Sometimes I wonder whether the random religious ramblings and the subsequent intolerance towards any religions can be justified? In an hypothetical condition considering myself to be atheist fundamentalist or some kind of iconoclastic fanatic :) I always questions my doubts about something... Sometime back I wanted to get the whatever clear picture I can get on topics that I discuss with people around me or for just for the heck of it... without the second hand knowledge that sometime everyone possess and involve in debates where both argue with wrong facts and end up shitfaced.. :)
So here I went to learn about religion as a whole and started with "Islam" in whatever way I can learn.. Then thought the best way to learn anything is in a classroom... And some of the excerpts of whatever I learned from hearing are here..
Islam is the 2 largest religion and fastest growing religions it has 1.2 billion population across 56 countries... only 20% of Arabs contribute Muslim population of the world, Largest being Indonesia and India, Bangladesh and Pakistan etc... It is interpreted in different ways in different countries across globe including the rights for women which varies from moderate turkey to radical Taliban.
Islam along with Judaism and Christianity is the oldest of monotheistic religions around the world.. All three have the same ancestor ABRAHAM. Abraham is the 22nd descendant of god first being god himself followed by Adam and eve.. Abraham had a wife Sarah whom did not have a child.. So Sarah convinced Abraham to have kid with Hagar a servant maid in house.. Ismail Was born and from his family Islam was born.. before this its was all these three religions were same in a crude form of Judaism. 13 years after Hagar gave birth to Ismail. Sarah was blessed with a child called Issac from which the Christianity was born and old Judaism was somewhat restored.. BTW Jesus is 77th descendant from god according to Luke... "Old Testament" was the only holy book they referred and sought help from god.. After which the new testament and other things came up so did JESUS...
Islam is derived from the word Salam(Islam) Sholom(Hebrew) which means PEACE.. may peace be with you... It is god's representativeness within us " to show It is the best community ever brought forth for mankind enjoying what is good and & forbidding what is evil"
Five Pillars of Islam
This is the daily 5 times praying to god for thankfulness on bringing them to earth and be part of the special section of people who are blessed.. They praying to to reaffirm faith again and again and never to forget god.
1>Declaration or Confession of faith: There is no god but god (Allah) and Muhammad is his prophet.
They should not represent god in any form and Muhammad is their last prophet He is the model and paragon to look upon in their lives.
2>Pray 5 times a day. Day break, noon mid, afternoon, evening and sunset. to get clarification in
their lives and to be directed when in confusion. They face mecca house of cabba where Abraham and his son Ismail built.. Earlier they used to face Jerusalem and pray this was changed after the revelation to Muhammad. (This is told by MOSES to Abraham in bible where he say's "take of your shoes for the ground which you stand is holy ground"
3> Is Zakath (Alms giving) (Purification)
Wealth is gift from god so they have to share it. 2.5% of tax should be paid on individuals total wealth, Its not voluntary but obligatory.
4> Fasting on Ramadan ( nine months of Islamic lunar calender)
Month in which the 1st revelation came to Muhammad from god.. All should fast those who are ill should fast in some other time..this is to discipline to spiritual reflection on themselves.. and at the 27th day breaking the fast by sharing sweets and gifts coz the 1st revelation ended on that day..
5> Pilgrimage to Haj:
60 day after the end of Ramadan at least once in lifetime people should go to this pilgrimage. Men in 2 pairs of white clothes(purity and unity) and Women in moderate clothes.. where our sins are forgiven. Visit Cabba Cube shaped Structure built by Ismail. 40 feet long, 33 feet wide and 50 feet high covered with black clothe with gold thread of quranic verses. eastern corner has 12 inches diameter black stone which came from heaven. you have to touch and kiss it in this pilgrimage in circular procession another ritual is walking and running between safa and mohaw hills remembering hagar's search for water to feed Ismail when water sprang up miraculously from ground (ZAMZAM well) Both Ismail and Hagar are buried next to Cabba. 7 pebbles casting or stoning the stone pillar symbolizing Abraham's rejection to Satan's temptation that Abraham not to follow god and sacrifice his son. the end part is assembling of this 2 millions Muslims to a plain where Muhammad gave his last sermon. Haj ends with the feast of sacrifice prayers sheep and some others this marks the ability of Abraham to substitute an animals instead of Ismail. and those who have made the haj ate referred to as is Al haj..
Another popular misconception of jihad is it is the 6th pillar of islam which people within Islam have different views. Jihad is to struggle in the path of good will, struggle personally, drugs, good being, sacred struggle, holy war. Earlier part of Islam jihad was refereed to as imperialistic expansion of Islam all over the world (crusades and invasion into Asia). Its not refereed to the extremism and there is a set of rules who should fight and which all people should fight.
These above mentioned 5 points are the only things that all Muslims in common all around the world in spite of how they interpret others things from quran.. These five things are religiously followed without doubt by all Muslims.
Courtesy: TTC Audio book on World's Greatest religions- Islam by John Esposito
Coming soon: Muhammad's life and his revelations and Islam as a society and Introduction to Judaism!!
So here I went to learn about religion as a whole and started with "Islam" in whatever way I can learn.. Then thought the best way to learn anything is in a classroom... And some of the excerpts of whatever I learned from hearing are here..
Islam is the 2 largest religion and fastest growing religions it has 1.2 billion population across 56 countries... only 20% of Arabs contribute Muslim population of the world, Largest being Indonesia and India, Bangladesh and Pakistan etc... It is interpreted in different ways in different countries across globe including the rights for women which varies from moderate turkey to radical Taliban.
Islam along with Judaism and Christianity is the oldest of monotheistic religions around the world.. All three have the same ancestor ABRAHAM. Abraham is the 22nd descendant of god first being god himself followed by Adam and eve.. Abraham had a wife Sarah whom did not have a child.. So Sarah convinced Abraham to have kid with Hagar a servant maid in house.. Ismail Was born and from his family Islam was born.. before this its was all these three religions were same in a crude form of Judaism. 13 years after Hagar gave birth to Ismail. Sarah was blessed with a child called Issac from which the Christianity was born and old Judaism was somewhat restored.. BTW Jesus is 77th descendant from god according to Luke... "Old Testament" was the only holy book they referred and sought help from god.. After which the new testament and other things came up so did JESUS...
Islam is derived from the word Salam(Islam) Sholom(Hebrew) which means PEACE.. may peace be with you... It is god's representativeness within us " to show It is the best community ever brought forth for mankind enjoying what is good and & forbidding what is evil"
Five Pillars of Islam
This is the daily 5 times praying to god for thankfulness on bringing them to earth and be part of the special section of people who are blessed.. They praying to to reaffirm faith again and again and never to forget god.
1>Declaration or Confession of faith: There is no god but god (Allah) and Muhammad is his prophet.
They should not represent god in any form and Muhammad is their last prophet He is the model and paragon to look upon in their lives.
2>Pray 5 times a day. Day break, noon mid, afternoon, evening and sunset. to get clarification in
their lives and to be directed when in confusion. They face mecca house of cabba where Abraham and his son Ismail built.. Earlier they used to face Jerusalem and pray this was changed after the revelation to Muhammad. (This is told by MOSES to Abraham in bible where he say's "take of your shoes for the ground which you stand is holy ground"
3> Is Zakath (Alms giving) (Purification)
Wealth is gift from god so they have to share it. 2.5% of tax should be paid on individuals total wealth, Its not voluntary but obligatory.
4> Fasting on Ramadan ( nine months of Islamic lunar calender)
Month in which the 1st revelation came to Muhammad from god.. All should fast those who are ill should fast in some other time..this is to discipline to spiritual reflection on themselves.. and at the 27th day breaking the fast by sharing sweets and gifts coz the 1st revelation ended on that day..
5> Pilgrimage to Haj:
60 day after the end of Ramadan at least once in lifetime people should go to this pilgrimage. Men in 2 pairs of white clothes(purity and unity) and Women in moderate clothes.. where our sins are forgiven. Visit Cabba Cube shaped Structure built by Ismail. 40 feet long, 33 feet wide and 50 feet high covered with black clothe with gold thread of quranic verses. eastern corner has 12 inches diameter black stone which came from heaven. you have to touch and kiss it in this pilgrimage in circular procession another ritual is walking and running between safa and mohaw hills remembering hagar's search for water to feed Ismail when water sprang up miraculously from ground (ZAMZAM well) Both Ismail and Hagar are buried next to Cabba. 7 pebbles casting or stoning the stone pillar symbolizing Abraham's rejection to Satan's temptation that Abraham not to follow god and sacrifice his son. the end part is assembling of this 2 millions Muslims to a plain where Muhammad gave his last sermon. Haj ends with the feast of sacrifice prayers sheep and some others this marks the ability of Abraham to substitute an animals instead of Ismail. and those who have made the haj ate referred to as is Al haj..
Another popular misconception of jihad is it is the 6th pillar of islam which people within Islam have different views. Jihad is to struggle in the path of good will, struggle personally, drugs, good being, sacred struggle, holy war. Earlier part of Islam jihad was refereed to as imperialistic expansion of Islam all over the world (crusades and invasion into Asia). Its not refereed to the extremism and there is a set of rules who should fight and which all people should fight.
These above mentioned 5 points are the only things that all Muslims in common all around the world in spite of how they interpret others things from quran.. These five things are religiously followed without doubt by all Muslims.
Courtesy: TTC Audio book on World's Greatest religions- Islam by John Esposito
Coming soon: Muhammad's life and his revelations and Islam as a society and Introduction to Judaism!!
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