Essay on Islam Culture and Beliefs
Christianity vs. Islam Essay
Essay about Islam
The Religion of Islam Essay
Interview With A Muslim Essay
Essay about Islam and Democracy
Islam Reflection Paper
Essay about Islam
Essay about Islam
The Muslim Culture Essay
Islamic Culture Essay
History of Islam Essay
1. Essay on Islam Culture and Beliefs
Islam is one of the world's greatest monotheistic religions. The followers of Islam are known as
Muslims, and they believe in God, Allah. The word "Islam" is an Arabic word that means
"submitting and surrendering your will to Almighty God." The word comes from the same root as
the Arabic word "salam" which means peace. Islam is the religion of about one and half billion
people in the world. It is the second largest in the number of followers after Christianity. I chose
this religion as a topic of my research paper because at high school in my world history class I read
few things about this religion like God is one, men can have four wives, etc and those sound
interesting to me, so I want to learn more about this religion.
The history of...show more content...
This belief frees him from all fears and superstitions by making him conscious of the presence of the
Almighty Allah and of man's obligations towards him. Muslims consider everything they do in
life to be an act of worship, if it is done according to Allah's guidance (Mahmoud 16). A long time
ago, at work, my coworkers were talking about Islam and suddenly that discussion turned into a
serious dispute. Some people were in favor of religion and some were not. Different people have
different views about Islam; that's another reason why I chose this religion as my topic. I read
many things about Islam online. Some of their rituals really sound interesting, and I wanted to view
them in person. To do my future research, I went to a mosque with my friend who is a trueMuslim. A
mosque is a place of worship for Muslims, who often refer to it by its Arabic name, masjid. The
word mosque in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated to Islamic worship. For many
Muslim people, a mosque is more than a place of worship. Muslims worship, study and discuss
Islam, and do many other things in a mosque and its surrounding buildings. Usually, the mosques are
very interesting, decorated buildings with lots of design and have minarets. Minarets are tall towers;
they are at one of the corners of the mosque. The top of the minaret is the highest point in the
mosque, and usually the highest point in the area around the mosque, but here the mosque building
wasn't the same as
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2. Christianity vs. Islam Essay
Christianity vs. Islam
Christianity and Islam are two of the world's largest religions. The two are different in beliefs but
are similar in origin. Like many religions both Islam and Christianity claim to be the one and only
true way to God. Although Islam and Christianity differ in major ways, they also share some
similarities.
Islam teaches that in order to achieve true peace of mind and surety of heart, one must submit to
God or "Allah" and live according to His revealed Law. Being a Muslim requires willful submission
and active obedience to God and living in accordance with His message. Conversely, Christianity
does not teach absolute submission to God, but teaches that man is sinful and can never inherit
eternal life in the...show more content...
By contrast, Christianity is traditionally understood to be founded by Jesus of Nazareth. Christians
view God as Lord and Savior over all and accept the Bible as his faultless word.
The areas of disagreement between Islam and Christianity are quite clear. Although Islam accepts
the holiness of Jesus, it denies his Godliness. According to the teaching of Islam, Jesus is not
God, nor is he united with God. On the other hand, Christians view Jesus as a God and live their
lives in accordance of him. Moreover, Islam teaches that Jesus is not the Son of God. God does
not have any children because He is above that. Conversely, Christians know Jesus as the son of
God, a Savior and Lord who died on the cross to take away all of our sins. Islam by contrast, denies
the crucifixion of Jesus. Muslims believe that Jesus did not die on the cross; he only made people
think he was and God saved him.
Finally, Islam disagrees with Christianity on the Doctrine of Redemption. The Doctrine of
Redemption is based on the Doctrine of the Original Sin: God had condemned mankind because of
the sin of Adam and Eve, which was consequently inherited by their children. Islam denies the whole
Doctrine of the Original Sin, believing God did not condemn mankind because a sin was committed
by a couple at the beginning of time.
Some believe that Christianity and Islam have nothing in common. On the contrary, these two
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3. Essay about Islam
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. The world's largest
Muslim community is in Indonesia and about 18% live in the Arab world. Substantial parts of Asia
and most of Africa are Muslim. Significant minorities are found in the Soviet Union, China, North
and South America, and Europe. Islam is not a new religion, but the same truth that God revealed
through all His prophets to every people. Islam is not just a religion but also a complete way of
life and is made up of a fifth of the world's population. Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy,
and forgiveness, and the majority have nothing to do with the...show more content...
The Qur ' an, the last revealed Word of God, is the prime source of every Muslim's faith and
practice. It deals with all the subjects who concern us as human beings such as wisdom, doctrine,
worship, and law. But its basic theme is the relationship between God and His creatures. At the
same time it provides guidelines for a just society, proper human conduct and an equitable
economic system. The ' Five Pillars ' of Islam are the framework of the Muslim life: faith, prayer,
concern for the needy, self–purification, and the pilgrimage to Makkah for those who are able.
Muslims believe that there is no god worthy of worship except God and Muhammad whom is
believed to be the messenger of God. This declaration of faith is called the Shahada, a simple
formula which all the faithful pronounce. In Arabic, the first part is la ilaha illa Llah: " there is no
god except God. " And also can refer to anything which we may be tempted to put in place of God,
such as wealth, power, and many other things alike. The second part of the Shahada is
Muhammadun rasulu'Llah: " Muhammad is the messenger of God. " In Muslim belief a message
of guidance has come through a man like us. Salat is the name for the obligatory prayers which are
performed five times a day by Muslims. Salat is a direct link between
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4. The Religion of Islam Essay
"Islam" is derived from the Arabic root salaama meaning peace, purity, submission and obedience.
Islam stands for making peace by submitting to the will of God and obeying His law. Jews and
Christians view Islam as the latest of the world's great religions. However, worldwide Muslims
(sometimes written "Moslems") understand their universal religion as the "final religion" and the
"primal religion."
As "final," Islam is God's final revelation of prophetic religion, in fulfillment of all that had
preceded. Moses was given the Law; David was given the Psalms; Jesus was given the Gospel.
Judaism offers God's message of justice, and Christianity proclaims the love of God. ToMohammed
(570–632 A.D.; spelled in a variety of ways) the God of...show more content...
For the one billion or more Muslims (about six million in the United States), who are of many racial
and ethnic backgrounds –– Arabs being a minority –– Islam is the middle way between Judaism and
Christianity; it restores the unity of the children of Abraham and overcomes the limitations of
Judaism and Christianity. Jesus, the prophet to "the lost sheep of Israel," limits Christianity; Judaism
is similarly limited. Islam proclaims a practical synthesis of Judaism and Christianity for all
humanity.
Overcoming the incompleteness of the justice of Judaism and the idealistic love of Christianity,
Islam brings to fulfillment all that Judaism and Christianity anticipated. For the Muslim believer,
Islam is perfected Judaism and perfected Christianity.
As "primal," Islam is the authentic religion of Adam, of Abraham, and of human nature. Islam is
not younger than Judaism and Christianity; it preceded both. Not only is it the religion of the
"Spoken Book" (the Qur'an), it is as well the religion of the "Created Book" (the fabric of the
universe itself). According to the Muslim faith, every person is born a Muslim, and distortions of
one's environment lead a person astray to become a Christian, a Jew, or an unbeliever. To be human
means to be Muslim.
Beliefs
The doctrines underlying Islam include
1. belief in the God of Abraham,
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5. Interview With A Muslim Essay
The two largest religions in the world, Christianity and Islam, were implemented by two of religions
most powerful leaders, Jesus and Muhammad. Without question, both Jesus and Muhammad have
affected humanity powerfully. As religious leaders both men laid down the principles upon which
Christianity and Islam are founded yet today. However, while Jesus performed miracles and arose
from the dead, thus proving to his followers he was God, Muhammad performed no such feats, and
made no such claims. In fact, Muhammad's only claim was that he was the last prophet sent from
God. While the events of September 11, 2001, cast the Islam religion in an unfavorable light, this has
not dampened the enthusiasm of the Muslim members, nor has it...show more content...
In addition, I visited a local mosque to experience firsthand a Muslim prayer service. Finally, I
interviewed a coworker to discover an inside view of the Islam religion from someone who
practices the religion. The coworker has been a Muslim since birth and was very pleased to share
his experiences with Allah (God) with me and was happy to answer my questions about Islam.
My research of Islam started at the mosque. As I wanted to observe the mosque without offending
or being bothered by anyone, I took pains to blend in. For instance, I borrowed a head scarf to
cover my head. In addition, I left the makeup, jewelry, nail polish, and perfume at home. My first
impression upon arriving at the mosque was that it was very drab and plain inside, as compared
to how it looked on the outside. The religion I grew up in had beautifully decorated churches;
while I wanted to ask why the mosque was so drab inside, I felt it would sound rude and unkind.
Furthermore, I was disappointed to see the only chairs available to sit upon in the mosque were
for pregnant, disabled, and elderly people. The religion I grew up in had nice, plump, padded pews
for its members to sit upon. Again, I did not question why there were no pews as I felt it would be
unkind. When the khutbah (sermon) started, I was prepared to gain significant insight on the Islam
religion. However, the khutbah was hard to follow as
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6. Essay about Islam and Democracy
Discuss the argument that characterise the debate about Islam and democracy
Since the rise of the Islamic movements around the world especially in the Middle East and the
current tension between Muslim and the Western countries in particular after 9/11, the different
debates and arguments has been made by scholars, in particular Western intellectuals about the
capability of the Islam to accept the principles of democracy. I will examine the relationship between
Islam and politics, definition of Islam and democracy, the connection between Islamic teaching
(Hadith and Quran) and Islamic movements and different perspectives of Islamists or Islamic
countries. There are two different visions about the subject in which some argued that Islam...show
more content...
Islam means the submission to the will of only one God (Allah) and his command and to accept
the God's sovereignty, while you are free to choose or to refuse as the Quranic verses explained the
freedom of religion, "there is to be no compulsion in religion. Surly the right direction has been made
clear and distinct from error........" (Quran, II: 256)
The term democracy originally is a Greek word which was created from demos "people" and
kratos "rule". Abraham Lincoln defined the term democracy as the "government of the people, by
the people, and for the people". However, in our contemporary modern era there are some different
interpretations of democracy. Therefore, different kinds of democracy have been introduced such
as Greek's democracy that participation of only male allowed and excluded the slaves, women and
foreigners. On the other hand, different forms of democracy have been presented by politicians as
examples, liberal democracy, representative, parliamentary democracy and so on. Therefore, there is
not a fixed and clear definition of democracy that accepted globally.
There are various arguments about connection between Islam and
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7. Islam Reflection Paper
Although Islam is the second largest religion in the world with a following of 1.8 billion
followers, no other religion has faced more scrutiny and hardship in the past decades. This has been
caused by media and governments labeling Islam as a whole with their extremist groups like Al
Queda and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. I even thought that the principals held by these
extremist group were more common in Islam than they are. After studying Islam and gaining more
information I came to respect this religion more than any other we studied this semester because of
its seriousness and unity. The Quran and Hadith provide concrete details and instructions to follow
in the faith of Islam. No texts from any other religion are as upfront with their beliefs than these.
Muhammad was and continues to be a powerful and understanding leader that has led it to
becoming the world's fastest growing religion. I enjoyed studying the powerfulness of
Muhammad and the direct voice of God in the Quran that is sets Islam apart from Judaism and
Christianity. His influence and words continue to deeply inspire muslims even though he has
been dead for centuries. Muhammad is one of the most interesting religious figures of any
religion. He is a mix of all the other important figures from other religions. Like the Bhudda, he
began his life as a normal citizen and then became a spiritual figure. At least for me, this allows
me to find his words and teachings more believable because he is completely human. He is like
Jesus because he is a prophet of God, but he isn't described as half human, half God. This gives
him the same importance and validity as a translator of the Holy Spirits word. Since Muhammad
is completely human his interpretations can be more believable because there isn't room for
confusion on how he was created. Not only was he a spiritual leader of Islam but, he was also a
political leader of the Islamic state. I think his leadership background with his business and political
background allows Muhammad to better preach the word of Allah. The Hadith also plays an
important role in the figure of Muhammad and Islam. It almost functions like a story to tell the life
of Muhammad in critical detail. The intricate
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8. Essay about Islam
When the Soviet Union collapsed and the cold war came to an end, the world felt as if it were on
the edge of unlimited peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, new issues came to light, such as
terrorism. Terrorism is defined by Title 22 of the United States code, section 2656(d) as "the
pre–meditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by sub
national groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience." In light of recent
terrorist activity in the West, the danger that Islamic terrorism poses to national security and civilian
safety has been brought to attention.
The Islamic world does not view the West favorably. Some extremists, such as the Hizballah, view
the United States as "the...show more content...
In the Quranic verse 3:30, God tells believers that acts reflect the soul of their authors, which
explains why jihad is widely represented in the minds of Muslim and non–Muslim individuals in the
acts committed in the name of Islam, such as acts of terrorism.
Although jihads contains many underlying values, such as equality, peace, and purity, the most
important value of jihad is justice. Muslims view justice mainly in the realm of social interaction. An
example of social interaction where justice is an issue would be a court trial, family accountability,
and particularly government interaction. When these social institutions become seemingly unjust, it
is then that the call of jihad seems most logical. The West's understanding of jihad as aholy war is a
misnomer. The war provoked by jihad is not holy in and of itself. War is purely an attempt to bring
holiness through infinite justice. It is ironic that Islam is sometimes held to be a synonym for
terrorism, when the very word Islam comes from the root word salaam in Arabic, meaning peace.
Even though Western Islamic apologist claim that the Quran does not justify any form of violence,
in certain cases Islam tolerates, permits, and encourages war and war–like acts. According to the
Quran, Muslims must always oppose oppression, but if there is ever a way to avoid war or violence
it must be taken. Most of the problem of jihad in Arab and Islamic nations is clarifying who is
eligible to declare jihad.
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9. Essay about Islam
Islamism is a captivating phenomenon that has been continuously visited in literature since its
emergence in the 1970's. In particular, the Iranian Revolution has received curious attention in the
pursuit to understand the nature, power and effects of Islamism. This essay makes a critical
assessment of the opinions journalist Afshin Molavi's draws on Iran and Islamism in his journal
styled compilation Persian Pilgrimages: Journeys across Iran, `Pilgrimage: The Shrine of Ayatollah
Khomeini' . The discussion will explore Molavi's ideas against the historical narrative of David
Reynolds' One World Divisible: A Global History Since 1945 and the opinionated informative piece
Islamic Fundamentalism, `The Transcendence of Islam' by Youssef M
...show more content...
In addition, Molavi also gives descriptive attention to the disproportioned fates faced by cleric
opposition who voiced concerns in the consistency of Khomeini's system of government with Islam,
all of which serve to paint a convincing image of Khomeini as a political tyrant rather than a
religious minded cleric.
However, it is contented that perhaps the question of Khomeini's characterisation should not be
confined to the opinions of fellow clerics. The broader question: what does Khomeini and Islamism
represent seems to be more relevant? A religious revival or a political movement?
On the one hand, the justification of Molavi's observation appears inevitable. Across all literature,
Islamism is described like many `isms', a way to control the state, run society, and remake the human
being, likewise `Revolutions' have the same connotations. It is an Islamic–flavoured version of
totalitarianism, which is argued by Reynolds to be a highly versatile political ideology that is `used
to justify Libya's populist socialism and Bangladesh's conservative authoritarianism...the
anti–Americanism of Iran and the pro–American stance of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia'. Choureiri
recognises a similar point; that the many forms of Islamism seek to justify different political
agendas as a modern reaction to changes in political climate. In particular, Islamic `reformism aimed
at bridging the gap between European supremacy and Islamic culture so as to amalgamate both
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10. The Muslim Culture Essay
Muslim, ever wonder what this word really means? Who is classified as Muslim? Someone that is
Muslim is not a terrorist, nor a bad person. They are humans. Someone that is a Muslim only has an
Islamic belief. This word originated in Arabia where this whole culture developed (BBC "Islam").
Islam followers, or Muslims, were introduced to their culture from the Prophet Muhammad (BBC "
Islam"). The word Islam comes up very often, but who knows what it means? It is said to be the
"submission to the will of God (BBC "Islam")." Majority of the U.S. population today see Muslims
as bad people only because a certain group attacked the United States. We, as a whole, discriminate
today towards Muslims and any human with an Islamic background....show more content...
Women must cover their heads but men have the choice, but many do cover their heads to show a
sign of respect to god (Gulevich 145). "A small defect is often woven into each rug. These
imperfections remind worshippers that only God is completely without flaw" (Gulevich 146).
Prayer time takes place at certain times: before sunrise, noon, mid afternoon, between sunset and
dusk, and when it is dark. When praying they follow the sun and pray in the direction on Mecca.
For respect in prayer time they must take off their shoes just like in Hindu culture it shoes a sign of
respect (Gulevich 150). In public in Islamic countries segregations takes places between men and
women. Women may not attend mosque only on Friday and only in some places. Women also have
to wear "loose– fitting clothing that covers them from head– to– toe and only face and hands can be
seen. In America such segregation does not take place between men and women except when at
mosque. Many women choose to follow their religion even when living outside of their country and
at a certain age their girls are expected to follows also (Gulevich 190–208). Just like in Hindus,
Muslims also use these beads which help with repetitive remembrance of God and meditation. The
freedom or religious practice and faith are important to Muslims (Kadivar). Hinduism, Islam,
Buddhists, and European Catholics have a similar way of remembering God and practicing
meditation.
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11. Islamic Culture Essay
MUSLIM CULTURE Muslim culture generally reflects the traditions and customs of Muslims that
they adopt for a perfect and respectable life in the society according to the lessons of Quran.
Muslim culture is a giant combination of diverse cultures, That's because Muslims live in various
countries all over the world. Most of the practices are common faiths and guidance for all Muslims
no matter what country or even content they reside in.. These basic faiths and belives are based on
the teachings of Islam. The Muslim culture is a subject of debate for many people who lives in
different parts of the world and belong to diverse communities. Muslim culture represents the
unification of brotherhood where all Muslims are bound to...show more content...
These five pillars are Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, Sawm and Hajj. A life of a Muslim revolves around
these five pillars of Islam. Islamic culture represents different aspects of Islamic life, which includes
wedding traditions, clothing, foods, arts and crafts etc. (Kirabaev, 2000).There are many sources of
a well–defined Muslim culture. Three of them are: Local tradition , The Hadith and , The Quran.
Muslim culture is derived from Quran, Hadith and the local customs. The word Islam means
submission to the will of Allah. Islam is considered to be the second largest religion having one
billion followers. 2.7% Muslim population have been recorded in the United Kingdom (Murray,
2004).
Muslims have a faith that Islam revealed in Mecca (Arabia) about 1400 years ago. Islamic culture
is a resource academia for the illustration of cultures and traditions of Islamic people. Arabs were the
first to depict and demonstrate Muslim culture to the world. Islam originated in Arabia in the seventh
century. Islamic empires have been expanded and Muslims got assimilation from different cultures
like Indonesian, Berber, Malay, Indian, Pakistani, Turkic and Persian (Kirabaev, 2000).
Arabs never used force to invite people from other religions into their sect. some embraced Islam in
the reign of Holy Prophet P.B.U.H while many are converters. Arabic language is a common
language of this religion. Arabians were living in
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12. History of Islam Essay
Pre Islamic Era:
The word 'Islam' refers to the submission to God Almighty. It is described as 'Deen' in the Holy
Quran which means way of life. The people who follow Islam are known as Muslims and the word
itself means the one who surrenders or submits to the will of Allah. Islam was present since forever.
Before Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), many messengers were sent on this earth to bring people on the
right path. All of them preached to worship one God and that the people should consider them the
messenger of God. (Hakim, 2009)
The Arabian Peninsula is known as the birth place of Islam. It is one of the hottest and driest regions
in the world which mainly consists of deserts. The Arabian Peninsula had two great powers The
Christian...show more content...
Prophet (p.b.u.h) was brought up by his grandfather, Hazrat Al–Muttalib. At the age of 25, he
married a wealthy widow named Hazrat Khadija. She owned trading caravans. Since that age,
Prophet (p.b.u.h) started interacting with the Arabs. Among the Arabs were the Hanefits who
abandoned the worship of idols and were in search for the true religion.
Islamic History 605–620 CE
A.Muhammad (saws)' call to Prophethood
At the age of 40, Prophet (p.b.u.h) received a vision from Allah in the cave Hira. He started
preaching the religion of Allah. Many people who worshipped idols became his enemies. Among
the first people who accepted Islam were his wife Hazrat Khadija, Ali ibn Talib (R.A), Zayd ibn
Haritha (R.A) and friend Abu Bakr (R.A). When Hazrat Khadija and Abu Talib died, the new leader
of the Hasim clan, Abu Lahab refused to protect Prophet (p.b.u.h).
B.Emigration of First Muslims to Abyssinia
Due to the hostility of the Meccans, some eighty Muslims migrated to Abyssinia to take refuge from
the Meccans. The Christians in Abyssinia let the Muslims practice their religion freely that is why
they were later known as the 'people of the book'.
C.Umar (R.A)' acceptance to Islam
In 616, Umar Ibn Al–Khattab (R.A) accepted Islam. Previously he was known to be the bitter
opponent of Prophet (p.b.u.h) and was a prominent personality in Mecca. After the death of the
Prophet (p.b.u.h), Hazrat Umar became the second Caliph in 634
I.Islamic History 622–627 CE
A.
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