More Than Misconceptions

        It is very important to understand different religions in a world that has great cultural diversity. Religion is a belief, but more importantly, it shapes how a person lives and views the world. When people understand different religions, it leads to an understanding of differences in how people act and accommodations they need. It also stops those with certain religious beliefs from becoming isolated because of false statements. This article will discuss Islam and many different parts that make the religion.

Islam has been misunderstood by the media, but there are certain facts about the religion that might not be well-known. Islam is a monotheistic religion, which means to believe there is one divine being. People who believe in Islam culture are called Muslims. Muslims believe in every aspect of their life being for one god, and there being one final prophet, Muhammad. The word Islam is Arabic, and they call their god Allah. They read the Holy Qur’an, which has 114 chapters and was written 1,400 years ago. Muslims believe in Jesus as a prophet of God instead of the son.

It is crucial to understand different religious beliefs, but understanding how people show their beliefs is equally important. Muslims believe in the five pillars, which are easy steps to follow in their religion. Tawheed, an Arabic word for the belief of one god, is the first pillar. Muslims must only worship their god, Allah. Muslims are also told to do five daily prayers throughout the day to be accepted on the Day of Judgment. The second pillar, prayer, is not just for individual Muslims, but also brings them together deeply in congregation. Giving part of their income or wealth is the third pillar. It is a thought to purify the money and give to the needy. The fourth pillar is fasting, which is done during Ramadan. The month of Ramadan is picked because it is when Allah gave Muhammad the Qur'an. The last pillar is performing the pilgrimage known as Hajj. Every year, millions of muslims go to Kada for Hajj. It is expected of Muslims to go once in their lifetime if they are fit enough or financially capable. All these pillars show how Muslims think cautiously about their beliefs and find unity when believing in one god together. 

It is crucial to growing as a society to understand Muslims because they have been treated with hostility after events from certain extremist minority groups of muslims. After the 9/11 attacks, many Muslims were subjected to hate crimes, with  FBI reports of more than 500. That is more than double the reported hate crime for Muslims in 2000. It is closed-minded to stereotype a group without even knowing their beliefs. It is also undermining individual Muslim experiences because Islam is not a small religion. In fact, there are more than three million Muslims in the United States as of 2024, and over 2 billion Muslims worldwide. Not understanding Muslims’ belief in unity and dedication traits leads to hostility. Learning about Muslims beliefs leads to a society understanding of everyone's humanity instead of falling for prejudice.

Works Cited

https://www.mymasjid.ca/beginners-guide-understanding-islam/chapter-2

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/muslim-population-by-country

https://www.911memorial.org/learn/students-and-teachers/lesson-plans/muslims-america-after-911-part-ii