...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...
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...The world religions of planet Earth contain fifteen major religions, but for my report, I focused on the top three religions to represent Earth’s population. Together, Christianity, Muslims, and Hinduism represent nearly sixty eight percent of the planet’s religious beliefs. According to Mary Pat Fisher (2011), the definition of religion is a particular response to dimensions of life considered sacred, as shaped by institutionalized traditions. The criteria used to determine if people on earth are religious involves understanding what they believe in regards to the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, the way that they observe rituals, and the way they live their lives according to the moral code established by their specific religions. The first criteria that I felt needed to be met for the planet to be considered religious was what the population believed in regards to the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe according to their beliefs. Christianity, the planet’s most common form of religion, believes that there is one single, almighty god. This god created the universe and all organisms that inhabit it in seven days. Christians believe that god created the ultimate organism (humans) to live in his divine view of perfect love and justice. The purpose in life of Christianity for these believers is to love and serve God throughout their lives (Christianity Human Nature). I examined the Muslim religion to understand how these believers observed rituals in accordance...
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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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...World Religions Report Name HUM/130 Axia College of University of Phoenix Introduction The Roman Catholic Church is considered the largest of all Christian churches (Believe, 2007). Roman Catholicism is a branch of Christianity governed by the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. Today the Roman Church with the Pope, Archbishops, Cardinals, Monsignors, Priests, Deacons, and Nuns has become a huge global operation reaching almost every country in the world. This report will include a personal viewpoint gathered from an interview with a Roman Catholic follower and a recent visit to their church. In addition to the personal viewpoint on Roman Catholicism, this report will include researched facts on Roman Catholic beliefs and practices as well as a comparison between Catholicism and Islam. Although Catholics and Muslims have distinct beliefs and worshipping practices, they share similar fundamental principles. Church Visit Presentation BVM was the place of worship visited on Saturday May 29th, 2010 for Saturday Mass. The Church is located in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania at 100 Old Soldiers Road. The mass was conducted by the Pastor of the church, Father Harrison. The church service for this day was extremely interesting and was based on the concept of the Holy Trinity and its importance to honor this belief. This topic was fascinating because of the marvel in the doctrine of the Trinity. I was grateful...
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...Cross-Cultural Perspectives ETH 316 January 30, 2012 Cross-Cultural Perspectives The global organization that I chose was Christianity in Religion. Christianity can be found on every continent on the globe. It is one of the most popular religions, and has many different beliefs associates with it such as: Roman Catholicism, Baptist, Methodist, and Lutherans among a few. This religion also has many opponents across the world also such as Atheist, Buddhists, and the main one that comes to mind and that this report will focus on as its cultural difference is Islam, also known as the Muslim faith. A person’s culture can and most often will determine a person’s religious beliefs. Culture is defined as “the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also: the characteristic features of everyday existence (as diversions or a way of life} shared by people in a place or time.” (Merriam Webster Dictionary, 2012) CULTURAL ISSUE WITHIN RELIGION The cultural issue that is dealt with religion and Christianity is that depending on where you are at in the world you can run into opposition. This is a great conflict within the Middle East right now. Each of these religions believes that their religion is the only TRUE religion, and depending on what religion you belong to depends on how far you will take your beliefs. In the Middle East those with the Muslim faith will go as far as to kill themselves and to them become a martyr...
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...Running head: ISLAM : GLOBAL CONCEPT AND PRACTICES 1 Islam : Global Concept and Practices DeVry University Sociology – 350N – Cultural Diversity in Professions Spring Semester 2013 Introduction The history of Islam, its’ concepts and practices is one of the most intriguing yet controversial religions known today. Worldwide, Muslims make up about 23.4 percent of the population, while Christianity makes up about 30 percent (Goodstein, 2011). A study published in 2009 by the Pew Research Center to get global concept of the Muslim population found, “Of the 232 countries and territories included in this study, 50 are Muslim-majority” (p. 5). The Center also found “While 80% of the world’s Muslims live in countries where Muslims are in the majority, significant numbers – about one-fifth of the world’s Muslim population – live as religious minorities in their home countries” (p. 7). With so many countries adhering to Islam and the growth of the Muslim population here in America and worldwide; how will this affect how non-Islamic countries communicate and interact with Islamic countries and how we communicate right here in the United States? If Muslim fundamentalists were not at the forefront of controversy in the war on terrorism, would Islam be a religion that sparks so much debate? Even before September 11th, there had been much controversy related to Islam. However most of it occurred on foreign soil. With significant bombings and terrorist attacks in Europe...
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...Response • Recognize 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...
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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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...Islam in the World Today Patrick Mallin DeVry University Islam has a major influence within society and not just within the Middle East but all over the world. Depending on what part of the world is looked at, the teachings of Islam are altered slightly just like anything else maybe in different countries. The issue that arises is the thought that Islam has one belief that has been shining in the wrong light, and it is practiced the same way all around the world and by all people. The teaching of Islam will be further explained showing differences in ways it is practiced to prove misconceptions wrong. Another thing that will be focused on is how these teachings compare to Christianity and Judaism which are also found throughout the world. With this information, it allows for interactions of different religious groups to be looked at, and the ability to assess the dynamics of them. With further understanding of each, a more stable society could start to develop. The teachings of Islam are meant for the good of all people, it is designed to eliminate any prejudice and hatred among all people. The basis is that people are all the same, no matter what skin color, job, gender, or social class. Islamic teachings come from the holy Quran which focus’s everything around three principle factors, those being, justice, tolerance, and equality. Justice focusing on the fact that if one would discriminate...
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...100 Facts about Islam 1. "Islam" means "surrender" or "submission". 2. "Salam" (wh ich means "peace") is the root word of "Islam". In a religious context the word "Islam" means "the surrendering of one's will (without compulsion) to the true will of God in an effort to achieve peace". 3. "Muslim" means "anyone or anything that surrenders itself to the true will of God". 4. Everything in nature (trees, animals, planets, etc.) are "muslims" because they are in a state of surrender to God's will. In other words, they are fulfilling the purpose for which God created them. 5. Islam is not a new religion or cult. It is a universal way of life and civilization 6. Studies show that between 1.5 and 1.8 billion people in the world identify their religion as Islam. Along with Judaism and Christianity it traces its roots through Prophet Abraham and back to the first humans Adam and Eve. 7. Islam is a complete way of life that governs all facets of life: moral, spiritual, physical,intellectual, social, economical, etc. 8. Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in the world. 9. "Allah" is an Arabic word that means "God". 10. Muslims also believe that "Allah" is the personal name of God. 11. Allah is not the God of Muslims only. He is the God of all people and all creation. 12. The Islamic concept of God is that He is loving, merciful and compassionate. 13. . Islam also teaches that He is all-knowing and the perfect judge of affairs...
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...INTERVIEW AND UNDERSTANDING OF ISLAMIC RELIGION April 20, 2013 HUMN130 Religions of the World Interview and Understanding of the Islamic Religion First I wanted to get a general understanding of the exact religion and people who practice Islamic Faith. I learned that a Muslim is a person who practices Islam. Islam is the name of the religion. Muslims sometimes claim that there is no Muslim culture, only a Muslim religion. However, people in today's society do not acknowledge this distinction since we view religion as one aspect of one's culture. Muslim culture generally includes all the practices which have developed around the religion of Islam. Muslims are obligated to follow the practices of Islam in every detail in daily life. These practices are dictated by the Qur'an of Koran. The Muslim's sacred book, which is considered to be the final word of God. These practices are reported to be the practices and sayings of the prophet Muhammad. There are several cultural aspects of the Islam religion that Muslims practice. For example, there are five major tenets (pillars) in the Islam religion a Muslim is expected to follow. The first is "There is only on God (Allah) and Muhammad is the Messenger of God". The other four are the practical obligations of daily prayer, fasting, paying annual money to be distributed among the poor, and making the pilgrimage to Mecca. Islam is considered the fastest growing religion in the world. There are approximately 1.3 billion...
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...Report on the Religious life of Planet Earth Joan C. Mercieca Strayer University Religion 212 – World Religions Dr. Lawrence Ruddell April 28, 2012 I recently traveled to the planet called Earth to ascertain if people and the planet are religious and what they practice in the aspects of religion. I will give you examples of behavior or beliefs I observed during my visit on Earth. The first thing that I saw was that Earth and its people are separated by many religions and variations of religions. What I mean by this is currently Earth has about forty three hundred belief systems and within these beliefs there are many different sects (Fisher, 2011). According to Barrett (2000), I looked at there are twelve classical major world religions. Babi and Baha'i faiths, Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Shinto, Sikhism, Taoism, and Zoroastrianism (Fisher, 2011). There are many other religions on earth but Christianity is the largest. Christianity comprises of Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, and Eastern Orthodox. What I have observed from Christianity is that they have different sects within. Christian’s believe that there is one God who is supremely powerful and knowing. Christian’s beliefs sounded bizarre to me because they believe that anything is possible if they believe in this God. These Christians believe that their God made the Earth, heavens and animals in six days...
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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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...in completely different categories, they face many of the same problems in terms of discrimination in America. Within the scope of this essay, we will learn about some differences between Muslims, African Americans, and various other groups. We will also take a look at their overall experiences, as well as some specific examples of discrimination. Islam and Its Followers in America A Muslim is someone who follows the teachings of Islam, a religion believed to have originated in Saudi Arabia in the 7th century (Pecorino, 2001). What is interesting about Islam is that its roots are in the Middle East and it has stayed very influential there (Pecorino, 2001). Christianity, the predominant religion in America, also has its roots in the Middle East. However, Christianity isn’t nearly as present now in the Middle East as Islam. As a matter of fact, Christianity is now the predominant religion of America, with roughly 78 percent of Americans identifying with the group (Pew Research Center, 2007). Islam, on the other hand, only represents about one percent of the country (Pew Research Center, 2007). Comparison of Christianity and Islam...
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...Public Relations and Religion The media is a dangerous place when it comes to informing the public about accurate information regarding news, culture, events, and history. As an executive media specialist at CNN I decided to sit down and go over a very pressing topic with other specialists about three monotheistic religions that are skewed across the media. Islam, Christianity, and Judaism are three major monotheistic religions in the world. It is important that each of these religions are accurately portrayed across the media because there is a growing dissonance over truly understanding a religion and the followers it has. Today I will be discussing in this report four key points about these three religions. I will be explaining each religion...
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