...Understanding Islam Christy A. Goff Dr. Thornton REL 212 September 8, 2012 In this paper, I will be reporting on my religious field research of Islam. The research that I have conducted has afforded me the opportunity to speak with, listen, and develop a stronger understanding of the Islamic faith. My research has also helped to dissolve some of the misconceptions that surround Islam. I will cover four major points throughout this paper. First, I will discuss preexisting misconceptions held against Islam. Second, I will analyze how my prior understanding of Islam was altered, or not, upon completion of my field research. Third, I will discuss whether or not I believe misconceptions of other people’s religions are common and explain in detail why or why not. Fourth, I will recommend at least one step that could be taken to help minimize misconceptions that people have in regards to other religions. I hope, through the reading of my field research report, to provide a stronger sense of understanding and receptiveness that I now have for other religions to the reader. Misconceptions of Islam In order to discuss the misconceptions that surround Islam, we must first delve into understanding what the word “Islam” actually means. “The word "Islam" means peace and submission. Peace means to be at peace with yourself and your surroundings. Submission means to submit to the Will of God. A broader meaning of the word "Islam," is to achieve peace by submitting to the...
Words: 1739 - Pages: 7
...Understanding Islam Darren Crowe February 2, 2016 Sarah Mueller Understanding Islam Islam Islam dates back into the 6th century AD, the religion of the Muslims and a monotheistic faith regarded as revealed through Muhammad as the Prophet of Allah. The word Islam means submission or surrender and Muslim means one who surrenders themselves to God. The Arabic word for god is "Allah" which has become a kind of name of God in Islam. The Mosque is most known place to worship in the Muslim community, the mosque always points toward Mecca at a sacred stone, but if Muslim is in Mecca they would face the sacred stoned named Ka’aba. This stone was believed to been built by Abraham. The five pillars, Quran, and the Ramadan will also be discussed in this paper. Quran The Quran or Koran means the reading in Arabic. The Quran is a form of sacred texts of Islam that is broken down into 114 suras or chapters ("What Is Islam?", n.d.). Within the chapters of the Quran ethnics, theology, law, and history is discussed as God literal words. The Quran came about into new order by a holy spirit by the name Gabriel, who gave the Quran to Muhammad. Muhammad full name is Muhammad Ibn Abdullah and is known as the final prophet of God to the world. Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570 A.D and died in 632 A.D., by being poisoned. Five Pillars The first Pillar consist of the testimony of faith, meaning there is no true god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of God. Second Pillar is prayer...
Words: 1108 - Pages: 5
...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...
Words: 1142 - Pages: 5
...Understanding Islam Dawnette McCree HUM/130 May 31, 2015 Daniel Mages Understanding Islam The Muslims are a very devout group. They are steeped in tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation. They are devoted to the study and recitation of the Qur’an on a daily basis. They map their lives according to the Five Pillars that are mentioned in the Qur’an as a support for one’s life and faith. They are adamant about Ramadan and use it as a means to gain both self-enlightenment and unity with other Muslims. The Qur’an is the Holy Book of the Muslims. It is the equivalent of the Holy Bible in Christian faith. Its name means recitation. The Qur’an is a compilation of Muhammad’s sermons and revelations. It is in no particular order or chronology. Unlike other religious texts the Qur’an talks about other religions and the people of other religious texts. It consists of 114 suras. The Qur’an is very repetitive which makes the memorizing of scripture easier. They are repeated daily in prayer and sermons. The Qur’an is also very descriptive in nature. Reading the Qur’an, a person can easily visualize what they are reading. Passages from the Qur’an are incorporated into works of art. Because of the beauty of the written Arabic language, it is also used to decorate mosques and religious schools. The Qur’an teaches about the Five Pillars that support one’s faith. All Muslims are expected to practice the Five Pillars. These are: creed, prayer, charity to the poor...
Words: 972 - Pages: 4
...Understanding Islam Victoria Mullally REL/134 May 30, 2016 J. O’Briant To begin to understand anything, you must first know the history. The same is true of Islam. Understanding Islam takes more than just a history lesson though. It is also important to understand the importance of the Qur’an, the Five Pillars, and Ramadan. Equally important is knowing that, like other religions, Islam consists of different branches with similarities and differences in their traditions. Muhammad was the prophet of Islam, born around 570. He was a young orphan, raised by his uncle and worked as a merchant. He married a wealthy widow, Khadija, and had six children. Her status helped to raise Muhammad’s among Meccan society. It was said he began to have visions and hear voices. (PBS.org, n.d.). “Read: In the name of thy Lord Who createth, Createth man from a clot. (96:1-2. The Clot.) We will call the guards of hell. Nay, Obey not thou him. But prostrate thyself, and draw near (unto Allah) (96:18-19. The Clot).” Muhammad was commanded to read these words three times by a presence that came to him during a religious retreat at Mount Hira. After much discrepancy, Muhammad decided these voices were not of evil, but from the angel Gabriel. As he continued to get revelations he shared them with family and friends. These were the first Muslims, meaning “people who submit” to God (Allah). (Molloy. 2013. p. 411). As could be guessed a man who claims to be seeing and hearing voices of angels was...
Words: 1084 - Pages: 5
...Understanding Islam REL/134 June 16, 2015 Understanding Islam About the year 570 there was a child named Muhammad. He was born into a clan of Quraish, which was the ruling tribe of Mecca. Mecca is now known as Saudi Arabia. This child would become the prophet of Islam. Muhammad’s father died before he was born and he was raised by his mother , Aminah till the age of 6 where he was sent to live with his Grandfather who was the head of the Clan Hashim. After the death of his grandfather Muhammad was then raised by his uncle his name was Abu Talib. Muhammad endured and made the best of the harsh desert life. In his twenties he fell in love with a woman named Khadijah a widow of a merchant. Muhammad worked for her business that traded caravans to the north. They got married some time later and had 2 boys that didn’t survive but they had 4 girls. Muhammad made his way to mount Hira outside of Mecca when he was in his forties. Where he began to meditate in a cave. This is believed to be the site of the first of the great events of Islam. The story reads that he was sitting in the cave and he hears a voice that was later identified to be the Angel Gabriel which ordered him to: “Recite: In the name of thy Lord who created man from a clot of blood.”(Quran 96:1-2) Muhammad pleaded on three different occasions about his inability to do it. Each time the command was repeated, finally he recited the passage. At first Muhammad kept his experience between his wife and his immediate circle...
Words: 752 - Pages: 4
...Understanding Islam REL/134 09/17/14 Understanding Islam Islam developed in the Middle East in the 7th century C.E. which was founded by the teaching of Prophet Muhammad. Islam means surrender or submission, which they surrender to Allah, the creator of the world. One of the major beliefs to Islam is that Allah is the one true God. There are two branches with in the tradition, which are Sunni and Shi’a. Both claim different means of maintaining religious balance. Muslims do not believe that Jesus was the divine or that the Christian doctrine of the Trinity is real. But they do believe that Judaism and Christianity express the true revelation from God. They also think that they the Judaism and Christianity have taken the word of God and completely misunderstood it, by adding human definition to it. “It was Muhammad, Muslims believe, who freed the divine message from human error and offered it, purified, to all people” (Molly, M. 2013). Some unifying characteristics of Islam are the Five Pillars, Qur’an, and Ramadan. The Five Pillars are the fundamental practices of Islam. These practices include a ritual profession of faith, ritual prayer, the zakat (which means charity), fasting, and the hajj (which is the pilgrimage to Mecca). The ritual profession of faith is called the Creed or Shahada. “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger. This single sentence, when recited with belief, makes a person a Muslim.” (Molly, M. 2013). Many Muslims are so committed...
Words: 1101 - Pages: 5
...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...
Words: 1351 - Pages: 6
...D M A S O N understanding understanding S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y O F N E W Y O R K P R E S S Published by State University of New York Press, Albany © 2003 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. For information, address State University of New York Press, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany, NY 12207 Production, Laurie Searl Marketing, Fran Keneston Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Mason, Richard, 1948– Understanding understanding / Richard Mason. p. cm. — (SUNY series in philosophy) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7914-5871-7 (alk. paper) — ISBN 0-7914-5872-5 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Comprehension (Theory of knowledge) I. Title. II. Series. BD181.5.M27 2003 121—dc21 2003042557 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 for Margie Contents INTRODUCTION, 1 CHAPTER ONE WHAT WE UNDERSTAND, 7 CHAPTER TWO HOW WE UNDERSTAND, 21 CHAPTER THREE UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE, 39 CHAPTER FOUR INTELLIGIBILITY, 51 CHAPTER FIVE FAILURES OF UNDERSTANDING, 67 CHAPTER SIX BEYOND UNDERSTANDING, 89 viii CONTENTS ...
Words: 57755 - Pages: 232
...3/27/12 English 90 The hunger games In the book by Suzanne Collins “The Hunger Games”, Katniss goes on to achieve atonement because she was “at-one” with her new self and life. In her journey Rue, one of the tributes that became Katniss’ ally, was killed. Katniss had to absorb the changes caused by the journey and she was fully reborn, after Rue’s death. This made Katniss balance herself by understanding, accepting, and realizing what she had to do. I believe this made katniss a hero because of the atonement. First of all, Katniss starts to understand what Haymitch wanted all along. In this quote, “one kiss equals one pot of broth.”(p.261) Katniss realizes that Haymitch wanted her to give the audience more. She had to show romance between herself and Peeta. This made her more powerful in a way because she just had to kiss Peeta and show romance. Then she would receive a gift. Katniss understood what Haymitch wanted her to do. Second of all, Katniss starts to trust and she starts to accept Peeta. In this quote “This is the first kiss where I actually feel stirring inside my chest” (p.298) and she realizes that she wants another kiss. This means that she is starting to accept Peeta in a romantic way. In this other quote, “No one has held me like this in such a long time.” (p.299) she feels like she is beginning to trust him because no one had ever held her like that in a...
Words: 439 - Pages: 2
...relationships among the people serving the company are also important. Disruptive behavior by any employee can seriously challenge teamwork, and reduce productivity and efficiency. It also can damage the effectiveness of a business. first step is to develop a written policy together with my mangers with in full consultation with the employees. The process of the policy development is as important as the policy statement itself. Joint work between employees and mangers helps to show what causes unwanted behavior, involving employees leads to to develops trust and confidence between employees and mangers. Policy awareness: policy awareness can help employees increase awareness of individual responsibilities. familiarity and understanding of acceptable behavior. recognition of continued commitment by senior management. Training: the success of dealing with the unwanted behavior initiative depends on a planned and systematic education and training program. The content of training programs must fit the needs of employees. Knowledge: explain the type of behaviors marked as unwanted behaviors. Describe what is reasonable and what is unreasonable behavior. Skill: how to recognize bad behavior. How to solve it quickly. Promoting healthy workplace environments: tensions can happen in any job, and in healthy organizational cultures those tensions can viewed as a good thing because it help change the working environment as needed. Mangers play an...
Words: 308 - Pages: 2
...Alliant Energy is an electrical power company that puts significant emphasis on diversity. It is committed to “creating a workplace that welcomes an individual’s talents, ideas and perspectives”. Alliant believes that by having a diverse workforce they will have more opportunities to succeed. Diversity will benefit this company by providing numerous sources of information for the use of global and social knowledge; positive perception from the media as diversity is a big issue in our world today and ensuring they have fair opportunities in the marketplace. Having diversity in the workplace brings a source of new knowledge, creativity and understanding to a business that makes it unique and brings the benefit of a worldlier point of view. It is important for an organization to recognize the potential of people of differing cultures, genders and lifestyles and the positive effect it can have. For example having an employee from a certain culture can educate a company on how to do business and negotiate with certain countries of the same culture. In a nation of so many different races and backgrounds it is important for a company to be able to cater to all the wants and needs of such a diverse community. The best way to do so is to have a diverse team of employees and managers working together to communicate, teach and understand each other and work on bringing the best service possible to a given market. Alliant understands these concepts and that is why it so committed to workforce...
Words: 253 - Pages: 2
...As a nurse one runs into some very saddening/ maddening situations, some that cause not only the individual nurse, but the entire nursing staff to be thrown into conflict with their beliefs of non-maleficense and a patient’s right to autonomy. I always strive to never cause any harm to a patient and treat them kindly despite behaviors that could lead one to not want to act or treat someone is such a manner. Additionally I believe an individual should also have the right and be supported in making decisions about their healthcare, but when the decision is in effect, taken away from them, who has that right? When the nurse and stand staff struggle with the decision that is being made, it complicates the picture, leads to a lot of frustration and nurses feel helpless Several years ago there was an incident of a pt that received a kidney transplant, but during the immediate post operative course the patient, suffered a respiratory arrest, was anoxic for a period of time leaving the pt with anoxic brain damage. This was an individual who, prior to surgery, was a fully functional person. After time in the ICU the patient was able to be on the nursing floor; trached, unable to swallow, g-tube, very limited ability to walk, or transfer to a chair w maximal assistance of typically 2 staff members. The individual also tended, what seemed to be intentional, to try and injure nursing staff, by pinching, kicking and biting.. I was often assigned to this pt, and on several occasions...
Words: 891 - Pages: 4
...Category | Example and Key Words (verbs) | THE BLOOM’S TAXONOMY OLD VERSION | | | | Knowledge: Recall data or information. | Examples: Recite a policy. Quote prices from memory to a customer. Knows the safety rules.Key Words: defines, describes, identifies, knows, labels, lists, matches, names, outlines, recalls, recognizes, reproduces, selects, states. | Comprehension: Understand the meaning, translation, interpolation, and interpretation of instructions and problems. State a problem in one's own words. | Examples: Rewrites the principles of test writing. Explain in one's own words the steps for performing a complex task. Translates an equation into a computer spreadsheet.Key Words: comprehends, converts, defends, distinguishes, estimates, explains, extends, generalizes, gives an example, infers, interprets, paraphrases, predicts, rewrites, summarizes, translates. | Application: Use a concept in a new situation or unprompted use of an abstraction. Applies what was learned in the classroom into novel situations in the work place. | Examples: Use a manual to calculate an employee's vacation time. Apply laws of statistics to evaluate the reliability of a written test.Key Words: applies, changes, computes, constructs, demonstrates, discovers, manipulates, modifies, operates, predicts, prepares, produces, relates, shows, solves, uses. | Analysis: Separates material or concepts into component parts so that its organizational structure may be understood. Distinguishes...
Words: 745 - Pages: 3
...Is Science in the Bible? The need to answer this very question has come about all too often throughout time. It has at times driven a wedge between men because in order to gain knowledge and understanding of the truths of the world, Science deems it necessary to prove the truths by presenting the facts through a systematic process. The Bible on the other hand is presented to man by God and offers knowledge of the truths of the world through having faith and building a relationship with Him, which brings forth the knowledge needed to understand the world. In fact many times being a Christian can mean it must be impossible to be a scientist at the same time. But what many people do not understand is that Christianity and science are quite compatible. It has also been said that Science and Scripture are in no way at odds with each other but rather two distinct ways of thinking. On one hand are the believers of creation whom take the Bible as the only truth needed to understand the world. While on the other hand stands the evolutionist who seeks to explain and understand the truths of the world created by a God that cannot be seen or touched. For many years man has worked diligently to explain and prove the phenomena of the universe. This field of study as we know it is called Science. In today’s world Science can best be described as a systematic method used by scientists to prove the phenomena of the universe through observations, measurements, testing and documented...
Words: 1195 - Pages: 5
