...9-11 tragedies. While I like to think that I think for myself, I must admit to being a sheep during that time. I did not know anything about Muslims or their faith. I also confess to believing that is was only practiced in the Middle East. The Central Asian Arabian desert saw birth to the Islamic religion around 600 AD. The religion started with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad who is considered to be the messenger of the one and only, formless, all-powerful God, Allah. Islam spread rapidly from the Arabian Peninsula in less than 30 years and managed to defeat the Persian and Roman Empires. Over the next several centuries, Islam reached as far east as India and westward to Spain. Through traveling traders, Islam spread to Southeast Asia; where today Indonesia is the largest Muslim country. Today, Islam is considered to be the fastest growing religion in the world. According to ncccusa.org, “there are about 1.2 billion Muslims and about 2 billion Christians in the world. By 2025, it is expected that Islam will grow by 50%, and Christianity will grow by 31%. Indonesia has the greatest number of Muslims with over 170 million adherents. Pakistan is next with 136 million”. If one follows the Islamic faith, women and men are equal in rights and life. They are not seen as equal in physical attributes therefore it is the man’s duty to be the physical laborer and be the main financial supporter of the family. The woman is seen as more nurturing and loving and is responsible for the...
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...The Creation and Spread of Islam Paper The creation and spread of Islam came from the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. It was believed that a merchant called Muhammad began to have religious experiences, and by the time he died, most of Arabia had accepted his belief. The spread of Islam came about a century later, after Muhammad’s followers control other countries around the Arabian Peninsula. The spread of Islam continued for centuries and was influenced throughout the Eastern and Western civilizations. The early years of Muhammad’s life was based from oral tradition. There is no current evidence or any materials that shows us who Muhammad really was. Everything about Muhammad was passed down from one generation to another which was the only biography of Muhammad. The biography became a model of Muhammad, and was an example that Muslims believer would emulate. Muhammad’s story is similar to the sources of information about Jesus. Information about Muhammad’s existence came after his death. Muhammad was an orphan at age six who was brought up by his uncle, and as he grew older became a merchant in the caravan trade. Muhammad was very religious, self-disciplined, and he dedicated himself to meditation. He was able to admire things and think about it for a long period of time. Muhammad had a deep religious experience at or around the age of forty, as he spent some time in the cave in the hills near Mecca where he was adapted himself to praying. After his religious...
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...Islam is the world's fastest growing faith. It all began in 610 C.E. when the Prophet Muhammad received revelations of the Quran in Mecca. Islam's reputation of promoting a strict and controlling government, female oppression, civil war, and terrorism is not completely correct. Islam is a rich and complex religion that is often misunderstood in the modern world. There have been many obstacles that have been faced. Islam wouldn't exist today with its leaders, the Crusades, and their empires. The most important leader was, of course, Muhammad. He basically set up Islam and preached and converted many to this religion. He insisted that it was wrong to build a private fortune but good to share wealth and create a society where the weak and vulnerable were treated with respect (51). Umar, Muhammad's second successor and father-in-law, was very important to Islam's history. He was originally opposed to Islam but converted right after he heard some verses from the Quran. Islam made its largest and fastest expansion under Umar's reign; the Muslim forces conquered Syria, Jerusalem, Egypt, Libya, Iraq, and armies of Persia. This period is often thought as the Golden Age of Islam. It was when Muslims were at the top of their regions social order and when Islam was the most pure for it had not yet been corrupted by power or privilege. There have been many other leaders that followed, and all of them have contributed to Islamic history. The Crusades were a series of wars that were started...
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...details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713433220 Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations in Niger-Delta (Nigeria) Abdul Razaq Kilani To cite this Article Kilani, Abdul Razaq(2000) 'Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations in Niger-Delta (Nigeria)', Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 20: 1, 129 — 136 To link to this Article: DOI: 10.1080/13602000050008942 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13602000050008942 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Full terms and conditions of use: http://www.informaworld.com/terms-and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, re-distribution, re-selling, loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, Vol. 20, No. 1, 2000 Islam and Christian± Muslim Relations in Niger± Delta (Nigeria) ABDUL...
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...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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...existed for thousands of years, has recently become a major problem in our society. Common Facts about Islamophobia The list below, provided by the Council of American-Islamic Relations, details many of the misconceptions commonly held by Islamophobic people: * Islam is unchanging and refuses to adapt to new realities or changing times. * Islam shares no common values with any of the other major religions. * Islam is no longer relevant and their ideals are irrational. * Islam is tied to terrorism. * Islam promotes violence. * None of these items are true by any means, but are still commonly held by many people suffering from Islamophobia. While these unfortunate misconceptions have been held for centuries, Islamophobia has been on the rise in recent times. Since the September 11th attacks in the U.S., many uninformed Americans have started viewing followers of the Islamic faith as an “enemy” of the United States. This sentiment is absolutely untrue. There is no link between Islam and terrorism and this type of incorrect information is a leading cause of Islamophobia. Causes of Islamophobia The leading cause for Islamophobia is usually misinformation or total lack of information based on the religion. Unfortunately, Islamophobic people are not likely to be willing to educate themselves about their fears or spend time around any Islamic people. This feeling is somewhat understandable, as they do claim to be physically afraid of the Islamic people...
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...Public Relations and Religion The media is a dangerous place when it comes to informing the public about accurate information regarding news, culture, events, and history. As an executive media specialist at CNN I decided to sit down and go over a very pressing topic with other specialists about three monotheistic religions that are skewed across the media. Islam, Christianity, and Judaism are three major monotheistic religions in the world. It is important that each of these religions are accurately portrayed across the media because there is a growing dissonance over truly understanding a religion and the followers it has. Today I will be discussing in this report four key points about these three religions. I will be explaining each religion...
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...worldwide such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and more. It is not clear where the author obtained their information from but by comparing information from other websites to the information found on this website the information appears to be accurate. It appears that the authors purpose in creating this website is to educate people about islam and its effects internationally, but most specifically I feel this page is intended to inform people about what exactly Sharia Law so they have a better understanding about the mindset of radical Muslims. This webpage has an abundance of useful information, much of which has helped me acquire a better understanding about where Sharia Law is most prominent and the ideals of radical Muslims in different areas of the world. Coulson, Noel. "Shari'ah (Islamic Law)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. July 8, 2014. Accessed September 24, 2014. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/538793/Shariah. Noel Coulson the author of this Encyclopedia Brittanica entry about Sharia Law was a Professor of Oriental Laws at the University of London circa 1967–86. Coulson is also the author of A History of Islamic Law. Coulson did a very good job researching and compiling useful information to aid others in their education of Sharia. Not only did Coulson include an abundance of information about the history of Islam and Sharia and how it has changed over time as well as the various laws of Sharia, but he...
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...100 Facts about Islam 1. "Islam" means "surrender" or "submission". 2. "Salam" (wh ich means "peace") is the root word of "Islam". In a religious context the word "Islam" means "the surrendering of one's will (without compulsion) to the true will of God in an effort to achieve peace". 3. "Muslim" means "anyone or anything that surrenders itself to the true will of God". 4. Everything in nature (trees, animals, planets, etc.) are "muslims" because they are in a state of surrender to God's will. In other words, they are fulfilling the purpose for which God created them. 5. Islam is not a new religion or cult. It is a universal way of life and civilization 6. Studies show that between 1.5 and 1.8 billion people in the world identify their religion as Islam. Along with Judaism and Christianity it traces its roots through Prophet Abraham and back to the first humans Adam and Eve. 7. Islam is a complete way of life that governs all facets of life: moral, spiritual, physical,intellectual, social, economical, etc. 8. Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in the world. 9. "Allah" is an Arabic word that means "God". 10. Muslims also believe that "Allah" is the personal name of God. 11. Allah is not the God of Muslims only. He is the God of all people and all creation. 12. The Islamic concept of God is that He is loving, merciful and compassionate. 13. . Islam also teaches that He is all-knowing and the perfect judge of affairs...
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...Religious Principles at AUI Done by: Elias-Crespo Molato Omar Badaoui Abd Errahmane Morchid SSK1202 Spring 2008 Instructor’s Name: Mrs.Monica Sturgess Abstract The main objective of this research study is to find out the level of commitment of AUI students toward their religion. It had been revealed after going through the literature review that the main reasons that push students to ignore their religion can be related to the political regime that the government is approaching which combines religion with modernity, parents that don’t want to put pressure on their children, and the lack of connecting religion with the public schools curriculum. In order to get a relevant research, we have used both qualitative and quantitative methods. We have formed a survey and handed 70 copies to AUI students, Moroccan and exchange ones. Moreover, we have accomplished a meeting with the Imam of the mosque in order to use his experience to enhance our research. The result section showed that students at AUI have interest in their faith; however, since they are strained by studies, they don’t give much time to religion pursuits. These results have helped us to comprise a clear comprehension of the main aspects of this topic, as well as to correct some of the wrong images that we used to have toward AUI students like the lack of praying and interest to religion. Introduction Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane is a Moroccan University that is based on the...
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...1 HISTORY OF ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION PART II: 1258 C.E. TO PRESENT SPRING 2012 (21:510:288) M.W. 4:00-5:20 (MW6) CONKLIN HALL 446 Dr. Nükhet Varlık varlik@andromeda.rutgers.edu Office Hours: M. W. 5:20-5:50 pm and by appointment Office: Conklin Hall, 310 TEXTBOOK: o Arthur Goldschmidt Jr., A concise history of the Middle East, Westview Press, 2002. o Marvin E Gettleman & Stuart Schaar, The Middle East and Islamic world reader, New York, 2003. o Additional primary source readings will be posted on Blackboard. o Also see: Internet Islamic History Sourcebook (compiled by Paul Halsall) COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is a survey of the history of the Islamic civilization. In this course, we will study social, economic, and cultural aspects of the history of the Middle and Near East region, from the dramatic arrival of Mongol armies in the mid-thirteenth century up to the present era. The treatment of the subject will be roughly chronological, though social and economic life, culture, and arts will be discussed thoroughly throughout the course. In addition to lectures, the course will heavily draw upon discussion sessions, which will give students a hands-on approach to history. In these sessions, we will discuss in detail various historical problems presented in the text, lectures, and audio-visual materials. 1 2 COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - name and identify individuals, events, themes, and issues of major...
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...Understanding Islam Darren Crowe February 2, 2016 Sarah Mueller Understanding Islam Islam Islam dates back into the 6th century AD, the religion of the Muslims and a monotheistic faith regarded as revealed through Muhammad as the Prophet of Allah. The word Islam means submission or surrender and Muslim means one who surrenders themselves to God. The Arabic word for god is "Allah" which has become a kind of name of God in Islam. The Mosque is most known place to worship in the Muslim community, the mosque always points toward Mecca at a sacred stone, but if Muslim is in Mecca they would face the sacred stoned named Ka’aba. This stone was believed to been built by Abraham. The five pillars, Quran, and the Ramadan will also be discussed in this paper. Quran The Quran or Koran means the reading in Arabic. The Quran is a form of sacred texts of Islam that is broken down into 114 suras or chapters ("What Is Islam?", n.d.). Within the chapters of the Quran ethnics, theology, law, and history is discussed as God literal words. The Quran came about into new order by a holy spirit by the name Gabriel, who gave the Quran to Muhammad. Muhammad full name is Muhammad Ibn Abdullah and is known as the final prophet of God to the world. Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570 A.D and died in 632 A.D., by being poisoned. Five Pillars The first Pillar consist of the testimony of faith, meaning there is no true god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of God. Second Pillar is prayer...
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...University of Phoenix Material Islam Worksheet When studying Islam, it is important to understand the essential elements of the faith, how they are practiced, and the distinctions among the three branches: Shiite Islam, Sunni Islam, and Sufism. Write a 1- to 2-paragraph response for each of the following directives and note where there are differences among the three branches of Islam. 1. Explain the meaning of the name, Islam. In Arabic, the word “Islam” means submission or surrender – however, it was derived from the root word “salam”. From this root word, you can also derive the words peace and safety. Many people feel that Islam implies some sort of enslavement to Allah, but others find it more helpful to define the word “Islam” as surrender. 2. Explain the basic concepts of Islam. There is only one God without limit, called Allah. Muhammad received the Quran as a copy of the eternal Quran which is inscribed in heaven. God created heavenly beings called angels to serve God and they are opposed by evil spirits. God sent his prophets to the earth at their appointed times, and the Prophet Muhammad was the last and greatest messenger of God. There will be a last day of world history called the Day of Judgment. Good and evil will be weighed in the balance. The wicked will be punished and the just will enjoy eternal life in Paradise. Everything in the universe has a predetermined course. Nothing happens without the will or knowledge of God. ...
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...Connecticut College History Faculty Publications History Department 7-1-1989 (Review) Meccan Trade and the Rise of Islam Frederick S. Paxton Connecticut College, fspax@conncoll.edu Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/histfacpub Part of the Diplomatic History Commons, and the Islamic World and Near East History Commons Recommended Citation Paxton,Frederick S. "Review of Patricia Crone 'Meccan Trade and the Rise of Islam'" The Journal of Asian Studies 48 (1989): 574-575. Web. doi:10.2307/2058642. This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the History Department at Digital Commons @ Connecticut College. It has been accepted for inclusion in History Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Connecticut College. For more information, please contact bpancier@conncoll.edu. The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author. (Review) Meccan Trade and the Rise of Islam Keywords Mecca, muslim, trade Comments Initially published in Journal of Asian Studies, 1989, p.575-6. Copyright © The Association for Asian Studies, Inc. 1989 DOI: 10.2307/2058642 http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2058642 This book review is available at Digital Commons @ Connecticut College: http://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/histfacpub/44 Meccan Trade and the Rise of Islam. by Patricia Crone Review by: Frederick S. Paxton The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 48, No. 3 (Aug., 1989), pp. 574-575 Published...
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...Opposite Ends of the Belief Bench One subject darkly clouded with confusion is religion, and the idea that they are all the same. Mahatma Gandhi, an important Hindu teacher states, “The soul of religion is one, but it is encased in a multitude of forms.” Two of the most popular religions in the United States, Christianity and Islam, are facing this problem. I grew up Christian so the subject of religion is very important to me. After 9/11 the American public was on high alert for terrorists, and they still are today. Just recently a US Ambassador to Libya was killed along with two Navy Seals by an Islamic terrorist group. Some people may ask why do they attack, what motivates them it is what they believe. When your Sacred text, the Koran in this case, has verses that say, “And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution [of Muslims] is worse than slaughter [of non-believers]”, it is seen clearly why there are terrorist attacks ( Koran 2:191-193). Americans live in a culture where acceptance is the goal. Everything is acceptable because everyone has their own opinion. No one can refute that opinion because the refusal itself could be seen as offensive and the offender will likely get sued. As a result, most people keep their thoughts to themselves, creating the opposite of the desired environment. Instead of freedom of speech we have freedom to speak as long as you do not mind being chewed up by the media...
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