...Paper #2 – Origins of Islam in America Trevor Pace A00763129 It seems that when it comes to the first Muslims in America it is a little unclear, however several sources that I found believe that it was first in the 12th century and ties in with the voyage of Columbus. “The Navigator of Columbus, who during the famous voyage, brought along a copy of a travel narrative written by Portuguese Muslims who had sailed to the New World in the 12th century. The narrative by al-Idrisi was called "The Sea of Tears"”. (Ahari, 1998) Next during the 14th century with Muslims that came from the Senegabian region of Africa, “It is believed they were Moors, expelled from Spain, who made their way to the Caribbean and possibly to the Gulf of Mexico” (Cowan, 2006) Then with the 16th century with Istafan, the Arab, “who was a guide for the Spanish that wished to settle the area that would later be called Arizona in 1539”. (Ahari, 1998) The next major instance of Islam in America happened with slavery in the 18th century. This is the first real wave of Muslims in America as it is said that “Historians estimate that between 15 to 30 percent of all enslaved African men, and less than 15 percent of the enslaved African women, were Muslims” (Samuel S. Hill, 2005). Next in the late 19th and early 20th century Muslim immigrants from the Middle East, particularly from Syria and Lebanon, arrived in large numbers. “Many were settling in Ohio, Michigan, Iowa and even the Dakotas. Like most other migrants...
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...How can we answer questions about creation and origins? Learning from religion and science: Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Humanism – Year 9 About the unit This unit suggests activities that can be used in teaching and learning about creation and origins. It can be adapted to local circumstances and for different age groups. It illustrates the provision of the non-statutory national framework for religious education (RE) and can be used or adapted to deliver an agreed syllabus or other guidelines. This unit focuses on creation and origins of the universe and human life and the relationship between religion and science. It aims to deepen pupils’ awareness of ultimate questions through argument, discussion, debate and reflection and enable them to learn from a variety of ideas of religious traditions and other world views. It explores Christianity, Hinduism and Islam and also considers the perspective of those who do not believe there is a god (atheists). It considers beliefs and concepts related to authority, religion and science as well as expressions of spirituality. Pupils have opportunities to discuss, question and evaluate important issues in religion and science. They also have opportunities to reflect on and evaluate their own beliefs and values, and the beliefs and values of others, in relation to questions of truth and purpose. This unit can be adapted for other religions – using responses from other religious traditions to the key questions, including accounts...
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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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...Christianity, and Islam: Can One Exist Without the Other? “Human beings must be known to be loved; but Divine beings must be loved to be known. One will find religions have similarities despite individual practices.” Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all relate to each other, yet all have distinct differences. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are three monotheistic religions that share many beliefs. Jews and Muslims stress the singularity and unity of God, addressing one all-powerful God and through him all things are made. Christians share this belief, however, difficulty arises when identifying Christianity as monotheistic when trying to understand or decipher God as the Holy Trinity and Jesus as the Son of God. According to all three religions, God is the origin of existence and He alone provides basic rules for guidance. Universally, God is merciful and through God one is given strength to be more like what one ought to be (Christ, Muhammad, etc.). All three religions believe humans are superior creatures on Earth and were made in God’s vision, created with mystery, allowing for growth and discovery. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam claim to have received the final revelation; through a scholarly standpoint one can see the three are intertwined; sharing origins, history, beliefs, and future. Judaism and Christianity both acknowledge the Bible, Prophets, and Jesus; despite the conflicting views of Jesus as the Son of God and Jesus being a “false Prophet.” Islam acknowledges...
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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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...Understanding Islam Tracey Walker HUM/130 April 28, 2015 Prof. Michael Woods The rise of Islam is intrinsically linked with the Prophet Muhammad, believed by Muslims to be the last in a long line of prophets that includes Moses and Jesus. Under the Muslim belief, Muhammad was the chosen recipient and messenger of the word of God through the divine revelations, Muslims from all walks of life strive to follow his example. Muhammad was born into the most powerful tribe in Mecca, the Quraish, around 570 A.D. The power of the Quraish derived from their role as successful merchants. Several trade routes intersected at Mecca, allowing the Quraish to control trade along the west coast of Arabia, north to Syria, and south to Yemen. After working for several years as a merchant, Muhammad was hired by Khadija, a wealthy widow, to ensure the safe passage of her caravans to Syria. They eventually married. When Muhammed was in his forties, he began having visions and hearing voices. Searching for clarity, he would sometimes meditate at Mount Hira, near Mecca. On one of these occasions, the Archangel Gabriel (Jibra'il in Arabic) appeared to him and instructed him to recite "in the name of the lord." This was the first of many revelations that became the basis of the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam. These early revelations pointed to the existence of a single God, contradicting the polytheistic beliefs of the pre-Islamic Arabian Peninsula. The Qur'an was dictated by Muhammad but...
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...Ancient Islam Islam is the proper name of a religion. Islam is truly a universal religion. There may be 6 to 8 million Muslims in North America, over 30 million Muslims in Western Europe and 50 to 60 million live in different parts of the Republics that were once a part of Soviet Union. Significant Muslim minorities live in the Far East and in Eastern Europe. Islam exist in countries like Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sudan, Lebanon, etc. Mohammad was the man who Allah sent to do the teachings of Islam to mankind. (Just like Jesus) He was born in Mecca, a city on the Arabian Peninsula, in 571 A.D. He was an orphan. His father died before his birth and his mother died when he was six. His grandfather raised him till he was nine. When his grandfather passed away, his uncle raised him. He did not have an education. As he grew up he worked as a shepherd and as a trader in the caravans. At age 25 a rich widow, Khadija, hired him to manage her business and trade. The young man’s brains, hard work, and honesty impressed Khadija. They grew to like each other’s qualities and got married. Mohammad was married to Khadija for twenty-six years and they had five children. Later, Khadija would be the first person to accept Islam, and she is the best example of a faithful and devoted wife in Islamic history. The society at that time was full with polygamy, sensuality...
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...Though two of the world's most populated religions, Christianity and Islam, have much in common, they do have quite a few differences. Both Christianity and Islam have one creator, God. Islam claims that their founder was given laws by Allah just like Christians received their Ten Commandments from God. Also, Christians believe that God is made up of three persons- the Holy Trinity- and that Jesus is the Son of God and savior of humanity while Islam believe Allah is only one God and He is the creator of all things and has no offspring, race or gender. All in all, these two religions, though having a similar origin, have different views on Jesus Christ, teachings, and scriptures. Islam was founded by a prophet named Mohammed in the approximate year of 610. At the age of forty, he was supposedly visited by the Angel Gabriel, who presumably told him the fundamentals of Islam, while in a cave near Mecca, a city in Saudi Arabia.1 Corinthians 15: 1-4 states that Jesus Christ preached the gospel and we are saved by it. It was he who sent out apostles to spread God's word throughout the world, it was he who died for the world; and it was he who founded Christianity. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and Mohammed, a prophet...
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...ways in which organized religion influences people’s lives. • Define common terms related to the study of religion. Week Two: Indigenous Sacred Ways • Describe the importance of relationships to indigenous religions. • Identify examples of roles and observances held sacred by indigenous peoples. Week Three: Hinduism • Describe the Hindu philosophical systems and forms of worship. • Explain the origins of Hinduism. Week Four: Buddhism • Explain the origins of Buddhism. • Describe Buddhism’s theological foundations and spiritual practices. Week Five: Daoism, Confucianism, and Judaism • Compare and contrast the theological foundations and spiritual practices of Daoism, Confucianism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. • Explain the origins of Judaism. • Describe Judaism’s theological foundations and spiritual practices. Week Six: Christianity and Islam • Explain the origins of Christianity. • Explain the origins of Islam. Week Seven: Monotheistic Religions • Compare and contrast the theological foundations and spiritual practices of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Week Eight: New Religious Movements & Religion in the 21st Century • Compare and contrast new religious movements with well established religions. • Estimate the impact of religious pluralism and the interfaith movement on the future of organized religion. Week Nine: Making Connections • Communicate with people of different religions about their beliefs and practices. Course Materials Fisher...
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...Spread of Islam and the Arabian Peninsula Shauna Walker Dortch HIS 275 CA February 25th 2015 Mr. Frank Nainoa The Arabian Peninsula is located in Saudi Arabia near the Persian Gulf. The Arabian Peninsula is extremely important to the Islamic religion for many reasons. What is Islam? What in fluencies did the Islamic religion have to its followers? Who is Muhammad? These are all valid questions that we will discuss as we continue. It is said that the Prophet Muhammad began or was the origin of Islam through the Arabian Peninsula and beyond. (Britannica.com) Muhammad was from the city of Mecca which is located in the Arabian Peninsula. The Islamic people believe that while in deep meditation Muhammad received a great religious vision, which provided the beginnings or the foundation of Islam. The vision of Muhammad provided instructions that there was to be only one God “Allah” whom we should all praise, diligent prayer, tithing, pilgrimage and living by a certain statute of honestly loyalty and love for one another. The ultimate revelation was for mankind to submit to one God and only worship one God or only submit to the will of God “Allah”. (ushistory) The mission of Muhammad was to spread the word and teachings of God and initially his preaching’s were not heard. Unlike social class and separation his views “held all men as brothers within a social order ordained by God” (pg.222). The Islamic...
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...The Islamic worldview is based around Allah, Mohammad, and the Qur’an. The Islam belief began with the birth of Mohammad in 570 A.D. in Saudi Arabia (Hindson, p. 277). By 650 A.D. the Qur’an was established (Outlaw). Allah is considered to be Islam’s one and only God (Allah). Muslim’s belief of origin is that Allah created the universe and everything in it (Yunus 10:3). This includes the creation of the first parents, Adam and his wife. In the beginning there was peace among the land until they were tempted by Iblis and disobeyed his rules. They were banished from paradise (Davis-Stofka). In most cultures people identify themselves from their place of origin, politics, or even their place of work. But in Muslim traditions, they personally identify to Allah (Islam). Their belief impacts their die, dress, work, home, politics, and allegiances (Hindson, p. 279). Muslims believe that their purpose is to know that Allah is the One and to obey the teachings of the Qur’an (Weider, p. 70). The Qur’an is divided up into three divisions: the first being written before the flight to Medina, the second Mohammad writes while in Medina, and the third after the return to Mecca (Hindson p. 280). The teachings of the Qur’an also include the Five Pillars of Islam. The Five Pillars are the confession of faith (Shahada), the daily prayer (Salat), giving alms (Zakat), fasting (Siyam), and the pilgrimage to the Mecca (Haji) (Weider, p. 71). In order to obtain salvation Muslims must study the...
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...Many lives were lost during the outbreak of the Bubonic Plague, or the Black Death, in the fourteenth century. During this time, religion had a large influence in human society. Many people in certain religions reacted differently to the plague. A perfect example of this would be the Christians and the Islams. According to the 2010 DBQ Document of World History, one can conclude that the responses of the Christian and Islam were not similar because each religion had different beliefs, believed that the disease came from different origins, sought different practices of preventing the disease, and because the living of each religion responded differently to the plague. Firstly, even though they both basically worshipped the same god, Christianity...
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...Purpose Statement The purpose of this paper is to educate our readers about the two largest religions in the world: Christianity and Islam. Religion has served in many societies as a mean of structure or social control, with rules that govern how people interact socially. We will be looking at the origin, similarities, differences, beliefs and festivals of each religion. Invariably, our aim is to ascertain through research data and interviews why Christianity is the world’s most popular religion, but more so why it is deemed most superior. Statement of Qualification. Our group strongly believes in the fundamental teachings of Christianity, having been exposed to its teachings from early childhood. We are respecters of all religions hence our research topic, to bring about a greater level of understanding of both, while identifying the beliefs and values these two great religion is built on. Based on our own individual experiences and personal realization of nature and how things are interconnected, we conclude that there is definitely a higher power that oversees everyone and everything, and it’s faith in this higher power that brought birth to Christianity. Review of Literature Religion is a controversial topic that has been debated with great enthusiasm by sociologists, theologians, and even students; some argue that the belief in religion is for closed minded individuals. One sociologist aimed to defend the fact that religion...
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...Islam and Judaism Islam and Judaism share a common origin in the Middle East and share many cultural and philosophic aspects between themselves. The similarities in the two religions derive largely from the influence of Muslim culture and philosophy on the practitioners of Judaism and Islam. In the Middle East Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are the three great religions. They all share similarities, especially in their origin, but also hold their differences. Judaism is a monotheistic religion, as is with Islam. It originated from the Hebrews, who believed that God was their special protector and was everything, the most powerful, and is present everywhere. Like Islam, Judaism has a holy book called the Torah, a sacred recording of laws and events in the Jewish history. The Jewish faith believes that God gave them the Ten Commandments through Moses, “the Lawgiver”. According to the Jewish tradition, God made a covenant, or agreement with Abraham, the founder of Judaism. Islam was strongly influenced by Judaism. Islam was founded by Mohammad and also holds a monotheistic approach to religion. Just like Judaism it has a holy book similar to Judaism’s Torah, called the Koran. The Koran contains the sacred text as spoken to Muhammad from God. The Koran not only teaches about God, but about how to lead a good, faithful life. Muslims believe in one all-powerful, compassionate God, known in Arabic as Allah. Similar to the Ten Commandments given by Moses in Judaism...
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...this critical thinking assignment, I am selecting Islam as my worldview. Using outside sources and course content, I will answer how the worldview of Islam would answer five questions. Question of Origin – Muslims are Monotheists. Muslims do not believe that God has any equals. They do not believe that God is a father (has any children), and that the Trinity is blasphemy to them. Question of Identity – Adam and Eve in Islam were created by Allah. Islam seems to hold a slight view of theistic evolution when it comes to creation. When it comes to the issue of creation, it is believed that man and woman were created by both Allah and evolution. Question of Meaning/ Purpose – Muslims in Islam believe that the meaning and purpose of man is to know and prove that their god Allah is one. Question of Morality – When it comes to morality or ethics in the life of the Muslim in Islam there are the Five Pillars. Basically if something is not listed as forbidden in the Koran it can be done. If a Muslim wanted to have sex with a woman that he was not married to it would be OK. Allah does not disapprove of man to enjoy the “good things” in life. Question of Destiny – Muslims in Islam believe in Paradise and Hell. If a Muslims good works outweigh the bad he will go to Paradise. A person definitely goes to Hell if they do not believe that Allah is one. Part two: In the second part I will compare and contrast the worldview of Islam to a Biblical/ Christian worldview. Let us remember...
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