Islam Worksheet Essay

When canvass Islam, it is important to understand the essential elements of the faith, how they ar 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 next aspireives and note where there are differences among the three branches of Islam.1. Explain the meaning of the name, Islam.The oral translation of the word Islam is downfall or fortitude. The name Islam implies a complete surrender to Allah, and those who practice Islam are referred to as Muslims. The word Islam is derived from the Arabic word salam, which means peace or safety. Muslims believe that the reason for benevolent existence is to surrender to the unmatchable on-key divinity fudge, Allah (Molloy, 2010).2. Explain the basic impressions of Islam.Islam teaches it followers (Muslims) that the Holy Quran is the literal word of God is an all-embracing book and includes everything about Islam. One of the most fundamental concepts of Islam is the belief that only one God exists. Islam teaches some aspects about God that are comparable to the teachings of Judaism and Christianity. Islam teaches that God has always existed, cannot be destroyed, knows everything, created the universe. Another basic concept of Islam is that God never had a son (Jesus) however, Islam does teach that Jesus was a prophet as was Muhammad, nevertheless Muhammad is believed to be the last of a number of profits, and he was sent to Earth by God to affirm the word of God to the introduction. The most fundamental beliefs or concepts of Islam are There is only one True God No other being or thing is worth of worship, only the True God Muhammad is Gods messenger and the last prophet Every human who has ever existed go by award God on Judgment day to account for his or her deeds and at this time, God will grant or deny admittance into Heaven.3. Describe the practices of Islam.The main practices of Islam are concentrated in w hat are cognise as the Five Pillars of Islam. The Five Pillars of Islam, as outlined in the Quran are pattern to be mandatory practices that each Muslim must practice.The Five Pillars of Islam are1) Shahada (Profession of Faith) Muslims must verbally get it on the existence of only one God and Muhammad is Gods messenger. The creed, There is no God plainly Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger, is spoken daily in demander, and inscribed on and in Mosques (Molloy, 2010).2) Prayer Muslims are required to pray five times every day of the week the prayers are required every day ahead dawn, at midday, at midafternoon, at sunset, and at nighttime. Muslims typically undergo a ritualistic cleansing of the hands, arms, face, and fill out before prayer, and face toward Mecca when praying (Molloy, 2010).3) Zakat (Charity to the Poor) Muslims are required to give a percentage of the total of everything they own to the sad each year. In addition to giving to the unretentive, Muslims ar e expected to be generous and charitable toward the poor when they encounter an opportunity in their daily lives (Molloy, 2010).4) Sawm (Fasting during Ramadan) Ramadan is the ninth month of the year according to the Muslim schedule and the month during which it is believed that Muhammad began receiving revelations from God. As with various other religions, firming is thought to bring ghostlike growth for Muslims the month-long fast help to form a bond and unite Muslims. During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, liquids, tobacco, and sexual activity from dawn until dusk. Ramadan ends with a feast to celebrate the Revelations given to Muhammad (Molloy, 2010).5) Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca) Every Muslim is required to visit Mecca (Hajj) at least once in their demeanortime. A pilgrimage, as with other religions, is believed to bring about new understanding and private transformations based on the spiritual goals of the religion. Only Muslims are permitted to enter the city of Mec ca (Molloy, 2010).4. Describe the goals of Islam.The goals of Islam are similar to the goals of other religions in that the religion is believed to be a moral and ethical authority in a area that is in a constant struggle between good and evil. Framing the world as in constants peril and painting itself as the moral and ethical authority, Islam (like other religions) seeks to regulate human biography through rules, rituals, and other dogma (Molloy, 2010).Staying in the realm of regulating human life, Islam attempts to provide guidelines to enable Muslims to life a life as close to perfection (God) as possible. Islam also has developed controls and bans on particularized activities, things, actions, etc. as a means of creating and makeing social order and increase the happiness of Muslims (Molloy, 2010).5. Describe the compute of authority in Islam.The Islamic view of authority began with Muhammad Muhammad combined political (civil) authority with spiritual authority, which is essentially a theocracy. However, modern Islam has split into two main branches that differ on their view of authority. Sunnis, which accounts for the largest percentage of the worlds Muslim population, recognize a real difference between religious and civil authority. The Shiite Muslims however, maintain the belief that both religious and civil authority should be centralized. Shiite Muslims place give all spiritual and religious authority to one person (Flesher, n.d.).The Quran serves as the primary source of information and authority for Muslims, a lot as the Bible does for Christians. With this in mind, evaluate Islams historical influences on law, philosophy, and the arts in the Muslim world. Write a 1- to 2-paragraph response for each of the following questions. Provide examples to illustrate your thinking.1. What is the legal ideal in Islamic law? How does the Quran inform and guide Muslims in attaining this ideal?The legal ideal of Islamic law, which is known as Sharia, are laws that continually bring day-to-day life into closer coherence with the rules set forth in the Quran. The Quran provides numerous rules and rituals that must be followed by Muslims and lays the groundwork for Sharia. Muslims believe that the Quran is the literal word of God they also believe that God cannot be separated from any aspect of human life. Therefore, traditional Islam is theocratic and seeks to impose the laws and rules of God upon everyone to help ensure human spiritual fulfillment (Molloy, 2010). 2. What is the kindred between philosophy and theology within Islam? Is it acceptable for Muslims to brook separate philosophic and theological beliefs?The kind of philosophy and theology within Islam is as complicated as it is old. Many of the early philosophic questions had to be answered to ensure a uniform understanding of the Quran and its laws. However, these early philosophic questions were not truly philosophical because the question mixed religious revelations with human logic and reasoning. Aside from the philosophical questions that were asked during the emergence of Islam, most of the philosophical and theological questions that have emerged have been the result of the expansion of Islam and its contact with other religions (Molloy, 2010).There is no assoil answer to the question of whether or not it is acceptable for Muslims to hold separate philosophical and theological beliefs, because throughout the history of Islam the discussion if philosophy and theology changes from a liberal to a conservative approach, and back again. for the most part speaking, Islam has two philosophical schools a liberal view that cheers human reasoning and sees it as a gift from God, and a conservative view that believes reason is false pride and favors intellectual submission. Although Islam does have a somewhat liberal faction that values reason and logic, for the vast majority of Muslims it is not acceptable to hold different philosophical and theol ogical views. The majority of Muslims reject rationalism and promotes complete submission to God, which includes intellectual submission (Molly, 2010). 3. What artistic themes are regularly expressed in Islamic art and architecture? How are these themes explored? How has the Quran influenced the increase of art in the Islamic world?Several themes are apparent in both Islamic art and architecture, such as the serious and simplistic style and the use of negative space to direct an individuals attention to a specific area. Mosques can be large or small, la-di-da or modest, bur regardless of the specific mosque or building, Islamic architects place a high value on space. The shaping of a building and the space symbolizes God, who is invisible but everywhere (Molly, 2010). Islam prohibits images of humans or animals, but despite that restriction, Islam has a vibrant artistic past. As with architecture, negative space is also apply in art, but the theme that is most apparent in Islamic art is paradise. Most Muslim art includes some aspect of paradise as it is described in the Quran. One can consider images or symbols of paradise on prayer rugs, paintings, and building architecture (Molloy, 2010).ReferencesFlesher, P. (n.d.). Exploring Religions. Islam Religious and Political Organization. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http//uwacadweb.uwyo.edu/religionet/er/islam/iorg.htm Molloy, M. (2010). Experiencing the worlds religions Tradition, challenge, and change (5th ed.). New York, NY McGraw-Hill.