General Muslim Religion Essay Example for Free

General Muslim Religion Essay Islam is the world’s second great monotheistic religion (Armstrong, 2002). Islam, an Arabic word, comes from a root word meaning commitment or surrender: hence the foundation of Islam is submission to the will of the Only God, Allah. The word ‘Muslim’ also itself means ‘one who lives his life according to Allah’s will (Esposito, 2002). Allah also has laid down the five pillars of foundations of Islam which are: 1. Confession of faith (shahada): the basic idea of Islam which is submission to Allah’s will 2. Prayer (salat): An exercise done five times daily to remember Allah’s influence in a Muslim’s life 3. Fasting (Roza): In the month of Ramadan for a month 4. Almsgiving (Zakat): Annually by rich Muslims at the rate of 21/2% of wealth 5. Pilgrimage (hajj): Once in a lifetime What holidays or events are important to your religion and why? The Muslims follow the Islamic calendar which is based on the position of the moon and their holidays fall accordingly to it. This includes 1. New Year which for them is the first day of Hijra (migration) when we celebrate Prophet Muhammad’s departure from Mecca to Medina in AD622 2. 12th Rabi-ul-awwal that is the birthday of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) 3. Shab-e-Baraat (night of forgiveness): In preparation of Ramadan, Muslims seek to forgive old grievances against each other and beg for mercy from their Lord 4. Lailat-ul-Qadr (night of power) when the Holy Quran was revealed to the Holy Prophet. It takes place on the 27th of Ramadan. 5. Eid-ul-Fitr which takes place after Ramadan and is like Christmas to the Muslims 6. Hajj: The pilgrimage which constitutes the fifth pillar of Islam is one of the most important events in the Muslim calendar and takes place in the month of Hajj 7. Eid-ul-Azha: Another Christmas type celebration which celebrates the end of the Meccan pilgrimage and animal sacrifices are made during the three days How does your group handle conflict? What are some examples of conflict? If there are criminal or family conflicts, they can be resolved through Islamic courts which decide the cases according to Shariah or the Islamic law. These are practiced in almost al Muslim countries though such Shariah courts are disallowed in western countries and over there Muslims must follow the law of the country they are residents of. One of Britain’s MPs recently suggested that Shariah courts be allowed in Britain also but this created uproar by non-Muslims who were afraid of Islamization. Other then that, if the solution of an issue is not mentioned in the Quran or its explanation is murky, knowledgeable Islamic scholars gather together to find an answer to a certain problem and it then becomes a rule of the Shariah. This practice has been prescribed by Allah to keep Islam updated with emerging problems in this fast changing world. What is the focus of your religion? The focus of Islam for Muslims is again submission to Allah’s will. This can be done through reading, understanding and following the word of God, which Muslims believe to be the Holy Quran. They should also follow the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) called the Sunnah and only then can they live the life of a true and complete Muslim. For the Western world though, the focus of Islam has always been its fascist beliefs and what they consider to be its outdated traditions, not understanding that there is only a minority of Muslims who distort the name of Islam by interpreting it so harshly. Who are your current leaders? Who are leaders of the past? Like most religions, Muslims have also had pious men of God lead them by example. There have been a total of 124000 prophets sent by Allah though the Quran only mentions 25 of them. The first prophet was Hazrat Adam and the final and undoubtedly the greatest prophet was our last prophet, Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). Allah revealed in the Quran that no more prophets shall come after the Holy Prophet (PBUH). After the prophets, came numerous Caliphs or religious leaders. Currently, tough there are learned Islamic scholars in the Muslim world; there are no leader as such. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) in the words of Allah was the Seal of the Prophets. How do your members participate and what is expected? All Muslim males are required to congregate in a mosque for the five daily prayers, especially the afternoon Friday prayers (Clark, 2003). For Muslim women, assembly in mosques is not mandatory. Other then that, all Muslims are required to uphold the basic principles of Islam by fulfilling all their obligations. Are there any special requirements, such as fasting, personal sacrifice? Fasting is the third pillar of Islam and without fasting, a Muslim is incomplete. It is prescribed for Muslims in the form of a month long abstinence from food and drink, accompanied by intense devotional activity. Physical relations and swear words are also prohibited to be performed or uttered. Similarly, smoking, losing temper, telling lies and all negative activities are also discouraged. Fasting, as is made clear by Allah, is not to be taken as self torture but mainly a way for Muslims to learn about patience, fortitude and self sacrifice and also to realize the plight of the needy and poor. During Eid-ul-Azha, Muslims are also required to sacrifice goats in God’s way and share the meat with the poor. Where do you see your religion in 25 years? What changes have occurred recently? Keeping in mind the fast growing popularity of Islam, I see Islam in 25 years, as the world’s largest religion. This is because as the concept of religion is dying in the west and more churches are being converted to museums and restaurants, Muslims, now more than ever are embracing their faith with a greater fervency and non-Muslims are also converting to Islam which they accept as a complete way of life and not just a religion. Muslims have now grown more receptive to Western ideas and Ijtehad or consensus helps keep Islam updated with the modern world. How has the modern world changed the direction and or movement of your religion? The recent of War on Terror, which often tends to depict Islam as a rigid and extremist religion has resulted in more Muslims delving deeper to understand their religion (Lewis, 2004). This has led to increased knowledge of Islam and a growing number of Muslims defending their faith as actually a very flexible one. My religion’s name has been besmirched by a few misguided individuals who believe suicide bombings and terrorist activities are completely acceptable in the eyes of God which is not at all the case. Islam’s very basis is peace. Are there any other validated forms of the religion practiced? What are some of the factors that have contributed to changes in ideas or customs? The Muslim sect is predominantly divided into Sunnis (around 80%) and Shiahs. The major difference between them is the way in which divine guidance is discovered. Sunni Muslims take their stand on the consensus of the community making known the Sunna (Holy Prophet’s example) of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Shiah Muslims look instead to inspired teachers and Imams who are descendents of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Other sects include the Aghakhanis who are followers of the Aga Khan who considers himself a spiritual leader sent by God. His followers believe the five pillars of Islam to be non-mandatory, preferring to give charity to the poor instead. They don’t share the Muslim taboo associated with drinking. Many believe theses changes have occurred due to undue influence of the West. Other sects are the Qadianis and Bohris. Conclusion Muslims all over the world follows a religion known as Islam which is a monotheistic religion. The word Islam means to submit oneself to god. There are almost 2 billion Muslims around the world practicing the teaching of Islam making it the second largest religion of the world. The follows the teachings of Prophet Mohammad on whom a holy book Quran was revealed. The faith of a Muslim is based on five pillars of Islam that are tauheed, salaat, zakat, hajj, and fasting. References Book Armstrong. (2002). Islam: A Short History. Esposito, J. L. (2002). What everyone needs to Know about Islam. Clark. (2003). Islam for Dummies. Lewis. (2004). The Crisis of Islam.

Much Ado About Nothing Essay: An Exploration of Conformity

Much Ado About Nothing as an Exploration of Conformity       In Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, Beatrice and Benedict rant about marriage for most of the beginning of the play, while Claudio raves about how wonderful it will be being married to Hero.   Yet in the end, Claudio exchanges his marriage to Hero for an opportunity to bash her in public, while Beatrice and Benedick marry despite that they were mortal enemies for most of the first three acts.   How did the situation swing around to this degree?   Beatrice and Benedick had been using the most extreme metaphors to demonstrate their scorn of each other and of marriage, and Claudio had been doing the same to demonstrate his love of Hero.   Not only did none of these three characters mean what they were saying, but meant the reverse, and the people that plotted to bring them together or pull them apart plotted because they understood on some level what each really wanted.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Beatrice and Benedick seem to have had some relationship before the beginning of the book that ended badly.   This suggests that the initial situation between Beatrice and Benedick was one of mutual attraction, not of the overt hate they seem to flaunt at the beginning of the play.   Scorn of this magnitude is rare among people who dislike each other from the start, and seems very unlikely in a broken up couple.   In addition, both Beatrice and Benedick turned out to be very willing to abandon their smear campaigns as soon as they are convinced the other is aching for them.   It is ridiculous that one would abandon one's own principals to bail out a hated enemy in trouble.   This makes clear that their attitude toward each other is an act.   If this is so, what is the purpose of the act... ...ther, and nearly kills an innocent woman.   In a broader perspective, conformity can leave people walking aimlessly down the beaten path with no real direction except conformity, doomed to live yet another meaningless life in a society based on archaic principles.    Works Cited and Consulted:    Barton, Anne.   Introduction.   Much Ado About Nothing.   The Riverside Shakespeare, 2nd ed.   Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1997.   361-365.    Lewalski, B. K. "Love, Appearance and Reality: Much Ado About Something" Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 8 (1968): 235-251.    Prouty, Charles A.   Conformity in Much Ado About Nothing. New York: Books for Libraries Press/Yale University Press, 1980.    Rossiter, A.P. "Much Ado About Nothing."   William Shakespeare Comedies & Romances. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Much Ado About Nothing Essay: An Exploration of Conformity Much Ado About Nothing as an Exploration of Conformity       In Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, Beatrice and Benedict rant about marriage for most of the beginning of the play, while Claudio raves about how wonderful it will be being married to Hero.   Yet in the end, Claudio exchanges his marriage to Hero for an opportunity to bash her in public, while Beatrice and Benedick marry despite that they were mortal enemies for most of the first three acts.   How did the situation swing around to this degree?   Beatrice and Benedick had been using the most extreme metaphors to demonstrate their scorn of each other and of marriage, and Claudio had been doing the same to demonstrate his love of Hero.   Not only did none of these three characters mean what they were saying, but meant the reverse, and the people that plotted to bring them together or pull them apart plotted because they understood on some level what each really wanted.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Beatrice and Benedick seem to have had some relationship before the beginning of the book that ended badly.   This suggests that the initial situation between Beatrice and Benedick was one of mutual attraction, not of the overt hate they seem to flaunt at the beginning of the play.   Scorn of this magnitude is rare among people who dislike each other from the start, and seems very unlikely in a broken up couple.   In addition, both Beatrice and Benedick turned out to be very willing to abandon their smear campaigns as soon as they are convinced the other is aching for them.   It is ridiculous that one would abandon one's own principals to bail out a hated enemy in trouble.   This makes clear that their attitude toward each other is an act.   If this is so, what is the purpose of the act... ...ther, and nearly kills an innocent woman.   In a broader perspective, conformity can leave people walking aimlessly down the beaten path with no real direction except conformity, doomed to live yet another meaningless life in a society based on archaic principles.    Works Cited and Consulted:    Barton, Anne.   Introduction.   Much Ado About Nothing.   The Riverside Shakespeare, 2nd ed.   Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1997.   361-365.    Lewalski, B. K. "Love, Appearance and Reality: Much Ado About Something" Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 8 (1968): 235-251.    Prouty, Charles A.   Conformity in Much Ado About Nothing. New York: Books for Libraries Press/Yale University Press, 1980.    Rossiter, A.P. "Much Ado About Nothing."   William Shakespeare Comedies & Romances. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986.

Global Culture: A Sociological Perspective Essay

With emergence of concepts like lingua franca and cultural assimilation, the world is reckoned to have lost its diversity. For this shift from ‘salad bowl’ to ‘melting pot’ phenomenon, the repercussions emerge in the form of global culture – a culture common to entire globe. At one hand, this concept contradicts the sociological understanding of culture as being specific to a particular group and distinct from the culture of other groups. However, the very concept broadens the scope of sociology. By considering the whole world as a representation of one culture, what is implied is the ascendance of sociology to a higher level. Culture emerges through common needs and circumstances which may fall at any level starting from organizations, communities, national societies and global societies (Whitehead). Behind the basic assumptions of global culture lie early sociology based on networking of the human race which led to traditions, norms and customs specific to civilizations. Stated differently, culture is a product of interactions and relationships between the members of society. By this principle, behind the concept of global culture lie interrelations between the members of the global community. A catalyst to strengthen these interactions is the modern technology that has connected the members together. For instance, a person living in the Asiatic part of the world is well aware of the culture in the American region due to the strong communication facilitated by technology. Being exposed to an alien culture serves to remove their perceived oddity thereby leading to a slow process of adaptation. To elucidate, let us look at the example of language. Language is a part of culture too. The increasing importance of English in the world is an evidence of global culture which seems to aggrandize with time. Its primary reason is the increasing interdependence of human nations on each other and emergence of international controlling bodies like United Nations. These factors would continue to maintain a shifting trend towards global culture. At the individual level of the society, global culture owes greatly to the realization of diversity as opposed to ethnocentric approach towards foreign cultures. Ethnocentric attitude greatly results from the strength of cultural bonds, within the society, that restrict or slow down the process of adaptation to global culture. In the contemporary world, a cessation in the shift towards global culture seems impossible. This is partly due of the extent the phenomenon has ascended the globe and partly due to the increasing advantages it offers. However, with these advantages, the negative corollaries of global culture cannot be denied. As perceived by Waters, global culture if completely adopted would have nation-state as its chief victim particularly the cultures of smaller nations. This means that at one hand the states are losing their role and culture within their territories and at the other hand they are not having a considerable role in the global community and culture thereby leaving a point of ambiguity about the merits and demerits of global culture compared to the nation state of any other form of culture in the human society (Shaneland). References Is there a future for the nation-state in an era of globalisation? If so, what future? Shaneland United Kingdom. Retrieved May 9, 2009 from http://www. shaneland. co. uk/academic/ma/globalisationessay1. pdf Whitehead, A. N. Global Culture. Sage Publications. Retrieved May 9, 2009 from http://www. uk. sagepub. com/parker/CHAPTER%207/Chapter%207%20Lecture%201%20Global%20Culture. PPT.

Essay on Developmental Disabilities - 1474 Words

Developmental Disabilities Amy Giles Axia College of University of Phoenix HHS 325- Health and Human Service in the U.S. David Sainio December 10, 2006 Developmental Disabilities Living with disabilities on a daily basis can be more difficult then some realize. Many people who are born with developmental disabilities start their education and therapy at a very young age and there are also those people who have been diagnosed with a disability sometime during their lifetime. But what is there for them to do once they have graduated from high school or are told they are too old to continue in a regular school or they are simply told they aren’t accepted in the â€Å"normal† community? In all reality there really†¦show more content†¦But the issue is that not everything in these policies or standards is being acted upon. On a more personal level my only sister is 23 years old and she is down-syndrome. She graduated from high school almost 2 years ago and both myself and my mother are having an extremely hard time finding some sort of service or even a facility that can help my sister continue to learn independ ence as well as continue some type of education. We have tried everything from the local community college, which turned her down because she isn’t able to read at an 8th grade level, to the El Paso Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center, who wouldn’t help her because she didn’t need to be institutionalized. So the problem here is that regardless of the governments regulations purposes and policies, there still isn’t enough being done to help people with developmental disabilities lead a somewhat normal life or to continue an education so that they are able to fit into the â€Å"normal† community, as well as not sit at home for the rest of their life with no social interaction. In my personal situation, it would have helped out tremendously if after my sister graduated from high school, we were given some sort of an idea of what she could do from then on. One thing is for sure my sister will never be put in an institution, she will always ha ve someone to live with and take care of her, but at the same timeShow MoreRelatedDevelopmental Disabilities : A Developmental Disability2080 Words   |  9 PagesDid you know that an estimated 4.6 million Americans have a developmental disability? That is almost five percent of the country’s population, not including the hundreds of people that go untreated, or who have never been diagnosed. The term â€Å"developmental disabilities† refers to a group of conditions that cause impairment in physical, learning, language, or behavioral development. 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