Living Religions

Question 1

Christianity is a faith based on the existence, teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus. He was born a Jew approximately two thousand years ago and was tried and crucified by the Roman government which said that his teachings and actions were blasphemous. The Bible has shaped the growth of Christianity because it is termed as the Holy book and through it, God communicates to Christians. During the Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came down and filled the Christians who believed, they were distinguished from non-Christians because there was a visible fire their door. These were the Christians who then moved from Egypt to Israel which was the land God had promised them. Another historic event that led to spread of Christianity was the filling of disciples with the Holy Ghost after the resurrection of Jesus. This was a promise made by god and after its fulfilment, more people believed in Christianity and the teachings of Jesus. Christianity promises the acceptance by God despite of ones sins and this is evident according to Abraham who was favoured by God for his great faith despite his sins.

Question 2

Following the demise of Prophet Mohammed, issues of succession led to the division Muslims into two sects; Sunni and Shiite Muslims. The Sunnis regarded the caliph as the administrator of the Islam special Islam laws and therefore, he would have been the right person to succeed Prophet Mohammed. The Shari’ah laws were written according to the Qur’an and could be applied to real life situations. The Shari’ah law is interpreted to each age group by the Imam who is said to have the closest divine understanding for the laws.

Question 3

Belief and witness also known as the shahada is the first pillar of Islam that requires one to proclaim that Allah is the only true God and Mohammed was his prophet. It is a requirement according to the Qur’an for Muslims to tell others about Islam so that they can make a decision about their faith.

The second pillar of Islam is the daily prayer that is performed five times a day while facing Mecca. An imam may be present during the prayers, but is not required to come between the Muslim when praying to Allah. Before the prayers, a ritual is done using water and in some cases sand so as to purify the body. A number of prayers together with some verses of the Qur’an are recited while kneeling and bowing. The facing of Mecca by all Muslims acts as a unifying factor for all Muslims around the world not considering their social standing. In the mosque, men and women pray independently with men in front of the women to avoid sexual distraction by the women. Prayer strengths one’s belief when repeated a number of times and it is also said to purify the heart and that is the reason it is done five times a day.

The third pillar is “zakat” also known as spiritual almsgiving. Muslims are required to donate at least two percent of their accumulated wealth at the end of the year to Muslims who are less fortunate. The intention is too prevent personal greed while attempting to make all Muslim financially equal. This pillar literally means purifying wealth that is distributed among other Muslims keeping the money in a healthy circulation.

Fasting is the fourth pillar of Islam and is obligatory to all Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan which celebrate the disclosure of the Qur’an to Prophet Mohammed. However, Muslims are required to fast on a regular basis during other months other than the month of Ramadan but it is not obligatory. All those Muslims that of recommended age, healthy, not menstruating or nursing a new-born baby are required to refrain from food, drink, smoking and sexual intercourse from dawn till dusk for the month of Ramadan. It is said that fasting burns up all impurities in the bodies purifying the soul so as to improve their relationship with Allah.

Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam also known as paying pilgrimage to Mecca. All Muslims with the ability of visiting Mecca to pay their pilgrimage are required to do so at least once. If a Muslim can afford to sponsor another Muslim who is incapable of going due to finances, then it is a requirement for them to do so. However, this pillar is not mandatory because not all have the financial capabilities to travel to Mecca. This is meant to collectively bring Muslims from all round the world. A series of rituals are performed and it is a requirement for all the male pilgrims to wrap themselves with a similar cloth so as to symbolise that they are all equal.

Of all the discussed pillars of Islam, shahada is the easiest to fulfil because it only requires a Muslim to proclaim their faith to others telling them about Allah and his prophet Mohammed. All Muslims would be capable of fulfilling this pillar regardless of their health or social status. Fasting is termed by many Muslims as the hardest to fulfil because it requires one to be disciplined to ensure that all the guidelines provided for fasting are followed. It is also the hardest because it is obligatory and if one does not observe fasting due to valid reasons, then they are required to do so at a later date.

Jihad according to Prophet Mohammed is the constant battle within self in the effort to distinguish between right and wrong. It is an inward fight in the heart that is externally expressed to bring out harmony within the community so as to protect the teachings of Islam and its faith. It states in the Qur’an that jihad should not be used for personal benefits. However, the Qur’an allows one to engage in war if they have been wronged or captured unlawfully and their rights infringed. This statement has led to the different perceptions of jihad in textbooks. A misunderstanding of the Qur’an has led many to engage in constant battles and terrorism acts claiming that they are only protecting the interests of other Muslims.