Islam is a major world religion with, one-fourth of the world’s population making up its followers. Although many people believe that all Muslims live in the Middle East they mainly reside in Asia and the South Pacific. This widespread religion has many followers even in countries where Islam isn’t the main religion. Their main holy book is the Koran and they believe it is the best source of religious guidance. They also follow the Islamic law or Shariah which has rules about ethics, relationships, and food restrictions. Sometimes these rules aren’t separate from the government’s legislation. The Koran’s influence in many Islamic countries causes the religion to have an extensive impact on Muslims’ everyday lives. (Nasn and Bashir)
Islam has many ideas and similar beliefs to those seen in Christianity and Judaism. Muslims respect prophets from both of these religions, they simply believe their prophet, Muhammad, proclaimed the most accurate words, and knew God’s will better than previous prophets. They also respect the Bible just as Christians and Jews do. Although Muslims believe
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The Five Pillars include profession of faith (Shahadah) and prayer (Salut). These are both about respecting their faith, praying, and believing there is only one God, Allah. Muslims also must fast during the holy month of Ramadan, during the day. They are allowed to consume food at night and at the end of the month they celebrate with Id al-Fitr. There are also certain duties Muslims must fulfill if they are wealthy. These are called Zakat (almsgiving) and Haji (pilgrimage). Zakat revolves around sharing your wealth with the poor which is treated as sadaqah, meaning a good deed. Haji is a trip that Islamic followers, who have enough money, make to Mecca. This occurs in the last ten days of the Muslim year and also includes fasting. At the end of their trip Muslims celebrate with Id al-Adha. (Bashir and
Both Christianity and Islam mirror Judaism. From Judaism, Christianity and Islam derived the doctrines of monotheism, prophecy, resurrection, and a belief in the existence of heaven and hell. Both Islam and Christianity have a holy book. Christians consider the Bible the inspired word of God, however Muslims believe that the Koran is the literal word of God. Mohammed was merely transcribing the words of Allah, much as a court reporter does. Muslims therefore attribute greater spiritual
Islam is a monotheistic and Abrahamic religion alongside Judaism and Christianity. It is currently the second largest religion in the world today. Its beliefs come from the Qur'an which literally means "the recitation" which is believed to be a literal transcription of the word of God. Its main prophet is named Muhammad who began Islam by speaking with the angel Gabriel in a cave during his meditation and then acting as an instrument of God to help write the Qur’an. Muhammad then spread Islam to the scattered tribes of Arabia by becoming the leader of Yathrib and using his wonderful leadership abilities to then grow his influence over virtually all of Arabia. Muhammad is known by Muslims to be the seal of the profits because no profits after Muhammad should be considered legitimate. Muhammad also left behind the Hadith or “tradition” which is a collection of writings compiled of reports of Muhammad’s actions as leader of Yathrib. These reports are used as a more specific code of ethics in day to day life and from these reports the 5 Pillars of Islam are derived (Smith 160). Although Islam shares many similarities to Judaism and Christianity it is often viewed in the US with hate derived from preconceived notions following the attack on September 11th 2001. This paper seeks to provide an overview of Islam’s history as well as its two major sects and 5 main pillars to remove preconceived notions and provide a glance into the minds of the Islamic people.
Both Christianity and Islam mirror Judaism. From Judaism, Christianity and Islam took hold of the concepts of monotheism, prophecy, resurrection, and a belief in the existence of heaven and hell. Both religions also have a sacred text; Christians consider the Bible the inspired word of God, His words written and spoken through his followers. However Muslims hold the belief that the Koran is the literal spoken breath of God. Mohammed was merely transcribing the words of Allah, much as a court reporter does. With this knowledge they hold to be true Muslims hold the Koran and Islam at a higher level of truth and authenticity then the beliefs held by Christians and the Bible.
Across the world there are countless religions, new and old, each having their own unique traditions and laws that believers abide by. As defined by World History, Sharia, the Arabic word meaning “the path” or “the way”, alludes to traditional Islamic law. (Ellis, Esler, and Beers, 255) Sharia originates within the Koran, the holy book of Islam, which Muslims consider the unaltered word of God. Along with the Koran, Sharia is derived from the teachings and examples set by the Islamic prophet, Muhammad, who Muslims view as the perfect man of faith. Muslims believe that God revealed his true conviction to Muhammad, who in turn was to spread the commands of God through the Koran. Between Muhammad’s death in the seventh century and leading up to the tenth century, many Islamic scholars worked to understand Sharia in its entirety, and apply it to the rapidly expanding Muslim Empire of the time (Dunn, 57). Sharia played a key role in uniting the Islamic Empire by serving as the precedent which dictated laws concerning both private and public behavior.
The Five Pillars are the frameworks of a Muslim's life. Revealed to the prophet Muhammad by Allah, the Five Pillars are the basis of Islamic religion. "On another occasion, when the prophet (Muhammad) was asked to give a definition of Islam, he named those five pillars."(www.unn.ac.uk...) The Five Pillars are: bearing witness to Allah, establishing prayers, giving alms, fasting during Ramadan, and making a pilgrimage to Mecca. The Five Pillars are the major duties in the life of a Muslim.
Although both Christianity and Islam have similarities one big belief sets them apart greatly, the belief of Jesus Christ. Now, both believe that Jesus Christ was at one time alive and both believe that he was a sinless man. However, Christianity believes that not only was Jesus a sinless man but he was fully man and fully God. Islam, on the other hand, believes that Jesus was a great prophet, but nonetheless he was just a man. Christianity also believes that Jesus Christ died for their sins and that through faith in Jesus Christ alone will promise you eternal life in
Five Pillars of Islam In order to follow the right path in the Islamic religion its followers, Muslims, are required to practice its five pillars, or duties. Each of these duties is mentioned in the Quran; however, scholars have found a more detailed explanation in the Hadith. The five pillars are uttering the Shahada, prayer, zakat, participating in the fast, and a pilgrimage to Mecca. The first of the five duties is uttering the Shahada, a phrase that declares the faith of the follower.
In the Islamic faith there are five pillars that they must follow to their best ability. The Salaht, the Hajj, they must give to the poor, fasting during the month of Ramadan, and repetition of the creed, "There is no God but Allah; Muhammad is the messenger of Allah." These pillars are more like obligations in the Islamic religion.
The basic beliefs of both Christians and Muslims are practically the related. Both the Christian and Islamic religion believes that a God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit, and Mary exist ("Basic Beliefs"). In addition, both religions believe and agree on the life of Abraham and the stories of Jesus, David, and Moses.
In my opinion, the last three pillars of Islam, mentioned above, connect the Islamic people the most. The Third pillar, Zakat, or charity to the poor, requires each Muslim to pay 2.5% of everything he or she owns to the poor each year. (Molly 442) The fourth pillar requires Muslims to fast during the month of Ramadan.
Muslims have six major beliefs. They believe in one God (Allah). They believe in the angels. They believe in the holy books sent to all the prophets including Torah that was revealed to the prophet Moses, Bible that was reavealed to the prophet Jesus, and Qur'an that was revealed to the prophet Muhammad. They believe in all the prophets sent by God including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. Although Muslims believe in Isa or Jesus they do not think of Jesus as the Son of God the way Christians do. They believe in the Day of Judgement and life after death. The best reward for performing good deeds in getting closer to God. They believe in a divine decree. This means that God is all-powerful and nothing can happen
Islam and Christianity have a vast amount of similarities and differences. Islam searches for guidance from the Qur’an and Christianity depends on faith in Jesus. Islamic faith believes in the God, Allah. Above anything else, all religious Muslims obey Allah and his commandments to obtain peace. However, Christianity puts faith in Jesus who is the son of God.
Imagine taking a stroll down the busy streets of Iraq. The hastened commuters, heat of the day, sound of honking cars and tall, first world-like buildings can distract from all of the magnificent things that Islam has made the Middle East to be. Out of all of the religions that exist and have been created in the Middle East (such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam) Islam has been the most impactful in this region. After learning about and analyzing the effects of Islam, it is recognized that Islam has impacted the Middle East through its Quranic literature, mosques and Islamic law.
On Hajj The religion of Islam is held up by five pillars, known as the five. pillars of Islam. These are five ritual duties that Muslims view as central to their faith. These are: (1) pronouncing the confession of faith (shahada); (2) performing the five daily prayers (salat); (3). fasting during the month of Ramadan (saum); (4) paying the alms tax.
Also, Muslims believe the Quran is an unedited, and final revelation (Do Muslims Believe in the Bible). They also believe that the gospel that was given to Jesus was the original one, but the one that Christians believe are twisted, and corrupt, and not the original (talktoislam.com). Muslims say that Jesus was an important prophets, but not God’s Son. Islam also says that Jesus, born from the Virgin Mary, they believe Jesus was created like Adam. Muslims also do not believe Jesus died on a cross.