Understanding Islam and Muslims Essay - 2071 Words

Most people know little or nothing about Islam, they have many misconceptions about Muslim beliefs and rituals. Regardless, Islam has gained a large following and is the second largest religion in the world. Hopefully some of the questions about Islam, Sunni Islam in particular, will be answered through research and a visit to the Islamic Center of the Inland Empire. This paper will cover the history of the religion, the history of Al-Masjid al-Ha ram or â€Å"The Holy Mosque, the art, the religious meeting, and personal views of a religious leader. Islam, like Judaism and Christianity, is a monotheistic religion based on the belief in one God. There are two main divisions in the Islam religion, they are Sunni and Shi’a. The separation of the†¦show more content†¦This contrasts with the Shia Muslim belief that Muhammad himself appointed his first successor to be Ali ibn Abi Talib as the first Caliph and the first Muslim imam (David Krusch). Abu Bakr survived for about two years, 632-634. Three more caliphs followed ‘Umar (634-644), ‘Uthman (644-656), and ‘Ali (656-662). At first, the power struggles were able to conceal internal disunion, but this only produced a festering schism that persists even now. In the modern era, the country of Iraq is an example of this. Minority Sunnis ruled and persecuted Shiites under the government of Saddam Hussein. The Sunni division is known for their Schools of jurisprudence. Ibn Hanbal, Ahmad was a leading Sunni Scholar theologian who was the founder of the Hanbali legal school, a popular defender of traditional Islamic Piety against Muslims rationalists and the Abbasid Caliphate. Hanabals believe that God had many names and attributes as mentions in the Koran. Hanbali law is considered to be very conservative and strict and is mainly prevalent in Saudi Arabia. Of the four main Sunni legal schools one of the largest and most widespread, after that of the Hanafis, is the Shafii Legal School. It dates to the ninth century and bears the name of its founder, Muhammad’ ibn idris al-shaFii (Campo, Juan Eduardo 617). This school is based off some of the opinions of Muhammad’s companions, but mostly fromShow MoreRelatedMy Understanding About Islam And The Muslims966 Words   |  4 PagesThis class reinforced my understanding about Islam and â€Å"Muslims.† it opened my eyes to various things that I would not think about on my own. These are details I just do not take the time to reflect upon. In short, my paper will focus on the concepts of acculturation and assimilation. I have noticed these concepts in the books and articles we have read throughout the quarter. In the book entitled A History of Islam in The America by Kambiz GhaneaBassiri, he discusses the fact that many of the enslavedRead MoreEssay on Islam The Straight Path989 Words   |  4 Pages Islam The Straight Path   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An evaluation of the book by John L. Esposito: Islam The Straight Path. 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Yet western converts to Islam are often met with incomprehensionRead MoreWorldview/Religion Analysis of Islam Essay1238 Words   |  5 PagesWorldview/Religion Analysis of Islam By Elizabeth Case Student ID: L6924379 Presented to: Dr. Raymond Johnson In partial fulfillment of the requirements of Introduction to Apologetics APOL 500 Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Lynchburg, VA April 3, 2011 Worldview/Religion Analysis of Islam Summary of Islam The Arabic term Islam literally means â€Å"surrender† or â€Å"submission†. The followers of Islam, known as Muslims (from the active participle of Islam), accept or surrender