Rel 134 – IslamIslamTammy JamisonREL/134November 7, 2016Jim DavidsonIslamIslam is a one God-oriented religion a religion that is conveyed by the Qur’an.Islam is the second largest religion in the world second only to Christianity. This paper will discuss Islam’s history, the significance of the Qur’an, the Five Pillars and Ramadan beginning with a brief summary of the Prophet Muhammad.
Before Islam arose, the Arabian Peninsula primary religions were Christianity, Judaism, and local traditional religions (Molloy, 2013). The Local religious practices worshipped spirits, tribal gods, capricious spirits (genie) that were believed to enter people. God known by Islam as Allah was an object of faith not of worship as he was the creator but not the object of rituals (Molloy, 2013). Mecca was already religious prior to Muhammad’s birth, Muhammad’s father passed on prior to his birth and his mother died when he was just a child leaving Muhammad to reside with his grandfather (Molloy, 2013). Abd al-Muttalib was Muhammad’s grandfather and he was known to play an important role in the Quraysh that was the primary tribe in Mecca. Muhammad was a religious person and he often went into the known caves of Mecca used for prayer to meditate this is where he received his first revelation this is recorded in the Qur’an (Molloy, 2013). Muhammad doubted his revelation originally but over time he began to share his revelations even though they were not well received. Muhammad insisted there is only one god Allah and the worship of another god was forbidden leading to destruction of of things that had been worshipped. These messages created hostility as the new revelations demeaned businesses and tribal gods causing Muhammad and his followers to leave Mecca for Yathrib this began the start of Islamic community (Molloy, 2013).
The Islamic community believes heavily in the Qur’an as it is considered sacred. Muslims believe God spoke to the Prophet Muhammad and Muhammad believed he was God’s final Prophet. The Qur’an has been translated in different languages yet the Arabic version is the only one considered to Muslims as the true authority. There are 114 chapters in the Qur’an these are considered a collection of God’s revelations to the Prophet Muhammad called suras. There is no chronological order but the suras are placed by length from longest to shortest (Molloy, 2013). The Qur’an is a guide for conduct, economics and the primary source of Muslim faith. The Qur’an has remained unchanged and by following the Qur’an is how Muslims believe they will achieve contentment and tranquility in life after
The Quran
What is the Quran?
How it is known
If its meaning depends on what we can read
A lot of things have been known about the Qur’an.
I haven’t been able to read it all
I haven’t read it all
All I have read are the words of one man, which are about what I need it for
How I have read it are the events that happened.
How people and peoples understand and interpret the Qur’an and the teachings they hear
I haven’t read all all of the things of the Quran
All I have read are the verses that follow:
Abu Dawud 18:39:
The people say, “We told you that you will be killed in paradise, which can be described as the (first) death sentence for the prophet ď·ş.”
“Qur’an 18:19:
In the last verse we are told to do three things: (a) that the Jews should go out of their homes and kill (the prophet Mohammed in the valley under the mountains) and/or (b) that the Christians should go out and kill (the prophet Muhammad in Medina).”
These three things were the basis of what Muhammad said when he said, “It is right,” and, “To kill the Jews in Medina is wrong (at the time this man was speaking),” that the Prophet prayed for Allah:
Sahih Muslim 2:231 (b)
“It is not a task. It is a promise to Allah, the Day of Resurrection. It cannot be fulfilled unless Allah gives it. (Those who believe in Him give their lives to Him if they believe in Allah and will continue as if they do so. If they do not accept Him and die for Him, then he does not exist. They shall receive the (Qurďż˝an) and they shall have paradise in Paradise.”)
“He has never uttered the words of a prophet or of any other person except the Messenger of Allah before any unbeliever that believes therein. He has never made use of the words of a prophet.”
“It would be better to die (in Mecca) or be (made to) be a martyr on it than to accept any other word that is sent unto you. These things are not in the Quran (if you do not see that there are things in the Quran) but those that are written in it.”
“Those who accept the (The Word) are to die and (those) who deny the Word and disbelieve in Islam are not to die in Paradise so long as they hold on to that which is spoken of (them). The Holy Quran is the only verse that speaks of disbelief (already rejected by you and by you) and disbelievers in Islam are not to die in paradise (this is the Qur’an). Their (this is the Qur’an) is the only thing