A Muslim must establish belief in the fundamentals of religion (five roots of usal ad-din): tawhid, prophethood and Judgment Day. The Shi’a school of thought has a further two: imamah (God chosen successors to the Prophet) and justice. A Muslim must recognise that God is One (tawhid) and that Muhammad (pbuh) was His last messenger and hence must lead a way of life that is in accordance with the teachings of the Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). A Muslim has obligations towards God, himself and others. A Muslim (when of age) is expected to perform their religious obligations such as the daily prayers, fast during the month of Ramadan, and pay their religious taxes (zakah and khums). He must treat others as his equals in humanity.

A committed Muslim carries out his religious duties, he may go to the mosque to attend lectures or to perform his prayers individually or in congregation, but he is primarily someone who does good deeds and refrains from sin:

To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that hath come to thee. To each among you have we prescribed a law and an open way. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to Allah. It is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute. (Surah 5:48)

[…] Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things). (Surah 49:13)

Hence it is deeds that show real commitment and which will ultimately determine a person’s destiny.

Without doubt the five daily prayers (salah) is the most important ritual in Islam which must be performed under any circumstance. Muslims will be seen praying in public places, at their work place and even on airplanes for instance. The prayers can also be performed every day in congregation at the mosque (or any place where there is a person leading the prayers and there are others following).

Charity (sadaqah) is vital in Islamic communities; Islam expects Muslims to be generous towards others. Through charity, communities raise money for different projects such as Iftars (food for breaking the fast) for poor families and running a ‘Sunday school’ (madrassah). A Muslim is expected to keep close ties with his family and the community.

Greeting (taslam: al-salam ‘alaykum, reply ‘alaykum al-salam) each other is very important in Islam. In effect the person who initiates the greeting is said to merit 99 rewards (hasanat) whereas the person who replies only merits one; this is to encourage people to greet each other but it also stresses the importance of not breaking ties.

There is also great reward in visiting the elderly and the sick, helping the needy, attending social gatherings such as weddings and funerals and visiting the cemetery. All this is part of belonging and contributing to a community. Islam forbids all kinds of intoxicants; a Muslim cannot consume, transact with, or even sit in the company of people who are consuming alcohol.

As far as dress is concerned there is no particular way a Muslim must dress. The key requirement is modesty and dignity as the Qur’an commands both men and women to ‘lower their gaze and be modest’. The only outward expression of Islamic dress is the covering of the woman (hijab); however the way it is worn can vary greatly from one culture to another. Men are encouraged to keep a beard.

Commitment is generally seen as an intimate relationship between God and the person. Hence only God knows who is truly committed as only He knows what is in any person’s heart. Although a person may have submitted to the way of Islam, he might not have established firm faith within his heart. (Surah 49:14). Any act done to boast to others is disliked (except giving to the poor as this can set an example or reminder to others).

The Prophet is reported to have said: ‘Indeed, I have been sent to perfect the morals.’

The Qur’an describes him as a role model for human beings to follow as he put perfectly into practice everything that he preached:

Ye have indeed in the Apostle of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for any one whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the Praise of Allah. (Surah 33:21)

Amongst other things, the Prophet taught honesty, humility, hospitality, generosity, kindness, tolerance and love. He called the struggle of the soul (jihad al-nafs) as the greater struggle compared to the minor struggle that of war. It is worth noting that during the life of the Prophet Islam did not spread by the sword but people were attracted to him because of his way of life and this is what is expected of every Muslim.

The Prophet also said: ‘Model yourselves with the qualities of God.’

The Qur’an distinguishes between Islam (as a basic statement of belief) and iman (as true commitment) (Surah 49:14). Belief coupled with commitment is a higher level of submission and spirituality. For example, one may proclaim to be Muslim by uttering the testimony (shahadah) but still does not perform obligatory duties such as performing daily prayers. Nevertheless one who prays but whose trust in God is weak has not achieved a firm faith in his heart. Hence, rituals, other symbolising physical commitment, have as a purpose the reaping of strong faith and spiritual fulfilment.

The Prophet (and Imams for the Shi’a) left people with a template to reach perfection and attain the highest degree of spirituality. Thus a Muslim must follow the way of the Prophet as it is the most perfect way. A Muslim cannot abandon a religious act ordained by the Prophet and replace with one that he constructs. However, there are recommended acts that one is free to do when and as much as one wishes. Within the religion, there are different schools of thought which one might choose to change from one to another. A follower of the Shi’ah school chooses a spiritual leader as a point of reference just as a Sufi chooses a spiritual leader or guide (shaykh or murshid), or an order or path (tariqah) to follow.

Each person has individual responsibilities for which that person will be accountable for on the Day of Judgment. This is a direct corollary of free will with which each human being is born. Free will enables the person to make their own choices without being coerced into anything as the Qur’anic verse states:

Let there be no compulsion in religion […] (Surah 2:256)

The Qur’an emphasises greatly on the individual and their duties to God, to themselves and to others by talking directly to the person “oh human being” or indirectly “every male and female”. Islam teaches Muslims that human beings have a central role to play in the universe as God has chosen the human being as His khalifah, His vicegerent. In order to represent God, one must know God and even share God’s characteristics. Therefore, every person has the ability to acquire these by perfecting in one’s self the 99 Names of God.

Islam begins at home with the children being taught Islamic values and way of life from a very young age. This way of life extends into the community with the family attending congregational prayers, ‘Sunday school’, Eid celebrations and other social events. Pilgrimage to Makkah, as well as shrines of Imams and saints, further establishes even a greater sense of belonging.

Family is crucial in Islam (birth rituals, teaching children to pray and recite Qur’an and Islamic morals). It is forbidden to break ties (silah al-rahm) with family (unless one is asked to disbelief) for which one will earn grave punishment. The Qur’an stresses on showing kindness towards the parents especially in their old age (Surahs 17:23, 29:8).

For most Muslims to be part of a family unit and a community offers them a sense of identity and security. They are usually a Muslim’s first port of call for support and strength especially in times of need and act as a reminder to carry out one’s religious duties hence making one stronger emotionally and spiritually.

The importance of family and community has its roots in the Qur’an. Muslims are instructed to keep close family ties and to treat their parents with nothing other than kindness:

Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. (Surah 17:23)

Ramadan is a month in which family and community ties are strengthened: families endeavour to break the fast together; people often fund an iftar (breaking of the fast) for the whole community at the mosque; in the Sunni school, some Muslims will attend the mosque’s tarawith prayers every night; all this culminates in the Eid prayer in which the whole community usually attends at the end of the month.

The home and the mosque are the main places where a Muslim family practises its faith. At home, the whole family can pray together in congregation, recite supplications together, children are taught the Qur’an. Many Muslim families will have Qur’anic passages in their homes. A Muslim should care for the elderly and visit the sick. Islam is present in every aspect of our everyday life and hence one can be constantly God conscious. There are supplications or praises for almost anything a person can do: waking up in the morning, before one leaves the house, before and after eating, entering or coming out of the restroom.

A very important concept in Islam is ummah (community). It encourages Muslims to support and help each other especially in times of need such as after the loss of a loved one. Also Imam ‘Ali says in a famous tradition: ‘A person is either your brother in religion or your brother in humanity.’

It is highly recommended that a person lives near a Muslim community as it can serve as a support for the person and a reminder of one’s duties to God. Islam in its totality is based on unity. First, unity (tawhid) is recognising that God is One. But unity extends to every other aspect of the religion for example the Islamic rituals such as hajj which is probably the greatest symbol of unity where people of all ages, colour and status perform the same act at the same time in the same way submitting themselves completely to the One God. Hence for Muslims, belonging and being a unit is part of their faith.

And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves […] (Surah 3:103)

Muslims are described in the Qur’an as brothers. This brotherhood which is not based on blood relations unites them spiritually.

The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers; and fear Allah, that ye may receive Mercy (Surah 49:10).

Hence, both the family and the community have since the beginning of Islam been important elements of a Muslim’s life.

Most Muslim communities hold a congregation for the daily prayers at the mosque. The Friday prayer (salah al-Jumu’ah) including the two sermons (khutbah, sing.) plays a very important role in Muslim communities; usually the mosque is full for the Friday prayers so it is a great opportunity to educate those attending about Islamic issues as well as to raise issues affecting the local and global community. The Islamic festivals (Eid, sing.) are celebrated with the family as well as the community. The Eid prayers are held at the mosque and some communities organise a whole day of activities for the whole family. Weddings and funerals are important times for the community to come together. In weddings, there may be Qur’an recitation, supplications, poems and Islamic songs (nashid, sing.). In funerals, everyone joins the prayer of the deceased. As the first night in the grave is known to be the most difficult night for the deceased, the members of the Shi’a community usually recite individually after the evening prayer a special prayer called salah al-wahshah which is performed the night of the burial as it is known to reduce the suffering in the grave. ‘Sunday schools’ are run now in most communities to teach children about their faith and to have a sense of belonging.

Many Muslims nowadays live in multi-ethnic multi-faith western communities. For these Muslims, to belong to a community is vital as it helps stay strong in their faith and to keep an Islamic way of life. This becomes even more important as in today’s climate as Islam has been in the spotlight for different reasons. Some Muslims might feel a sense of insecurity as they may be directly or indirectly affected by some extremists’ actions in the name of Islam. Therefore belonging to a community offers them security and comfort.

One of the most powerful experiences of what it means to belong to the Islamic faith tradition is the annual Hajj. Muslims gather from every corner of the world, with every ethnic group, every nationality, every language represented, one truly experiences the depth and breadth of what it means to belong to the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). It is a point at which one is touched by Tawhid at its deepest level – not just the Oneness of God but the witnessing of Oneness of humanity too. The stories of Hajj are brought back home by the Hajji, a memory, a reminder, to the community of his journey in the footsteps of the Prophet and his great ancestors – Adam, Abraham, Ishmael and Hagar. It is an affirmation of Islamic beliefs, history, and the realization and fulfilment of the primordial covenant of Alastu bi Rabbikum (Q. 7:172) and the link between the local and global community of Muslims.

The Prophet defined Islam as constituting three dimensions – Islam, Iman, Ihsan. Traditionally:

• Islam is reflected by the Madhahibs (religious schools) – Shafi’i, Hanafi, Maliki and Hanbali.
• Iman is dialectical theology and the major schools are Ashari and Maturidi.
• Ihsan is Tasawwuf or Sufism, containing numerous Sufi tariqas (orders), the main ones being Naqshbandi, Qadari, Chishti and Shadhili

There is a difference of opinion between the two main sects in Islam (Sunni and Shi’a) as regards the succession of the Prophet.

The Sunni hold the companions (ashab) of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in high regard and consider the first four as the rightly guided successors (Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman and ‘Ali). The Shi’a Muslims believe that the first legitimate successor is Imam ‘Ali, as they believe he was chosen by God as opposed to being elected by the people.

‘Ayshah, daughter of Abu Bakr and one of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), is the lady who shaped Sunni Islam. She is held in very high esteem by Sunnis.

Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and wife of Imam ‘Ali (the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), shaped Shi’a Islam. Imam Hussein, the third Shi’ah Imam is considered, particularly by Shi’a Muslims, as the saviour of Islam who sacrificed his life for the faith along with some of his family members and companions.

In Shi’a Islam the major group is Jafari or twelvers, named after Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (d.765). They follow the twelve Imams, all descendants of Imam Ali (d. 661) and Fatima (d. 633). Other groups dispute the right of succession and therefore two other main groups emerged – the Zaydis or Fivers, named after Imam Zayd ibn Ali (d. 740) and the Isma’ilis or Seveners, named after Imam Muhammad ibn Isma’il.

A number of reform movements emerged under colonial rule in the 19th and 20th centuries. Many Sunni Muslims in the UK may be adherents of one of these movements – Barelwi, Deobandi, Ahl-i-Hadith, Tablighi Jama’at and Salafi / Wahabi.

Islamic communities in the UK come from diverse ethnic and denominational backgrounds. This often means differences not just in clothing and cultural attitudes but also in religious practice as each ethnic group emanating from a particular Islamic geographical area will traditionally have adhered to a particular Madh’hab. However, this situation somewhat evolved and other groups substantially funded through the oil boom of the 1970s led to the establishment of new groups that were opposed to the traditional Madhahibs, these may be termed to as Wahhabi/Salafis. A consequence of this has been that second or third generation Muslims have been exposed to a Theology that is anti-mainstream and literalist. Despite these differences, Mosques nonetheless will maintain an open policy to all denominations for congregational prayers or other religious practices.

There are two main sources for religious truth claims within Islam – the Qur’an and hadith. The Qur’an is the final revelation from God; it is the word of God. The corpus of hadith literature contains the sayings and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh); this is known as his Sunnah (Practice).

The Qur’an teaches the concept of Tawhid, the unity of God (Surah 112:1-4), that the whole of creation with the exception of human beings is in a state of submission (Islam) to God. To realize our fullest potential as God’s vicegerents on earth (khalifah), we must follow His guidance relating to every facet of our lives.

As an expression of His love and compassion He sent Prophets and Messengers (Surah 16:36) to remind humanity of the Unity of God and to remind them of their purpose in creation.

The Qur’anic teachings place great emphasis upon social justice and the striving towards the creation of a just society (Surahs 5:8, 6:162-164). God’s justice is inescapable and human beings are reminded continuously of accountability to God on the Day of Judgment (Surah 17:13-14). For Muslims, the Prophet is the Insan-i-Kamil, the Perfect Human being, and therefore must be emulated, and the seminal community of Muslims established in al-Madinah is the paradigm community.

The central beliefs and teachings of Islam are contained in a famous hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) called the hadith of Jibra’il, in which he defined Islam as constituting three dimensions – Islam, Iman and Ihsan. Islam is to testify there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (pbuh) is the Messenger of Allah, to perform the Salah, to give Zakah, to fast in the month of Ramadan, and to perform the Hajj, if one is able to. Iman or faith is defined as belief in Allah, His angels, His Revealed Books, His Messengers, the Day of Judgement, and in destiny, both the good and the evil. Ihsan or perfection of faith is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you see Him not, know that He sees you.

Islam is one of the Abrahamic faiths and maybe referred to as a cousin faith of both Christianity and Judaism. The central difference between Christianity and Islam is their conceptions of God. Christianity proclaims a Trinitarian nature of God and Jesus as the Son of God. Whereas for Muslims Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the final Messenger of Allah and therefore the Qur’an is the last and final revelation of Allah and His word. Allah is One, He neither begets nor is begotten (Surah 112) and is nothing like His creation (Surah 42:11). For Jews, Moses is the human receptacle through whom God reveals Himself and His law.

Without doubt, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the key figure who has been the most influential for Muslims. In Islam, he is the Seal of the prophets sent by God and it is through him that the foundations of Islam were laid down. It is because of him that Islam flourished and nowadays is the fastest growing religion in the world even after 14 centuries.

Khadijah, the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), is seen as the mother of Islam, as it is she who gave all she had in the way of Islam which initiated the success of the religion in the early days. She was an eminent woman who was highly respected by both men and women. She was the wealthiest woman in Arabia who was very powerful and influential. There is a difference of opinion between the two main sects in Islam (Sunni and Shi’a) as regards the succession of the Prophet.

The Sunni hold the companions (ashab) of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in high regard and consider the first four as the rightly guided successors (Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman and ‘Ali). The Shi’a Muslims believe that the first legitimate successor is Imam ‘Ali, as they believe he was chosen by God as opposed to being elected by the people.

‘Ayshah, daughter of Abu Bakr and one of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), is the lady who shaped Sunni Islam. She is held in very high esteem by Sunnis.

His family (Ahl al-Bayt) are also very important to Muslims, especially Shi’a Muslims, who regard the family of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as the true authorities and successors after his demise.

Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and wife of Imam ‘Ali (the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)), was a lady of knowledge and piety. Men and women would seek guidance and knowledge from her on many Islamic issues. It is Fatimah who shaped Shi’a Islam. Imam Hussein, the third Shi’a Imam is considered, particularly by Shi’a Muslims, as the saviour of Islam who sacrificed his life for the faith along with some of his family members and companions.

There are also contemporary personalities who are regarded as being influential in Islam. Malcolm X was a convert and a promoter of civil rights. He was affiliated with the Nation of Islam until 1964 when he entered mainstream Islam but was assassinated in 1965. Imam Khomeini was the founder of the Islamic Republic in Iran (1979) after an uprising the Shah regime. His thought and movement was inspired by Imam Hussein (mentioned above). He was a political and a spiritual leader.

Before the dawn of Islam, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was someone who attracted many people towards him. He was known as the trustworthy (al-aman) and to be very truthful (sadiq). Prior to the announcement of Islam and his Prophethood, there is a famous story about a Christian monk who saw the sign of prophecy in him and informed his uncle that he must look after him as he was destined for greatness. The migration (hijrah) from Makkah to al-Madinah is another notable event in the history of Islam as well as the night of ascension (mi’raj) where the Qur’an states that he was taken up to the heavens and travelled on a mystical and spiritual journey. There are many more stories about the Prophet and his mission in his biography (sarah).

There are numerous stories about the way in which the Prophet interacted with people prior to and after the birth of Islam. He treated all people equally, male or female, prince or pauper, black or white, rich or poor. He never discriminated against anyone and everything he did was for the sake of God and for His pleasure.

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the best example of spiritual and moral values. The Qur’an states:

‘Indeed you have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent exemplar (of moral conduct) for he whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day and who (frequently) engages in the remembrance of Allah’ (Surah 33:21).

God tells Muslims that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the most perfect example of moral conduct and who possesses sublime ethics. He is seen as the epitome of perfection in morals, conduct and in his very being as a human, he is the manifestation of the Beautiful Names of God on earth.

Although the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) passed away more than 14 centuries ago, his teachings are still leading Muslims today. Islam is a universal religion that caters for all people of all times. Muslims believe that the Qur’an is the eternal word of God and therefore Islam and its teaching are able to accommodate any society and any people, it should be adapted to cater for the society in which someone lives.

For all Muslims, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the very person who gives a meaning to their lives, it is he who sets the standards of human behaviour and it is he whose message is the very key to salvation in this temporal world and the eternal next.

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.

The Qur’an (cf. Surahs. 2:285, 112:1, 45:26) and the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) are replete with statements relating to principal beliefs of Islam. However, following the passing away of the Prophet, the early Muslim community was confronted with numerous doctrinal and theological challenges and to safeguard the community from heretical beliefs the leading scholar-jurists sought to provide creedal clarity and refine certain points of contention. The major Sunni creeds were articulated by Imam Abu Hanifa (80-150), Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (780-855), Imam al-Ash’ari (873-935) and Imam al-Tahawi (d. 933). Whereas Allama-i-Hilli (1250-1325) expresses the mainstream Shi’ah creed.

Visitors to Islamic countries often comment that one of the striking features of their visit is the Adhan, the Muslim call to prayer, called at every minaret of every mosque five times a day, the call is timed in such a way that the completion of one leads to the beginning of another, punctuating the air space of the village or town witnessing of the unity of Allah and the Messengership of Muhammad (pbuh). It invites Muslims to the congregational performance of the Salah and therefore all Muslims share the space for worship. The standing in rows shoulder to shoulder, the facing towards the qiblah, the recitation of the Qur’an, the movement of the body, culminating in the placing of one’s nose, forehead, and both hands on the floor in sijdah, is the greatest symbol of a Muslim’s complete and utter submission to Allah. After the Salah, Muslims will often recite litanies in glorification, praise and greatness of Allah by using the tasbih and will also recite the salawaat (blessings) upon the Prophet. Imams will often provide tafsir (commentary) on verses of the Qur’an or hadiths of the Prophet reminding one of Allah, the stories of the Prophets, the transient nature of this life, the grave and the ethical, moral and spiritual practice of the Prophet.

The Muslim holy book, the Qur’an, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) between the years 610-632 CE. The first revelation took place in the month of Ramadan 610CE. in the cave of Hira on a mountain called al-Nur.

That this is indeed a Qur’an Most Honourable,

In Book well-guarded,

Which none shall touch but those who are clean:

A Revelation from the Lord of the Worlds. (Surah 56 77-80)

The word Qur’an means ‘reading’ or ‘recitation’ in Arabic. The original Qur’an, ‘the mother of the book’, is in heaven. The Qur’an is the words of Allah. The words of the Qur’an were read or recited to Muhammad (pbuh) by the archangel Jibril at the command of Allah. Jibril’s first words to Muhammad (pbuh) were, ‘Proclaim (or read) in the name of Allah …’

The first revelation came on Laylat-ul-Qadr, the night of Power, one of the last ten days of Ramadan in the year 610 CE. It is said to have been twenty two years, five months and four days after the first revelation that the last verse was given:

This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. (Surah 5:3)

In Surah 97 it says that the Qur’an came to earth in its entirety on Laylat-ul-Qadr.

Theologians explain that it came to a spiritual sphere above the earth called the Bait al-Izza, the House of Glory, where eternity meets the world of time.

The Qur’an is divided into surahs which are made up of verses, ayat. One verse or unit is an ayah ‘a sign’.

The114 surahs are arranged according to length with the longest chapters at the beginning and much shorter surahs at the end. The main exception is the first surah Al-Fatihah, the Opening, which is short but very significant for iman – ‘faith’.

Every surah apart from Surah 9 begins with the words, ‘Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim’, ‘In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.’

The Qur’an is divided into thirty parts or ‘juz’. The whole book is a unity and is called al-kitab, the book or the scripture. Muhammad (pbuh) memorised the Qur’an as he heard it and then repeated it to his followers who learnt it and wrote it down. The Qur’an was not compiled as one book until after the death of the Prophet, since when it has remained unchanged.

Two years after Muhammad’s (pbuh) death, the first Khalifah, Abu Bakr, had all the pieces of the Qur’an collected into one book. Just before he died, Muhammad (pbuh) had sorted the revelations into surahs according to themes or because they had been received at the same time.

In 652 CE the third Khalifah, Uthman, had four copies of the Qur’an made based on the official version and sent one to each of four Islamic cities: Basra, Damascus, Kufh and al-Madinah.

Islam teaches that throughout history, from the time of the Prophet Adam and Hawwa (Eve), the first humans, Allah has sent revelations to help people to live according to his will. The last of these revelations was received by Muhammad. The earlier ones were:

-Sahifah revealed to the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham)
-Tawrah, Torah, the Law revealed to the Prophet Musa (Moses)
-Zabur, the book of Psalms revealed to the Prophet Dawud (David)
-Injil, the Gospel revealed to the Prophet Isa (Jesus)

Sunnah (Hadith): After the Qur’an, the second textual source for Islam is the record of the sayings and doings of the Prophet. These are known as the sunnah, the trodden path. Individual verbal records of what the Prophet said or did are known as hadith – a saying (plural: ahadith).

There are two types of ahadith; the Prophetic (sayings and advice from the Prophet) and the Qudsi or Sacred – insights about Islam in the words of Muhammad (pbuh). The number of ahadith reached thousands and some seem to be contradictory. A Muslim scholar, Bukhari made a list of 600,000 Hadith. He then rejected all those which could not be traced back to the companions of Muhammad (pbuh).Others were rejected because they contradicted the principles of the Qur’an. His final collection numbered 2762. He died in 870 CE.