Introduction.
Islam is a faith that has greatly influenced the minds and way of lives of millions of people across the globe.
This short article gives a brief overview of Islam and the life of the most important figure central to this faith called Muhammad. In doing so, while trying to understand why people believe in this faith and what are the beliefs in the center of them all, Islam - the religion and its impact on society and people’s life are more explicitly illustrated.
What is Islam?Understanding the Religion and Its Beliefs
Islam is not a contemporary religion, however, it is the same God’s truth revealed unto his prophets throughout ages and to every nation. Islam is a religion that has become a way of life for nearly 20% of the world’s population. Peace-loving, merciful, and forgiving religion is followed by most of them and they have nothing to do with extremely serious incidents that have been associated with their religion.
This segment provides a brief portrait of Muslims today.
Over a billion individuals, spanning a wide array of races, nationalities, and cultures – from the southern regions of the Philippines all the way to Nigeria – could be described as Muslims due to their dedication to the Islamic faith. Of this, 18% survive in the Arab world; and Indonesia has the greatest number of Muslims in the world. Cut-off areas of Asia and almost all of Africa are Muslims, while a significant number of believers are present in the ex-U.S.S.R, North America, South America, China, and Europe as well.
The roots of Islam
The rise of Mohammed
As soon as he started spreading the message of Islam, as noted above, Muhammad managed to instill a thorough sense of brotherhood that enhanced the way the first Muslims related to one another.
They shared an affinity generated by the hardships they underwent together as a young Islamic group in Mecca, which was hostile towards them. This attachment to the Qurʾānic faith’s precepts and practices, especially Islam wishes within one society connoted a robust, thick socioeconomic layer, reinforced this faith image.
In 622 CE, the Prophet moved to Median, and shortly thereafter, the people accepted his teaching, for a community-state of Islam was forthcoming. Such action would later be taken by the Muslim community and extend its reach as a religion that embraced and intertwined every facet of the society's social life.
That is, every individual is free to practice his or her religious values or communally enshrined codes (there is a democracy of religions). And so there exists not only an Islamic religion but also an Islamic legal system, state and other societal institutions.
It was not until the twentieth century that certain Muslim intellectuals attempted to draw a line between the religious (private) and the secular (public) aspects and even implemented such a separation in some countries ,particularly Turkey.
Tenets of Islamic faith
Islam stresses the significance of both beliefs and activities; neither of them is enough without the other (with the exception of some Sufis). The following six beliefs are also believed by more Muslims than not, as articulated in the Qur’an and hadith.
Six Central Tenets
Faith in the Singular Nature of God
Faith in the Existence of Angels:
Faith in the Divine Scriptures:
Faith in the Religion’s Prophets or Messengers:
Allah: Central to Islamic Religion and Beliefs
Allah, as it is known in Arabic, is God and his person is at the heart of Islam and its beliefs as well as among Arabic speaking Christians. He is depicted in the Qurʾān as having power over all and loving, merciful, forgiving and a creator who is actively involved in the welfare of His creations.
The Islamic confession of faith known as the Shahadah reiterates the belief in one God, that is, “There is no God but Allah”, where the divinity of God is rested upon. Total submission to Allah’s will is the basis of Islam, for all that exists, exists according to His will and His will only. Allah has a total of 99 names attributed to him in the Qurʾān and Ḥadīth namely The One, The Living, The Absolute Truth, The All Hearing, The Beneficent, among other.
Conclusion:
The religion, as well as the way of life illustrated by Islam, has impacted societies, cultures, and people’s lives around the globe. Islam is anchored on the beliefs, devotion and acceptance of responsibility of a higher power, and knows no such limits as geography or politics and boasts of over one billion believers of Allah and the Prophet Mohammed.Its core beliefs that there is only one God, that every one needs divine direction and that individuals are answerable for their conduct, paint Islam as a religion that can meet the spiritual needs of an individual as well as attain peace within the society.From the times of its inception during the times of the Prophet Muhammad, when it was confined within a close-knit society to its melting pot status in many geographic regions and communities today; Islam is that woman that has a religion for every part of life. The stress on the aspects of gentleness and mercy, and tolerance and forgiveness makes the religion quite appealing to the followers, although the religion is firmly household within its historical bounds and civilization.When we start looking in detail about the roots of Islam, what it advocates and how do people and societies react to and influence it, we realize how important of a religion it is. And either through its principles or sense of belonging or everlasting influence, Islam is present in the world and encourages its practitioners in such way.
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