Explaining The Religion of Islam Essay examples - 1445 Words

Islam is currently the worlds 2nd largest and fastest growing religion with nearly one-fifth (approximately 1.2 billion) of the world’s population believed to be Muslim (About.Com, 2008, Online http://islam.about.com/od/muslimcountries/a/population.htm). Islam is a monotheistic religion which means it believes in the one God. It is Abrahamic or one of the ‘Religions of the Book’, this means that, similar to in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible and the Jewish Torah, stories such as that of the Creation story in Genesis and the stories of Abraham (abc.net 2009, Online http://www.abc.net.au/religion/stories/s790151.htm ). This essay includes a brief summary of the general beliefs of Islam, the Islamic take on social justice, a summary†¦show more content†¦Prayer: The name given to the obligatory prayer which is to be performed 5 times a day is Shalat. Prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and nightfall, and help determine the rhythm o f the entire day, Shalat can be done anywhere, before praying there is a ritual cleansing to purify oneself before coming before god. It is always done facing Mecca, the homeland of Islam. Zakat: Zakat is essentially almsgiving, all Muslims are required to help share their wealth with the poor, this is generally done through a yearly tax of approximately 2.5% of an individuals annual income. Fasting: Fasting, or Saum, is an important part of Islam. During the lunar month of Ramadan, Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset. Fasting is supposed to help bring a Muslim closer to Allah and instil discipline. Hajj: At least once in their lifetime, if physically and financially possible, all Muslims are required to make the pilgrimage to Mecca during Hajj which begins at the start of the 12th month in the Islamic Calender. Islam has an undefinable stance on social justice; just like most religions, with in that religion there are many different views and interpretations on social justice. One of the key features of Islamic life is Sharia Law which is the moral code of Islam, in this is a group of Haram offences which include pre-marital sexual intercourse, sex byShow MoreRelatedNot For Ergun And Emir Caner, The Authors Of Unveiling Islam922 Words   |  4 Pagestheir conversion from Islam to Christianity was inspiring, and humbling. For someone like me, who is sure in what they believe, that process seems impossible. Not for Ergun and Emir Caner, the authors of Unveiling Islam. In addition to reading the book, I wanted more information on the lives of these authors, so I watched several interviews with them where they expanded upon their life’s story, as well as explaining more about the Muslim faith. Understanding how these religions stand apart can be difficultRead MoreUniversity of Phoenix: Islam Worksheet1148 Words   |  5 PagesMaterial Islam Worksheet When studying Islam, it is important to understand the essential elements of the faith, how they are practiced, and the distinctions among the three branches: Shiite Islam, Sunni Islam, and Sufism. Write a 1- to 2-paragraph response for each of the following directives and note where there are differences among the three branches of Islam. Explain the meaning of the name, Islam. The Islamic religion is a Middle Eastern, Arabic Peninsula, based religion that originatedRead MoreThe Religion Of Islam Is A Religion With Deep Roots That1495 Words   |  6 Pages  The religion of Islam is a religion with deep roots that have now expanded out from the Middle East and touch all corners of the world. While there is no doubt that Islam’s oldest roots lie in the birthplace of the religion, the Arabian Peninsula, the religion’s culture, customs, and laws have been carried out from here and impact millions worldwide. However, with the spread of Islam into the world comes the spread of the world into Islam. Meaning that as Islam’s roots grow far and wide it mustRead MoreTaking a Look at Islam733 Words   |  3 PagesIslam is a religion that tells it believers a complete way of living. The core belief of Islam is that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad (S.A.W) is the last prophet of God. The concept of worship in Islam is a general concept which meets all the good in religion and life. The truth of worship is all said and works that appeal to Allah and you are satisfied. The Muslim in life knows that he is a true servant of Allah and obeying Allah seeks to fulfill and to avoid what banned in all thingsRead MoreLife of Pi882 Words   |  4 Pages World Religions In Life of Pi In the book Life of Pi the author Yann Martel wrote about a young boy named Pi Patel surviving on a lifeboat by himself. Throughout the entire book Pi was very close to religion and in the end his religions were the main reason he had survived. At the start of the book Yann Martel introduces three religions, Islam, Christianity, and Hinduism. There are three main points that aided in Pi’s survival. One being that Pi was open to religions and started toRead MoreAp World Dbq: Attitudes of Christianity and Islam Toward Merchants609 Words   |  3 PagesBoldt April 16, 2010 AP World DBQ From the onset of the Christian and Islamic religions, until about 1500, the two religions began with two different opinions of merchants, but grew together as time went on. As the two religions reached the 1500’s, their view of merchants became almost identical. In the beginning of each religion, Christianity and Islam had very different views on merchants and traders. In the New Testament of the Bible, hatred is shownRead MoreThe Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror by Bernard Lewis1335 Words   |  6 PagesThe Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror is a book written by Bernard Lewis that ‘in particular charts the key events of the twentieth century leading up to the violent confrontations of today.’(Lewis) Lewis clearly and entirely pointed out key events explaining the choices to be made by the people of the Islamic faith. They must determine whether their religion takes its place alongside other religions in a global community, or whether it will revert back into conflict with non-Muslim nationsRead MoreUnveiling Islam: What Muslims Believe, by Zainab Ali Essays602 Words   |  3 PagesIn Zainab Alis book, Unveiling Islam: What Muslims Believe, she explains the basic beliefs of a Muslim. She also elaborates on the images of Muslims in the media created by important leaders such as Saddam Huss ein and Louis Farrakhan and how they contradict the Islamic belief. The writer then gives her explaination of these contradictions with respect to Islamic rules. She focuses on the rules of the faith - the five pillars of Islam - by provinding explanations, definitions, and examples. AfterRead MoreChristianity, Islam, And Buddhism1610 Words   |  7 Pagesto gain some insight from various religious teachings. How different religions view the concept of life after death is extremely interesting and is something that is worth exploring. These fascinating questions are going to be answered throughout this paper from the perspective of three major religions: Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism. Whether it is getting into Heaven in Christianity, achieving the paradise of Jannah in Islam, or Nirvana in Buddhism, these concepts of the afterlife will explainedRead MoreAllam Iqbal1329 Words   |  6 Pagesconsciousness of the Muslims in the historical perspective of the south Asian sub-cont inent that they were a separate nation on the basis of the Islamic ideology. No doubt Islamic ideology is the base of ideology of Pakistan so the basic fundamentals of Islam are also the bases of the Ideology of Pakistan. Allama Iqbal amp; Ideology of Pakistan Allama Iqbal was the person who for the first time gave the concept of a separate state for the Muslims keeping in view the Two Nation Theory. He clearly explained