The Religion and background of Islam

Islam, one of the major world religions, is publicized by the Prophet Muhammad in Arabia during the 7 th century (Islam | Religion, Beliefs, Practices, & Facts, 2022). The fundamental obligations Muslims must submit to are known through the sacred scriptures in the Qur’an that reveal the message of Allah, their sole God. The central Islamic practices involve the Five Pillars, Shahada (Faith), Salah (Prayer), Zakat (Almsgiving), Sawm (Fasting), and Hajj (Pilgrimage), binding the Muslim community worldwide together through their beliefs. The prime concept of Islam is the law of Shariah that embraces life commanded by God; This can be demonstrated through their symbolic representations in the mosque and mainly the star and crescent explained below (Important People to Islam, 2022) .  

There is no specific symbol representation of Islam, but Muslims do commonly associate the star and crescent with their identity. Both the star and the crescent were a symbol used by the ottoman empire, and the meaning of the star was extended to the religion itself (n.a2022) . However, some people have taken the star and crescent as unofficial symbols of Islam. The symbol can actually be traced back to Sumerian iconography, the meaning of the symbol has changed over time because of the different religions that have adopted it (n.a, 2022).  

The symbol Allah stands for the word God in Arabic, it is similar to Christianity in how God is not given a technological given name but only referred to as God. In the religion Islam, Allah is ever-presentence absolute and the creator of the universe he has 99 names that Muslims use to describe his value. The religion Islam is made up of following and adhering to every commandment that has been set by Allah himself (Allah - Arabian Creator God | Mythology.net, 2022). 

This cross is normally referred to as the Muslim cross. There is no bearing of it on Islam or Christianity and is actually a geometric cross pattern that is used mostly by the Sunni Muslim Tuareg people of Sharan Africa (Drum, 2022) . The middle of the cross represents God. The area on the cross stands for protection to keep evil at bay. This symbol is usually used as a protective amulet; it is also considered the symbol of faith and a way to keep away negative energy. 

A mosque is a place built in the centre of the community and towns because they are not only used to worship but also used for educational purposes for the young and the older generation they are built in the centre of town because it is easier for them to have community gathering if needed (Info, 2022) . Where Muslims go to worship God. A common feature found in mosques includes the mihrab, a niche in the wall that indicates the direction of Mecca (Islam Worship Place - Dakwah Islamic, 2022). Another feature includes minarets and tall towers that are used to call the congregation for prayer (Important People to Islam, 2022) . According to Islamic beliefs, the Prophet Muhammad helped in building the first mosque in the city of Medina, as his way of making it the place of worship for Muslims. The most important room in the mosque is the prayer hall (Figueroa, 2022). This room is honored with religious calligraphy, a large room that is free of furniture to fit everyone. The mosques se

Intercultural understanding: Commencing this assessment, I was interested in enhancing my learning of a different religion to be more aware of my surroundings. I focused on the Islamic religion due to having similarities to Christianity, for example, Lent and Ramadan; where during lent individuals fast for 40 days to turn away from temptations, repent, and ask for forgiveness from God to receive his mercy. Muslims fast for 30 days, to practice self-discipline and sacrifice and refocus their attention on Allah.   Another example of similarities involves believing in God, and the difference is how Christians perceive Jesus as the Son of God and sinless; while Islam believes Jesus was a significant prophet of God, not the Son of God nor a part of the Trinity, however, He was created to be like Adam.   I have learned the importance of being self-aware and respecting those who hold different beliefs from me by developing an insightful approach to accepting that everyone is entitle