11 Facts About Islam: Explore The Less Known

Islam (Credit: APSCE)

Despite being one of the biggest and most powerful religions in the world, many people are still ignorant about some of Islam's more complex elements. There is an extensive collection of lesser-known but interesting facts that demonstrate the depth of the religion and its contributions to civilisation, even though the majority of the global discussion surrounding Islam centres on fundamental beliefs like faith in Allah, Muhammad's prophetic status, and religious rituals like prayer and fasting.

Eleven uncommon and little-known facts about Islam that demonstrate its profound theological, philosophical, and cultural diversity will be discussed in this blog post article where these facts paint a more comprehensive picture of the Islamic faith, ranging from historical contributions that influenced the development of human understanding to revolutionary scientific discoveries included in the Quran.

1. The Scientific Miracles of The Quran: In addition to being a religious document, many people believe that the Quran contains verses that reveal scientific truths that were not known at the time of revelation. Often called "scientific miracles," these verses are in line with recent findings in geology, biology, and astronomy like for instance, the explanation of human embryonic development found in Quran 23:12–13 is among the most frequently quoted examples.

   "And indeed, We created humankind1 from an extract of clay, then placed each ˹human˺ as a sperm-drop1 in a secure place,"

   The above description is quite close to the "clot" stage that human embryos go through, as modern science has revealed. In the same way, Quran 51:47 discusses the universe's expansion.

   "We built the universe with ˹great˺ might, and We are certainly expanding ˹it˺."

   Astronomers like Edwin Hubble's discovery of the universe's expansion in the 20th century reflected this old realisation, which is seen as a supernatural premonition of scientific facts.

   These illustrations only scratch the surface of how the Quran aligns with contemporary science, which is why many scholars and believers find it thought-provoking.

2. The Idea Behind "Tawhid": The idea that God (Allah) is one is known as Tawhid, and it is central to Islam. Even though this idea is well recognised, its ramifications go well beyond simply having faith in one God whereby all facets of a Muslim's life, whether social, moral, or private, should be focused on worshiping Allah alone, as He is the only source of wisdom, according to Tawhid. This oneness serves as a practical manual for living in accordance with divine intent in addition to being a theological concept with every action Muslims perform in life being influenced by their belief that God is the ultimate source of morality, meaning, and purpose, hence Tawhid is essentially the cornerstone of Islamic belief and practice, upon which everything else is based.

3. The First Muslim Was a Woman: It is crucial to acknowledge that Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Prophet Muhammad's first wife, was the first individual to embrace Islam, despite the fact that many people link the early spread of Islam to him and his male associates. In addition to becoming the first Muslim, Khadijah was a trailblazing woman in her own right, a powerful businesswoman and a representation of faith, strength, and knowledge. Khadijah's steadfast support was crucial in the early days of Islam since she believed in Muhammad's message before it was generally acknowledged providing the Prophet with consolation, protection, and confidence during his early hardships with the significant significance that women have played throughout Islamic history is highlighted by her legacy as the first Muslim.

4. The Concept of "Ijtihad": The term "Ijtihad" refers to the use of one's own discretion or independent reasoning when interpreting Sharia law, the Islamic legal code which is based on the Quran and Hadith, or the Prophet's sayings and deeds, enabling scholars to modify and apply these precepts to novel situations, thus Islam is a dynamic and changing religion. In the past, Ijtihad gave Muslim academics the opportunity to tackle legal, social, and political issues that emerged in quickly evolving cultures and because it guarantees that Islamic law maintains its relevance to modern issues while maintaining its fundamental ethical precepts, it is evidence of the adaptability and flexibility of Islamic jurisprudence.

5. The Role of the "Mawla" (Protector or Ally): People who were not biological relatives but were nevertheless regarded as family members were referred to as Mawla in early Islamic history. The connection between the Prophet Muhammad and his cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib (often referred to as a Mawla in Islamic texts) is the most notable example. Freed slaves who sided with well-known members of the early Muslim community as a source of moral and social support were also referred to by this word. This idea highlights the Islamic belief that moral and spiritual ties, in addition to ancestry, are the foundation of relationships. Mawla's concept emphasises the value of unity, defense, and assistance in the early Muslim fraternity.

6. The Bismillah Phrase: "Bismillah" (meaning "In the name of Allah") is one of the most often uttered words in Islam which indicates that the action is being performed with the goal of pleasing God and Muslims are advised to repeat this phrase at the start of practically every activity, from eating to working since this short but effective sentence promotes a continuous connection to the divine by keeping one's attention on God throughout the day not forgetting that a Muslim who invokes Bismillah asks for heavenly grace and assistance in completing all of their obligations, no matter how big or small.

7. Contributions of The Islamic Golden Age: Significant progress was made in a number of disciplines during the 8th–13th century Islamic Golden Age, including astronomy, mathematics, and medicine where also algebra was developed by scholars such as Al-Khwarizmi, while Ibn Sina (Avicenna) authored important medical texts that were utilised for centuries throughout Europe. Ancient Greek and Roman knowledge was also preserved and expanded throughout this time, thanks to Muslim academics who translated important works into Arabic and built upon them. During the Renaissance, Europe's intellectual awakening was greatly aided by the contributions of the Islamic Golden Age.

8. Muslims Oppose The Concept of Original Sin: Islam rejects the idea of original sin, in contrast to several other religions, holding that there is no intrinsic sin in people and that everyone is born pure. God pardoned the transgression of the first person, the prophet Adam, and it did not affect his descendants with every individual being exclusively responsible for their own activities, and their moral status is established by their decisions and behaviours. This point of view highlights the significance of personal accountability as well as everyone's capacity for repentance and forgiveness.

9. Iconoclasm and Islamic Art: Islamic art is distinguished by its abstract designs, calligraphy, and elaborate patterns where Islamic art typically focuses on geometric patterns and stylised representations of nature because it is forbidden to depict humans or animals in religious circumstances (to prevent idolatry). Another characteristic of Islamic artistic expression is the use of calligraphy, especially Quranic verses whereby this tradition reflects a deeper theological principle: the conviction that God is not physically represented and that abstract shapes, as opposed to actual pictures, might portray His beauty.

10. The Islamic Lunar Calendar is an Alternative Calendar: The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle, as opposed to the solar cycle of the Gregorian calendar whereby because of this, Islamic months are roughly 10–12 days shorter than Gregorian ones. In light of this discrepancy, Islamic holidays like Ramadan and the Hajj fall about 10–12 days earlier every year. The lunar calendar's architecture enables a close relationship with the moon's cycles, which is useful for figuring out when to fast and go on religious journeys.

11. Muslim Participation in Ancient Text Preservation: While a great deal of information from the ancient Greek and Roman empires was lost during Europe's Dark Ages, Muslim scholars managed to preserve, translate, and build upon these books where the Renaissance's intellectual renaissance was fuelled in large part by this process, which brought classical knowledge back to Europe and in addition to preserving Greek philosophical writings, notable scholars like Ibn Rushd (Averroes) and Al-Farabi also contributed to disciplines like political theory, ethics, and logic.

Summary

With a rich history that goes well beyond the fundamentals of belief and practice, Islam is a complex and profound religion. From scientific revelations in the Quran to the contributions of Muslim academics in a variety of professions, the 11 facts listed above only scratch the surface of Islam's lesser-known yet intriguing facets. A more comprehensive image of Islam that highlights its diversity, depth of thought, and historical influence can be created by comprehending each of these aspects since it is essential to promote a deeper comprehension and admiration of the numerous contributions and teachings of Islam as the world becomes increasingly interconnected.