Islam, a Religion of Peace Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Islam, a Religion of Peace - Research Paper ExampleHowever, Islam is more often than not misunderstood and therefore feared in the western world. I set out good friends, as does everyone probably, who actually hypothecates a good percentage of Muslims, followers of Islamic faith, are terrorists who are intent on jihad (religious war) and transfuse Sharia Law all over the world. People fear what they do not understand. I foundert think a clearer example exists than the current Islamophobia gripping the people. This has resulted in the discrimination and hate crimes order at Muslims. This leads me to ask the question, who are the real terrorists? Education is the key to understanding and a peaceful coexistence in the midst of different faiths and cultures. My paper will give a brief overview of Islam in an effort to help duad the gap of understanding. The Prophet Muhammad founded Islam in the year 622 in the city of Mecca located in what is today the nation of Saudi Arabia. Of the worlds great religions Islam is the youngest yet because it is an extension of Judaism and Christianity Muslims do not consider it innovativeer. They think of it more as the refined random variable of a very old religion. All three have the same stories featuring the prophets Moses, David, Abraham and Jesus. Most people Ive talked to had no idea Jesus is a large expose of the Quran, the holy book of Islam.... The word Islam is taken from s-l-m, a root-word in Arabic meaning peace and submission. Islam message submitting to the will of God. A Muslim is one who submits to God. Living an Islamic life generally means adhering to the quintuplet Pillars of Islam publicly bearing witness to the basic affirmation of faith saying prescribed prayers five times a day fasting during the month of Ramadan giving a tithe or alms for support of the light and making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during the believers lifetime, if this is possible. (Wuthnow, 1998). The Quran is not vi ewed as a new revelation of God separate from its family religions simply instead a more accurate and complete version therefore the final edition of those faiths. When Muhammad died in 632 A.D., Muslims were confronted with the challenge of preserving their faith so they created a hierarchal remains of leaders called khalifahs (cliphs) which means successors to the Prophet Muhammad but not themselves prophets of God. The initial four caliphs were friends of Muhammad. Most Muslims believe their prescript which lasted from 632 to 661 was the age of the Rightly Guided Caliphate. A great expansion of the Islamic faith occurred during this period of time. Muslims conquered the Iranian Empire known today as the Islamic Republic of Iran and took Syria and Northern Africa away from a crumbling papist Empire. Within just a few short decades Islam expanded from a small village in the desert of Arabia to include territory that stretched from Africa to Asia. From the tenth century to the s ixteenth the caliphs effective power ended but the area of the Muslim world