Religion: Islam - Research Paper Example

? Islam Islam Religion is a combination of beliefs regarding every aspect of living. This is what guides people on how to lead their daily lives, and what to do and what not to do. Each religion is considered to be different from one another, and in each religion the followers put their faith in a spiritual being on a higher level. Some religions put their faith in one being, while others follow more than one being, each being monitoring a part of this world. However amongst these religions, the religion which has been a focal point in today’s world is Islam. Due to the turn of events in the recent history, Islam has been in the spotlight. There are various misconceptions which have arisen in the minds of people regarding Islam. One of the major misconceptions about Islam was that all Muslims are violent and are terrorists. Whenever there is a mention of a Muslim or meeting with a Muslim, the first thing that comes to mind is that he is a terrorist. The second major misconception of Islam is the oppression of women. I always believed women were constantly oppressed by men in the Islamic world. Whenever a Muslim woman is portrayed in the media, she is always wearing a veil. The third misconception about Islam is that it does not protect the right of minorities. There is a misconception that Muslims cannot tolerate other religions practiced on their homeland, and are very racist against minorities. The fourth common misconception is considering all Muslims to be Arabs. Another misconception which I strongly believed was that all Muslims are barbaric and backward people (Gabr & Karkhour, 2007). After encounters with various scholars, the misconceptions were more or less altered. Through the freedom of media, there is a constant picture that is created which shows Muslims as terrorists. This has formed a stereotyped image though in the minds of the people following the media. Islam unlike what is portrayed in the media is actually the quite opposite. Even the world itself is derived from the root word peace. Nowhere in the teachings in Islam does it say that one should enjoy killing of innocent people. Even though there are Muslim countries that might oppress women but this is not true for all Muslim countries. Islam has gone out of its way to respect women and give her rights. It has given men and women different roles in the society and each have their own rights to own and dispose of the properties and earnings. One thing which is strictly forbidden in Islam is any sort of violence against women. Islam has given privileged rights to all religions, and does not allow oppression against them. Islam allows other religions to follow their own faiths and beliefs freely in a Muslim dominated country. In the sight of God, every human being is equal, and racism is not part of it. Out of a population of 2 million, every fifth person is a Muslim. Muslims may belong to different races, nationalities and cultures. Islam not only instructs Muslims to worship one God, but it constantly instructs to use one’s own power of intelligence. It is obligated upon Muslims to constantly seek knowledge and wisdom (Gabr & Karkhour, 2007). It is not only Christians or Jews who have a stereotyped thought regarding Muslims; it is a common phenomenon which prevails across the religions. There are also misconceptions which Muslims have relating to Christianity as well. The first and foremost misconception is that many Muslims view all westerners to be Christians. The reason being that nowadays the cultures and religions are so amalgamated together, that Muslims find it difficult to see that not all westerners are Christians. The second common misconception is that Muslims believe Christianity and Islam to have the same teachings. Although it might be true to some context, however there still remain some major differences amongst them. The third misconception Muslims have of Christianity is regarding the Bible. Muslims have a strong belief that the Bible has been corrupted over the years and cannot be trusted anymore. Another misconception Muslims have is that Christians have made Jesus to be a son of God and that they themselves have elevated him to be of the same level of God (Small, n.d.) The way to resolve such misconceptions that have arisen against each other’s religions is through education. There is a huge role that education can play in promoting development, conflict resolutions, and building a peaceful world. There are various organizations all around the globe that are working tirelessly to reduce the misconceptions people have of Islam. They want to eradicate the stereotyped thoughts people have against Muslims. The International Training Office of Northern Illinois University has been in existence since 2003 and they have been implementing such projects. They invite Muslims, Christians and indigenous people from different countries such as Cyprus, Philippines, Sri Lanka and other South Asian Countries. Their main goal is to transform the conflict and build peace amongst different religions. These projects should be done throughout the globe, so that misconceptions regarding each other’s religions can be eliminated. Most of the problems we are facing in today’s society are owing to the bias and hatred that different religious groups have against each other. If various forums are initiated such as the International Training Office, people can clear out the various misconceptions. They can truly understand and get to know one another as human beings and can also be educated in what truly the other’s religion teaches them. I am sure they might be amazed at what they learn from one another, rather than constantly bombarded by the media with false and incomplete information (Ty et al, n.d.) After questioning various Muslims, I reached a conclusion that Islam is not only about what Muslims believe in, but it is also a guide for them on how to lead their lives. Muslims believe that there is one God, Allah who is the sole creator of the universe and is all knowing and Merciful. Muslims have a strong faith in their God and believe that this world is only a test and after this they will return to Him and will be rewarded or punished in accordance with their worldly acts. They hold the greatest respect and regards for their Prophet Mohammad, and believe that God has sent him as an example for all humanity to follow. They look for the sayings of the Prophet and Quran for answers regarding their daily lives and the life hereafter. The importance of religion inside the life of a Muslim is immense. Their entire lives are guided by the principles of Quran and teachings of their Prophet. They believe in a higher power, which will always help them in times of trouble and need. Whenever I questioned people, on who they hold dear to them, they would always answer Allah and His Prophet. They say Allah has made this world and given human beings abundance of wealth to enjoy. He has endorsed the human beings with the pleasures of life but instructs the human beings to uphold your morals. They always give the example of their Prophet when giving an example of how one should practice morals. For them Quran has mentioned not only the importance of the life hereafter, but has given laws on the how to lead our daily lives. The laws pertain to business, marriages and public administration (Shi?ra?zi? et al 2001). References Gabr, Y., & Karkhour, H. (2007). Islam in brief: a simplified introduction to Islam. A collection of articles dealing with different Islamic issues. Np: Dar ul-Khulfaa Pubs. Shi?ra?zi?, M. -M.-H., & Islamic Propagation Centre International. (2001). Islamic beliefs for all. Great Britain: Islamic Propagation Centre. Small, K. (n.d.). Mutual misconceptions. Spotslights. Retrieved March 6, 2012, from http://www.spotlights.org/MisconceptionsTOC.htm Ty, R., Al-Karzon, A., & Hunting, E. (n.d.). Islam: Misconceptions, Current Trends, and the Role of Social Movements and Education in Promoting Development, Conflict Transformation and Peace Building. MSU. Retrieved March 6, 2012, from https://www.msu.edu/~mwr2p/proceedings_2.pdf#page=243 Read More