About Us
Behind the Scenes
Here at the Muslim Association of Woodstock, we see the value in everyone. We want to be a catalyst for positive change, and since our rebirth in 2009, we’ve been driven by the same ideas which initially founded our Muslim Organization upon: support, empowerment, and progress.
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As we are a small Muslim Organization, we would like to educate you about our faith as this underpins our core value system, especially during a time of intolerance and Islamophobia.
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A Brief History of the Islamic Faith:
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As Muslims we believe that Allah (God) Almighty created Adam to be his servant on Earth; hence, all of mankind has a common ancestor and a common root that goes back to Adam and Eve (Lady Hawa).
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Our Lord, Most High, then sent numerous Prophets and Messengers to remind mankind to re-connect to Him. This was done as a reminder to each successive generation so that they would not forget their spiritual roots.
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According to Islamic tradition, the Lord sent down 124,000 Prophets to all nations and nationalities.
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This includes Adam (peace be upon him), who despite being the first human, was a Prophet to his immediate family. He was followed by Noah, Abraham, Lot, Ishmael, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses to (the Israelites in Egypt) and Aaron (his brother) followed by King David and King Soloman and then continuing through to Jonah, Elijah, Zacharia, and then through to his nephews John (the Baptist) and Jesus (Messiah) peace be upon them all.
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The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born in Makka (Mecca) in 570 AD and was the last Prophet that the Lord sent to humanity. He is often referred to as the Seal of the Prophets, bearing a mark on his shoulder blade, as foretold by earlier Prophets to their respective communities.
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From the age of 40, his blessed mission lasted 23 years, before being called to his Lord (Most High) at the age of 63. His message was a universal one to all the children of Adam, from East to West, until the end of time.
It is one that should suffice as a guide to all of mankind, through every trial and tribulation, until their last day.
To read more about the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his spiritual majesty and mission click here to read about his message of non-violence click here.
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Islam is a continuation of the Judea-Christian tradition. Muslims believe in the teachings of the the Holy Torah (Old Testament) and the Holy Bible (New Testament). Islam sought to clarify the messages encapsulated in these holy texts, and to elaborate on them.
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As Muslims we believe in the Unity of God and thus do not accept the concept of the Trinity, which is a view point we share with some Christians such as the Unitarians or Nontrinitarism.
To read about the Muslim perspective on the Trinity click here.
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The Holy Book of the Muslims is called the Quran (Koran) and it was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) over a period of 23 years by the Archangel Gabriel.
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The Prophet (peace be upon him) would be visited by the Archangel Gabriel on a regular basis, in order to deliver instruction from God.
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The Holy Quran consists of 114 chapters divided into 6236 verses and 323,000 letters.
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To read the opening chapter from the Holy Quran click here and to read further excerpts click here.
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The Holy Quran contains all the wisdom and laws that were given to all the previous Prophets and Messengers, encompassing the laws of Moses, David and Jesus, in addition to further teachings and insights.
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To read further about the spiritual message from the Holy Quran click here and to read about the peace covenant from the Holy Quran click here.
To read about the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and His shared message with the Judea - Christian tradition click here.
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To read about the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) in the Holy Quran click here.
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To read about the Prophet Muhammad & the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon them) and their respective spiritual missions click here.
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Islam is essentially a faith that is based on five simple principles:
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1. Shahdah - (Faith or submission) - that we worship the (One True) Lord alone and do not associate any partners with him.
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2. Salah - (five daily prayers) - from dawn to evening at various intervals: Fajar (dawn), Dhur (noon), Asar (afternoon), Maghrib (evening), and Isha (night).
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3. Fasting - for a 30-day period in the Holy month of Ramadan, as a means of exercising control over one's physical and materialistic inclinications in order to reconnect with Divine.
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4. The Hajj - performing pilgrimage to Makka (Mecca) in the footsteps of our forefathers the Prophets Abraham and Ishmael (peace be upon them).
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5. Zakat - (Charity) - to be generous to the stranger, the orphan, the widow and the poor.
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To Learn more about the basic tenets of Islam please click here.