Understanding Islam.docx Understanding Islam REL/134 Understanding Islam Islam is one of the three great religions of the Western World. It is the second largest, right under Christianity. Islam is comprised of many
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Understanding Islam.docx Understanding Islam REL/134 Understanding Islam Islam is one of the three great religions of the Western World. It is the second largest, right under Christianity. Islam is comprised of many different divisions but the most common are Sunni, Shiite, and Sufi. The word Islam means submission. The people of Islam go by the term Muslim. Being a Muslim literally means one who submits to the laws of God. The Islamic prophet Muhammad spread his teachings which lead to the beginning of Islam, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion. Muslims believe that God presented the Qur'an to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel. They respect the Qur'an and the Sunnah as the essentialfoundations of Islam. They do not regard Muhammad as the founder of a new religion, but as the restorer of the original monotheistic faith of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets (Islam “ An Overview, 2010).The Five Pillarsare one of the defining features of Islam and is one of the most important parts. These five practices involve rituals of faith, prayer, chanting, fasting, and a pilgrimage to Mecca. Many Muslims are classified by their obligation to praying to Allah up to five times a day. One of the essentialfeatures of Islam is the importance of sacred cities including Jerusalem, Medina, and Mecca. Sunni Islam is the largest Islamic branch, which accounts for 940 million Muslims out of the 1.1 billion known.The Sunnis got their name because they believe themselves to follow the Sunnah, or tradition, of the. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .
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