RELI 448N Week 7 Discussion Islamic Belief and Practice

Sample Answer

I chose option 1 for the discussion of week 7 because I did my interview on the Muslim Religion and I wanted to learn more about the five pillars of Islam. The Five Pillars are the core beliefs and practices of Islam starting with;

1. The Profession of Faith (Shahada), which is the belief that “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God”.
2. Prayer (Salat), Muslims pray facing Mecca five times a day at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and after dark, on a mat.
3. Alms/Charity to the poor (Zakat), In accordance with Islamic law, Muslims donate a fixed portion of their income to community members in need.
4. Fasting during Ramadan (Sawm), During the daylight hours of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, all healthy adult Muslims are required to abstain from food and drink to renew awareness of and gratitude for everything God has provided in their lives.
5. Pilgrimage (Hajj), Every Muslim whose health and finances permit it must make at least one visit to the holy city of Mecca, in present-day Saudi Arabia. They gather around the Ka’ba in Mecca on the eighth and twelfth days of the final month of the Islamic calendar”(The Met, 2000-2020).

I have chosen the fourth Pillar primarily because I would notice at work that during certain days, my coworker Maria would not eat all day but she would drink water. I always loved to share my lunch with her but when she would refuse, I knew that it was time for her fasting. I as a Catholic did fast in Lent on Wednesday and Friday of every week during the 40 days of Lent and definitely no meat on Friday’s. Of course there were always those exceptions, for example if you are working in a very physical job, you did not have to fast and you could eat all of the meat that your body needed.

The Muslim’s on the other hand are extremely devout and therefore, avoid all food, liquid, tobacco, and sex from dawn until dusk. “The purpose of fasting is to discipline yourself, to develop sympathy for the poor and hungry, and to give to others what you would have eaten”(Molloy, 2020, p. 400). I do believe that everybody should be allowed to practice all of their teachings anywhere and at any time whether it has to do with the Five Pillars or the Ten Commandments. Freedom of religion.

How do Sufis differ from other Muslims?

“Sufis are distinguished from other Muslims by their fervent seeking of dhawq, a “tasting” that leads to an illumination beyond standard forms of learning. However, the insight gained by such experience is not valid if it contradicts the Qur’an”(Religion Facts, 2017). The Sufis believe that they have no need for the Five Pillars because they have outgrown them, except for Fasting because they still believe that fasting is considered one of the most important preparations for the spiritual life. They practice having little sleep, food, and conversation. Therefore, I will have to say that they express the Fasting Pillar the same way as the other Muslims. They have strict obedience to Islamic law as well.

References

• Molloy, M. (2020). Experiencing the world’s religions Tradition, challenge, and change (8th
  ed.). McGraw-Hill.
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2000–2020. The Five Pillars of Islam.
  https //www.metmuseum.org/learn/educators/curriculum-resources/art-of-the-islamic-Links to an external site.
  world/unit-one/the-five-pillars-of-Islam
• “Sufi Practices.” ReligionFacts.com. 18 Feb. 2017. Web. Accessed 8 Dec. 2020.
  http //www.religionfacts.com/sufism/practicesLinks to an external site.