The spread of Islam - Essay Example

Running Head: THE SPREAD OF ISLAM and Section # of For any concept or theory to be universal, it has to be applicable in all parts, conditions of the world. Universalism is a concept that refers to either a religious or theological or philosophical concept to be universally acceptable. Universalism in the context of religion is of importance for this discussion. For a religion to be universal, it should have doctrines and beliefs that are of universal quality and acceptance. The belief that there is one common truth above all other boundaries; be it national, cultural or geographical calls for universalism.

Also, when a religion claims to be Universalist, it accepts the presence of other religions as a part of the bigger picture. When it comes to Islam, it recognizes and validates the presence of Abrahamic religions; they are called as the “people of the books”. Islam, started from the Arab about 1400 hundred years ago, has been spreading far and wide across the whole world. In this massive movement of the basic concepts of Islam throughout the world, there have been cultural adaptations of rituals and beliefs that have been added to the original ideas and thoughts.

Considering a humanistic perspective, this is nothing sadistic about it as transference of knowledge from people to people, generation to generation, for 1400 hundred years is bound to have some infiltration, changes made to it; it can be termed as human error. The result has been creation of a diverse culture of Islam in different parts of the world (Omid, 2010). The basic theology of religion, has been the same and believed by all the creeds and is the same. However, the different theological schools have their own interpretations of the beliefs that they have carried forward for the last 1400 years.

Emphasis to certain beliefs over other is present. The very fact that Islam and the Quran talks about inference and discussion over beliefs open ways for different interpretations of the core beliefs (Hussein, 2003). The problem where questions rise about the universality of Islam as a religion is when the different theological schools of Islam talk about the righteousness of their own sect, without tolerance for the other’s beliefs. Over the recent years, it has been seen that Muslims have been attached to only the secondary traditions and practices to a point where they have lost the basic spiritual teachings and violate the basic terms of the religion (Hussein, 2003).

Islam has covered all aspects of a life, whether they are social, political, ethical or political thought. There is a definitive system that has been developed in order to govern all the aspects of a Muslim, providing a long term perspective (Omid, 2010). In all rationality, Islam is a universal religion, which has been proven by the cultural interpretations and differences that are present today throughout the world. The real danger towards the religion itself is by the believers of this religion themselves who target different theologies of the same religion, forgetting the true essence of the religion and its teachings of unity and oneness.

ReferencesBookSafi, O. (2010). Memories of Mohammed: Why the Prophet matters? HarperCollinsNasr, H. (2003). Islam: religion, history and civilization. HarperSanFrancisco.