Islam Begins With Peace
By: Dikla Kadosh
March 6, 2006 06:51 AM | Permalink
Islamic Cultural Center (photo courtesy of www.nyc-architecture.com)
The first thing young Muslim students learn when they walk into the Islamic Cultural Center in the upper east side of New York city is how to greet people.
“Assalam alaikum,” said Imam Shamsi-Ali, a youthful teacher in a dark gray suit and checkered white and blue shirt. He explained that the traditional greeting exchanged between Muslims means “peace be upon you.” Unlike good morning and hello, assalam alaikum is more than just a casual saying. “It’s a prayer and it’s our unique way of wishing goodness on someone every time we see them,” said Shamsi-Ali.
With a degree in comparative religions, the imam teaches both children’s classes and seminars for recently converted devotees to Islam at the Islamic Cultural Center on the corner of 3rd Avenue and 96th Street.
Whether it’s 6-year-olds or 66-year-olds that he’s instructing in the complexities of his religion, Shamsi-Ali uses the same approach. “I’m educating them in terms of character and behavior, not just in religion.” His voice is steady and pleasant. The greeting is a perfect introduction to Islam because it demonstrates how a person should behave towards others – with respect and good will. It is also indicative of how important prayers are in a Muslim’s daily life. Followers are required to pray five times a day, said Shamsi-Ali, who comes from Indonesia.
“There are five pillars of Islam,” he continued in his accented but elegant English. “Five practices a Muslim must follow during his lifetime.” In addition to daily prayers, they are: affirming that there is only one God and Muhammad is his prophet, giving charity to the poor, fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, and journeying to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
In addition to these five pillars, there are an additional six pillars of faith that a Muslim must accept into his heart – faith in the oneness of God, faith in the angels, faith in the holy books, faith in the prophets, faith in the day of judgment and faith in divine destiny.
“Islam is not only six plus five,” cautioned the soft-spoken teacher. “It’s a way of life. We live our lives according to the teachings of the Quran and they touch every aspect of our day. For instance, we eat only food prepared a certain way – Halal it’s called. We don’t drink alcohol. That’s to respect our minds.” He paused as if allowing his listener to digest all that he was teaching.
“Islam is about morality. It’s a way to treat people.” Shamsi-Ali began teaching after September 11th when he realized how little people knew about Islam. He began his seminar for curious non-Muslims with a simple lesson about Islam that had been all but forgotten.
“Assalam alaikum.” Peace be upon you.