Did you know that over half of Americans today don’t understand the religion of Islam? In fact, a recent study by Business Standard found that over 55 percent of people surveyed didn’t know anything about Islam, and didn’t know anyone who was Muslim. Another startling discovery was that the majority of those surveyed believed Islam was a “bad” religion.
The truth about Islam is that it is one of the most peaceful religions on the planet. The says of Prophet Mohammed revolve around two words: Emaan, meaning Faith, and Amaal, meaning Acts. One cannot have Faith without Acts, and one cannot have Acts without Faith. The Quran is the book of faith in the Muslim religion, and though the book is revered, it is also believed that over time, it has become corrupted and doesn’t hold the exact word of God.
Muslims believe in the Six Articles of Faith. Those are:
God. Allah is the term for God, or the Supreme Being. He is the creator of all things.
Angels. Each angel has a different purpose. There are those who count rights and wrongs, those who accompany a person through death, and those who delivered the divine messages to Prophet Mohammed.
Scriptures. Belief in the four books is essential. These are the Torah (Moses), the Psalms (David), the Gospel (Jesus), and the Quran (Mohammed).
Prophets. Islamic followers believe that prophets do exist, and they receive divine messages to pass on to followers. All the prophets, from Adam to Mohammed, are believed to be equal.
Resurrection. Muslims believe that when the Day of Judgment comes, all the dead will rise again, and they will be judged on their actions during their lifetime. Each individual will then go to either Heaven or Hell.
Divine Creed. Muslims believe that God sees everything, and knows every decision a person will make long before it is made. Though the person does have free will, God knows before they are even born what their decisions will be. This divine creed makes it clear that everything – the past, the present, and the future – is under God’s hand.
To demonstrate faith, the Muslim must perform the Five Pillars of Faith. These are as follows:
- Testimony, or pronouncing that Allah is the Supreme Being.
- Prayer, five times per day, facing toward Mecca.
- Almsgiving, or giving part of their income to charity.
- Fasting, or denial of physical sustenance and pleasures, during the month of Ramadan.
- Pilgrimage, or the trek to Mecca, which must be done at least once during a Muslim’s lifetime.
Despite those extremists who have done terrible things in the name of Islam and spread terror around the world, the truth about Islam is clear: The religion is peaceful, and means only to enrich the lives of those who follow it.
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