Islam-the challenge of being muslim
Islam: The Challenge of Being Muslim The media is inundated with reports about Muslims, but do not accurately represent the Islamic Faith. Humayun Ansari (2003) stated, “Unless the root causes of Islamophobia are addressed, the deep divisions in our society will remain” (p. 8). How do we overcome this fear if the news reports Muslims protesting in violence against others unlike themselves in response to an anti-Islamic film posted on YouTube? Islam even though it is one of the three Abrahamic religions seems to set itself apart. Huntington (2003) predicts that Islam will overtake Christianity by 5% having more adherents than Christianity will (p. 66). In accordance with the previous statistics population alone should fundamentally accept Islam.
The Rise of Islam The land of Arabia and its inhabitants have been nomadic out of necessity, living on the produce of their camels and sheep. The majority of the ancient Arabs were, therefore, pastoralists who were constantly on the move in search of grass and water for their herds and flocks. Judging by the evidence furnished by the pre‑Islamic poets, polemical passages in the Qur 'an and the later Islamic literature, idolatry based on polytheism prevailed throughout ancient Arabia. The deities of heathen Arabia were represented by idols, sacred stones, and other objects of worship. At the period in which we are dealing, the Arabs sacrificed camels, sheep and goats. The temples of the heathen Arabs were not only places of worship, but also places of pilgrimage. They assembled there periodically at certain times of the year, when these assemblies assumed the character of fairs and festivals. An important sanctuary of this kind was located in Mecca, a town in western Arabia. The sanctuary consisted of a simple stone structure of a cube‑like appearance, which was called the Ka 'bah by the Arabs. Inside the Ka 'bah was the statue of the god, Hubal. At its feet, there was a small pit in which
The Rise of Islam The land of Arabia and its inhabitants have been nomadic out of necessity, living on the produce of their camels and sheep. The majority of the ancient Arabs were, therefore, pastoralists who were constantly on the move in search of grass and water for their herds and flocks. Judging by the evidence furnished by the pre‑Islamic poets, polemical passages in the Qur 'an and the later Islamic literature, idolatry based on polytheism prevailed throughout ancient Arabia. The deities of heathen Arabia were represented by idols, sacred stones, and other objects of worship. At the period in which we are dealing, the Arabs sacrificed camels, sheep and goats. The temples of the heathen Arabs were not only places of worship, but also places of pilgrimage. They assembled there periodically at certain times of the year, when these assemblies assumed the character of fairs and festivals. An important sanctuary of this kind was located in Mecca, a town in western Arabia. The sanctuary consisted of a simple stone structure of a cube‑like appearance, which was called the Ka 'bah by the Arabs. Inside the Ka 'bah was the statue of the god, Hubal. At its feet, there was a small pit in which
References: Humayun Ansari, K. (April 9, 2003). The Muslim Presence in Britain-Making a Positive Contribution [Lecture Notes] Retrieved from www.islamawareness.net Huntington, S. (1998). The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. (Pp. 65- 66). New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. Taqi Usmani, M. (1999). Islam and Modernism. (Pp. 7-12) West Yorkshire, UK. Daruul Ishaat Publishing. Zarabozo, J. (October 20, 2012). Modernism (Reformation) in Islam. [Islamic Network]. Retrieved from: www.islaam.net/ Geaves, R. (2004). Islam and the West Post 9/11. Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing. Pew Research Center. (January 27, 2011). The Future of the Global Muslim Population. [Analysis]. Retrieved from: http://www.pewforum.org/The-Future-of-the-Global-Muslim-Population.aspx?print=true Kaleem, J. (March 29, 2012). Progressive Muslims. [Huffington Post]. Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/29/progressive-muslims-launch-gay-friendly- women-led-mosques_n_1368460.html