Five Pillars of Islam

1. The shahadah is central to the Muslim faith because it affirms the Muslim belief that there is only one God.

2. Salat mentally helps Muslims to live in obedience to the will of Allah because it gives them time to focus on their beliefs and how they will live them out. Physically, salat requires a person to bow down into a vulnerable position, signifying that Allah is mightier than humans.

3. Zakat shows that Allah’s will is for all people to be taken care of and treated equally. Through their almsgiving, Muslims are committed to helping the less fortunate in their communities.

4. Sawm mentally allows a person to live in obedience to the will of Allah because it requires a person to fast all day; something that is hard for many to do without faith or a reason. It physically  allows a person to live in obedience to the will of Allah because it reinforces that suffering that the marginalized go through on a daily basis, thus reiterating the message of zakat.

5. I think that the hajj is a pillar of Islamic faith because it allows believers from all over the world to come together to practice their faith as a global community. I think that this is similar to the Catholic practice of going to Rome and Vatican City because of their religious significance; however, it differs because Muslims go to Mecca all at once while Catholics go to the Vatican as they please. Additionally, the hajj is required for Muslims; a pilgrimage is not required for Catholics.

6. Many of the possible challenges of living the Five Pillars stem from living in a non-Muslim country. When everyone has the same goal in mind, it is easier for a person to focus on what they need to do. However, when those practicing the Five Pillars, especially salat and sawm, are the minority, it may be difficult for one to focus on their faith.

The 99 Names Of God

I am not a firm believer in God whatsoever, so I will state the following things from my experience of Catholic education, as if I do believe in said things. I may not believe in anything I say.

God is "The Bounteous". I stated this as feminine because women are bountiful in the fact that, unlike men, they are able to carry and give birth to a child. They have the fruit of the womb. God is bountiful because of his creations. He had the ability to create the human race, and all of the earths' creatures.

God is "The Guardian". He is a guardian because He watches over his people and guides them in their life. When I believed in God, he was my moral guidance in life. He was the most important thing in my life because he truly watched over me, and made me feel like I was blessed with everything...as if these things all happened for a reason. His plan is a part of how he looks out for us.

God is "The Dominating". He is dominating because he controls everything. He needs to, and he does. He makes sure he has followers because of his leading need. If he has no believers, who is he to dominate?

God is all of these things because he is everything. It is a pretty simple concept. He is everything, and contains every type of feeling that we feel. There is no need for which is feminine or masculine ..considering they are all stereotypes/gender roles from how our society sees "feminine" & "masculine".

Islam Webquest

ONE

1) 2.1 billion

2) Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gambia, Iran, Iraq

3) Morocco

4) 2,595,000

TWO

Key Beliefs:

1) There is one God who cannot be described or compared to anything.

2) Angels are the messengers of God who do his will.

3) God reveled his word to humans so that they might believe in him.

4) Prophets spread God’s message but are not divine.

5) All people will be judged when they are resurrected.

6) People have free will and are responsible for their actions and the repercussions caused by them.

Teachings of Muhammad

1) Muslims must pray 5 times a day.

2) Muslims must fast during Ramadan.

3) Muslims must try to go to Mecca at least once.

THREE

1) the last revealed word of God

2) Arabic, because that is the language that it was revealed in and translations would cause discrepancies in meaning

3) Ramadan

4) commanded him to read, when he wouldn’t, he was taught to memorize the Quran

FOUR

1) – testimony of faith

- prayer

- almsgiving

- fasting

- pilgrimage

2) they allow Muslims to put their faith into action

3) there is no way to pretend or act like you’ve done the actions if you haven’t done them

4) Catholics fast and give alms during Lent

FIVE

1) the month when the Quran was given to Muhammad

2) no eating or drinking during daylight, no smoking or sexual activities

3) lying, slander, denouncing someone, a false oath, greed

4) when the Night of Power is celebrated

5) it is celebrated with the Feast of Fast Breaking

6) month the Quran was revealed, Heaven is open, Hell is closed

7) everyone is focused on a common goal and doing the same thing

SIX

1) Islam is over 1400 years old.

2) Jesus, Moses, and Abraham are prophets.

3) Patterns are common in art.

4) People are not included in religious art.

5) Women must cover their hair from men who they could potentially marry.

6) Muslims believe that abortion is wrong.

7) Capital punishment is acceptable when a serious crime is committed.

8) Jihad is an internal struggle to live one’s faith properly,

9) Animals must be treated with compassion and kindness.

10) War is permitted as self defense.