The Core Tenets of Islam The religion of Islam dates back to the 7th century CE and the life of its founder, Muhammad of Mecca, in Saudi Arabia. Islam is an Arabic word meaning: making something safe and secure, making something sound and whole, entering into peace and tranquility, and surrendering to something other than oneself. A follower of Islam is called a Muslim. In the religion of Islam, it requires the belief in certain core tenets, which include the articles of faith and the five pillars of worship. These two combined, form the Islamic creed. I- The Articles of Faith The term monotheism is significant to Islam, meaning that a belief in only one God. The first article of faith in Islam is the belief that there is no deity but God (Allah) and that Muhammad is the messenger of God. A belief in a number of gods or in the extension of God’s spirituality to any person is strongly forbidden. Islam rejects the human points that the Christians and Jews added to their doctrines, such as the incarnation of God. It has been estimated that over ninety percent of Muslim theology deals with the implications of Unity. God, while One, is referred to by ninety-nine names (Fisher 233). Believing in the Angels of God is the second article of faith in Islam. These angels are purely spiritual and glorious beings created by God. These angels are sinless. They require no food, drink or sleep. They have neither physical desires or material needs (“Islamic Path”). The angels spend their time in the amenity of God. Each angel is given a specific obligation. Each human being is assigned two angels who serve as guardians and recorders of the individual’s deeds, both good and bad (“Islamic Path”). Even though we cannot see the angels with ou... ... middle of paper ... ...y of life. Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy, and forgiveness, and the majority have nothing to do with the extremely grave events which have come to be associated with their faith” (“IslamiCity”). Works Cited Fisher, Mary Pat. Living Religions. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 2009. Print. “The Hajj, The Journey of a Lifetime.” Calliope. Vol. 7 Issue 3. Jan. 1997. 38. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. 17 Nov. 2011. “What Is Islam?” IslamiCity. Jan. 2001. Web. 17 Nov. 2011. “Pillars of Islam.” Islamic Path. WorldPress, 2009. Web. 17 Nov. 2011 The Noble Qur’an: Translation in Roman Script with Arabic Text and English Translation. Trans. Al-Hilali, Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din, and Khan, Muhammad Muhsin. Saudi Arabia: Dar-Us-Salam, 1996. Print.
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Sunni Islam is the largest branch of religion, they make up 80 percent of the followers of the Muslim population in the world (Patheos 2014). Believers of the Sunni faith are also known as the Sunnis but also referred as “Ahlus Sunnah wal-Jamaa'h”, “adherents to the Sunnah and the assembly” (religious facts 2004). The Sunni Muslims have a...
Islam is the second biggest religion in the world. Islam has spread from Saudi Arabia to across the globe. Islam formed when the prophet muhammed went to Mt. Hira to pray then Allah(God in arabic) spoke to him and based the whole religion off the five pillars. The 5 pillars are Shahadah which means Profession of faith, Salat daily prayers, Sawm which means fasting, Zakat which is almsgiving, and finally Hajj and it means to pilgrimage. Islam started in the city of Mecca, and the holy book of Islam is the Qur’an.
Islam is a religion that is based on the submission oneself to the will of God, who is called Allah. Muslims are the people believe in that, regardless of their culture, background or ethnicity. It is believed that God’s prophets brought a message for the people to worship one God without intermediaries and that prophet Muhammad was the end of G...
Out of the many interesting religions of the Far East Islam has quite a uniqueness to it. The name, Islam stems from the word “salam,” that means peace. The word “Muslim,” which means a follower of Islam, refers to a person who submits him or her self to the will of God. Many religious experts believe that the prophet Muhammad founded Islam in the year 622 CE. Muhammad was believed to have lived from 570-632 CE. This particular religion started when the angel Jibreel read the first revelation to Muhammad. We know already that the followers of Islam are called Muslims. The Muslims believe in the “one true God,” which they call Allah.
Islam is a monotheistic (mono=one theistic=god) faith tradition and its roots go back to the days of the Patriarchs of the Old Testament; the days of Abraham. The word “Islam” in Arabic means peace, purity, obedience and total submission and commitment to the one and only God, and to His laws. The Arabic word for God is Allah; therefore Islam describes and attitude: the attitude of total submission to the will of Allah. Essentially, a Muslim is anyone who submits to the will of Allah. Islam teaches that everything in creation – plants, animals, mountains, hills, rivers, deserts, streams, oceans and people were created “Muslim”. Humans have the conscious choice through their ability to reason whether or not they chose to remain a Muslim or turn away from their original spiritual orientation (Klass 2002, 12-14).
In the seventh century, a new faith arose in the Middle East known as the Islamic religion. Just like Christianity and Judaism, the Islamic religion believed in one God known as Allah. The founder of Islam was a very unique individual known as Mohammad. Mohammad had an amazing spiritual experience that transformed his life and made a great impact in history. He experienced visions and revelations from Allah which he accepted as messages. Mohammed
Despite the ever-changing Muslim community, the core structure of their religion, specifically the Five Pillars of Islam, promote a morally sound life amongst its people. After completing the readings on Islamic beliefs, it is easy to see and value the emphasis these people put on community and human dignity. Other religions and organizations around the world could certainly benefit from an education on the rituals and values of the Muslim people.
Muslims believe that Angels are real and honored creatures, Muslims believe in the books that God has revealed to the messengers, Muslims believe in the prophets and messengers of God, starting with Adam and all in between and ending with Muhammad. Muslims believe in the day of judgment when the dead are brought back to life and judged by God according to their beliefs and deeds, Muslims also believe in Al-Qadar, Muslims live simple lifestyles. They live in normal societies, have normal jobs and raise normal families. Muslims are required to pray five times a day, and obey the commands of God. They also try their best to follow in the footsteps of Muhammad. Some characteristics of Islam are sacred texts such as the Qu’ran and the Hadith. Other characteristics of Islam are beliefs, rituals, and ethics. Also Islam is the second largest
Although Islam and Christianity differ in major ways, they also share some similarities in their belief in God. First of all, Christianity and Islam are both monotheistic religions; worshipping only one God. While both believe in the same God, he is called by two completely different names. He is referred to as "Allah" by Muslims and "God" by Christians. The basic creed of Islam is brief: “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah”.
The worship of Allah is principal in a Muslim’s mind at all time. There are also five formal acts of worship which help strengthen a the faith and obedience of a Muslim. They are frequently called the “Five Pillars of Islam”. The Five Pillars of Islam are the framework and guidelines of the Muslim life. They are the testimony of faith, prayer, supporting the needy, fasting during the month of Ramadan, and the once in a lifetime trip to Makkah for those who are able to do so. These Five Pillars are the thing Muslim’s do to please God and to keep themselves well and happy in this lifetime and for the future ones to come. It was Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam, who was reported to have said, “Islam is based upon five pillars”.
This word originated in Arabia where this whole culture developed (BBC “Islam”). Islam followers, or Muslims, were introduced to their culture by 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”).” The majority of the U.S. population today see Muslims as bad people only because a certain group attacked the United States.
Khan, Sir Muhammad Zafrullah (1989). Islam: Its Meaning for Modern Man. New York & Evanston: Harper & Row.