The Meaning of Islam and the Five Tenets of Belief - Essay Example

However, they take it a bit far when they state that it is better for all mankind to become Muslims and submit to the will of God because nothing can be better than this. This presupposes the dominance of Islam over the other religions and its inherent superiority, as every Muslim would like to believe. However, I believe that it is more correct to acknowledge other religions as well, like Christianity and Judaism. In fact, all three of these faiths emerged from a common continent and have many similarities of belief.

For example, all of them believe in Adam and Eve as being God’s first human creations and the subsequent banishment from the Garden of Eden. Islam recognizes around 124,000 prophets as being sent by God at various times throughout the history of mankind. However, Muslims regard the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as Allah’s last messenger and the founder and first proliferate of Islam.  The Five Pillars of Islam and their Significance The Muslim faith of Islam is based on five pillars or tenets which are as follows: (1) Shahada or Creed; (2) Salat or Daily Prayers; (3) Sawm or fasting during Ramadan; (4) Zakat or Alms-giving; and (5) Hajj, or the pilgrimage to Mecca, to be undertaken by a Muslim if he has the means, at least once in his lifetime.

To a Muslim, these five basic acts are obligatory and a framework around which lies their commitment to their faith (Hooker, 1). The Quran itself presents these tenets as basic signs of commitment to the faith of Islam. They must be observed and practiced by every Muslim. An equivalent would be the observance of the sacraments in Christianity, I guess. Observing the five tenets of Islam and what is applicable to an individual of the seven sacraments in Christianity would keep each believer in a state of grace and strengthen their position with God.

The necessity of Islam- The Muslim Point of View While all of us may not agree with it, Muslims believe that Islam is the best religion of all and is a complete code of life, therefore all mankind is invited to come to Islam and submit to the will of God, i.e. become a Muslim. They believe that becoming a Muslim is necessary for complete peace and harmony and is the best safeguard against sin and the evil ways of this world.