Religion Spotlight: Islam (Muslim)
By Drew V. and Gabe M.
Origin Spotlight: Islam
Founder of Islamic Religion Spotlight: Muhammad
Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570 AD. His father died shortly before his birth, and he lost his mother at the age of six. Muhammad was then raised primarily by his uncle, for whom he worked as a shepherd. At age 9, he joined his uncle on a caravan to Syria. As a young man, Muhammad worked as a camel driver between Syria and Arabia. Soon he established a career managing caravans on behalf of merchants. Through his travel first with his uncle and later in his career. At age 25, Muhammad was employed by Khalid, a wealthy Meccan widow 15 years his senior. The two were married, and enjoyed a loving and happy marriage. Although polygamy was common practice at the time, Muhammad took no other wife than Khadija until her death 24 years later. He was always careful to clarify his role in God's work and he was only a prophet. He was not an angel, he did not know the mind of God, he did not work miracles. He simply preached what he had received.
Principles
Diffusion of Islam
Islam had a powerful army from the beginning so it spread by diplomacy and by the sword. By the seventh century, Muslims had spread from Arabia to Damascus, Jerusalem, Cairo, Alexandria, and Isfahan. In the year 711, they invaded Spain via the Straits of Gibraltar and entered into India. Between the lands they controlled and the regions with which they traded, Muslims were in contact with almost the entire known world. Their situation, between the eastern reaches of Europe and the central plains of Asia, allowed for an unprecedented transfusion of knowledge.
Islam to Christianity
Islam to Judaism
Judaism is older than Islam
Islam was founded by Muhammad, and Judaism by Moses.
Judaism started in Israel, Islam in Saudi Arabia
Islam is larger than Judaism
Islam to Hinduism
Top Line is Hinduism
Bottom Line is Islam
Place of worship
Hinduism: Temple (Mandir)
Islam: Mosque/masjid, any place which is clean.
Founder
Not credited to a particular founder.
Muhammad.
Practices
Meditation, Yoga, contemplation, yagna (communal worship), offerings in the temple.
Five pillars: Testament that there is one God and Muhammad is his messenger (shahadah); prayer five times daily; fast during Ramadan; charity to the poor (zakat); pilgrimage (Hajj).
Belief of God
Several beliefs depending on school of thought: polytheism, monotheism, pantheism, etc.
Only one God.
Islam to Confucianism
The first difference between the two religions is that Islam has more followers.
Islam is found in more countries than Confucianism.
Confucianism was started by Confucius, a Chinese scholar. Islam was started by a prophet named Mohammed.
Both believe in the afterlife and the existence of a deity (God).Islam to Taoism
Taoism originated in China
Islam in the middle east
Taoism has no reference to a God
Islam has one main God (Muhammad)
Taoism concentrates on the “Way”
Islam has Five main principles, not just one main one.
More people believe in Islam than in Taoism