Islam: The Rich Culture of the Middle East

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With 1.5 billion followers worldwide, the religion of Islam is the second most popular religion over the entire globe, and follows a strict set of rules derived from the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, a messenger of God, or Allah. Founded in 622 C.E. (also known as A.D.) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Islam is a strictly monotheistic religion that drew inspiration from earlier religions like Christianity and Judaism. It is divided into three different sections- the Sunni, Shi’a and Sufi sects. The Qur’an is the holy book of Islam, and is considered the unaltered word of Allah. All followers of Islam adhere to many high standards of living and daily practices meant to better their lives like The Twelve Imams, among others. Islam brings together many different aspects of peaceful and devoted living that bring together the billions of followers to one family. The Qur’an, when in Arabic, is the official book of Islam, and is meant to be read aloud to help the reader connect with all that is Islam. The writing is rhythmic, almost musical, and helps listeners understand the connections to nature and each other. It is considered to have come straight from God, and therefore is the basis of all Muslim’s practices. Although for all non-Arabic speaking Muslims, it is said that they are just reading an interpretation of God’s teachings because translated versions are not in the original Arabic, therefore they aren’t directly from God. Many Muslims, Arabic speaking or not, will memorize verses from the Qur’an that are used in the daily prayers. The Qur’an also contains six doctrines, or articles of faith, that every Muslim must believe, no matter where he is or what sect he belongs to. Besides the Qur’an, Muslims also study the hadith, which... ... middle of paper ... ...s aware of their connection to God, realize their dependence on him, and realize the blessings that he gave them. Ramadan ends with a large festival that can last up to three days. The final pillar is the pilgrimage to Mecca. Every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it is required to journey to the Islam capitol of Mecca once in their lifetime. Works Cited “Fast Facts on Islam – ReligionFacts.” Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion. n.d. 26 January 2010 < http://www.religionfacts.com/islam/fastfacts.htm> “Islam Origins, Islam History, Islam Beliefs.” Balanced Views of Religion and Spirituality - Patheos.com n.d. 11 January, 2010. “Islam (religion).” Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia. 2010. Encyclopedia Brittanica. 11 January, 2010. < http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/295507/Islam>

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