...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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...millennium and are problematic include violence (drive by shootings, school shootings), terrorism, slavery (the 250 Nigerian girls) seems to be the most prominent issues which face the world today. Evidently it is highly apparent that religion has an immense role to provide peace amongst various people and cultures. The idea of peace cannot dwell amongst society unless the adherents of the religion exhibit the nature of peacefulness. The religion of Islam tries in many forms to promote peace. Through its founder Muhammad and the message he tried to depict regarding respecting others and treating the less fortunate with kindness. "But if the enemy incline towards peace, do thou (also) incline towards peace, and trust in Allah: for He is the One that Heareth and Knoweth (all things)." (Surah 8, Verse 61). This is an imperative scripture as it depicts the way in which Islamic adherents should apply peace in their daily lives. It is also a model for all adherents to follow as it promotes a peaceful, non violent society. This is turn is the words in which Islamic adherents can pertain to in search of peace within religion and hence others can gain a sense of peacefulness and kind relationships through the way an Islamic adherent treats his brother/sister in Islam. Peace then can not be seen as the total absence of violence, because this is far from it. Peace in essence the concept of “trying” to achieve harmony amongst people and for common good to prevail in society but to others this view...
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...muslim. Such as maintaining our salah since that one of the main acts which distinguishes a Muslim from a non-Muslim. The importance of prayer in Islam cannot be understated because it is one of the most essential elements of obtaining a place in Paradise. Our Prophet (Peace be upon him) has said what means: “The first matter that the slave will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound. And if it is bad, then the rest of his deeds will be bad.” Apart from the five pillars of Islam establishing good relationships with family and maintaining pure friendships can also help to promote good deeds. Other righteous deeds include being kind to others, being hospitable to family, friends and neighbours, not backbiting or judging others. We should rush to perform good deeds before something hinders us from doing so. Working towards bettering ourselves will help us improve our eman. There are many things we need to do as Muslims to ensure that our eyes, mouth and body are in submission to Allah; we need to constantly be checking our heart and purifying it to gain a better life in the Hereafter. Family. 1. Maintaining Our Salah We know as Muslims that one of the main acts which distinguishes a Muslim from a non-Muslim is Salah (prayer). The importance of prayer in Islam cannot be understated. Every Muslim is obliged by Allah (Subhanahu wa...
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...Islam, A World Religion: The Start of Islam Most people don't know much about Islam, with misconceptions about Islam: Muslim’s beliefs and including the rituals. Islam has gained a lot of followers and is the second largest religion in the world. The questions that we will be answering that is about Islam is the character, Sunni Islam throughout my research and a visit to the Islamic Center of Inland Empire. This research paper will cover the history and art of Islam and the history of Al-Masjid al-Ha ram or “The Holy Mosque”. Also the Religious meetings and personal views of an Islamic leader in the essay. Beliefs of Islam Islam, like Judaism and Christianity, is a monotheistic religion based in ones beliefs in God. There are two main in the religion in Islam, which is known as Sunni and Shi’a. The two major separation of Islam were caused by the question of leadership after Muhammad’s sentence. Vast majority of Muslim, like about 90 percent are Sunni and the others would be Shi’s. “Sunni” comes from the Arabic word which is Sunnah meaning “customary practice.” But in Sunni Islam, the imam is the man who leads the Friday prayers in a mosque with scriptures from the Qur’an, the text of which is considered to be the direct word from God (Allah). Caliphate and Its Modern Era The Caliphate was the first government system established in Islam, it is represented as the political unity of the Muslim Ummah nation. As a religious historian, S. A. Nigosian believes that “the...
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...Beginner's Introduction. Islam is the same religion that God revealed through His messengers (peace be upon them) to all people. Islam is a complete way of life. It impacts every part of life, from eating and sleeping to working and playing. It is not only a personal religion, but also a social one. Muslims are supposed to live in accordance with God's laws. By doing so, they strive to obtain nearness to God and victory over temporary trials and temptations in this world. All aspects of their practice including prayer, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage are intended to help meet this goal. Muslims believe in Allah, the Supreme and Eternal, Infinite and Mighty, Merciful and Compassionate, The Creator and The Provider, He begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none equal or comparable unto Him. Muslims believe in all Messengers of Allah without any discrimination among them, as every known nation has a Warner or messenger from Allah. They were chosen by God to teach humanity and deliver His Divine message. The Qur'an mentions the name of some of them including Jews including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elias, Jonah, John the Baptist, and Jesus (peace be upon them). Muslims also believe in another prophet named Muhammad, whois a direct descendant of Abrahamthrough his first born son, Ishmael. His prophethood is prophecied in the Bible in several places, including Deut 18:18 and John 14:16. Mohammadstands as the last...
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...World Religions Report: Islam HUM/130 March 13, 2011 Introduction of the religion Islam is a major world religion, with over 1 billion followers worldwide. Followers of Islam are called Muslims. The origin of Islam can be traced back to 7th century Saudi Arabia. Though Islam is one of the largest and most followed religions in the world, it is the youngest of the many religions. According to Secular History, the prophet Muhammad introduced Islam in 610 A.D. after experiencing what he claimed to be an angelic visitation. Muhammad dictated the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, which Muslims believe to be the preexistent, perfect words of Allah. Though the origin of Islam is generally accredited to the prophet Muhammad but to the devout Muslim, Islam began long before Muhammad ever walked the earth. The Qur’an was dictated by Muhammad but according to the Qur’an, it did not originate with Muhammad. The Qur’an testifies of itself that it was given by God through the angel Gabriel to the prophet Muhammad. "This is a revelation from the Lord of the universe. The Honest Spirit (Gabriel) came down with it, to reveal it into your heart that you may be one of the warmers, in a perfect Arabic tongue" (Sura 26:192-195). "Say, 'Anyone who opposes Gabriel should know that he has brought down this (the Qur'an) into your heart, in accordance with God's will, confirming previous scriptures, and providing guidance and good news for the believers'" (Sura 2:97). Interview summary ...
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...The message of peace is a fundamental universal concern which is relevant throughout our world today. Peace is not merely the ‘absence of war’, but a state of mind in which a sense of tranquillity comes from actively working towards right relationships with individuals and God. To understand the way in which Muslims and Christians view peace it is imperative to understand the source of the teachings for each religion. The principles teachings of peace for Both Christianity and Islam are primarily found in the sacred texts of both religious traditions. Christianity looks to the bible and specifically the New Testament for teachings about peace, whereas Islam focuses’ on the Qur’an and Hadith to guide their beliefs of peace. These sacred texts guide the individual adherents of each religion to achieving inner peace which consequently develops their understanding to take responsibility to achieve peace with those around them, leading to ‘world peace’. An understanding of the Christian belief of peace is gained through a knowledge of the importance of the life of Jesus Christ in the beliefs of adherents. Peace is believed to be at the heart of Jesus' life and ministry and accordingly it is a foundational element of the Christian communities that seek to follow him. In order for Christians to experience the peace of God they must devote themselves to listening to the good news of God revealed through the Bible and commit themselves to following the example of Jesus in his life...
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...welfare lies between Christianity, religion and the Islamic faith. Christianity and Islam differences bring tremendous conflict in religious committees past and present. For centuries the debate which religion symbolizes the true religion has taunted the minds of followers. And still today this question continues to divide God’s people. Religion shapes the very existence of people. The belief of a higher power challenges the heart of the young and the old throughout the world. The desired feeling of purity gears ambition to seek truth in God through religion of Christianity or Islamic faith. Much disgrace, rage has surface the mind of believers leading non-believers...
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...Is Islam a religion of violence or non-violence? An examination of misconceptions in the Western World? The world is full of acts of violence and acts of peace and non violence. We as people try to comprehend these acts by establishing whys. The why that we will examine is one of consistent misunderstanding and misrepresentation specifically in the Western world. When a suicide bombing occurs why is it if you asked most individuals in the west what the offending individual’s religion was their almost instant response is they were a Muslim. Does Islam automatically mean every Muslim is willing to attack peoples who do not believe as they do. Does it mean they espouse killing all Jews? Or is the truth that a majority of all Muslims would consider themselves peace loving individuals, that you would more likely see them working alongside Jews and Christians in a nature of acceptance and love for them. But yet when we look at history we see Islam in wars against Arab peoples, in the Crusades, and in the more recent conflicts in the Middle East. So does the Quran allow for wars against others or are they more of the outcome of societal problems and conflicts in the region. We will most likely see that circumstances beyond their control contribute to the rise and the necessity to defend themselves in these various conflicts through out history. Overall it will probably be a surprise to most Westerners the...
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...World Religions Report Antonio Smith HUM/130 April 28, 2012 David Latoundji ` The following is a review about the religion of Islam. Islam began in what is now Saudi Arabia, and like Christianity and Judaism, traces its history back to Abraham. In the Islam religion the belief is there is no god but God and Muhammad is his messenger. God or Allah is the focus of the Islamic religion. Muhammad is not worshiped in the Islam religion, but the life and death of Muhammad is regarded as very important to the religion. The sacred book in the Islam religion is the Holy Qur’an. It is stated that Muhammad received the Qur’an through a series of revelations from God. The Holy Qur’an is considered to be a book of perfection in the religion of Islam. The teachings of the Qur’an can be summarized as teachings of belief of God, prayer and worship, and performing good deeds, like helping people in need whether Muslim or not. The name of the site I visited is The Islamic Center of Lawton. It is a Mosque located on the South side of Lawton, Oklahoma, where I reside. The physical address is 913 SW F Ave. The building does not appear to be a typical place of worship. It is a building that basically looks like an average office building. When I walked in I automatically recognized the many prayer rugs on a padded section of the floor, and copies of the Qur’an and books with Arabic writing on them on bookshelves. I also noticed a picture of the Ka’bah and The Great Mosque...
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...signifigance of religion and ethnic groups other than your own? I am a African American who practice Christianity as a religion. I have choose to research Islam and Whites, which is the European descent. The information that you are about to read in this content is unique and will become familiar within your own religion and race. There are somethings that maybe slightly different as comparison to other religions. There are three major groups in this world that has been created. Islam happens to be one of the major groups. The other major groups are Christians and Judaism. Islam belief, is that there is one God. God is the higher power who created the world. Islam believe that we as people should surrender to the higher power, which is God. Islam is God. In the Islamic religion, if you follow God, you would be considered a Muslim. In Arabic, Muslim is defined as, one who surrenders to God. Allah is the Arabic name for God. Muslims are considered equal before God. Islam provide a sense of loyalty to God that connects their race, nationality, and differences with other religion. Islam is originated from Arabia. Islam begin to Syria, North America, Spain , India, and Egypt. In the 10th century they began to spread east, north, and the south. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. Islam is open to new members, so this is the reason why it grows rapidly. If you are a Muslim, when your children are born, they would be Muslim also. Muhammad is the founding prophet of Islam. Muhammad...
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...Refining the Misconception of Apostasy in Islam Dr. Zulkifli Hasan Deputy Chairman, International Affairs Bureau of ABIM Introduction Freedom of religion is frequently misunderstood by many and this includes the issue on apostasy. The misunderstanding of public and even Muslims community on the concept and legal position of apostasy has negated the image of Islam as a religion of peace. This is not surprising as there are numerous negative allegations upon the religion of Islam such as condemning it as barbaric and incompatible with modernity and human rights. This serious misconception should be rectified and in fact, it is a religious duty for every Muslim to portray a true picture of Islam and to response on any allegation and negative arguments upon this issue. In view of this negative phenomenon, this article aims to refine the misconception of apostasy in Islam and attempts to response the previous two articles published by the New Mandala entitled ‘An Exploration of the Concept of Apostasy in Islam’ by Joshua Woo Sze Zeng and ‘Malaysian Muslims Responses to Conversion’ by Norani Bakar whereby the former heavily relies on the essay written by Abdullah Saeed entitled ‘Freedom of Religion, Apostasy, and Islam’ and the online resources and the latter highlights the Malaysian Muslims response to apostasy with reference to HIMPUN initiative by several non-governmental organizations. Before presenting my arguments on the issue of apostasy in Islam, it is important to note that ABIM...
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...------------------------------------------------- Report on Religious Field Research By: Lionette C. Alston Religion 212 Strayer University White Marsh Campus March 18, 2013 Religious Field Research Religion may be defined as a way of life. Religion has a variety of features. This is why often misconceptions of some religions are formed. Normally through observations and research some of the misconceptions may be corrected. Recently, I interviewed two Muslims that are married they were both converted into the Islam religion. They both have been living as Muslims for over 20 years. After our interview, I had a better understanding of the Islam religion. The religion is Islam. A person that consciously follows Islam is called a Muslim. One major misconception that I had about the Islam followers is that they were confrontational. I have always viewed the Muslims as a group of aggressive people that communicated with their fist. I also thought that they only socialized amongst each other. However, I was wrong. Islam comes from the Arabic root word meaning “peace” and submission”. Islam teaches that an Islam follower can only find peace by submitting to Allah through the heart and soul. Allah is the Almighty God, God the Creator, the Compassionate and the Sustainer. “Salaam Alaykum” a term that is used amongst Muslims which means peace be with you. The Islam religion guides towards practical ways of achieving righteousness and eliminating evil from individual/s lives....
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...Islam teachings: How Islam teachings revolutionized the world Name Professor Institution Course Date Introduction Islam is a one of the major religions in the world. Its basis is from the prophet Mohammed who travelled to hills, deserts, and wilderness. The prophet travelled to mediate and reflect. Through this, he came up with revelations as a new man. The revelations made his followers believe Allah had transformed him. At first the Islam, was an Arab religion. Many practices and beliefs were added unto it making it popular that aided its rapid spread. During the Arabic century, many things were at stake. Mohammed teaching on Islam revolutionized everything. He brought changes in the social security, family and women were given rights. He improved the society that was under Arabic influence. He established both religious and social life for many races. Mohammed made Islam to responsible for providing basic needs for the captives. The women in the ancient societies considered women as inferior compared to men. The Islam teachings revolutionized the idea. The recent world sees women as people capable of doing anything. They are viewed as strong like men. They engage in activities that were meant for men. Women are able to make decisions, provide for the family and even work as engineers and in factories. The laws of Koran brought revolution in social relations. The Koran taught people on the importance of production. This helped in quickening trade. The Koran taught people...
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...The Religion of Islam 1 THE RELIGION OF ISLAM AND THE HOLY QUR'AN Islam: The Religion of Peace and Tolerance - Religion Essay Peace and tolerance are two of the most important aspects that make up Islam. Muslims are to understand these aspects of Islam. However in recent years there are groups of extremist Muslims who have given Islam a bad name by doing terroristic acts to other human beings for their own reasons and personal gains. By addressing these questions can give anyone a better understanding of the religion of Islam. 1. Where did the religion of Islam come from? What does the Religion of Islam teach? How does Islam relate to other Religion of the world? The focus of this essay is to answer these questions with research and studies learned. Where did the religion of Islam come from? The Religion of Islam is believed to have been established in the year of Six Hundred and Ten CE (Common Era). Islam is believed to be the youngest of all the different religions A prophet by the name of Adam is said to be the man whom created the religion but was preached throughout the city of Mecca by a prophet named Muhammad. Muhammad was born in Five Hundred and Seventy CE in the city of Mecca where he worked as a merchant and as a shepherd. According to Islamic beliefs by age forty in the month of Ramadan was where he received his first revelation from God while being in the surrounding mountains in a cave...
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