Many Peoples, Many Faiths: Women and Men in the World Religions by Ellwood, Robert S. & McGraw, Barbara - Book Report/Review Example

Essay 4 The message of the reading is clear as it lays emphasis on submitting to the will of God the Islamic way. The of the reading is Submitting to the Will of God: Building the House of Islam and this is actually the message the chapter of the book was trying to preach. However, there were important points that were discussed in the reading. It is also pertinent to note that the reading actually relates to my experience as a human . One of the most important facts that were established in the reading was the importance of Muhammad to the Islamic religion.

The reading reminded Muslims that their religion was revealed by God through the prophet Muhammad. The five pillars of Islam, which are ritual duties that that must be observed by all Muslims, were also mentioned and these pillars are: confessing their faith, observing the five daily prayers, paying alms to the needy, fasting during the month of Ramadan and pilgrimage or hajj to Mecca ((Ellwood & McGraw 374). The authors also explained the importance of the hajj to Muslims and the significance of the mosque as the main place of worship to the Muslims.

Several religious rites that are also practiced by Muslims were also mentioned in the book. The spread of Islam from the Middle East to North Africa were also discussed in the reading (Ellwood & McGraw). The two largest branches of Islam, Sunni Islam and the Shi’a Islam were also mentioned in the reading. The Shiites believed that the descendants of Ali, (Muhammad’s son-in-law) were divinely ordained by God and they are called Imams. On the other hand, the Sunnis believed that it was Muhammad’s intention for the Muslims to choose a successor amongst themselves by agreement and they are called caliphs.

The difference between the Sunni and Shi’a Islam were made clear in the reading. Islamic mysticism was also explained in the reading and the tensions that it had with mainstream Islam. Islamic mysticism was explained as a factor that has deepened the life of Muslims. The role of Islam in politics was also explained in the reading in the history of Islam and their role in modern politics, especially in the region of the Middle East. The concept of jihad, a ‘holy war’ was also explained in the reading as Muslims actually see it as a means of converting Non-Muslims and drawing their hearts to God.

The reading actually relate to my experience in the sense that, it expands my knowledge on the little understanding I have about Islam. The day to day practices of Muslims that were highlighted in the reading further justified the practices of Muslims. It has actually molded my perception about Islam and the way I relate with God. It is clear from the reading and the lessons learnt from the book that Islam is a religion that is based on the certain rites that would lead to God. Muslims try to obey God with all their hearts and they are usually at war with people that do not obey and honor God.

It is the strong faith of the Muslims and the manner at which they honor God that has actually distinguished them from other monotheistic religions. Work Cited Ellwood, Robert S. & McGraw, Barbara. Many Peoples, Many Faiths: Women and Men in the World Religions: 9th Edition. New Jersey: Pearson, 2009