...Response I am writing this paper about the five pillars of Islam. This paper on the five pillars of Islam is a response to two very specific questions. The first question being what are the central beliefs of Islam, and how are they reflected in the "Five Pillars" (Fisher, 2014). Then I will answer the second question which of the Five Pillars do you feel would be easiest to fulfill, and which would be the most challenging (Fisher, 2014). By the end of this paper I will have learned a lot about the beliefs of Muslim people and have answers to these questions. The central beliefs of Islam are the Shahadah, salaat, zakat, fasting, and hajj. The Shahadah or belief and witness is the first pillar of Islam which is believing and professing the unity of God and the messenger ship of Muhammad: “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God,” to which Shi’ites add “and ’Ali is the Master of the believers.” The Qur’an requires the faithful to tell others of Islam, so that they will have the information they need to make an intelligent choice. (Fisher, 2014, Chapter 10, Islam). Salaat or daily prayers is the second pillar of Islam is when “Five times a day, the faithful are to perform ablutions with water (or sand or dirt if there is no water), face Mecca, and recite a series of prayers and passages from the Qur’an, bowing and kneeling.” (Fisher, 2014). The salaat consists of five obligatory daily prayer times that are usually done early morning after dawn and before...
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...Understanding the Teachings of Islam Devry University Abstract Even though Islam is the third largest religion practiced in the U.S., many see Islam through a distorted view that focuses on terrorists and extremists. Even though this religion teaches peace and love, because of highly publicized Islamic fundamentalists who have abused and defamed the name of Islam there are stereotypes and distrust geared towards the group. The purpose of this paper is to give a brief insight into the teachings of Islam and how those teaching promote love and peace, not war and bloodshed, in spite of the misconceptions. Understanding the Teachings of Islam Right now, Islam is a highly controversial and sensitive issue in today’s world and there are many misconceptions about its beliefs, values, and goals. The condition of Islam right now is in chaos because of the acts of terrorists and extremists. There needs to be an understanding that the religion of Islam does not portray violence and hate that most see in the media today. The religion of Islam is not very different from other highly practiced religions in the world. Many see Islam through a fallacious view that focuses on terrorists and extremists. Even though this religion teaches mercy and compassion, it has been abused by these people to change focus of the true meaning. The purpose of this paper is to give a brief insight into the teachings of Islam and how this religion is not about the violence and hate. By discussing its...
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...Ivery December 7, 2011 Islamic religions The religion I have chosen for this paper is Islamic. I chose to research Islamic because I do not understand the faith of Islamic, I do not know what they are all bout. By me doing a research paper about Islamic it give me the understanding and knowledge about another religion. Islamic are known to be as the fastest growing religion in the world today, they remain misunderstood and the disagreement of many. Maybe it has something to do with the influential media that portrays typical Islamic followers like militant terrorists ready to die for their faith, or Muslims, as Arabs. There are many Arabs that are Muslims, but not all Muslims are Arabs. The issues are the prevailing message Islam and war going hand in hand and the big conflict with Christianity and Islamic. This paper will give you an overview of the religion Islamic and the beliefs, traditions, the similar and contrasts with Christianity, the practiced and I will give you information from an interview with a Muslim. The Muslims believe that Qur’an is the word of God. Qur’an is the places were teaching form the prophet Muhammad. Muslims honor God by obeying and following the five pillars of Islam which are Belief and witness: Shahadah is the first pillar of Islam they believe that there is only one god and Muhammad is the messenger of god. The following is an excerpt from the Qur’an – the Islam central text: “Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out Clear...
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...Islam Religion Stephanie Scott Professor Carmen Pai Daschke REL 212 World Religions 12/16/12 Islam Religion Today I am doing my paper over the Islamic Religion. Earlier in the semester I had some misunderstanding about the religion because I didn’t really know the religion and parts of me didn’t want to know. I knew going into this class I had to be opened minded but I wasn’t. I think it took me the whole class to build myself to where I could be open minded. The first thing I did in researching for this paper was to figure out how I wanted to get my information. I felt that I wasn’t quite to the point of actually going to a foreign service so I researched and found a man that goes by the name Yaser Birjas. Instead of emailing we spoke over the phone and it was quite an experience. I realized that I was being judgmental about the Islam Religion because I didn’t know really anything about it. During our discussion we talked about the history of the Islam Religion, the Six Articles of Faith, the 5 Pillars of Islam, and misconceptions. In speaking with Mr. Birjas about the Islam Religion he started out with a small history lesson about what the Islam Religion is about. He states that Islam is a sequel of previous religions and that there are similarities because all religions are born from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Ishmael. This was new to me, I didn’t know this about the Islam religion and I sure didn’t realize this was the beginning of learning something new. Islam...
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...Jesus and Muhammad Paper Instructor: Pablo Cuadra Axia College Still alive today are the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad and Jesus of Nazareth. Many lives across the world have been affected and inspired by the life and death of the Prophet Muhammad and Jesus. In their religion, both Jesus and Muhammad were considered to be the greatest prophets. Many who followed and practiced their faith still consider both of these men as leaders of their times. What is now called the Common Era, Jesus is believed to be born in Bethlehem a few years before. Mary gave birth to a miraculous son named Jesus, which is told by the New Testament. As, in the New Testament a carpenter named Joseph is said to believe that he is the father of Jesus. It was also said that Jesus followed in his footsteps and was a carpenter himself. During Jesus younger years, there is not much said about them in the New Testament. There is more said about Jesus in the New Testament when he was approximately thirty years old. Jesus had done many travels. Through his traveling Jesus started preaching to small groups of people. He also gathered many disciples and followers that listened to what he was preaching. Many people would follow him just to hear what he was preaching. Faith, forgiveness and humility are what Jesus would preach throughout his travels. He also preached about great mercy and God’s forgiveness. Through Jesus travels, while preaching the word, he also performed many miracles. He is a few of the...
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...Scientology vs. Islam For my term paper, I chose to compare two religions that most Americans are not familiar with the principles of: Islam and scientology. I will look into the differences that these religions present and examine different parts of their them. Over the course of this paper I’ll look at seven aspects of these religions, which include their origins and histories, size, their view on the purpose of life and the roles that humans play, their beliefs of on the afterlife, specific practices they take part in, and the texts from which their religion can be applied from. First of all, the origins and histories of these two religions differ greatly. Islam is considered to be the youngest of the seven great world religions, dating back to its creation in seventh-century Saudi Arabia. The prophet Muhammad introduced Islam in 610 AD after experiencing an “angelic visitation.” Muslims believe that Qu’ran, which is the holy book of Islam, were the preexistent and perfect words from Allah. Muhammad dictated the Qu’ran. Muhammad is loosely credited with the origin of Islam, although many Muslims believe that Islam existed way before Muhammad was even alive. And although Muhammad dictated the Qu’ran, the Qu’ran states that Muhammad was not the originator. The Qu’ran instead states that God wrote the Qu’ran, who in turn had the angel Gabriel dictate it to the prophet Muhammad (“Origin”). In contrast, the church of Scientology was formed just 55 years ago, in 1954. The...
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...World Religions Report Denise Flythe HUM/130 March 3, 2013 Andrew Stein Islam Islam is one of the most misunderstood religions of the world today. One attributing factor for this misunderstanding has much to do with the fact that in recent years, Islam has been in the spotlight because of heightened tensions in parts of the Middle East. This tension serves to put its culture under the microscope of world attention; and although it is a major part of the Middle Eastern culture, it happens to be so much more. Like Christianity, Islam is one of the fastest growing religions today and it is rapidly spreading for several reasons. Islam has a strong political and cultural base because it happens to be the state religion of Moslem countries. Its simple creed and tenets gives it a universal appeal, and the fact that it has no racial barriers and it embraces universal unity also helps it to spread rapidly in both African and American communities. Furthermore, easy communication and practicality of its Five Pillars also helps it to spread even more swiftly in the Western Hemisphere. Many sources are available that provide information for extensive research on the topic of Islam; however, personal communication as a source, provides a more unique perspective on this topic. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to highlight as well as to summarize a recent interview with an Islamic adherent as he gives his opinion on this topic. This summary will provide an in-depth report...
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...Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity: First Draft Michelle L. Murphy GCU: Spirituality in Healthcare March 16, 2014 Rev. Rick Hudock Abstract As heath care providers we need to keep mindful of the care we provide to several different religious traditions. It is up to the health care professional to respect and understand the ideals that affect our patients and their family members. In this paper we will compare the philosophies of three diverse faiths. The faiths chosen are Islam, Christian Science and Buddhism, and how they compare to Christianity. We will learn about basic beliefs, spiritual perspectives on healing, and the components of healing such as meditation, prayer and other rituals they follow. Furthermore, addressing the importance and perceptive of how to care for a patient with a different faith and cultural view. In the field of nursing we are in constant contact with patients of several different faiths. This requires an abundance of knowledge and acceptance towards multiple beliefs and religions. The philosophies of Christian Science, Buddhism and Islam compared to Christianity have significantly diverse beliefs surrounding health, illness, death and healing. From a spiritual perspective we will learn about each of these faiths. We will place focus on their beliefs on healing, meditation, rituals, prayer and their views on afterlife. We as healthcare providers need to know what is viewed with importance in their faith in order to treat the patient...
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...the World Islamic Teachings around the World Islam is a highly misunderstood religion, with regard to Muslim’s beliefs, values, and goals. Many of the Muslim practices are different throughout the world depending on the local culture. Islam is the second largest religion with Christianity being first. In 2000 Islamic followers were 1.2 billion, which was 22 percent of the world population. According to Clark (2003) this percentage makes Islam the fastest growing major religion. This paper will research the teachings of Islam, compare the three major religions of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, and point out similarities and differences in different countries. The history of Islam including the Qur’an will be discussed. The dissimilarity between radical Islamic extremist groups and Islam will be discussed. History of Islam Muhammad, at age 40, was visited by the angel Gabriel in the year 610 A. D. to be God’s prophet. He was given the mission of convincing others who worshiped many gods that they should submit to one God. Although Muhammad had few followers in the beginning he continued to teach his revelations in Mecca. In 622 A.D. Muhammad and his followers moved to Medina where the first Muslim community began, this is considered the first year in the Muslim calendar. In the years that followed the Muslim armies overtook most of Arabia, India, and Spain. Some communities were converted to the Islam faith peacefully while others were forced into acceptance...
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...Sunni and Sh’ia: The Branches of Islam By Kendra Craig March 5, 2010 Strayer University Abstract The paper is focused on Sunni and Sh’ia, which are two branches of Islam. The paper will compare the different religious belief that is practiced throughout Islam. It will also show the laws and the cultures of each religious branch. The paper will show the major dispute that caused separation of these religions in Islam. Sunni and Sh’ia Sunni and Sh’ia are two of the most dominate cultures in Islam. In my research, I learned that these two branches were among the worst enemies of the Islamic culture. In this paper I will show the differences in the belief of each religious group. I will also show the division within the Islamic community between these groups. Sunni Muslims are individuals that were firm believers in the prophet Muhammad. The words that were spoken through Muhammad influenced and provided them with strong religious belief. Sunni means “customary practices” (Macmillan Reference USA 2001-2006) which referred to the teaching and preaching of Muhammad. The Sh’ia Muslims are individuals that believe that the political leader position should have gone to Ali (Penay). Sh’ia means “group” or faction”. After the death of Muhammad is when things began to turn for the worst between these communities. The main belief of the Sunni Muslims was those that came after Muhammad were true believers of Muhammad teachings. This allowed them to become comfortable with...
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...WORLDVIEW/RELIGION ANALYSIS PAPER Nathan Brookstone, Jr. APOL 500 26 October 2012 Introduction There are many ‘Worldviews’ regarding religion. The topic of this paper will discuss the Worldview known as Islam. Islam claims to be the only true religion, bringing the purest message of Allah and could have succeeded. This paper will contain a summary of Islam, a critique, a plan as to how Christians can share the gospel and a conclusion. Summary of the Worldview of Islam Islam, to surrender, is a worldview religion founded by Abu al-Qasim Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn “Abd al Muttalib ibn Hashim; or more commonly known, Muhammad. Isalam is a religion based on one man’s vision, one man’s experience. Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, is believed to be the last prophet of Allah (God). To understand Islam is to get to now its founder, Muhammad; as well as his life changing visions. Muhammad was forty years old when he experienced his first vision. It is said that Muhammad had a vision that he was visited by the angel Gabriel. In this vision Gabriel said that all the religions of the world were not only wrong and corrupted. In this vision Gabriel also said that the message of God was corrupted by man and he would be Gods messenger. Muhammad was going to receive the message from God. Muhammad was not only going to receive the message from God, but he was also going to record this message and bring it to man; to bring...
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...Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 13 (Research in Contemporary Islamic Finance and Wealth Management): 98-102, 2013; ISSN 1990-9233 © IDOSI Publications, 2013 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.mejsr.2013.13.1888 The Concept and Challenges of Islamic Pawn Broking (Ar-Rahnu) 1 S. Hisham, 1S. Abdul Shukor, 1A.B. Ummi Salwa and 2Kamaruzaman Jusoff 1 Faculty of Economics and Muamalat, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800 Bandar Baru Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia 2 Department of Forest Production, Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia Abstract: The introduction of Islamic pawn broking (Ar-Rahnu) in Malaysia is seen as a new micro credit instrument. This paper aims to provide a review on Ar-Rahnu’s concept and challenges faced by Islamic pawn shops in Malaysia. The study employs library and archive research to achieve the objectives of the paper. Islamic pawn broking consists of four basic concepts namely Qardhul Hasan, Ar-Rahnu, Al-Wadi'ah and Al-Ujrah. The Islamic pawn broking have several advantages over conventional pawn broking because it provides a cheaper way to obtain financing and is free from interest. In addition, assets pawned are guaranteed to be kept safely and there is a fair practice in auctioning and bidding. In addition, Ar-Rahnu also helps finance educational needs and provides capital to small businesses and entrepreneurs. It implies that this instrument will help the community to increase economic capability...
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...Religion Research MSB Religion Research Islam is one of the world’s largest religions with estimates of around 1.6 billion practitioners worldwide. (The Future of the Global Muslim Population, 2011, para. 1) The Islam religion is a monotheistic religion that actually shares some of the same beliefs and even texts as Christianity and Judaism. Even though Islam is considered by many to be the religion of terrorists the actual religious texts preach kindness and compassion to all creatures of the earth. The main tenants of the religion are the five pillars of Islam which include, (1) Testimony of faith; saying with conviction “there is no true god but Allah and Mohammed is his messenger”. (2) Prayer; all Muslims are required to pray toward Mecca five times a day. (3) Giving to the needy. (4) Fasting; Muslims are required to fast during the holy month of Ramadan from sunrise till sunset unless medically unable or traveling soldiers engaged in war are also exempt. (5) Pilgrimage; any Muslim who is physically and financially is obligated to make the pilgrimage or Hajj to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. (A Brief Guide to Understanding Islam website, n.d., Chapter 3) The biggest belief of the Muslim religion is that there is only one God, this is the one major point of contention that it has with Christianity. Muslims acknowledge Jesus as being a great profit and even acknowledge his birth to the Virgin Mary but deny that he is the son of God because if this were true...
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...Catholicism and the World Nichole L. Lombardi Axia College of University of Phoenix Catholicism and the World I have never been a person of faith, so this paper was intended to further my understanding of Catholicism, how it works, and how it compares to one of the fastest growing religions in the world, Islam. I have known of the existence of Catholicism for many years, but the usual things I have heard about it have been the negatives involving scandals with the clergy or some other important announcement from the Pope. This paper is intended to give both me and the reader a greater understanding of what the catholic faith is and how it relates to Islam, as well as describing some of the practices involved in these faiths. I have completed an interview with a practicing Catholic in order to facilitate my understanding. What I learned in this interview will be revealed later in this paper. By the end of this paper, I hope to have a better understanding of what it means to be a Catholic or a Muslim. Most importantly, I hope to truly understand what causes people to believe the things they believe and embrace religion. The Catholic Church is one of the oldest of religions and claims to be the original form of Christianity. The teachings and practices of Catholicism are believed to be handed down from Jesus Christ himself directly to the 12 apostles. The Catholic Church has enjoyed a very colorful history that includes the Crusades, the great Catechism, and more recently...
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...Religious Principles at AUI Done by: Elias-Crespo Molato Omar Badaoui Abd Errahmane Morchid SSK1202 Spring 2008 Instructor’s Name: Mrs.Monica Sturgess Abstract The main objective of this research study is to find out the level of commitment of AUI students toward their religion. It had been revealed after going through the literature review that the main reasons that push students to ignore their religion can be related to the political regime that the government is approaching which combines religion with modernity, parents that don’t want to put pressure on their children, and the lack of connecting religion with the public schools curriculum. In order to get a relevant research, we have used both qualitative and quantitative methods. We have formed a survey and handed 70 copies to AUI students, Moroccan and exchange ones. Moreover, we have accomplished a meeting with the Imam of the mosque in order to use his experience to enhance our research. The result section showed that students at AUI have interest in their faith; however, since they are strained by studies, they don’t give much time to religion pursuits. These results have helped us to comprise a clear comprehension of the main aspects of this topic, as well as to correct some of the wrong images that we used to have toward AUI students like the lack of praying and interest to religion. Introduction Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane is a Moroccan University that is based on the...
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