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Religion See other Religion Articles Title: Top 10 Myths About Islam Top 10 Myths About Islam note from me, MG–Many thanks to my good friend RH for sending Islam is a widely-misunderstood religion. Those who are unfamiliar with the faith often have misunderstandings about its teachings and practices. Common misconceptions include that Muslims worship a moon-god, that Islam is oppressive against women, or that Islam is a faith that promotes violence. Here we bust these myths and expose the true teachings of Islam. 1. Muslims worship a moon-god Some non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Allah is an “Arab god,” a “moon god,” or some sort of idol. Allah is the proper name of the One True God, in the Arabic language. The most fundamental belief that a Muslim has is that “There is only One God,” the Creator, the Sustainer — known in the Arabic language and by Muslims as Allah. Arabic-speaking Christians use the same word for the Almighty. 2. Muslims don’t believe in Jesus In the Qur’an, stories about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ (called ‘Isa in Arabic) are abundant. The Qur’an recalls his miraculous birth, his teachings, and the miracles he performed by God’s permission. There is even a chapter of the Qur’an named after his mother, Mary (Miriam in Arabic). However, Muslims believe that Jesus was a fully human prophet and not in any way divine himself. 3. Most Muslims are Arabs While Islam is often associated with Arabs, they make up only 15% of the world’s Muslim population. The country with the largest population of Muslims is Indonesia. Muslims make up 1/5 of the world’s population, with large numbers found in Asia (69%), Africa (27%), Europe (3%) and other parts of the world. 4. Islam oppresses women Most of the ill-treatment that women receive in the Muslim world is based on local culture and traditions, without any basis in the faith of Islam. In fact, practices such as forced marriage, spousal abuse, and restricted movement directly contradict Islamic law governing family behavior and personal freedom. 5. Muslims are violent, terrorist extremists Terrorism cannot be justified under any valid interpretation of the Islamic faith. The entire Qur’an, taken as a complete text, gives a message of hope, faith, and peace to a faith community of one billion people. The overwhelming message is that peace is to be found through faith in God, and justice among fellow human beings. Muslim leaders and scholars do speak out against terrorism in all its forms, and offer explanations of misinterpreted or twisted teachings. 6. Islam is intolerant of other faiths Throughout the Qur’an, Muslims are reminded that they are not the only ones who worship God. Jews and Christians are called “People of the Book,” meaning people who have received previous revelations from the One Almighty God that we all worship. The Qur’an also commands Muslims to protect from harm not only mosques, but also monasteries, synagogues, and churches — because “God is worshipped therein.” 7. Islam promotes “jihad” to spread Islam by the sword and kill all unbelievers The word Jihad stems from an Arabic word which means “to strive.” Other related words include “effort,” “labor,” and “fatigue.” Essentially Jihad is an effort to practice religion in the face of oppression and persecution. The effort may come in fighting the evil in your own heart, or in standing up to a dictator. Military effort is included as an option, but as a last resort and not “to spread Islam by the sword.” 8. The Quran was written by Muhammad and copied from Christian and Jewish sources The Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of two decades, calling people to worship One Almighty God and to live their lives according to this faith. The Qur’an contains stories of Biblical prophets, because these prophets also preached the message of God. Stories are not merely copied, but the oral traditions are referred to in a way that focuses on the examples and teachings that we can learn from them. 9. Islamic prayer is just a ritualized performance with no heartfelt meaning Prayer is a time to stand before God and express faith, give thanks for blessings, and seek guidance and forgiveness. During Islamic prayer, one is modest, submissive and respectful to God. By bowing and prostrating ourselves to the ground, we express our utmost humility before the Almighty. 10. The crescent moon is a universal symbol of Islam The early Muslim community did not really have a symbol. During the time of the Prophet Muhammad, Islamic caravans and armies flew simple solid-colored flags (generally black, green, or white) for identification purposes. The crescent moon and star symbol actually pre-dates Islam by several thousand years, and wasn’t affiliated with Islam at all until the Ottoman Empire placed it on their flag. Suggested Reading Introduction to Islam Basic Beliefs of Islam Introductory Books on Islam Related Articles Islamic Beliefs & Worship Introduction to Islam Religion in Turkey – Tenets of Islam Summary – Crossroads to Islam: The Origins of the Arab Religion and the Ara… Saudi Arabia – Sunni Islam SOURCE Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 4.
#4. To: Max (#0)
(Edited)
One thing that is not a myth is that Muslims are intolerant of other religions. Most (perhaps all) "Christian countries" are tolerant and even legally indifferent to various Christian and non-Christian denominations - at least nowadays even if they weren't in previous centuries. But in Muslim countries, non-Muslims live - NOW!- under the burdens of dhimmitude - worse than South African apartheid, intended to make them suffer - and the merest suggestion of easing any of the oppressions of dhimmitude is punished (because the terms are set forth in the Koran) as a form of blasphemy. Among the trappings of this dhimmitude, churches are forced to remain small and outwardly unidentifiable (this is the principal reason that the famous Christian shrines in the Holy Land turn out to have "ground floors" that are really basements - in order to accommodate the congregation inside while keeping the building low on the outside), they are not permitted to preach even to their own congregants that Christianity is a true religion or even the equal of Islam, just to make sure of this a govt snitch is regularly present - in Saudi Arabia a Muslim must be the superintendant of every Christian school, they must wear distinctive clothing, they must walk rather than ride in the presence of Muslims, they cannot testify against Muslims, etc. etc.
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