Spirituality Tips Guides

Islam accounts for approximately 21 percent of the world’s religion with some 1.5 billion followers worldwide. The second most popular religion, Islam stems back to the seventh century and originates from the teachings of Islamic Prophet, Muhammad. The Word, Islam, means “submission” or the total surrender of oneself to God. A follower of Islam is known as a Muslim, which translates to “one who submits.”

A political and military leader, Muhammad was visited by Allah who passed his revelations through the prophet. Muhammad had been unhappy living in Mecca and so retreated to the surrounding mountains to reflect and meditate. It was at this time, during the month of Ramadan, that Muhammad was first visited by Allah. Some three years later, the prophet began his teachings of Islam. Initially he received much criticism and little recognition from the tribes of Mecca and so, to avoid persecution, he fled to Medina with his followers; a move which consequently formed the beginning of the Islamic Calendar.

Muslims do not regard Muhammad’s teachings as an entirely new religion, more the restorer of the original monotheistic belief. Muslims see that the prophet’s words were the true message from God, and that both the Jews and Christians distorted God’s revelations.

Whilst Muslims do accept the existence of Jesus as a prophet, they dismiss the fact that he was God’s son. The idea of the the trinity is equally absurd in Islam and falls into the category of polytheism, or the belief of multiple Gods. God is described in one chapter of the Qur’an as follows: “God, the One and Only, God, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He Begotten; And there is none like unto him.”

As a follower of Islam, Muslims are required to believe in God and his revelations, his angels and messengers and the Day of Judgement. The Angels are seen as messengers of Allah’s words and according to the Qur’an, do not possess free will. Angels have a duty to convey the message of God, glorify God and to take a person’s soul at the time of their death.

The Day of Judgement, or Yamn al-Qayamah as it known in Arabic, is the 75th Surah (chapter) of the Qur’an and states that every man (Muslim or not) will be judged on the day of their death. This Surah is central to the belief of Islam and features throughout the Qur’an, especially in the earlier verses of the book.

Other interpretations of Yamn al-Qayamah include Day of Reckoning, the Hour, the Day of Gathering, Day of Distress and the Great Announcement. Yamn al-Qayamah will come at a time unknown to man and will be signalled by the archangel Israfil blowing the “Blast of Truth” on a horn. The Earth will be destroyed and all men and women will instantly fall to their death to be judged by Allah on their lives. Obviously (as is always the case with religion) non believers will burn in the eternal hellfire that results from the destruction of the earth. Believers (those who have obediently served God throughout their lives) will be returned to “Janah (the Garden) beneath which rivers flow.”

Jannah (heaven) and Jahannam (hell) await all men and women. After judgement, everyone has to cross “as-Sirat” (the path) in order to reach paradise. It is told that As-sirat is a thorny bridge, invisible to the human eye and the same width as one seventh of a strand of hair. For Muslims who have strong faith and who have been accepted by Allah into heaven, the bridge is easy to cross, and may be seen as a thick stone bridge. All others will fall from the bridge into the eternal fires of hell.

Islam has been divided into two main sub-groups: Sunni and Shia. The former contributes around 85 % of the religion’s population whilst the latter comprises approximately 15 %. There are other groups involved with Islam, but these two are by far the most prominent. Sunnis and Shias have fought battles throughout the years and have always endured conflict against each other. The reason for the split is as follows:

When the prophet Muhammad died, there was question as to who should be his successor. The Sunnis believed that the successor should be an elected person, and somebody who is capable of doing the job. The word, “Sunni” means “one who follows the traditions of the prophet.” The Shia, however, believe that Muhammad’s successor should have been someone of direct relation, Ali. As a result of this, the Shia (whose name means “people of the household”) have never recognised Sunni leaders, choosing to respect their own Imams who they believe to be appointed by God himself.

When considering the fundamental monotheistic statement that there is only one God, it appears to the non believer that this rivalry between the two sects is preposterous. If there is only one God, then surely all Muslims, including Shia and Sunni, should live in complete harmony with each other and devote their lives to Allah. The problem with religion, as always, is man’s interpretation of it.

Samantha is an expert Research and Theatre consultant. Her current interests are UK shortbreaks including LEGOLAND Windsor and Alton Towers.

In the shadow of the war in Iraq, America and her NATO allies continue to wage war against Al-Qaeda and the remaining Taliban in the deserts and mountains of Afghanistan.

As with the war in Iraq, the media fails to mention any progress in the region and reports almost with giddy anticipation the possibility of the Taliban’s return to power. One of the more neglected, yet most important stories the media conveniently “forgot” in its crusade to end a war it knows nothing about, is that of the liberation of women in Afghanistan.

In 1996, the Taliban established firm control of the country and began instituting harsh laws based on fundamentalist teachings. While mainstream Muslims practice tolerance and preach peace, the Taliban twisted religious beliefs into inhuman laws not seen since before the dark ages. Children were forbidden from flying kites, alcohol and the practices of other religions were banned and the media was completely censored.

Women suffered the most under this new regime. A woman could not leave her home without male escort, and young girls were barred from pursuing education of any kind. Domestic violence and forced marriages increased, and the religious police dealt out brutal punishments to those not in accordance to the “law”.
If a woman would do something as simple as paint her nails, she would have her fingers cut off. Women were stoned to death for adultery (including if she was raped), and beaten for “offenses” like their burqa being to short. For five harsh years, life was hell as the Taliban made war on the people it swore to protect.

Since the United States invaded Afghanistan, there have been many significant changes. Women have returned to school and back into the work force all over the country. In the last Presidential election, women were an astounding forty percent of the voters.
Sports that were banned are now being played all over the country. Olympic martial arts like Judo and Karate are very popular, as well as basketball and volleyball. Only a few women have competed in the Olympics since the country was liberated, but more and more women are participating in sports.

Martial arts have long been a way for a person to build physical and mental strength. And for Middle Eastern women, the positive mental attitude built by such training counteracts the years of being treated as third-class citizens.

Women in these countries are now training to be police officers, and little girls are learning sport martial arts and self-defense. All would have been impossible under the Taliban regime.

What’s going to happen in the next stage in the war is anyone’s guess as political infighting pulls resources away from front lines. And whether or not American forces are pulled out before the job is complete, perhaps the next time an Afghani or Iraqi man raises his hand to hit a “disobedient” woman, she will toss him to the ground thanks to her new martial arts training.

There is still a lot of progress to be made both for women, and society as a whole in these countries, but at least the foundation has been laid. The freedom we have provided, and the liberty for women and children to pursue martial arts will help form a new nation that could one day become a powerful ally.

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