World Religions Report – The Islamic Religion Essay Example

Qur’an.

According to Fisher (2005), following the revelations, Muhammad publicly preached and was mocked and stoned by the Quarayshites, leading him and his followers to flee into exile for three years. Upon their return, they faced ongoing persecution from the Quarayshites. Additionally, during his fiftieth year, known as the "Year of Sorrows," Muhammad experienced the loss of both his wife and uncle.

According to Fisher (2005), Muhammad faced many struggles, but during the Night of Ascension he ascended to the Divine Proximity and witnessed both heaven and hell. He also encountered other prophets and teachers, receiving great blessings from the Divine Presence. Despite his challenges, Muhammad's following continued to grow, becoming too significant for Mecca to resist upon his return in 630 CE. As Fisher notes, all idols were removed from the Ka'bah which has since been a center of Muslim piety. However, after Muhammad's death two years later, there were no clear instructions on who should succeed him as spiritual leader.

As per Bassiouni (1999), Islam confirms that Muhammad was a human being chosen by the Creator as a prophet to carry out a divine mission. His sole responsibility was to recite what Allah had ordered and nothing else. According to Islam, Muhammad got revelations from God, either alone or in the presence of others. The individuals who observed these revelations confirmed that the words spoken by Muhammad were inspired. Bassiouni refers to this occurrence as "wahy," which means divine inspiration or revelation (Bassiouni, 1999).

According to Bassiouni (1999), the Qur'an is considered by Muslims to be Allah's words delivered through revelations to Prophet Muhammad. The word Qur'an means "recitation" and it includes 114 chapters that were revealed

over a period of 23 years.

Bassiouni asserts that the Prophet received these chapters in Mecca and Madina. They vary in length and are not organized chronologically by revelation. Instead, they are ordered by the length of each Surah, with the longest first and the shortest last. Moreover, no one within Islamic history has disputed the Quran's accuracy (Bassiouni, 1999).

SITE REVIEW: The Islamic Center of San Antonio, located on Fairhaven in San Antonio, Texas, was founded in 1997 and is directed by Iman Yousef Said. Previously located in Houston, Said relocated to San Antonio after the tragedy of September 11. Said is an open-minded Islamic leader who strives to establish positive relationships with not only the Islamic community of the region but also with other churches and denominations in the area. The center hosts an annual event where non-Islamic individuals are welcomed to learn about Islam first-hand. Additionally, the center actively promotes a healthy interfaith environment by visiting other churches.

The Islamic Center of San Antonio is accessible every day for the obligatory five prayers and it offers a wide range of activities for its members. Complementing its elegant white facade and traditional domed entrances, the edifice boasts a spacious prayer hall with separate entrances for men and women. Additionally, there is a secluded prayer room designated for women to pray without any disruptions. Furthermore, the center features an Arabic-text library and an educational institution called the Al-Madinah School, which caters to Muslim pupils.

Instruction at this school covers various Islam-related subjects such as Arabic language, the Qur’an, Prophet Muhammad's life, Islamic law and worship. To my surprise, the mosque and its members

were welcoming and courteous. During a conversation with Mr. Said - an Iranian member of Kerrville's business community who has lived in the area for twenty-five years and whom I've known for ten years - I gained valuable insight.

While conversing with a Muslim man who follows his faith and is wed to a Hispanic Catholic woman, I learned that the Islamic calendar varies from our typical calendar. This leads to significant Islamic festivals and observances happening on varying dates annually. The Islamic calendar relies on the Hegira year, which took place when Muhammad relocated from Mecca to Medina on July 16th, 622. Our chat reiterated main ideas mentioned in the introduction.

The Islamic New Year, which signals the start of A.H. 1429 in 2008, is observed by Muslims during the first month of Muharram through prayers, readings, and contemplation on the hegira.

Mawlid al-Nabi is a celebration of Prophet Muhammad's birthday, marked on the 12th day of the month Rabi I in the Islamic calendar. "Mawlid" refers to a holy figure's birthday while "al-Nabi" means prophet. This day is dedicated to reflecting on the life and impact of Muhammad. It should be noted that fundamentalist Muslims reject this holiday as a celebration.

The Eid al-Fitr, also known as the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", is a significant Islamic festival that marks the end of Ramadan - a month-long fasting period. People celebrate this occasion by donning festive attire, decorating their homes with lights and candies for children, and spending quality time with family and friends. Moreover, it is an obligatory event for Muslims to give back by providing food to underprivileged individuals and contributing to

mosques.

Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, is a significant celebration for Muslims. This festival pays tribute to Abraham's faithfulness to Allah by preparing to sacrifice his son Ishmael. As per the Quranic account, before the sacrifice could take place, Allah replaced Ishmael with a ram. The event commences on the 10th day of Dhu'l-Hijja - the last month of Islamic calendar and extends for three days. It occurs after Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca and necessitates sacrificing an animal like a lamb while sharing its meat with family members, friends, and those who require it.

Through various acts of devotion, this individual demonstrates their adherence to the Islamic faith. Sacrifice serves as a symbol of obedience to Allah, while distributing it showcases generosity - a crucial aspect of one of Islam's five pillars. Islam has profoundly shaped their life and brought peace and truth through studying the Qur'an and serving Allah by helping others. They follow the teachings outlined in the Qur'an and perform obligatory prayers five times daily. Due to business commitments that prevent frequent travel to San Antonio, they have established a personal prayer area at home. Furthermore, their commitment towards fulfilling all five pillars led them on multiple pilgrimages to Mecca over time.

Islamic law, also known as Sharia, is rooted in the teachings of the Qur’an and serves as the primary guide for Muslims. This legal system governs individual conduct and relationships between humans and God while providing a structure for society to organize itself. It offers effective conflict resolution mechanisms that address disputes among individuals or between people and the government. As an all-encompassing religious and legal system, Islam

provides solutions to current social dilemmas. Unfortunately, discrimination based on religious beliefs poses significant challenges for practicing Muslims in some countries.

The significance of educating individuals that not all Muslims are interested in harming the nation and seek peace has been emphasized. When compared, Islam and Christianity both worship the same God - Allah or God, known as the God of Abraham. Although their devotion is to God, the ways in which they worship differ. While Christianity considers Jesus as the Savior or Messiah, Islam regards him as an exceptional prophet.

Both Christians and Muslims possess a holy book, with Christians holding the New Testament and Muslims holding the Qur’an. According to Islamic belief, Allah communicated the Qur’an to Muhammad through revelations spanning a span of 23 years. The Apostles describe Jesus' actions in his life and ministry in the New Testament. Churches with seating and platforms for preaching and prayer are utilized by Christians.

Muslims have the freedom to pray in open spaces such as mosques, homes, or workplaces, and are not obligated to pray exclusively in mosques. In summary, despite differences in celebration, calendar, and prayer methods, Islam and its followers share the same God as Christians and strive for peace. Both Muslims and Christians are deeply dedicated to their respective deities; however, there may be misunderstandings about Islam which can be addressed by taking an effort to learn about different religions and treating all individuals with respect regardless of their faith.

In his work "Introduction to Islam," Bassiouni, M. C. provides references.

Findings of Fisher, M.P. on Introduction to Islam can be accessed via the Middle East Institute website at http://www.mideasti.org/library/intro-to-islam as of August

22, 2008.

The 6th edition of "Living religions" was published in 2005 by Prentice-Hall Inc. The Writing Style Handbook for Axia College is accessible at https://axiaecampus.Phoenix.edu's Writing Style Handbook for AxiaUOP can be found in a PDF format.