For visitors
Islam, briefly
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّٰهِ
There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.
One God
Muslims worship one God alone. In Arabic, God is called Allah. Nothing is like Him. He is not a person, and He has no son and no partner.
The message
God sent messengers. The last of them is Muhammad, in Arabia in the seventh century. The Qur’an is what Muslims hold to be God’s word, kept in Arabic. His life is the example they try to follow.
Five duties
These are the five pillars. A Muslim’s life is built on them.
- The witness, in the Arabic line above.
- Prayer, five times a day.
- A set share of wealth for people in need.
- Fasting in Ramadan, from dawn until sunset.
- The pilgrimage to Makkah, once, for whoever is able.
What you may notice
Prayer faces Makkah. Friday has a sermon, then the congregation prays. Pork and alcohol are not used. A common greeting is “peace be upon you.” Men and women often pray in separate spaces. Clothes cover the body.
Who Muslims are
Islam is not a race, and it is not only Arab. Muslims speak Urdu, Bengali, Tamil, Chinese, English, and many other languages.
Nur is a prayer guide: the times, how to pray, today’s recitation, and the masjids. You can read any page. You do not have to be Muslim to look.