...Islam vs. the Rest of the World Islam vs. the Rest of the World Introduction There are hundreds of different religions and cultures throughout the world today and each is interpreted differently within the religious communities, families, or individuals and many of these cultures and religions have been morphed into a different form with different practices based on how each deems appropriate for them. There have been great strides in recent years to reduce discrimination and prejudice towards minority groups that are of a culturally different background than the dominant, more accepted groups and there is still a long way to go to meet total equality. While it is true there have been many improvements for some cultures in recent years, the opposite is true for those of the Muslim decent. Since the terrorist attacks starting from September 11 and since then, Muslims and those of the Islamic faith have been unfairly stereotyped negatively as demons and as many as 46 percent of Americans view the group as a whole as having terrorist tendencies. (Deane, Fears 2006) Not only are their religious practices criticized and viewed negatively, but nearly every other action they commit is thought to be “suspicious”, from the way they dress, to the way they talk, how they practice their religion, and how women are viewed and treated in their culture. Some view their form of lifestyle to be geared towards hatred and violence, with every action being held under a microscope and...
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...Paper #2 – Origins of Islam in America Trevor Pace A00763129 It seems that when it comes to the first Muslims in America it is a little unclear, however several sources that I found believe that it was first in the 12th century and ties in with the voyage of Columbus. “The Navigator of Columbus, who during the famous voyage, brought along a copy of a travel narrative written by Portuguese Muslims who had sailed to the New World in the 12th century. The narrative by al-Idrisi was called "The Sea of Tears"”. (Ahari, 1998) Next during the 14th century with Muslims that came from the Senegabian region of Africa, “It is believed they were Moors, expelled from Spain, who made their way to the Caribbean and possibly to the Gulf of Mexico” (Cowan, 2006) Then with the 16th century with Istafan, the Arab, “who was a guide for the Spanish that wished to settle the area that would later be called Arizona in 1539”. (Ahari, 1998) The next major instance of Islam in America happened with slavery in the 18th century. This is the first real wave of Muslims in America as it is said that “Historians estimate that between 15 to 30 percent of all enslaved African men, and less than 15 percent of the enslaved African women, were Muslims” (Samuel S. Hill, 2005). Next in the late 19th and early 20th century Muslim immigrants from the Middle East, particularly from Syria and Lebanon, arrived in large numbers. “Many were settling in Ohio, Michigan, Iowa and even the Dakotas. Like most other migrants...
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...mainstream media, and the reasons behind those can be peculiarly blamed to an extent on the religious diversity in the United States. Religion is one of the strongest acts that affect people, it can develop bonds as well as conflicts, and because different religions are practiced throughout the world such as Islam, Christianity, Judaism and many more its not surprising that their followers will have disagreements. And even though it might seem like those feelings are diminishing people still feel a sense of insecurity when it comes to this issue even if they tend to hide it or refuse to admit it. Religious segregation is pretty much still alive in many parts of the world, even in countries that claim the right of freedom of religion. It has led many people to be treated unfairly and wrongfully judged just because they are the minority who practice a religion which is different from the public orthodoxy. In modern day, Arabs and Muslims in exact suffer from being labeled as extremists or terrorists especially in Western cultures. five out of ten Americans believe Islam is more likely than other religions to encourage violence, despite the fact that seven out ten admit they know very little about Islam. And yet Americans rank Muslims second only to atheists as group that does not share their vision of American society (Ghazal, 2008). Intolerance and discrimination against Muslims, or if you like Islamophobia, is not a new phenomenon. There are historical, cultural/religious and psychological...
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...choose to research Islam and Whites, which is the European descent. The information that you are about to read in this content is unique and will become familiar within your own religion and race. There are somethings that maybe slightly different as comparison to other religions. There are three major groups in this world that has been created. Islam happens to be one of the major groups. The other major groups are Christians and Judaism. Islam belief, is that there is one God. God is the higher power who created the world. Islam believe that we as people should surrender to the higher power, which is God. Islam is God. In the Islamic religion, if you follow God, you would be considered a Muslim. In Arabic, Muslim is defined as, one who surrenders to God. Allah is the Arabic name for God. Muslims are considered equal before God. Islam provide a sense of loyalty to God that connects their race, nationality, and differences with other religion. Islam is originated from Arabia. Islam begin to Syria, North America, Spain , India, and Egypt. In the 10th century they began to spread east, north, and the south. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. Islam is open to new members, so this is the reason why it grows rapidly. If you are a Muslim, when your children are born, they would be Muslim also. Muhammad is the founding prophet of Islam. Muhammad started preaching the new religion 40 years ago. Muhammad is considered the messenger for Islam, God. Islam is believed to send...
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...is through the researching from different sources, academic research, traveling, knowing what is going on around you, and reading – accepted books or journals that talks about Islam. Gale says the meaning of Islam as the submission to God. He also talks about the history of Islam that the founder/restorer of Islam is Prophet Muhammad. Newberg misconception of belief towards Islam is that Muhammad is God fearing but Muhammad did not know how to escape the future vengeance for the Muslims. Malik argues the Islam cultural diversity and thinks there is no democracy in Muslim societies, but still Islam societies are modernizing and developing economically and their literacy rates are increasing steadily which makes the democratic movements in Islam societies to be picking up at different speeds in different countries. Teachings about Muslims teaches by Gale when he said there are two main branches of Islam; Sunni and Shia, there will be further clarification of the two main branches. Islam is one of the types of religion that the worshippers are very good believers, very submissive, and there are some words in Islam that really means a lot to the worshippers of Islam. Islam means submission to God. Muslims express their submission to their God by following the five pillars of Islam. The five pillars of Islam are; Shahada, formally is by witnessing the unity of God; Salat, formally is by praying five times daily; zakat, is by providing/helping the needy; Saram, is by fasting during...
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...Islamophobia is at the highest in the United States, however it isn’t taken seriously. Before the events of 9/11, stereotypes, hatred, and prejudices of Muslims or those perceived to be linked with Islam were taken lightly by the United States public. After 9/11, and across the globe, Muslims have faced individual and systemic acts of discrimination and violence after 9/11 as a form of retaliation for the collective guilt ascribed to the followers of Islam and anyone who resembled them‖ (Zine, 2004, p.111). The acts of 9/11 have brought on a new attacks on Islam, all which are negative. Every where around the world Muslim are faced with growing prejudice and are at times singled out. Hate crimes committed against muslim or Mosques are hardly every heard about on the news. While Islamophobia is on the rise it is time to break those barriers and bring communities together in a peaceful manner. This would have to a lot with media portrays Islam. If we take a look at the average news media outlet's headliners in the past 5-10 years and it's clear that a certain word or group has managed to stand out: Muslim or ISLAMOPHOBIA PAGE 7 ISLAMOPHOBIA ANDRIANAKOS Islam. Now with the spotlight on 1.57 billion people following its five pillars of Islam. Their every move is taking apart and analyzed and in most cases show cased in a negative light. The religion of Islam has existed since the 7th century C.E but the...
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...terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, Madrid in 2004 and London in 2005 the vast majority of Muslims in Europe became vulnerable to extremist ideologies. The matter of joy is that over the last several years, European governments have stepped up their efforts to improve Muslim integration. These have included introducing new citizenship laws and language requirements, promoting dialogue with Muslim organizations, developing “homegrown” imams more familiar with European culture and traditions, improving educational and economic opportunities for Muslims, and tackling racism and discrimination. By ensuring the Muslim integration, European governments have also sought to strengthen security measures and tighten immigration and asylum policies to prevent radicalization and combat terrorism. So this paper will illustrate the incorporation of Muslim in Secular Europe along with the policies of combating terrorism. Contents Abstract • Introduction • Presence of Muslim in Europe • France o Muslim attendance in France o French Efforts to Promote Muslim Integration • Germany o Muslim attendance in Germany o Germany Efforts to Promote Muslim Integration • The United Kingdom o Attendance of Muslim in UK o UK’s Efforts to Promote Muslim Integration • Role of European Union • United States of America ...
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...Islam in the World Today Patrick Mallin DeVry University Islam has a major influence within society and not just within the Middle East but all over the world. Depending on what part of the world is looked at, the teachings of Islam are altered slightly just like anything else maybe in different countries. The issue that arises is the thought that Islam has one belief that has been shining in the wrong light, and it is practiced the same way all around the world and by all people. The teaching of Islam will be further explained showing differences in ways it is practiced to prove misconceptions wrong. Another thing that will be focused on is how these teachings compare to Christianity and Judaism which are also found throughout the world. With this information, it allows for interactions of different religious groups to be looked at, and the ability to assess the dynamics of them. With further understanding of each, a more stable society could start to develop. The teachings of Islam are meant for the good of all people, it is designed to eliminate any prejudice and hatred among all people. The basis is that people are all the same, no matter what skin color, job, gender, or social class. Islamic teachings come from the holy Quran which focus’s everything around three principle factors, those being, justice, tolerance, and equality. Justice focusing on the fact that if one would discriminate...
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...of foreigners and strange things | Persecution | The act of persecuting or the state of being persecuted | Religious group | Individuals involved with or employed in religious denominations or organized religious groups such as churches, synagogues, temples, or mosques. | Part II Select at least 1 religious and 1 ethnic/racial group not your own from the list below. * Religious groups (based on http://religions.pewforum.org/pdf/affiliations-all-traditions.pdf) * Christianity * Evangelical Protestant * Mainline Protestant * Historically Black Churches * Roman Catholic * Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) * Jehovah’s Witnesses * Orthodox (Greek, Eastern) * Judaism (Orthodox, Conservative, or Reform) * Buddhism (Theravada or Mahayana) * Islam (Sunni, Shia, Sufism) * Hinduism * Racial/Ethnic groups (based on divisions in U.S. Census Bureau documents) * Asian (Asian descent) * Black (African descent) * Hispanic and Latino (South or Central American descent) * Pacific Islander (Polynesian descent) * White (European descent) * * Part III * Answer the following questions in 150 to 250 words each about the religious group you selected: * How does your selected religious group differ from other religious groups (such as in their beliefs, worship practices, or values)? Islam religion group is in between Jewish and...
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...in New York city and Washington D.C. there has been a growing trend of islamophobia in the U.S. as more and more Americans are beginning to view people who follow the faith of Islam to be either a terrorist themselves or a terrorist sympathizer. In more recent years other acts of terror have grabbed the public’s attention such as the Boston Marathon bombings, as well as the attacks on the Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris France. Some Americans now feel that the U.S. government should start keeping surveillance on Muslim communities. The main driving force behind this growing anti-Muslim way of thinking is the fearmongering, ratings-seeking agendas of 24 hour television news companies. Cable news networks like CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, as well as many others have over the years developed a negative bias in the way that they represent the Muslim community. Discrimination of Muslims in T.V. news cycles are harmful because it can cause potential conflicts between Muslim and non-Muslim Americans, it projects the idea that Muslim is synonymous with the word terrorist, and can lead to the marginalization of an entire ethnic group. Islamophobia is a term used to describe the close-minded prejudice against Muslims and is also defined as deep hatred of Islam and Muslims. Islamophobia has existed in the United States for decades prior to September 11, 2001, and is believed to go as far back as the 1930s as the more and more Muslims began to emigrate to the U.S. In the past two decades however...
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...the World Islamic Teachings around the World Islam is a highly misunderstood religion, with regard to Muslim’s beliefs, values, and goals. Many of the Muslim practices are different throughout the world depending on the local culture. Islam is the second largest religion with Christianity being first. In 2000 Islamic followers were 1.2 billion, which was 22 percent of the world population. According to Clark (2003) this percentage makes Islam the fastest growing major religion. This paper will research the teachings of Islam, compare the three major religions of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, and point out similarities and differences in different countries. The history of Islam including the Qur’an will be discussed. The dissimilarity between radical Islamic extremist groups and Islam will be discussed. History of Islam Muhammad, at age 40, was visited by the angel Gabriel in the year 610 A. D. to be God’s prophet. He was given the mission of convincing others who worshiped many gods that they should submit to one God. Although Muhammad had few followers in the beginning he continued to teach his revelations in Mecca. In 622 A.D. Muhammad and his followers moved to Medina where the first Muslim community began, this is considered the first year in the Muslim calendar. In the years that followed the Muslim armies overtook most of Arabia, India, and Spain. Some communities were converted to the Islam faith peacefully while others were forced into acceptance...
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...Like other religious doctrines, Islam has been used to legitimize conflicting positions on gender and reproductive choice. In some cases, women were being denied rights by those who claimed to be acting in the name of 'Islamic' laws. some of which are incompatible with internationally recognized human rights. This article identifies selected sexual and reproductive health issues at the intersection ofreproductive rights and Shari 'a e.g. adultery (zina), inheritance, child marriages, polygny, and violence against women and considers how their shared concerns may prompt actions leading to the elimination of religious and cultural barriers imposed by Shari 'a which impede the implementation of international legal frameworks and consensus documents on reproductive rights. Nigeria is selected as a case study on the nature of implementation of Shari 'a law and reproductive rights. The article calls for more progressive interpretations of Islamic law to be codified in legislative reforms and/or seek to interpret Islamic law in harmony with international human rights standards and calls for the implementation of Shari 'a that would promote respect for human rights. J believe that if Islam is interpreted and applied correctly, we can have totally egalitarian laws for women and strike punishments such as stoning and cutting hands from out of law books.! * Senior Lecturer and Head, Department of Public and International Law, College of Law, Osun State University, Nigeria. S Ebadi of Iran...
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...there are other effects, some well-known, and others ignored, that are not so positive. Just some examples of these effects are: wars, discrimination, control, the retardation of science, the denial of healthcare, and death. This argument seeks to research and describe some of the negative effects religion has had on mankind, and thus the world. Certainly the most notable negative impact on society is religious wars. A religious war or holy war is a conflict primarily caused or justified by differences in religion. The account of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites in the Book of Joshua; the Muslim conquests of the 7th and 8th centuries; the Christian Crusades, 11th to 13th centuries; Wars of Religion, 16th and 17th centuries. These are the classic examples, but a religious aspect has been a part of warfare as early as the battles of the Mesopotamian city-states in 700BC. Throughout recorded history, more wars have been waged in the name of religion than any other reason. In the last two centuries alone, we have seen several wars fought over religion in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and South America. Much of the middle ages were dominated by wars, such as: The Crusades, The Thirty Years War, and the French Wars of Religion. It is estimated that nine hundred million casualties have been caused by religious wars. Discrimination is the unjust or...
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...practice the Islam faith. Though Muslims and Arabs are significantly different, they do share some similarities. Both Arabs and Muslims experience orientalism, which prevents them from obtaining classification as individual groups. There are many characteristics of orientalism such as stereotyping of Islam, religious conflict, and misrepresentation of cultures among Eastern countries. Orientalism can contribute to hate crimes because it promotes prejudice. It does this by fostering the idea that everyone within an ethnic group is to blame for the actions and ideas of only a few. For example, Muslims and Arabs have experienced high levels of hate crimes and discrimination since the attacks of 9/11. This is most likely because orientalism helped foster the idea that all Arabs and Muslims are a threat to the country, just because a few were. There are some recent changes to the United States policies that may affect the treatment of Muslim and Arab Americans. The most recent change comes in the form of verbal support for Muslim Americans by President Obama in his State of the Union Address, January 25, 2011. Another change was the amendment of Oklahoma’s Constitution banning Shariah law. State Question 755 was approved in November 2010, which forbids state courts from considering Shariah law; a law based on the Koran and the teaching of Mohammed (American Muslim Perspective, 2010). Also the USA Patriot Act of 2001 contains provisions that condemn discrimination against Arab and...
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...EXECUTIVE SUMMARY There is currently widespread discrimination against Muslims around the world due to numerous terrorist activities that occurred over the past decade. However, it is important for us to understand that although many of these activities were carried out by Muslims, we cannot stereotype all Muslims to be terrorists. Unjust discrimination against them may trigger more problems. Thus, a good approach to fix this problem would be educating the public not to stereotype as some Muslims may be the victims themselves. THE ISSUES AND WHO ARE INVOLVED The world has been plagued by terrorism, especially so over the past decade and this has led to widespread discrimination against Muslims. This is due to the fact that many of the terrorist acts were carried out by terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiah whose members are mainly of Muslim religion. However, there are much overlooked facts such as majority of the Muslims are actually not involved in those terrorist acts and some of the Muslims may even be victims of those terrorist acts themselves. One example of discrimination against Muslims would be the Oklahoma City bombing incident executed by Timothy McVeigh, an American, whereby Muslims were suspected for the bombing even before investigations started. Another would be the very recent French study led by David Laitin of Stanford University in California which shows that Muslims in European countries are more likely to be unemployed compared to people...
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