Social Issues : Islam, Research Paper Example

Introduction and Background

Non western countries, for definition those out of the Christendom block, have tended to alienate themselves against western values.  This is attributed to prior domination by the west, lack of progressive modernization and identity crisis.  The more recent global revival of religion, particularly in Islamic countries has been used as an excuse to promote anti-western sentiments. This is a consequence of the west’s modernization and a lack of these non western societies to  keep pace with progression.  Hence religion has been used to describe western democracies as primarily Christian and therefore subversive.  This leads to secularization and aspects of degeneration.  This becomes more complex when people move from non western societies into Western societies and will not conform to the constitution of the newly adopted country.  A recent example in France where Muslim women are legally going to be prevented from wearing a veil over their faces.  The challenge of modernisation to the Islamic world will test the resolve of the western world.  Turkey may become pivotal in terms of helping to bridge the cultural divide between Islamic and Western cultures.  The success for this may well be the final acceptance as a Member state of the European Union.  The principles of the Islamic faith rest upon the Five Pillars, as defined by the prophet Muhammed. These are:

1. The Creed (shahada). The conviction that there is but one God (Allah) and Muhammed is his messenger
2. The Prayer (salat). An observant muslim prays 5 times a day
3. Alms Giving (zakat). The wealthy give to the poor , once per year loan to Allah a percentage of your net worth
4. Fasting (sawm). The religious fasting during the month of Ramadan
5. Pilgrimage (Haj). All devout muslims must attempt to do the holy pilgrimage or Haj to Mecca once in their lifetime. (Muck, 2001)

Islamic Mosques

Mosques are the main temples of worship for all followers of the Islamic faith, termed Muslims.  The original Mosque was first constructed in Saudi Arabia in a place called Medina. The wall of this courtyard mosque was where worshippers conducted payers and it faced towards Mecca the holy capital.  This is called the qibla wall[1] and the remaining walls were protected by shallow arcades.  This basic design has become the main or standard design for Mosques throughout the Islamic World.  The Mosques serve as a number of important social functions and not dedicated purely to that of worship and prayer, for example they are both social and political centres, they may serve as schools, libraries, hospitals or community centres. Prayers take place 5 times per day and it is important that the person praying faces Mecca[2]

The new face of Islam have  produced some remarkable architectural designs for Mosques. A splendid example being the Assyafaah Mosque in Singapore.

Christian Places of Worship

The splendour in Christian Church architecture is best demonstrated in the many catholic churches throughout the world.  Architects had a number of goals in mind when constructing these churches.  (i) They had to inspire the worshipper with awe and a sense of the power of god.  Hence the reason for height with steeples stretching into the heavens. (ii) They had to represent the fear of god – perhaps gothic churches portrayed this better than others with the gargoyles, sculptures depicting scenes from hell and the afterlife. (iii)  They had to contain the appropriate atmosphere for worship with huge cathedral ceilings, long walkways to the alters, quiet places and wings for contemplation and prayer.  Churches were also constructed on high ground and often on hills.  This being to give them prominence in the community and to be seen as high on the community agenda

Most of the large Churches or Cathedrals in Europe were constructed in the form of a cross, with the longer axis of the cross aligned east-west. The main altar is normally at the eastern end of the church, frequently under a large, stained-glass window, and the entrance is either at the western end or through one of the two, shorter, north-south arms of the cross. The significance of the cross being that of Christ’s crucifixion on the cross and the alter facing East towards Jerusalem being symbolic of the resurrection of Christ which gives ultimate meaning to the Christian faith. There is life after death through Jesus Christ the Redeemer.

Similarities between Christianity and Islam

The two faiths share some remarkable similarities. Both have foundations in the Old Testament and the prophet Abraham. ” As for religious practices between Muslims and Christians there are common values, which regulate believers social lives”  (Aliyev, 2001) The Islamic faith believes in one God (Allah) similar to that of the Christians.  Christians believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God and through the resurrection the redeemer. Islam views Jesus as a messenger or prophet of Allah similar to that of Muhammad ( the most revered prophet) and other in the holy Quran like that of ” Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Zechariah, John the Baptist ”  (Alexander, 2003). The Quran is believed by Muslims to be the manifestation of the word of Allah (God). Allah spoke to the world in Arabic and as such the Quran cannot be rendered in any other language.  The Bible  and particularly the New Testament relates to the scriptures of Jesus Christ ( Son of God) and has been translated into countless languages from the original hebrew.  Christ is deemed as divine and through his death, absolved man of sin and created a path of redemption for all who believe in him. He is the light and the only way to achieve salvation through God.

In Islam Jesus is merely revered as a Messenger or prophet of Islam and here lies the distinction. ” Many compare the Quran with the Bible but the Quran is not like the Bible or any other conventional book” (Anon, May 2002). In the final analysis there is a “faith which Christians and Muslims share with Jews rgarding the free creation of the Universe by one God” (Burrell, 1997). The question rests in the interpretation of this and tolerance within our society.

Conclusions

The Islamic world is going through a similar turmoil that Europe experienced between the two world-wars. In this sense Islamic countries are having to deal with concepts of modernization which impact their ancient beliefs and religion of Islam.  This being resisted by the more fundamentalist groups ” Like the two World Wars, Islamic militancy and economic crisis will drastically change the global political and economic scene. – Dr. Susmit Kumar” (Susmit Kumar, 2006).  A great of the social unrest comes from the interpretations and readings from the Quran that comes from a time  of the 7th Century and the teachings of Muhammed.  These have not been updated in order to reflect the teaching and the place of the Islamic world in the 21st Century.  This in essence creates a social distinction between primarily the Christian based western democracies and that of Islam.

Works Cited

Alexander, S. (2003). Dont know much about Islam? US Catholic , 19-22.

Aliyev, R. Y. (2001). Some momentous issues of the ongoing Islamic Christian dialogue. International Publication of Iranian Studies , 217-222.

Anon. (May 2002). Islam the Basics. New International 345 , 14-15.

Burrell, D. B. (1997). The Pillars of Islamic Faith. commonweal , 17-19.

Muck, T. (2001). Muhammeds message rests on five pillars. National Catholic Reporter , 8-9.

Susmit Kumar, P. (2006). Modernization of Islam. Retrieved 7 27, 2010, from World Prout Assembly: http://www.worldproutassembly.org/archives/2006/05/modernization_o.html

[1] One of the four walls in a Mosque that faces towards the Holy City of Mecca  and birthplace of the prophet Muhammad.

[2] Mecca is the birthplace of Muhammad, founder of Islam, and is the most sacred of city in Islam. According to Islamic tradition, Muslims around the world must face Mecca during their daily prayers.