What is the essence of this ancient faith?
Islam is followed by fully one-fifth of people in the world, and its essence is encrypted into the Quran, the holy book for all the Muslims. It is possible to suggest that the essence of Islam is in the worship of one and only God—Allah—obeying him, and doing his Will. This is the basis of Islam because a person who does the Will of Allah and accepts him as an ultimate guide in life can be considered a true Muslim (Gordon, 2010).
Is it a religion of peace or war?
Islam can be described with the help of the values for which it stands. It stands for the protection of life and for the superiority of law over crime, as well as morality and obedience to the law. Moreover, Islam promotes social values, cooperation, and interaction, as well as family values. Islam particularly emphasizes the importance of adherence to daily family traditions and rituals (The Book Archive, 2014).
Islam praises unity and adherence to traditions created to preserve peace and harmony in the world. Islam teaches people to avoid temptations, ignorance, inattentiveness, and conflicts because in such a way they can follow Allahs Will (Gordon, 2010). Nevertheless, Islam is a strict religion that requires specific obedience and persistence; for instance, a Muslim must pray to Allah at least five times a day. Allah, in this sense, cannot be perceived as an unconditionally loving god, as he can choose whom to hate. That is why Islam can sometimes be perceived as a warlike religion (Gordon, 2010).
How does Allah differ from the God of Jews and Christians?
All three gods in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam refer to the concept of a monotheistic god, but despite some similarities, it would be wrong to say that this is the same god. It must be taken into account that Allah is translated as “the God” from Arabic, so when Muslims use this word, they refer to the only God in their understanding. First of all, for Christians, God is the Father of Jesus—who is accepted neither by Judaism nor by Islam.
Muslims believe in one god who revealed Islam through all the prophets, choosing Mohammed as the principal prophet, while Christian and Judaic gods had their own prophets and taught them different things. There are also fundamental differences between Jehovah and Allah in the way they interpret reality and are described in the Quran and the Old Testament, such that it would superficial to claim that these gods are related (Gordon, 2010).
Can an Islamic state be founded on democratic values such as pluralism and human rights?
Islam has been promoting human rights from its beginning. It was the first religion that promoted the liberation of classes and women. It helped the poor and women who were oppressed, offering them equal rights and opportunities. Today, Muslim women can do all the things Muslim men can do: They can run their own business or own property, they can vote, and they can study. The common stereotype regarding women’s oppression in Islam is more likely a misinterpretation of the manifestation of religious respect toward morality and humility.
Moreover, all men and women who choose specific clothes are following their cultural traditions, rather than strict religious rules. Islam also values and promotes pluralism, in the sense that it accepts and respects other religions and other cultural beliefs (The Book Archive, 2014).
References
Gordon, M. (2010). Understanding Religion: Islam. The Rosen Publishing Group, London.
The Book Archive (2014). Islam in America: Documentary, facts, history, religion, beliefs, Muslims. Web