THE GLOBALIZATION OF RELIGION
Islam Religion
“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; it is the belief in a single God. The sacred
scripture of Islam is the Qurʾān, which contains God's revelations to Muhammad.
Five (5) Pillars in Islam Religion:
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. Muslims can pray
individually at any location 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. 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:
1. Describe the Islamic religion concept of good and evil.
The concept of good in Islam religion are kindness (to people and animals),
charity, forgiveness, honesty, patience, justice, respecting parents, and elders,
keeping promises, and controlling one's anger, love of God and those God loves,
love of his messenger (Muhammad) and of believers. A Muslim is expected to act
only in good manners as bad manners earn vices. For them, every good deed
brings a person closer to God.
Islam believes that whatever is bad and not beneficial for mankind can be evil,
also bad manners and attitude earn vices. Every evil action they do take them
further away from God.
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.
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.
Moral Character: Islam emphasizes the importance of developing good moral
character traits such as honesty, kindness, patience, forgiveness, and humility.
Following the Prophet's Example: Muslims believe that Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him) is a role model for humanity.
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.
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?
5. Does the religion involve itself in politics?
