Islam
Adherents: 1.3 Billion
Founded: 610 A.D.
Founder: Mohammed, born in 570 A.D. in Mecca, Arabia. Died 632 A.D.
a. He married into wealth at the age of 25 and began regular mediation in a cave (every month of Ramadan).
b. He started receiving revelations at the age of 40 from the “angel Gabriel”. c.f. Mormonism
c. He became disgusted with idolatry and desired to rid Arabia of polytheism.
d. Due to his opposition to polytheism of Mecca, Mohammed and his bands of men were persecuted.
Islamic Books
a. The Law of Moses - although Muslims believe that Ishmael received the blessing of Abraham and not Isaac as the Jewish and Christian faiths believe.
b. Psalms of David
c. Gospel of Jesus Christ - Muslims believe that Jesus was a great teacher and some believe he was a prophet but not the incarnation of Almighty God as the Christians believe.
d. The Koran (Quran) -- Wherever the first 3 disagree with the Koran, the Muslim feels that they have been corrupted. The Koran supercedes all other revelations and is Allah’s final word to man. c.f. Mormonism and the 'Book of Mormon'
World View: Monotheistic
a. Allah was the tribal “moon” deity for Muhammad’s tribe and was declared to be the only god by Muhammad.
b. Islam arose from the polytheism of Arabia at the time, specifically Mecca of Mohammad's time, whereby Mohammad declared Allah as the only god to be worshipped.
c. All other gods declared idols. This was due primarily to the influence of Jewish and Christian caravans that traveled through Mohammads region.
Problem of Evil: Through self-effort man improves his situation and eventually, a great judgement day is coming where all people will be judged according to their works and the evil doers, unbelievers, sin and sinners will all be done away with. c.f. Catholic Christianity
Afterlife: Even if the Muslim does great works, it is still not a certain thing that he/she will get into heaven. Ultimately, Allah could have his reasons for denying them entry and he can change his mind at any moment. In other words, they won't have confidence of heaven until the gate slams closed behind them - according to the Quoran. c.f. Catholic Christianity
a. Judgement day, one’s good works must outweigh the bad in order to go to paradise. Otherwise he/she will go to hell. Article 5 of 5
b. Jihad ñ holy war ñ If a Muslim dies in a jihad he/she has immediate access to paradise. (This is the primary motivation for suicide bombers) c.f Shintoist: Kamikaze fighters
c. Paradise is a physical place of sensual pleasures where each man will have a harem of beautiful women who will bear children for him. c.f Mormonism
Sects:
1. Sunni: The majority of Islam today, a more moderate sect of Islam formed by 4 Orthodox schools of thought accepting The Quran:
a. The Sunna (the practice of the prophet as expressed in the Hadith)
b. The four bases of Islamic Law
2. Shi’ite: A more “fundamental” sect of Islam primarily in Iran but also found spread throughout the middle east.
a. Shiites believed that the rightful replacement to Mohammed as prophet was the Caliph Ali the son-in-law of Mohammed who was murdered by Mu’awiya who claimed the role
for himself.
b. Shi'ites claim that Allah has sent over 124,000 prophets.
*** NOTE: Nation of Islam or "Black Muslims" as they're known in the US are not listed here. This group is not considered orthodox by Muslims but rather, they are looked upon as a type of cult founded by Wallace Fard Muhammad in 1930 who, as preached by the Nation of Islam ‘prophet’ Elijah Mohammad, was "Allah incarnate".
Wallace Fard was touted as being the Christian Messiah and the Muslim 'Mahdi' (Redeemer) but mysteriously disappeared only a few years after appointing an unemployed auto worker, Elijah Poole, who renamed himself Elijah Mohammad, as his primary spokesman.
Fard was never heard from again and Elijah immediately assumed leadership of the group. The primary leaders were:
a. Elijah Mohammad (considered a prophet)
b. Malcolm X, a charismatic outspoken proponent for the nation of Islam. He was purportedly murdered by followers loyal to Elijah Mohammad who was upset over Malcolm's discovery
and subsequent complaints of Elijah's impropriety with women in the movement. (Two secretaries had filed paternity suits against Elijah).
Nation Islamists basically believe in the supierority of the black race and the inferiority and wickedness of the white race, all of which are preached to be the devil
Nation of Islam believes in a different version of Allah and the prophet Mohammad than do traditional Muslims. It is for these departures from the essentials of the Islamic faith
that many mainstream Muslims do not consider the Nation of Islam to be Muslim or even a sect of Islam.
Click To See The Religion of Islam compared to other religions
