Since the Qur’an is the eternal book, its teachings still apply today and forever. As for the stories of the Prophet, and the Imams for the Shi’a, they are sacred because these personalities are sinless and all their actions, sayings and approvals are in accordance with Islam and are the perfect example for Muslims of every age.

The stories of the Qur’an are sacred as the Qur’an is the Word of God. The Sunnah of the Prophet is sacred because everything he did or said was nothing other than revelation.

By the Star when it goes down—Your Companion is neither astray nor being misled. Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire. It is no less than inspiration sent down to him. (53:1-4).

These stories are meant to bring a person closer to God. As the Qur’an says, the generations of the past have long gone. They alone are accountable for their own deeds. But God tells us their stories so humans can learn from their example because these stories are true and factual not fictional or mythical. These stories are important as they are reminders for Muslims of our own obligations and our own faith and we can benefit from them:

Therefore do remind, in case reminding does benefit [the hearer] (Surah 87:9)

As the Qur’an is considered the eternal word of God, each story or event mentioned can be interpreted according to context and time and people of all generations. In Islam, everything has a double meaning; one is apparent and the other is hidden. Hence these stories, other than their explicit meanings, have deeper implicit meanings. The Qur’an caters for the lay person just as much as for the learned, however based on each person’s intellectual abilities and spiritual level, there would be different levels of understandings and meanings.

The purpose of these stories is to guide and teach. Through these stories, one can learn from the example of the prophets but also from the example of the people they were sent to; so, how to be and how not to be. They also show the responsibility of each individual not just to follow the crowd but to think for himself because one is easily influenced by his environment which may lead him astray. As prophets (and Imams for the Shi’a) are infallible beings, people should model themselves on these exemplary beings.

There are very few symbols in Islam; however some are significant such as the colour green, some numbers and, in the Shi’a school of thought, the double-pointed sword of Imam ‘Ali and a piece of earth known as the turbah.

Although the star and crescent typically seen on mosque domes and some flags have come to be associated with Islam, they do not originate from Islam. In fact, their use is seen by some as controversial.

Some objects used widely by Muslims such as the rosary beads (masbahah), prayer hats and prayer mats have come to symbolise Islam in the West. However, the objects themselves do not have any religious symbolism. A Muslim might wear certain passages from the Qur’an in his or her necklace, men might wear a prayer hat and rings with stones, some might carry the masbahah all the time and some will hang it on their car mirrors, as well as Qur’anic passages and other supplications.

The double-pointed sword of the Prophet which he gave to his cousin and son-in-law Imam ‘Ali symbolises the loyalty and devotion of his followers who came to be known as Shi’a ‘Ali (the followers of ‘Äli). Some Shi’a wear the two-pointed sword as a symbol of their loyalty to the Imam.

The turbah is used by Shi’a Muslims to place their foreheads upon when they pray. The turbah’s significance is that it represents the martyrdom of the 3rd Imam al-Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). It also represents the cycle of life; the two prostrations on the earth symbolise being created from earth and the return to earth after death.

According to most Muslims, the colour green is significant as the prophet used to wear a green turban and it has been used ever since on flags for example to represent Islam.

According to some Muslims, some numbers have religious symbolism. For example, 786 equates with ‘In the Name of God’ (Bismillah).

Islam encompasses every aspect of a person’s life; for example the recitation of the adhan and iqamah in the baby’s right and left ear right after birth symbolizes that the baby is born Muslim and will recognize the call.

All Islamic rituals have symbolic meanings. Every action performed during the liturgical prayer or during the pilgrimage (hajj) for instance has spiritual meanings such as the stoning of the three pillars during hajj which symbolizes the rejection of the temptations of the devil.

Muslims do not need a building in order to worship Allah. They can pray in any clean place, but the Qur’an recommends praying with others:

‘And be steadfast in prayer; practise regular charity; and bow down your heads with those who bow down (in worship)’ (Surah 2:43).

The Muslim place of worship is a mosque or a masjid (place of prostration).
Muhammad (pbuh) built the first mosque in 622 CE in al-Madinah. In Muslim countries, the Mu’adhin (muezzin) calls the believers to prayer five times a day from the minaret where he stands facing the Ka’bah in Makkah. Inside the prayer hall he repeats the call with slightly different words just before prayer begins.

The first prostration during the daily prayers symbolizes being created from dust and the second the return to dust after death. This is to remind the human being to remain humble as everything will perish except God who alone can have pride. Lifting hands in prayers is a sign of asking for something you need and which only God who is needless can give.

As God is the absolute transcendent being, Muslims believe that there are no religious symbols whatsoever that represent the Divine in any shape or form whether through images, sculpture or any other means, even in an abstract way. Such an act is considered as idolatry (shirk), the one sin that God will not forgive (Surah 4:48)..

As it says in The Qur’an:

(He is) the Creator of the heavens and the earth: He has made for you pairs from among yourselves, and pairs among cattle: by this means does He multiply you: there is nothing whatever like unto Him, and He is the One that hears and sees (all things) (Surah 42:11).

Islamic art therefore seeks to capture the spiritual rather than the material, the essence rather than the physical. This is achieved through certain techniques such as geometry and repetition.

Geometry dominates Islamic art and one of things it symbolizes is logic and order present in the universe. Repetition is widely used to portray infinite patterns which have no beginning and no end and ultimately undifferentiated unity. Many Muslims also decorate their homes with Islamic calligraphy instead or with other forms of art. Iranian art incorporates nature with Islamic calligraphy, for example writing Bismillah (In the Name of God) in the shape of a bird or tiger.

Islamic music: Nowadays, music is been used to attract mainly the youth towards Islam. According to some Muslims, music is considered strictly forbidden however many of the earlier eminent scholars of Islam studied music as a science. Today, Islamic music takes many forms such as rap, classical, Sufi, etc.

Islamic songs (nashids) have become very popular especially amongst the youth. The genre now varies from classical to rap. Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens) was a popular singer before converting to Islam. He now promotes Islam through his music. One modern famous singer is Sami Yusuf who sings in various languages but mainly in English.

Poetry (shi’r) has always played an important part in Arab and in Islamic culture and tradition; it was used to describe historical events and people (for example, famous battles and leaders of Islam). Rumi is probably the most famous Muslim poet whose work has been translated into many languages and has attracted people of different faiths.

Today, poetry is still very popular in many Islamic gatherings such as the celebration of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). This is especially so for Shi’a Muslims who use poetry extensively for the birth and the death of the Imams, the most important of these events being the martyrdom of Imam al-Hussein during the month of Muharram.

Hymns (qasidah) are also very popular in Islamic gatherings especially in Sufi circles. Hymns are used to praise God and the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his family.

Since God cannot be represented in any shape or form, mosques and religious centres are bare rooms decorated only with Islamic Calligraphy and art. There are no pictures or statues, not even of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as it is also forbidden to depict the Prophet and this is why in films or in other forms of art there is usually a light on his face.

Although mosques and Islamic shrines differ in style due to period and region they were built in, many of them display fine Islamic architecture. Some are extravagantly decorated with Islamic calligraphy, gold, mirrors and colours.

Mosques can be quite distinct (especially in the West) when they have minarets where someone stands to call to prayers (mu’adhin) and domes. The dome of a mosque symbolises the universe which Allah created. Many mosques have four minarets and a dome. Outside of the prayer hall is a place for ritual washing – wudu. There are no chairs in a prayer hall and the only furniture is the minbar from where the imam preaches the Friday khutbah (sermon). The Qiblah wall (direction) faces the Ka’bah in Makkah and a niche called the Mihrab indicates the direction for prayer.

Shirk forbids any representations of people and so the walls of a mosque are often decorated with calligraphy. This is usually texts from the Qur’an. Decorative patterns in tiles and mosaics such as arabesque are also used.

In the United Kingdom mosques serve many community functions It is the madrassah (school) where children learn Arabic and there may also be a reading room, a library and a bookshop. The prayer hall itself is also used for funeral services but not for weddings.

Muslims believe that everything in existence has an apparent (zahir) and hidden (batin) meaning. Furthermore, our limited intellect is unable to grasp fully the Being of God. God is beyond this limited material world as we can see in this example:

When Moses came to the place appointed by Us, and his Lord addressed him, He said: “O my Lord! Show (Thyself) to me, that I may look upon thee.” Allah said: “By no means canst thou see Me (direct); But look upon the mount; if it abide in its place, then shalt thou see Me.” When his Lord manifested His glory on the Mount, He made it as dust. And Moses fell down in a swoon. When he recovered his senses he said: “Glory be to Thee! To Thee I turn in repentance, and I am the first to believe.” (Surah 7:143)

Hence, God describes Himself to His creation in order to know Him; one important example is the verse of Light (Ayah al-Nur): ‘Allah is the Light of the Heavens and the earth…’ (Surah 24:35).

The Qur’an consists of explicit (muhkamat) and ambiguous (mutashabihat) verses (Surah 3:7). The latter may be interpreted in many ways and some cannot be taken as literal. Hence there are many verses that have symbolic meanings especially the ones describing God, for example:

[…] the Hand of Allah is above their hands […] (Surah 48:10).

[…] Everything (that exists) will perish except His own Face […] (Surah 28:88).

These two examples (referring to God’s power (hand) and His eternal presence (face) cannot be understood literally as the Qur’an asserts that there is nothing like God. God is beyond anything that we can imagine, but the use of analogy and metaphor in the Qur’an help the human being to grasp the deeper meanings behind some of the verses. The Qur’an also uses symbolic language as explanation, for example:

For Him (alone) is prayer in Truth: any others that they call upon besides Him hear them no more than if they were to stretch forth their hands for water to reach their mouths but it reaches them not: for the prayer of those without Faith is nothing but (futile) wandering (in the mind) (Surah 13:14).

But the Unbelievers—their deeds are like a mirage in sandy deserts, which the man parched with thirst mistakes for water; until when he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing: But he finds Allah (ever) with him, and Allah will pay him his account: and Allah is swift in taking account (Surah 24:39).

The Hajj, the Pilgrimage to Makkah, is one of the Five Pillars of Islam on which the faith rests. The Hajj takes place annually and is the duty of every adult Muslim, male or female, who is physically and mentally fit and can afford it, to make the pilgrimage at least once in a lifetime. Hajj is the Greater Pilgrimage and can only be taken in Dhul-Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Muslim calendar, whilst ‘umrah is a lesser pilgrimage which can be taken at any time.

If people cannot make the journey themselves they have only to declare that it is their Niyyah, their sincere heartfelt intention, to go on Hajj and the duty is considered to have been fulfilled.

Before starting on the Hajj pilgrims put on ihram, a white seamless garment similar to the clothes worn by Muhammad (pbuh) and the earlier prophets.

Ihram requires:

• no perfume, not even in soap, nor in food,
• no jewellery, except women’s wedding rings,
• no wearing of gloves, though hands may be wrapped in cloth,
• no deliberate cutting of hair or fingernails, so as not to interfere with nature,
• no uprooting of plants nor cutting down of trees on the journey
• no hunting nor blood shed, except in dealing with bedbugs, fleas, snakes and scorpions,
• no carrying of weapons
• no sexual relations, not even kissing, nor flirtatious thoughts
• no engagements nor taking part in weddings.

On the first day, at Makkah, the pilgrims visit the Great Mosque and walk round the Ka’bah, the cube shaped building at the centre of the mosque, seven times anticlockwise. They then walk quickly seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah (to commemorate the seven times that Hagar, wife of Ibrahim, ran between those hills searching for water for her and her son, Ishmael).

Pilgrims then travel to Mina to camp. On the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah they go to the plain of Arafat before sunrise for the stand before Allah. After sunset, the pilgrims go to Muzdalifah where they collect stones. The following morning the pilgrims return to Mina and throw stones at three pillars. The pilgrimage ends with an animal sacrifice.

After a final circling of the Ka’bah, the pilgrims go home or visit al-Madinah.

The essential parts of Hajj are the four rites which are obligatory in the Qur’an:

• Putting on Ihram
• Doing tawaf (circling the Ka’bah)
• Going to Arafat
• Making the last tawaf after returning from Arafat.

The main figure associated with the foundation of Islam is Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who Muslims believe was chosen by God as His last messenger to humanity. Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation in the year 610 at the age of 40 and which he continued to receive for 23 years until his demise in 632. The first person to become his follower was his wife Khadijah, and then his cousin ‘Ali and his uncle Hamzah. The Qur’an also acknowledges the previous prophets whose mission culminated in Islam as the most complete religion of all the revealed religions. In the Sunni school, the first four caliphs are considered as the rightly guided ones (al-khulifa’ al-rashidun). The first two caliphs especially help the spread of Islam. According to the Shi’a, Fatimah (the daughter of the Prophet) and her progeny, the Imams, played an important role in the foundation of the faith. They are seen as the extension of Prophethood and the preservers of the message.

Stories regarding the Prophet are mainly found in the sunnah (traditions) as well as some history books or biographies of the Prophet, for example: The Prophet, aged 12, was accompanying his uncle’s caravan. When they stopped for a rest on their way to Damascus, a Christian hermit recognised the sign of prophecy on Muhammad (pbuh) and told his uncle that the boy was destined for greatness. On a night of Ramadan in the year 610, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was meditating in the cave of Hira when the Angel Gabriel appeared to him and ordered the Prophet to ‘recite’ (iqra’!). The Prophet who was illiterate told the Angel he cannot recite, the Angel repeated two more times and the Prophet began uttering the words of the Qur’an. Even before the revelation, the Prophet was known for his remarkable reputation amongst his tribe and others. He was highly respected and trusted (he was named al-Aman, the trustworthy). After the revelation of his Prophethood, it is stories about his impeccable character, kindness, gentleness and love towards others, as well as his patience and endurance towards those who opposed and harmed him because they did not believe in his mission that teach us about the personality of the Prophet and how his personality helped found and spread the message of Islam.

Islam is clear that all prophets are ordinary human beings chosen by God for special missions. They have been sent to guide the people towards God and teach them about what is good for them and to warn about what is bad. The only way that people will listen to a prophet and follow him is if the prophet was himself a good person. Hence Islam asserts the infallibility of each and every prophet as God, out of His grace and justice, would not ask a people to follow a sinner.

Muslims view all prophets as examples to follow in the way they interacted with others (kindness and tolerance) and the way they were committed to God. The Qur’an describes Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as the most perfect example to follow (Surah 33:21). Muslims follow the Prophet by referring to the traditions (ahadith) that describe his actions and words.

The Qur’an says:

By the Star when it goes down—Your Companion is neither astray nor being misled. Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire. It is no less than inspiration sent down to him. (53:1-4)

Every single word and action of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is in accordance with the revelation of God. Hence everything that emanated from him represented the highest and most perfect level of spiritual and moral values.

Muslims believe that the Qur’an, revealed over 1400 years ago, is the eternal word of God and hence can be interpreted for today’s world. A famous tradition (hadith) states: “What was permissible during the life of Muhammad will be permissible until the Day of Judgment and what was forbidden during the life of Muhammad will be forbidden until the Day of Judgment”. Hence the person of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is an everlasting example. Muslims look at the example of the Prophet and interpret his actions and words for the time and the society they live in. As the epitome of perfection, Muslims of all ages strive to follow in his footsteps in order to reach perfection which is the purpose of creation.

For Muslims this life can only have a meaning with a belief in the next life as the purpose of this life is the Hereafter. Hence any deeds, exertion, or gains in this world must have as an ultimate end the next world.

All that the Prophet did was in accordance with Islam and for the pleasure of God. The Prophet showed that material gains, worldly powers, and high status for example are all part of the temptations of this temporal world but which no one takes with them to the next life. It is only the deeds of peoples’ worldly life that will accompany them into the grave and which will determine their destiny. As a perfect role model, he put into practice all that he preached. He showed how humans can detach themselves from worldly temptations and overcome tests and difficulties. Nevertheless, he lived his life to the full; he was a husband, a father, a friend, a businessman, a leader, a teacher. He showed how people can contribute to society, help others and work hard to fulfil their material needs yet still remaining detached from the love of the world and its material temptations.

For Muslims, it is important to know that all belongs to God and the same way God gives it, God can take it away and that everything shall perish except the face of God. This life is no longer a goal but the means to bliss if one’s deeds are good or to hell if they are bad. As the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the perfect example for Muslims, he was the embodiment of obedience to the One God knowing that this life is a mere transition to the eternal life which awaits. Throughout his life he had complete trust in God at all times and bore with patience in any difficult situation. He was certain that the justice of God will come and he knew that there is nothing other than God as attested by the Qur’an:

And call not, besides Allah, on another god. There is no god but He. Everything (that exists) will perish except His own Face. To Him belongs the Command, and to Him will ye (all) be brought back. (Surah 28:88)

God is the source of inspiration. There is a saying in Islam that when a person takes one step towards God, God takes ten steps towards them (as in gaining closeness, not literal steps). Although God is the One who inspires and guides, the human being has to be ready to ‘receive’ that guidance.

Islam teaches Muslims that man was created from dust and that God breathed into him his spirit, favouring him over the rest of creation (Surahs 23:12-14, 32:7-9). Hence humans are both material and spiritual beings. Muslims believe that a human being can follow his material desires and become worse than animals or realise his spiritual potential and become better than angels. Therefore, the struggle of the human being is to realise fully in himself his humanity as opposed to his animalistic side. In Islam, the self is a trust (amanah) from God which was faultless when given. We must strive to return this trust in the same condition. Hence, it must be nourished and protected from anything that might tarnish it.

The Prophet said: ‘Whoever knows his self, knows his Lord.’

Self-knowledge is very important in Islam as it leads to the discovery that the self is a divine entity upon which celestial virtues have been bestowed and which is far superior to its material and physical dimension.

The Qur’an teaches Muslims that the human being was created not only a material being as God says: “When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him” (Surah 15:29).

Islam not only asserts the existence of the soul but it emphasizes its superiority over the body. It is the soul that gives life to the body; without the soul, the body is just a corpse. It is through the purification and perfection of one’s self that one can reach salvation in the next life. At the end of time, all human beings will be resurrected for the Day of Judgment where every single person from the very beginning of creation will be brought to account for all their deeds during their worldly life. The Qur’an stresses on the primacy of the life Hereafter (Akhirah) as the earthly life is only temporary and the Hereafter is the eternal abode, the Qur’an says:

Day (behold), ye prefer the life of this world; But the Hereafter is better and more enduring. (Surah 87:16-17)

There are many descriptions in the Qur’an of the Day of Judgment and Heaven and hell. The human being is constantly advised to believe and to do good in order to be rewarded with heaven in the afterlife.

Islam views the human being as a social being and discourages one to isolate himself from society as it is working together that a society and its individuals can evolve and progress. Belonging to a community can strengthen a person’s faith by encouraging them or reminding them to carry out their religious duties and hence helping them progress in their spiritual journey.