...Converting from Christianity to Islam Crystal K. Baldwin Religion and Philosophy: Humanities 400 Professor Phillip Van Vleck Abstract I Love The Lord…He Heard My Cry I’ve always had a strong faith in our Heavenly Father. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. My views and beliefs have developed over a long period of time and have changed as I have grown in my faith and knowledge. In the past few years my family and I have gone through many trials and tribulations. Test on my faith has caused my spiritual confidence to falter, so I turned to reading, researching and asking questions. I’ve always had an interest in Islam. My eldest son recently converted from Christianity to Islam. I asked him why he converted and his answer was “because he always questioned the Jesus thing”. He said he never understood how Jesus died for our sins and we continue to sin. I found his statement very profound; it caused my own doubts and me to think about my many years of being a Christian. Muslims believe that Christians are committing shirk by referring to Jesus as the Son of God and believing in the Trinity (which, according to the Qu’ran, consists of God, Mary and Jesus – 5:116). The word “Muslim” means one who surrenders to the will of God; no matter what their race, nationality or ethnic background. If a person truly wants to become a Muslim their first step is to speak the “Shahada”, the testimony of faith. In Islam the Shahada is the first and most...
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...Islam (Arabic: الإسلام; al-'islām is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion originating with the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure. The word Islam means "submission", or the total surrender of oneself to God (Arabic: الله, Allāh).An adherent of Islam is known as a Muslim, meaning "one who submits (to God)". There are between 1.1 billion to 1.8 billion Muslims, making Islam the second-largest religion in the world after Christianity,but the largest single religious denomination. Muslims believe that God revealed the Qur'an to Muhammad, God's final prophet, and regard the Qur'an and the Sunnah (words and deeds of Muhammad) as the fundamental sources of Islam. They do not regard Muhammad as the founder of a new religion, but as the restorer of the original monotheistic faith of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets. Islamic tradition holds that Jews and Christians distorted the revelations God gave to these prophets by either altering the text, introducing a false interpretation, or both. Islam includes many religious practices. Adherents are generally required to observe the Five Pillars of Islam, which are five duties that unite Muslims into a community. In addition to the Five Pillars, Islamic law (sharia) has developed a tradition of rulings that touch on virtually all aspects of life and society. This tradition encompasses everything from practical matters like dietary laws and banking to warfare. Almost all Muslims belong to one...
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...Islam and Christianity Robert Gilman 9/5/2010 HUM/130 Gerald Ediger Islam is a monotheistic faith and is the world’s second largest religion second to Christianity. Islam in an Arabic word means submission. The word Islam is derived from the word Salom meaning peace and the word Muslim is related to the work Islam meaning “one who surrenders” or submits to God. The followers of the Islamic faith are called Muslims and they believe that Muhammad in known as the prophet along with Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Muslims adhere to the principles of the Koran which teaches peace and tolerance. Muslims adhere to the principles of the Koran which teach peace and tolerance (Howie, 2010). I recently had a chance to interview a gentlemen which goes by the name Usama, he speaks with an accent but speaks very well. I want to compare the services with the Catholic services and ask him how often do the attend service he replied, “as often as one wants too” others practice in solitary, he then said that they encourage everyone to practice with the congregation which is on Friday service and begins around 12:15p which depends on the time of the year and there is also a service around 3:00p. The service last about 2 hours could be longer or shorter depending on the iman. The men are require to bath before they come to service and in his...
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...While the presence of Islam in West Africa some economic motivations, highlight the draw of Islam’s spiritual message. The presence of Islam in West Africa was related to trade and commerce in West Africa. Trade between West Africa and the Mediterranean preexisted Islam, however, North African Muslims strengthened the Trans-Saharan trade. North African traders were major factors in introducing Islam into West Africa. The past of Islam in West Africa can be explained in three stages, control, socializing, and reform. In the first stage, African kings controlled Muslim influence by segregating Muslim communities, in the second stage African leaders merged Islam with local traditions as the population selectively appropriated Islamic practices, and finally in the third stage, African Muslims forced for change in an effort to free their societies. Several factors led to the growth of the Muslim merchant-scholar class. Islam facilitated long distance trade by offering valuable tools for merchants for example the contract law, recognition, and information networks. They had the important ability of written script, which helped in the administration of kingdoms. Muslim communities in the forest zones were minority communities often linked to trading Diasporas. Many of the traditions in the forest zones still reflect the tradition of Saurian which focused on responsibilities of Muslims in a non-Muslim society. The boundaries of the ancient Kingdom encompassed the Middle Niger Delta region...
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...students wear uniform have significantly improved results with smaller amounts of detentions then students who do not wear uniform. This strongly suggests to us that students who wear uniform in school have better attitude then students who do not wear uniform. On the other hand children believe that uniform takes away their identity, for example children like to express who they are. I strongly believe this is irrational because children expressing themselves can lead to conflicts with other students due to their identity. In addition to what I have pointed out, another reason school uniform should be introduced is because of religious beliefs, i.e. in Islam Muslims believe that everyone is equal and should be treated equally. This implies to us that religious beliefs are a factor in introducing uniform because not introducing uniform may suggest to people that our school does not care about our faith and what we believe in. This may label our school as a fascist school by where the school only cares about what they want and not what the students want. Do you want our school to be judged like this? We would like to imply to you that the introduction of school uniform will enhance student`s concentration in class. Recent studies show that wearing uniform improves children`s concentration which will also improve their school work. In an opposing opinion students may say wearing uniform does not affect their concentration in class because they work hard in lesson. I strongly...
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...Education: He was among the few people in Mecca who knew reading and writing before Islam. Occupation: His main occupation was business. Umars acceptance of Islam: During the 6th year of the prophets mission when the Quraish leaders called a meeting and ask for a volunteer for the assassination of the Prophet (saw) Umar offered himself for this job. While on his way with a sword in his hand he met Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas who asked of him and about his destination. Umar told him he was going to murder the Prophet (saw). After some discussion Sa’d said you had better take care of your own family first. Your sister and brother in law have accepted Islam. Hearing this Umar changed his direction and went straight to his sister’s house. When Umar knocked on the door they were studying the Holy Quran from Khabbab. His sister Fatimah was frightened on hearing Umars voice tried to hide the portion of the Quran she was reciting. When Umar entered the house he enquired about their Islam and on finding that they had accepted Islam he first fell upon his brother in law and beat him severely. When his sister stepped in to help he smote her so violently on her face she it bled profusely. ON this his sister burst out “DO whatever you like, we are determined to die as Muslims” When Umar saw his sister bleeding he cooled down and felt ashamed. He loved Fatimah very much but could not tolerate her conversion to Islam, However deeply moved Umar asked her to show the pages on which the Holy Quran...
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...only after they had conquered and restored a central rule over the Middle East. As the main presence of Islamic rule for nearly one hundred years, the period of Umayyad rule can be seen as the nucleus for defining Islam and it’s relationship with the government. Their inclusion of Muhammad into the government signaled to non-Muslims that the religion of Islam was not going anywhere. During the Civil Wars period, the conflict in the Middle East arose between tribal groups of Believers. Warriors fought under the protection of God who would enable them to prevail because they had the true leader after the death of Muhammad. These wars helped to legitimize the rule of the Umayyad caliph over the entire Muslim population that was made up of different tribes. For example, the advice Yazid was given from his dying father discusses how he should deal with the opposite tribal group, who he saw as the only “four individuals of the Quaresh” who would challenge the dynasty. His advice included appeasing the Iraqis in order to gain favor and acknowledging other groups who were aligned with him. This advice would be a factor in ending the rebellions that if they continued, would have resulted in a failure of the Islamic state. The Umayyads were effective at introducing aspects of the Islamic faith to their state system by including the use of Muhammad’s name in documents. The linking of the...
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...Incorporation of Muslim in Non-Muslim World: Focusing on France, Germany, UK and USA Abstract Though many European countries have large and growing Muslim minorities but since the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, Madrid in 2004 and London in 2005 the vast majority of Muslims in Europe became vulnerable to extremist ideologies. The matter of joy is that over the last several years, European governments have stepped up their efforts to improve Muslim integration. These have included introducing new citizenship laws and language requirements, promoting dialogue with Muslim organizations, developing “homegrown” imams more familiar with European culture and traditions, improving educational and economic opportunities for Muslims, and tackling racism and discrimination. By ensuring the Muslim integration, European governments have also sought to strengthen security measures and tighten immigration and asylum policies to prevent radicalization and combat terrorism. So this paper will illustrate the incorporation of Muslim in Secular Europe along with the policies of combating terrorism. Contents Abstract • Introduction • Presence of Muslim in Europe • France o Muslim attendance in France o French Efforts to Promote Muslim Integration • Germany o Muslim attendance in Germany o Germany Efforts to Promote Muslim Integration ...
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...Soleman Abdi Idd Hist 275 Essay 1 : Islam was born in the Hijaz in the 7th century and expanded to the rest of the Middle East where its key institutions were established. Simultaneously, it went through a rapid wave of expansion and eventually reached the African continent though North Africa and was progressively embraced in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, we cannot say there was such a thing as a unique process of expansion of Islam because an African identity was inexistent. Indeed, the continent and especially our area of focus, consisting of North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, was composed of different regions defined by their ethnicity and their ancestry. Furthermore, the physical separation created by the Sahara desert also played a major role into accentuating the disparities. We will explore here, how the introduction of Islam in both regions differed significantly and how in the secondary phase of “rooting” of the faith, this key difference in the first contacts the religion had in these two regions led to the establishment of two distinct Islams. Finally, we will demonstrate that when we look beyond the complexity of both processes, they ultimately share many similarities. The main difference in the process of arrival of Islam in North Africa and Sub-Saharan African is displayed by the rapidity of expansion. Whereas by 720, North Africa was controlled by the Muslims, the adoption of Islam below the Sahara appeared to be more slowly paced and...
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...below. * Religious groups (based on http://religions.pewforum.org/pdf/affiliations-all-traditions.pdf) * Christianity * Evangelical Protestant * Mainline Protestant * Historically Black Churches * Roman Catholic * Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) * Jehovah’s Witnesses * Orthodox (Greek, Eastern) * Judaism (Orthodox, Conservative, or Reform) * Buddhism (Theravada or Mahayana) * Islam (Sunni, Shia, Sufism) * Hinduism * Racial/Ethnic groups (based on divisions in U.S. Census Bureau documents) * Asian (Asian descent) * Black (African descent) * Hispanic and Latino (South or Central American descent) * Pacific Islander (Polynesian descent) * White (European descent) * * Part III * Answer the following questions in 150 to 250 words each about the religious group you selected: * How does your selected religious group differ from other religious groups (such as in their beliefs, worship practices, or values)? Islam religion group is in between Jewish and...
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...Status in Egypt Introduction Modern Egypt is like its dynastic counterpart, drawing sustenance from the Nile River. Today, as in the ancient period, most of the country’s population is concentrated along the river, fully 20% of it around Cairo. Modern Egyptian society is identified not with the ancient civilization but with the Arab culture is overwhelmingly identified with Islam, the religion followed by 90% of Egypt’s population (Library). Much about women’s position in modern Egypt can be traced to a famous verse of the Koran: Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because the support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband’s) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (next), refuse to share their beds, (and last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them means (of annoyance): for Allah is Most High, Great (above you all) (Koran 4.34) Islam is strongly implicated in the generally inferior and subordinate social position of women. Particularly among the rural and lower socioeconomic classes – largely illiterate – an ethos of patriarchy predicated of Islamic law, or the sharia, has long been standard custom and practice. Over the course of the 20th century Egyptian women achieved education and status as working professionals...
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...Arabic Language is the cultural treasure that our ancestors have left for us. It is the heritage and legacy of our forefathers. This language is what really defines our identity and plays a major role in shaping our characters. It is one of the most popular languages around the world and most of world population value and praise this language. This language was always well known for its meaningful and powerful poetry and texts; therefore, it always had its own magic and power in free and full expression of any feelings. In this language you find miscellaneous synonyms for one word, so you never stop expressing yourself because you are stuck and you can’t find a suitable word. A lot of proponents of arabizi think that the purity of Arabic language shouldn’t be defended at all, and that it is ok to have a blend of the two languages in our Arabic communities. They consider this new trend as a new type of power possessed by the new generations. From their point of view this difference is what is going to make them achieve new goals and succeed in their upcoming challenges. The advocates of such an opinion look to the situation from a distinctive angle; they depend on several unique interpretations in their evaluation of the current situation. First of all, they claim that Arabic language isn’t that powerful outside the Middle Eastern region, so it would be useless to master this language solely. This way the new generations won’t be able to imposes their dominance over foreign...
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...Advertising Executive Summary Islam is one of the most widely practiced religions in the world and can be found in many different regions throughout the globe. With such a large, widespread following these populations cannot be avoided by marketers. Firms selling product globally, especially in Muslim-majority countries, need to be aware of the norms and regulations in these nations and adapt their advertisements accordingly. This can pose a real challenge, even for large multinationals, as we will see throughout the remainder of the report. Additionally, regulations found in one Islamic nation can vary greatly in comparison to the advertising styles in another. Each country is different and although many nations are Muslim-majority, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Indonesia, they all have varying practices and rules and cannot be treated as one in regards to advertising. A firm must tailor their marketing style to each individual nation while respecting and acknowledging their religious practices. As far as recommendations for marketers, they will need to be tailored to each country individually, but in general it is important to embrace the Islamic religion and integrate the brand into Muslims’ everyday life while taking care to respect their beliefs and practices. Islamic nations are said to be “the next frontier” of advertising, so it is essential that large firms and their agencies take note of these norms and regulations and use research and knowledge to their...
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...Advertising Executive Summary Islam is one of the most widely practiced religions in the world and can be found in many different regions throughout the globe. With such a large, widespread following these populations cannot be avoided by marketers. Firms selling product globally, especially in Muslim-majority countries, need to be aware of the norms and regulations in these nations and adapt their advertisements accordingly. This can pose a real challenge, even for large multinationals, as we will see throughout the remainder of the report. Additionally, regulations found in one Islamic nation can vary greatly in comparison to the advertising styles in another. Each country is different and although many nations are Muslim-majority, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Indonesia, they all have varying practices and rules and cannot be treated as one in regards to advertising. A firm must tailor their marketing style to each individual nation while respecting and acknowledging their religious practices. As far as recommendations for marketers, they will need to be tailored to each country individually, but in general it is important to embrace the Islamic religion and integrate the brand into Muslims’ everyday life while taking care to respect their beliefs and practices. Islamic nations are said to be “the next frontier” of advertising, so it is essential that large firms and their agencies take note of these norms and regulations and use research and knowledge to their...
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...LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY JOSCELYN R. JONES LYNCHBURG, VA March 7, 2014 Table of Contents Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………3 Regional Map………………………………………………………………………………………..............4 Background: A Closer Look at The Swahili People’s History, Language and Culture…………………..………………………………………………………………………………...4 Background: A Closer Look at The Swahili People’s Economy, Religion, and Family……………..………………………………………………………………………………7 Survey of Missions Work……………..………………………………………………………………………………12 Proposed Mission Strategy………………………………………………………………………………………......14 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………….18 References………………………………………………………………………………………19 Introduction In Genesis 17:4 God promised Abraham that he would be the father of “many nations.” We see the evidence of this promise that is revealed through the many different people groups on Earth. God went on to also extend a blessing to all those nations (Genesis 22:17), however everyone in every nation has not realized or fail to believe the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. Fortunately, God has also given a provision for hope to those who are considered to be “unreached” by the Gospel. It is through the command issued to his disciples in Matthew 28:19, “go ye therefore and teach all nations,” that Christians today can literally change the world by taking the gospel to all four corners of the earth. ...
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