There are lots of different religions in the modern world. Different countries have their own state religion, but still the religion minorities exist in any country. Islam religion is supposed to be one of the oldest religions. This religion is very specific, it has lots of different customs and traditions which may seem very strange to people who do not confess this religion. Islam, as other ancient religions like Christianity or Buddhism, has its own history, legends, the only God and sacraments which are not understood to others. Islam is a very strict religion, especially in reference to women and has lots of limitations.
The world was changed forever with birth of Muhammad in the Arabian Peninsula in 570 AD. Muhammad is the messenger of God, and there is no other God but God (Empire of Faith part 1). Islam is a religion which appeared in 610 when the Arabian merchant, Muhammad “received a vision commanding him to establish a godly community, to preach morality, and to warn people that Judgment Day was at hand” (The Spread of Religions: Islam).
God knows everything and is All-Aware. The words “law”, “God” are equal in the meaning to “truth”, “beauty”, and “justice” within the Islamic faith (True message of Islam). All people in the world despite their religion can understand each other, can love, can make friendship as they have “common ground, common denominator, but the nominator is different”. Due of this commonness people understand what truth is, they want to live a life of good, justice and harmony (True message of Islam).
There are several notions which can characterize Islam: there is one and only one God, the universe was created by God and for the use and enjoyment of people, as humanity is a main aspect of creation in Islam. God in Islam exists separately from his creation, as the versa would contradict the unity and unchangeableness of God.
The main principle of foundation in Islam is iman (faith), submission to God is the principle of Islam, the after life exists and the goal of the world life is to attain the afterlife. Islam is eschatological; people should be ethically responsible to community as Islam is focused on society and community. Islam has exterioristic and interioristic nature and people are equal to God. (Islam) God loves people; he created the universe for them and wants them to be happy in the society. Islam believes that faith may be shown outward and an inward. Islamic people believe that God sends his messengers on the Earth to show His unity with people: the last messenger was Muhammad.
The religion of Islam has been widespread all over the world and took roots in Western countries many years ago. How did it happen? Studying the history, we will get to know that “Muslims inherited the legacy of the Greeks, the Romans, the Chinese and the Indian civilizations” (Muslims Were the Custodians of Greek Knowledge). The Europeans and the other Western parts of the world received the Greeks’ knowledge through Arabians, in other words the western countries learned the Greeks’ knowledge from Arabs.
The Arabs, after inheriting the Greeks’ knowledge, created their own paradigm of that knowledge and transferred in to Europeans (The Transmission of Knowledge from Arabia to Europe). We may make a conclusion that Muslims go to the United States to learn their own history. The other example of legacy of Islam to Western Civilization is when Islamic people were leaving their homelands and began to search for new places. Some African emigrants brought the Islam religion to America. So, the Western civilizations received the information about Islam from the first hands, they received the knowledge of other countries through the Arabic paradigm.
The term “Jihad” means “the struggle”. Jihad is a duty of every Islamic person who wants to reach the God. In other words, Jihad is the notion which appears in the Qur’an and usually means “the struggle in the way of God” or “to struggle to improve one’s self and/or society” (Jihad). Jihad’s aim is to protect Islamic people and the Islamic state from attacks. Jihad began to be understood in a wrong way after the tragic events in Beslan and on the 11th of September, 2001. Since the events on the September 11, 2001 people began to speak about Jihad more in the United States of America then in Islamic countries (Children of the Future Jihad).
The wrong understanding of the essence of jihad leads to misunderstanding between people, countries, and nations. The relations between Islam, Judaism and Christianity are very difficult and in some cases hostile. Muslims do not like Jews as they are “apes and pigs” (Muslim Education), as God said in Qur’an. Jews do not like Jews as they hated Muhammad and wanted to poison him (Muslim Education). The modern understanding of jihad is can be compared with martyrdom. People are proud to be martyrs. The mothers, whose sons are martyrs, are proud of them. They think themselves the higher, the more respected then others.
Martyrs’ mothers walk the street with the heads high, they suppose themselves to be special. People in Islam get ready and prepared to sacrifice their lives, all they want is the martyrdom (Children of the Future Jihad). The relations between Islam and Christianity are less hostile. There are lots of different synergy and inconsistencies between Islam and Christianity. The similarities are rather simple: God is one, He created the universe, the end of the world will come and only those who followed the God’s principles will Covenant, the existence of Satan, and lots of other similarities.
The differences are also exist: the separation of church and state, flesh of swine, free-mixing of the sexes, polygamy, sects, interest, the gold wearing, all these items are differ in these two religions. (Islam and Christianity) The differences in the religious views should not be the border between people of different religions. Islam, Judaism and Christianity are different religions, with different understanding of the world, but still the differences should not be perceived as hostility.
In conclusion, the Islam is rater specific and interesting religion with its own traditions and customs. It is rather difficult live in the modern world for Muslims. Islam is very strict and severe religion. There are lots of examples, according to which Islam will never be accepted in the Christian society, as Christian society changes and improves, and many its canons have changed, but Islam do not accept most of modern changes.
Muslims ask lots of questions how to behave as modern world has brought lots of changes, such as Internet, which gives lots of opportunities but contradict the faith. Qur’an chants can be heart in taxis, restaurants, and shops. All this is the technological process which changes the world and can lead it to the wrong way. (Islam and Modernity) The Islam is the original religion with a rich history. The history is very changeable but we hope that the misunderstanding and treachery of separate people will never bring the hostility in the people’s relations from different cultures and religions.
Works Cited
“Children of the Future Jihad” You Tube. 2009. Web.
“Hadith” Wikipedia. 2009. Web.
Gaudet, James Abdul Rahim. Mills, Rabia. Mumtaz Ali, Syed “Islam and Christianity”. 2009. Web.
“Islam and Modernity” Religion and ethics. 2009. Web.
“Islam” Online. 2009. Web.
“Islam – Empire of Faith – Part 1 – PBS.” Google Video. 2009. Web.
“Jihad” Wikipedia. 2009. Web.
“Muslim Education” You Tube. 2009. Web.
“Muslims Were the Custodians of Greek Knowledge,” You Tube. 2009. Web.
“The Spread of Religions: Islam” Bridging World History. 2009. Web.
“The Transmission of Knowledge From Arabia to Europe” You Tube. 2009. Web.
“The True Message of Islam” You Tube. 2009. Web.