Free Essays on Islam

Islamic civilization has been the last great world civilization to appear to date. The fundamental ideas and values of Islam have their roots in Muhammad’s recitation of the Qur’an from the city of Mecca. Despite the simplicity of this single event, Islam spread far beyond its Arabian beginnings. As a result of the Arab conquests of the seventh century, many people were attracted to the unity of this Islamic society. The rise of Islam as an international tradition of religious, political, and social principles and institutions is one of the greatest revelations of all time. In the fifth century C.E. a merchant aristocrat called Muhammad from Mecca claimed to have received a divine prophecy from God’s messenger, Angel Gabriel. This prophecy is known as the Qu’ran. Mecca was a thriving commercial town that was a pilgrimage site where Ka’ba stood and was the center of the caravan trade. Mecca also held the origins of Islam. Muhammad was motivated to begin this new religious tradition because he saw what materialism and idolatry was doing to the world. After Muhammad’s proclamation of God’s last call to the people, him and his followers fled to Medina in 622 due to the religious persecutions they had received. This flight is known as the hegira, which is also the beginning of the Islamic calendar. In Medina, the organization of this new religious tradition began to develop. Muhammad, the prophet and founder of Islam, defined his followers as being Muslim, which is being submissive to God’s will. Their beliefs were held in the Five Pillars of Islam: absolute obedience to one God, five daily prayers facing Mecca, charity, fasting during Ramadan, and a pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims were also to abstain from pork and alcohol and to have allegiance to their Islamic community. The message of the Qur’an was that the way to paradise lay in gratitude to God for forgiveness and guidance, worship of false gods would not be tolerate... Free Essays on Islam Free Essays on Islam The literal meaning of Islam is peace or surrender of one’s will; in other words, losing oneself for the sake of God and surrendering one’s own pleasure for the pleasure of God. Islam is a religion which impacts every part of life, from eating and sleeping to working and playing. Allah, the almighty one, is the name of the God of the Muslims. The Muslims believe that Allah is an all-powerful, magnificent God who has created the universe and controls even the smallest detail of everything, much like the beliefs of Christians and Jews. Muslims believe that Allah is one, indivisible, and they believe in all the prophets and holy figures of the Christians and Jews including Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, Mary, Jesus, and others. Muslims also recognize another prophet named Muhammad, who is a direct descendant of Abraham through his first born son, Ishmael. Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570 A.D. and is the heart and soul of Islam. His father died just before he was born and his mother died when Muhammad reached the age of six. As an adult, he worked as a caravan driver and married several times. As a sacred person, Muhammad would retreat to caves and ponder over the differences of many diverse religious beliefs. At the age of forty, he had his first revelation which he initially thought might have been a hallucination. However, after confiding in his wife, Khadijah, he became convinced that his experience was a true communication from God. Muhammad had many more revelations after the first in which he began to communicate more openly with his people. Following the death of his wife and uncle, Muhammad experienced his â€Å"Night Journey† in 620 A.D. At this point, the angel Gabriel guided him upwards to the heavens where he encountered the angels, the great prophets, and at last, the all-mighty God. This was the confirm ation Muhammad needed to confirm that he was a prophet and messeng... Free Essays on Islam Islam is the name given to the religion preached by the Prophet Muhammad in the A.D. 600’s.Isalm is an Arabic word that means submission or surrender. God is called Allah, which means â€Å"The God†, and one who follows these teachings and beliefs is called a Muslim. Muhammad was born about A.D. 570 in the Arabian city of Mecca. Many believe that he began to receive revelations from Allah that were sent through Gabriel. These revelations took place in Mecca and Medina in a 22-year period and are now recorded in the Muslim holy book, the Qur’an. The Qur’an and the Sunna, the example of words and practices of Muhammad, make up the foundation of Islamic law. Islam is the second largest religion in the world, following Christianity. Over 1.1 million people follow this religion. Today, Muslims live in every country in the world. The central concept of Islam is tawhid, the oneness of God. Muslims are much like Christians in that they believe in one god who is the lord of the universe. They believe that they owe worship and obedience to God since He is the creator of the universe and He knows all. Every act performed in obedience to God is considered an act of worship in Islam. Most Muslims take care in their daily lives to respect their parents and elders, to be kind to animals and human beings, and to do their daily tasks to the best that they can. The formal acts of worship, called the Five Pillars, provide the framework for all aspects of Muslim life. The pillars consist of (1) Faith, (2) Prayer, (3) Charity, (4) Fasting, and (5) Pilgrimage. Faith is the main pillar since it is the basis surrounding the religion. They must have faith in God, and only Him. The pillar of prayer is important to most Muslims since they pray five times a day. They pray just before dawn, at midday, in mid-afternoon, just after sunset, and at night. Before they pray, they must wash their hands, their faces, parts of their arms and ... Free Essays on Islam Islam More Than A Religion Despite its huge following around the world and the growing Muslim communities in the United States, Islam is foreign to most Americans who are familiar with Christianity or Judaism. Because most Americans know little or nothing about Islam, they have many misconceptions about Muslim beliefs and rituals. The negative image many people in the United States and Europe have of Islam and the Muslim world has a long history. Many have judged Islam without making an effort to consider this religious tradition on its own terms, without bothering to become acquainted with its teaching and the ways in which Muslims practice their faith. Like Judaism and Christianity, Islam is a monotheistic religion, based on the belief in one God.. This religion was proclaimed by the Prophet Muhammad in Arabia, in the 7th century A.D. The term Islam virtually means â€Å"surrender†. Within Islam the believer (called a Muslim) use the Arabic word for God, Allah , to refer to the creator of the world and of all life within it. Allah is viewed as the creator, sustained, and restorer of the world. The will of Allah, to which man must submit, is made known through the sacred scriptures, the Quran. Allah revealed the Quran to his messenger, Muhammad (praise be upon him). According to Islamic beliefs, Muhammad is the last of a series of prophets. Muhammad's message concurrently perfect and do away with the â€Å"revelations† attributed to earlier prophets. From the very beginning of Islam, Muhammad had portrayed a sense of brotherhood and a bond of faith to his followers. The Prophet fled to Medina in AD 622, it was during this time that his preaching was accepted and the community-state of Islam emerged. During this early period, Islam acquired its characteristics as a religion uniting in itself both the spiritual and temporal aspects of life. Islam also seeks to regulate not only the individual's relationship to God... Free Essays on Islam Islamic civilization has been the last great world civilization to appear to date. The fundamental ideas and values of Islam have their roots in Muhammad’s recitation of the Qur’an from the city of Mecca. Despite the simplicity of this single event, Islam spread far beyond its Arabian beginnings. As a result of the Arab conquests of the seventh century, many people were attracted to the unity of this Islamic society. The rise of Islam as an international tradition of religious, political, and social principles and institutions is one of the greatest revelations of all time. In the fifth century C.E. a merchant aristocrat called Muhammad from Mecca claimed to have received a divine prophecy from God’s messenger, Angel Gabriel. This prophecy is known as the Qu’ran. Mecca was a thriving commercial town that was a pilgrimage site where Ka’ba stood and was the center of the caravan trade. Mecca also held the origins of Islam. Muhammad was motivated to begin this new religious tradition because he saw what materialism and idolatry was doing to the world. After Muhammad’s proclamation of God’s last call to the people, him and his followers fled to Medina in 622 due to the religious persecutions they had received. This flight is known as the hegira, which is also the beginning of the Islamic calendar. In Medina, the organization of this new religious tradition began to develop. Muhammad, the prophet and founder of Islam, defined his followers as being Muslim, which is being submissive to God’s will. Their beliefs were held in the Five Pillars of Islam: absolute obedience to one God, five daily prayers facing Mecca, charity, fasting during Ramadan, and a pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims were also to abstain from pork and alcohol and to have allegiance to their Islamic community. The message of the Qur’an was that the way to paradise lay in gratitude to God for forgiveness and guidance, worship of false gods would not be tolerate... Free Essays on Islam RELIGION ISLAM DEFINATION: The Arabic word â€Å"ISLAM† simply means â€Å"submission† , and derives from a word meaning â€Å"peace† . In religious context it means complete submission to the will of God. â€Å"Mohammedanism† is thus a misnomer because it suggests that Muslims worship Muhammad rather than God. â€Å"ALLAH† is the Arabic name for God, which is used by Arab Muslims and Christians alike. Who believes in ISLAM? Why? Muslims believe in ISLAM they believe in One God who is unique, Incomparable he is all powerful he is supreme power he has all authorities. God’s complete authority over human destiny and in life after death. Muslims believe in a chain of prophets starting with Adam and including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elias, Jonah, john, and Jesus, peace be upon them all. But God’s final message was brought by prophet Muhammad and he was the last prophet. Who are the Muslims ? Over one billion people from a vast range of races, nationalities and cultures across the globe. From the southern Philippines to Nigeria – are united by their common Islamic faith.About 18% live in the Arab world; but the world’s largest Muslim community is in Indonesia(130 million),30% of Muslims live in the Indian sub continent,20 % in sub Saharan African,17 % in South east ASIA, 10 % in the Soviet Union and China. All Muslims are not Arabs you will see black Muslims, Indian Muslims, American Muslims Bosinian Muslims, Turkish Muslims and etc Muslims are in many countries and are in many colors. Why does Islam often seem strange? Muslims always lead their live according to laws and teaching of their religion(ISLAM) where as in Christianity they don’t do that. Muslims have religion always uppermost in their minds,and make no division between secular and sacred. They b... Free Essays on Islam Islam The word â€Å"Islam† comes from the Arabic language and means â€Å"submission to God†. A Muslim belongs to the Islamic religion. The Arabic word Muslim means â€Å"one who is submitted to God, wholly committed to the divine power and authority (Speight 2). Islam is the youngest and one of the largest major religions with more than one billion followers (Hopfe 329). Muhammad, the founder of Islam, was born around A.D. 570 in Mecca. His mother died when he was six and his father died before he was born. Muhammad’s uncle, Abu Talib, a traveling merchant, raised him. Muhammad often traveled with his uncle to Syria and other regions for trade. At twenty-five years old, Muhammad married a wealthy widow, Khadija, who was forty at the time. They worked together as caravan merchants. Once Muhammad was allowed more leisure time, he started visiting a popular cave at Mount Hira, three miles from Mecca, to meditate. In the year 610, he received a vision of the angel Gabriel while at the cave. Gabriel brought this command from God: Recite: In the Name of thy Lord who created, created Man of a blood clot. Recite: And thy Lord is the Most Generous, Who taught by the Pen, Taught man what he knew not. From this point forward, Gabriel was to be the middle-man of communication between God and Muhammad, at the frequent revelations throughout the rest of Muhammad’s life (Braswell 12). These communications were transferred over time to become the scriptures of Islam, or the Qur’an. This sacred text teaches about God as well as how to lead a good, faithful life. The scriptures set harsh penalties for evils such as stealing or murder. After three years of silence about his experiences, Muhammad started his prophetic mission. At first, he only converted a few followers; most under forty years old from some of the most worthy families in Mecca. He preached against the idols in the Ka’ba , whic... Free Essays on Islam Next to Christianity, Islam is the next most popular religion of the world, with 1.3 billion followers accounted for in 2002. The word â€Å"Islam† comes from the Arabic word which means the submission or surrender of one’s will to the only true god worthy of worship, which they call â€Å"Allah†. Anyone who follows the religion of Islam is termed a â€Å"Muslim.† The main focus of Islam is the worship of Allah alone and the avoidance of worship directed to any person, place, or thing other than Allah. Islam rejects the worship of Allah’s creation and instead encourages the worship of Allah himself. Similar to the other major religions, such as Christianity and Judaism, Muslims believe in one unique God. Unlike Christianity and Judaism though, Muslims believe that Allah has neither a son nor partner and should be worshipped alone; no one shares in His divinity or attributes. Islam also rejects the existence of any human form of God. They acknowledge Jesus as a prophet, not the son of God. Any human form of God is considered blasphemous because God is far removed from every human imperfection. Some other beliefs of Islam are the belief in the existence of angels and the belief that God revealed books to His messengers as guidance for them. Among these books is the Holy Quran, which Allah revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The Quran, which is the last revealed word of God, is the primary source of Islam faith and practice. It deals with all subjects which concern human beings, but its basic theme is the relationship between God and humans. It also provides guidelines and detailed teachings for a just society, proper human conduct, and an economic system. Muslims believe that by following the Quran, one will live a satisfying life. On the other hand, one who turns away from the Quran will have a life of hardship. The second source of Islam is the Sunnah. The word Sunnah has come to denote the way the Prophet Muhammad l... Free Essays on Islam Islam is the religion of mercy. Islam was very clear concerning women; it gave them their full rights and never considered them as inferior to men. According to Smock and Youssef, â€Å"The introduction of Islam†¦undoubtedly compromises the single most important determinant molding the character of Egyptian culture and as such had a profound effect on the status of women†(quote taken from Smock 35). Although Egypt and the whole Arab world are Islamic countries, Arab women are still denied some of their rights, and are still treated as the ‘weak sex’ that needs to be supported and guided by men. In ancient civilizations, such as Roman women were mistreated A woman didn’t have any rights, her approval in marriage wasn’t necessary, and she was treated like the property of her parents or husband (Badawi 7) Islam honors women and places them highly. Smock and Youssef state, â€Å"Islam, as an integral religion, formulates a total pattern for living rather than focusing primarily on theology. Hence Mohammed was concerned with the role of women† (Smock 37). Islam gives women specific rights, as well as duties and responsibilities. It doesn’t differentiate between man and woman; all people are equal and are judged according to their actions and deeds, not according to their sex. God says in the Holy Qur’an, â€Å"Whoso acts righteously, whether male or female and is a believer, We will surely grant him a pure life (4:123; also 16:19)† (quote taken from Agbetola 134). Islam has defended women starting their early childhood; it forbade infant icide, and also required parents to treat their daughters kindly and fairly. Prophet Muhammad stated â€Å"Whosoever has a daughter and he does not bury her alive, does not insult her, and does not favor his son over her, God will enter him into Paradise† (quote taken from Badawi 15). As adults, Islam has also ensured that women would lead an honorable and dignified life. In the Qur’an it is cl... Free Essays on Islam Orthopraxy in Islam Islamic life is centered on the physical practice of prayer (salat). With that the religion of Islam itself is based in the methodical movement through which Muslims show their devotion to Allah. The prayer begins with the devotee standing, bending slowly into a sitting position and ending in full prostration. Bowing fully onto the ground is a practice that shows humility and represents the true devotion of members. Practice-centered religion differentiates itself from â€Å"orthodox† religion in that it focuses primarily on ritual practice, rather than theology or doctrine, orthodox meaning â€Å"correct opinion†. The most visible orthodox religion of America is Christianity. Christianity centers life around the opinions of the church with less emphasis on purity and behavior. Islamic life is distinctly based on what can be defined as â€Å"orthopraxy† or the importance of religious practice. The orthopraxy of Islam can be seen in at least three of the Five Pillars of Islam, salat, Ramadan and the hajj, which are also representative of Muslim faith and duties. Salat, as mentioned earlier, is the performance of prayer five times a day. The prayer, which includes full prostration, is performed facing Mecca. In the The Meaning of the Glorious Koran, (the earliest source of Islamic writing as dictated to Mohammed), it is written, â€Å"Whencesoever thou comest forth (for prayer, O Mohammed) turn thy face toward the Inviolable Place of Worship. Lo! it is the Truth from thy Lord. Allah is not unaware of what ye do (Surah 2:149).† Implicit directions for prayer also display the amount of emphasis on practice. Salat must be performed five times daily, at specific times of the day: early morning, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and evening. Each Friday a congregational service is held at the mosque and every male is required to attend. Before prayer, four ritual aspects are required: ritual purification, proper co... Free Essays on Islam â€Å"The Pillars of Islam†, by Frances Gumley and Brian Redhead briefly explains the basic principles which guide the lives of Muslims all over the world. Frances Gumley is a producer for religious programs for the British Broadcasting Commission and a free lance producer for Radio Four. Brian Redhead is a well known broadcaster for Radio Four. The two have worked together before on two occasions, â€Å"The good book† and â€Å"The Christian Centuries†. â€Å"The pillars of Islam†, is their third collaborative achievement. Gumley and Redhead adopt a very simple and logical style of presenting their views. They use quotations from the Koran and support their views by referring to viewpoints of distinguished Muslim scholars. The authors describe the five pillars in detail using a chapter for each one. The book being an introduction to the Islamic faith, I think that the authors have succeeded in capturing the essence of this particular religion. In my opinion ‘the five pillars of Islam’ is something of a misnomer. I think the first pillar, the statement of faith, Is not a pillar but the basis upon which all else rests. On this foundation rests the other four pillars. If they did not then they would not be important for they are expressions of worship and thus a form of giving, though also, like worship, a form of receiving. For in these pillars rests great inner peace and social peace- a harmony and serenity that is only possible if one is living the life for which one was created. For example everything manufactured works best when the manufacturers instructions are followed. Likewise for man: our proper performance depends upon carefully following the instructions of the manufacturer’s manual. It is therefore our obligation to seek and realize and to obey the word of the creator. The Five Pillars of Islam are the foundation of the Islamic religion. These basic laws are very significant and stand as a way for Muslims to e... Free Essays on Islam The strong impact slavery had on the spread of Israel The word of the Quran had a strong influence on many cultures. The Muslims holy word was fitting to many and easily answered people’s questions on how to get into heaven and how to stay out of flaming hell. The spread of Islam moved quickly considering the extensive geography and different regions that were involved. While the word to the Quran brought guidance to many, Islam spread by word of mouth while trading and military conquests took place. (Stearn,68) Throughout this paper I hope to show how the African Diaspora and slavery both economically and geographically played a huge role in the spread of Islam. The Islam faith offered rules that where easily followed, and it didn’t condemn or renounce material wealth. Economically Muslims brought strong skills in navigation, trade, and commercial exchange. (Fiero, 50) The famous Jihad also translated as the â€Å"holy war† was used as a defense in faith against non-Muslims. Although the Muslim armies did have success in defending there faith and it was thought that the Muslim religion brought power and triumph. As Africans where traded into the Islamic world many of them accepted and agreed with the Islamic faith. (Stern, 68) One example of a military slave that converted to the Islamic belief was a man named Ammar bin Yasir. He was one of the first African’s to embrace Islam, which he did at 48 years old. He told his father, an old Sabena freedman and his mother, also an old black African slave-woman that he had converted to Muslim. They also decided to embrace the Islam culture. When Ammar made and early conversion to Islam he suffered a great deal for his decision. He was punished and tortured, he was forced to sit and witness the brutal and horrifying death of his mother and father for their decision to convert to the Muslim faith and embracing Islam. The pagan Quraysh put a burning rod through Ammara’s chest ... Free Essays on ISLAM The first thing that one should know and understand about Islam is what the world â€Å"Islam† means. The religion of Islam is not named after a person as in the case of Christianity which named after Jesus Christ, Buddhism after Gotama Buddha, and Confucianism after Confucius and Hinduism after the Hindus. Islam is the religion of â€Å"Allah† (God). â€Å"The Arabic word â€Å"Islam† means the submission or surrender of one’s will to the only true god worthy of worship â€Å"Allah† and anyone who does so is termed a â€Å"Muslim†, the word also implies â€Å"peace†Ã¢â‚¬ . The name of God’s religion Islam was not decided upon by later generations of man. It was chosen by Allah Himself and clearly mentioned in His final revelation to man. Islam is the world’s second most popular religion. It began 1400 years ago in Arabia, but swiftly become a world faith, and now has around 1,200 million adherents. There are between 1. 2 and 1.6 million Muslims in the UK, about 600,000 of who are active in the faith. Those who are not active still regard being a Muslim as an important part of their identity. Islam was the religion of the first couple, Adam and Eve. It was also the religion of messengers of God like Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. The real meaning of their message was the same. Islam teaches that â€Å"believe and obey one true God and obey his messengers†. Jesus (peace be upon him) was the second last prophet of God. He foretold the coming of the last Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). While the message of the earlier messengers, including Jesus was limited, but the message of Prophet Mohammad is universal and will remain so till the end of this world. Belief in Islam means belief in One God, belief in all of God’s messengers, belief in all the books sent down to His Prophets. These books include Torah and Gospel (not the Bible), belief in the existence of angels, and belief in the Day of Judgment and Life after Death, heaven and hell...