Group Report in Contemporary World
Topic: Islam
The word “Islam” means “submission to the will of God.” Followers of Islam are called Muslims.
Muslims are monotheistic and worship one, all-knowing God, who in Arabic is known as Allah. Followers
of Islam aim to live a life of complete submission to Allah. Muslims, number approximately 1.9 billion
globally and are the world's second-largest religious population after Christians. Islam is a strictly
monotheistic religion, and its adherents, called Muslims, regard the Prophet Muhammad as the last and
most perfect of God's messengers, who include Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and others. The sacred
scripture of Islam is the Qurʾān, which contains God's revelations to Muhammad.
+Monotheism is the belief in a single god. This is different from polytheism, which is the belief in
multiple gods. Three of the most well-known monotheistic religions are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
+The Five Pillars are the core beliefs and practices of Islam:
1. Profession of Faith (shahada). The belief that "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the
Messenger of God" is central to Islam. This phrase, written in Arabic, is often prominently
featured in architecture and a range of objects, including the Qur'an, Islam's holy book of divine
revelations. One becomes a Muslim by reciting this phrase with conviction.
2. Prayer (salat). Muslims pray facing Mecca five times a day: at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon,
sunset, and after dark. Prayer includes a recitation of the opening chapter (sura) of the Qur'an,
and is sometimes performed on a small rug or mat used expressly for this purpose (see image
24). Muslims can pray individually at any location (fig. 1) or together in a mosque, where a leader
in prayer (imam) guides the congregation. Men gather in the mosque for the noonday prayer on
Friday; women are welcome but not obliged to participate. After the prayer, a sermon focuses on
a passage from the Qur'an, followed by prayers by the imam and a discussion of a particular
religious topic.
3. Alms (zakat). In accordance with Islamic law, Muslims donate a fixed portion of their income to
community members in need. Many rulers and wealthy Muslims build mosques, drinking
fountains, hospitals, schools, and other institutions both as a religious duty and to secure the
blessings associated with charity.
4. Fasting (sawm). During the daylight hours of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar,
all healthy adult Muslims are required to abstain from food and drink. Through this temporary
deprivation, they renew their awareness of and gratitude for everything God has provided in
their lives—including the Qur'an, which was first revealed during this month. During Ramadan
they share the hunger and thirst of the needy as a reminder of the religious duty to help those
less fortunate.
5. Pilgrimage (hajj). Every Muslim whose health and finances permit it must make at least one visit
to the holy city of Mecca, in present-day Saudi Arabia. The Ka'ba, a cubical structure covered in
black embroidered hangings, is at the center of the Haram Mosque in Mecca (fig. 2). Muslims
believe that it is the house Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic) built for God, and face in its direction
(qibla) when they pray. Since the time of the Prophet Muhammad, believers from all over the
world have gathered around the Ka'ba in Mecca on the eighth and twelfth days of the final
month of the Islamic calendar.
Guide Questions during the discussion:
1. Describe the religion’s concept of good and evil.
The Religion of Islam website states that whatever is good and beneficial for mankind is
morally good, and vice versa. According to Islamic sharia, a Muslim is expected to act
only in good manners as bad manners earn vices.
Adab (Arabic: )أدبin the context of behavior, refers to prescribed Islamic etiquette:
"refinement, good manners, morals, decorum, decency, humaneness". Al-Adab (Arabic:
)اآلدابhas been defined as "decency, morals".
Islam offers a complete picture in explaining good and evil. Islam views life as a test of
deciding between good and evil.
Every good deed brings a person closer to God, and every evil act takes them further
away from God.
In Islam, they believe that people decide whether they will be good or bad, whether
they will do good deeds or evil.
The Qur’an clearly states that God is the only authority in defining good and evil.
Therefore, our perceptions of good and evil may be misleading:
The Islamic definitions of good and evil are based on the purposes of creation and the
meaning of human life. As mentioned above, the ultimate goal of human life is to
become perfected spiritually through belief in God (iman), the knowledge of God
(marifatullah), the love of God (muhabbatullah), and the worship of God (ibada).
Accordingly, whatever brings a person closer to God and will benefit him in the Next
World is good, and whatever takes a person away from God, and thus incurs His anger is
evil.
Prophet Muhammad teaches that good is the beautiful personality and beautiful virtues
of a person, while evil is what makes one’s heart uncomfortable, unhappy, and is that
side of a person that they do not want anyone to know about. Islam teaches that good
deeds in this world are like seeds that will be harvested in the Hereafter
2. According to religion, how can a person become good and avoid becoming evil?
In Islam, becoming a good person and avoiding evil is achieved through following the
teachings and principles of the religion.
1. Faith and Worship: Having strong faith in Allah (God) and practicing the pillars of Islam, which
include prayer, fasting, giving to charity, and performing pilgrimage.
2. Moral Character: Islam emphasizes the importance of developing good moral character traits
such as honesty, kindness, patience, forgiveness, and humility.
3. Following the Prophet's Example: Muslims believe that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him) is a role model for humanity.
4. Seeking Knowledge: Islam promotes seeking knowledge to understand and implement good
values. This includes acquiring knowledge about the Quran, Hadith (sayings of the Prophet), and
other sources of Islamic teachings.
5. Seeking Forgiveness: Recognizing that humans are prone to mistakes and sins, Islam
encourages individuals to seek forgiveness from Allah and repent for any wrongdoings.
3. How does globalization help religion in spreading its beliefs and teachings?
Another way in which globalization has impacted religion is the way religions have made use of
global communications. Religious groups can take advantage of modern technology to recruit
new members, spread the word, and keep in contact with other members of the religion.
globalization allows for religions previously isolated from one another to now have regular and
unavoidable contact. As a result, globalization brings to light the fact that since religions have
similar values, not one of them is “correct” and, therefore, can be changed.
Ummah is a universal community based on shared Islamic faith and the implementation of its
law. In the years to come the force of globalization may lead to the emergence of multiple
centers of Islam rather than the current one based in Saudi Arabia Islamic historians have
credited the concept of ummah as an important contributing factor in the rise and development
of Islam and Islamic civilization.
4. How does religion contribute to world peace/world conflict?
Many religions promote values such as love, compassion, forgiveness, and respect for others.
Religions often provide a moral framework that guides individuals' behavior.
Religion can provide individuals with a sense of purpose and meaning in life, which can lead to a greater
sense of inner peace.
Religious institutions can play a role in promoting dialogue, interfaith cooperation, and tolerance.
However, it is important to note that religion can also be misused to fuel conflicts and division.
Therefore, it is crucial for individuals and religious leaders to interpret and practice their faith in a way
that promotes peace, acceptance, and unity among all people.
Religion can contribute to world conflict in several ways.
- Religious differences can become a source of tension and lead to conflicts between different religious
groups. Historically, we have witnessed numerous wars and conflicts that were sparked or fueled by
religious divisions.
- Interpretations of religious texts or teachings can vary among individuals and religious organizations.
This diversity in interpretation can sometimes lead to conflicts within religious communities themselves,
as different factions may have differing views on how to practice their faith.
5. Does the religion involve itself in politics?
In other countries, such as Egypt, Tunisia, and Turkey, they want the religion of Islam to have a
role or major influence in their politics.
Many across the predominantly Muslim countries surveyed want Islam to have a major
influence in politics. Most in Pakistan, Jordan, and Egypt believe their laws should strictly follow
the Quran, while majorities or pluralities in Tunisia and Turkey say their laws should at least
adhere to the values and principles of Islam.
Across five of the six countries, majorities say that Islam currently plays a large role in the
political life of their country. More than eight in ten in Tunisia believe Islam has a major influence
on their politics.
Similarly, more than six in ten in Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan, and Lebanon say Islam plays a large role
in politics.
Muslims believe a democratic government, rather than a leader with a strong hand, is best able
to address their country’s problems.
Muslims around the world express broad support for democracy and for people of other faiths
to be able to practice their religion freely. At the same time, many Muslims say religious leaders
should influence political matters and see Islamic political parties as just as good or better than
other political parties.
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-
religion-and-politics/
https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2012/07/10/chapter-3-role-of-islam-in-politics/
https://archive-yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/globalizations-challenge-islam
