Imagine being lost in a blistering desert and finally seeing an oasis ahead. Walking through a palace where color bursts through the doors like children running to recess and the stories of Muslim heroes described right in front of ones eyes; open for the world to see with nothing to hide; this is Islam. Although one may consider Islam a monotonous religion, Islam has a unique way of socially accepting Muslims, great advancements in architecture, and distinctive artwork. Islam is a monotheistic religion that follows the scared text called the Qu'ran. To be a Muslim, one must follow The Five Pillars of Islam and show dedication to Allah (god).With the development of Islam's unique culture came a brilliant artistic language that represents the stories behind faces, dedication to Allah and the rich culture Muslims all share. Islamic architecture is based upon both religious and non-religious types of composition which can be found in Mosques, tombs, forts and palaces. Even though there are many different laws and ways of life, with communication and the same dedication to god, the Islamic culture flourishes on its diversity yet similarity.
Islam is a monotheistic religion that follows the scared text called the Qu'ran. Born in 570 C.E., Muhammad was believed to be a messenger and prophet of god. In 610 C.E., Muhammad claims that he was visited by the Angel Gabriel and experienced his first revelation from god. Three years later, Muhammad started preaching stating that “God is One” and that he was a prophet. Once Muhammad gained a few followers, he sent some of his followers to Abyssinia. When his followers and him migrated from Mecca to Media, it marked a special event also known as the Hijra, which marks the beginning of the Is...
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...he word grand does not even begin to describe the palaces in Islam. One walks in and sees a palace filled with color bursting from every corner and stories being told through each piece of tile built into the palace.
Even though there are many different laws and ways of life, with communication and the same dedication to god, the Islamic culture flourishes on its diversity yet similarity. Communication is key in any religion; with god and with other Muslims. Today, 23 percent of world population is Muslims which makes Islam the second largest religion in the world. Although one may consider Islam a monotonous religion, Islam has a unique way of socially accepting Muslims, great advancements in architecture, and distinctive artwork. Islam has thrived and succeeded on its diversity and acceptance and that is why Islam is the second largest religion in the world.
Unlike Christians, Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad spread their religion throughout the world. Islam began in the year 610, when the prophet Muhammad started receiving messages from Allah, through the Angel Gabriel. He started spreading the word to others and that is how the Islamic faith began. The Prophet Muhammad was born in 570 AD in Saudi Arabia, Mecca. Both of his parents passed away by the time he was 6 years old and he was raised by his uncle. Muhammad’s first job was a camel driver and later he started managing caravans for many merchants. In doing so, he was employed by a woman named Khadija. They soon got married and it was said that she made his life easier because Allah was through her. When Muhammad was in his 30’s, he would go to Mount Hira to be alone and pray.One day on the mountain while in solitude an angel came to him saying he was chosen to spread the word of Allah. At first, Muhammad said he was not the right one to do this mission however, the angel persisted. He went home to tell his wife and through his wife he found the courage to follow what the angel told him. Khadija was his first follower. In the first three years, he only converted 40 people in Mecca. It was only a small amount of people but it caused a lot of chaos in Mecca. Many of his followers were sentenced to death and Muhammad was next. As persecution was rising, Muhammad found out that he had followers in a city
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.
Islam and the worship of Allah (god) began with Muhammad and his revelations that lasted for 23 years of his life from (610 C.E.- 623 C.E.). In the Islamic religion it is believed that he was the last prophet sent by Allah (god) and this made all his teachings into to Law and are looked at as the will of God. These messages were given to him through the archangel Gabriel, in a kind of continuation to the Jewish Torah and Christian Bible, which the Qur’an shares some similarities or past “history” with them such as the belief in Abraham and Jesus as a prophet, but in the eye’s of Mohammad the Jews and Christians had fallen astray from the real teaching of god.
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...
Islam is a monotheistic religion which is originated from the Middle East or more specifically in the Arabian Peninsula early in the 7th century. This religion was founded on the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed who named this religion after the Arabic word acceptance. Islam has 2 major sects the Sunni and Shi’a. This split occurred when Mohammed died. The Sunni believed that the new leader of Islam should be determined through election but the Shi’a thought that the new leader should be Imam Ali a cousin and son in law of Mohammed. Another branch of Islam is Druze but only a small minority of Muslims who live in Lebanon, Syria and Palestine are followers of this sect (3 Faiths with One God - Islam, Arab American National Museum).
Blair, Sheila S., and Jonathan M. Bloom. The Art and Architecture of Islam 1250-1800. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1995.
Islam is one of the three world religions and is relatively young religion that originated in the VII century BC in the west of the Arabian Peninsula. The main tenet of Islam - monotheism: "There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed - his prophet”. The word Islam in Arabic means "submission" and Muslim (from the Arabic "muslim") - humble. Islam encourages its supporters to be obedient to God and destiny ordained them (Religion in Turkey, n.d.).
Islam is a major world religion. Its origin can be traced back to 610 CE in Arabia. The basis of this religion is the revelations to the prophet Mohammad. Dissatisfied with his life, he traveled to deserts, hills, and the wilderness surrounding Mecca, where he lived, to meditate and reflect. He became a new man through his revelations, which many of his followers believe Allah transmitted to him through his angel Gabriel. Islam was originally an Arab religion, but many different beliefs and practices were added to it, making it extremely popular and aiding in its rapid spread. This new religion spread to many different areas surrounding Arabia, both under Mohammad and after his death. The Muslim Empire grew to encompass Spain and the Eastern Roman Empire as well Persia and Africa. Many different practices and methods were used to spread Islam. The religion itself was appealing to, in addition to the inhabitants of Arabia, other people in the surrounding areas because of its distinct religious beliefs and practices, such as the five pillars, as well as the humility and prayerfulness of the Islamic people. They fought cruel, vicious wars with their enemies. Many different things motivated the warriors to expand, but above all, the riches they would gain from the people of the Fertile Crescent encouraged them to expand.
Islam the complete ‘surrender to Allah’ is a living religious tradition with the principal belief in one God – Allah. Islam has remained the same in its principle beliefs of Allah, His Angels, His Prophets, His Books, The Last Day and his complete authority over destiny and has also changed over time to ensure that Islam remains a living religious tradition. Over its history Islam has had many significant people including Al Ghazali and Aisha Bint Abu Bakr who have ensured that Islam remains living in the hearts and minds of its adherents. In addition to significant individuals participation in the Five Pillars e.g. the Hajj ensure that Islam will continue to be the living religious tradition that it is.
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
Between the seventh and thirteenth century in Arabia, Muslims advanced in the arts by developing in architecture, calligraphy, geometric floral design, and textiles. Muslims artists and architects painted and designed buildings such as mosques. Mosques are religious buildings for Muslims to pray in and they are decorated with calligraphy and geometric designs. These special places of Muslim worship in are significant to both the modern world and Islam because it affects both of these worlds tremendously. According to Wendy Frey “A particularly important type of building was the mosque, the Muslim house of worship,” supporting the fact that the contribution of the mosques were very influential to Islam and the modern day world because it was the “Muslim house of worship” and the mosques served as an example for present day architects when they are building their own structures (107).
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 stopped the Islam religion from growing. Obviously, with over one billion members worldwide, Islam is one of the largest religions in the world today.
Islamic art and architecture is a blend from three or more different cultural traditions from the east. The Arab, Turkish, and Persian traditions are three such traditions that were adopted into the Islamic art and architecture design. The best expressions of Islamic art and architecture are found in Muslim mosques. The mosque serves as a place where Muslims can come together for prayer of Islam. Mosques are also a center for information, education, and dispute settlement. One of the most famous mosques of the Islamic art is the Great Mosque of Samarra in preset day Iraq. The Great Mosque of Samarra also has a spiral staircase on the outside of it.
From detailed carpets and rugs to beautiful works of calligraphy, Islamic Art has been one of the biggest impacts on art since the 7th century. Well-known Islamic works include the Taj Mahal, Dome of the Rock, and the Ardabil Carpet. Originating in the areas in present-day Syria, this style of art and even the architecture has been passed down by many skilled Muslim artists. It also introduced to us many fascinating, one-of-a-kind techniques and forms to the world of art. Because of its lengthy history and existence, there are tons and tons of new styles and techniques, and it is still growing. Islam, a religion that has been founded by Muhammad (570-632), has been accepted by Muslims throughout the world. This religion is one of the largest religions in the world, containing more than a billion followers. Many different Islamic artifacts and works have been found by archeologists, and it could range from Glassworks to doors. These artifacts can be found in public areas, museums, and even
Religion is an important factor in many lives in today’s society. A particular western religion that is taken very seriously by many is known as Islam. Essentially, Islam means “submission”, or in other words a person is to abide by God and peace will follow. In order to comprehend the Islamic religion, it is consequential to view the major themes associated with this religion. By going through the central themes of Islam it could help others comprehend what is involved with this specific religion.