Dodge - The Everything Understanding Islam Book : a complete guide to Muslim beliefs, practices, and culture

THE
EVERYTHING
UNDERSTANDING
ISLAM BOOK

Dear Reader,

My work on the first edition of The Everything Understanding Islam Book began shortly after the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001. Interest in Islam was on the rise, although unfortunately it was often viewed as the faith of enemies or through politically colored glasses. Fortunately, many people recognized that Islam was much more nd complex than what was widely portrayed, and they sought to learn more.

For nearly a decade, I have hosted an online community ( http://islam.about.com ) where people learn about Islam, ask questions, and make friends. In response to the first edition of this book, I received hundreds of follow-up questions through letters and e-mail message s from reader s. Your feedback has helped shape this second edition, in which I hope to center discussion on the foundations of the Islamic faith and how those who follow this way of life interact with others in the world.

In todays political climate, people tend to focus on what is different, unusual, or suspicious. Certainly we should recognize legitimate differences of opinion and belief. However, how much more peaceful would the world be if we also respected and celebrated our similarities and common ground?

Christine Huda Dodge

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THE
EVERYTHING
UNDERSTANDING
ISLAM BOOK
2ND EDITION

A complete guide to Muslim beliefs,
practices, and culture

Christine Huda Dodge

Copyright 2009, 2003 by F+W Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced
in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions
are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

An Everything Series Book.
Everything and everything.com are registered trademarks of F+W Media, Inc.

Published by Adams Media, a division of F+W Media, Inc.
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322 U.S.A.
www.adamsmedia.com

ISBN 10: 1-59869-867-2
ISBN 13: 978-1-59869-867-1
eISBN: 978-1-60550-724-8

Printed in the United States of America.

J I H G F E D C B A

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
is available from the publisher.

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the
American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Adams Media was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters.

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For information, please call 1-800-289-0963.

This book is dedicated to my daughters,
who have inspired and patiently supported this effort.

Contents

Muslim Minority Communities

The Top Ten
Misconceptions About Islam

Muslims worship a moon god. Muslims believe in One Almighty God, called Allah, and Islam teaches strict monotheism. Allah (God in Arabic) is the formal way of addressing God.

Muslims dont believe in Jesus. Muslims believe that God sent righteous prophets, including Jesus, to teach His message.

Islam is intolerant of other faiths. Muslims respect their common roots with Judaism and Christianity.

The Quran was written by Muhammad. The Quran is the holy text of Islam, which Muslims believe to be the exact word of God.

Islamic prayer is just ritualized performance with no heartfelt meaning. Muslims pray several times a day and perform other acts of worship that express their praise for and connection to the Creator.

Most Muslims are Arab. One-fifth of the worlds people are Muslim, and only 15 percent of them are Arabs.

Islam oppresses women. Islam does not advocate subjugation of women; men and women are equal in the eyes of God.

Muslims are violent, terrorist extremists. Muslims make up a religious community of more than 1 billion people. Only a small minority engages in violence, an act that runs contrary to the teachings of the faith.

Islam promotes jihad by the sword to spread Islam and kill all unbelievers. Islam does not advocate forced conversion; the term jihad (holy struggle) may represent an inner spiritual conflict.

The crescent moon is a universal symbol of Islam. The crescent symbol was first used in recent times and for nonreligious reasons. There is no universal symbol for Islam. Because of strict laws against idolatry, traditional Islamic art avoided images of humans or animals.

Introduction

THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY is one of the most diverse in the world, ranging from Chinese rice farmers to Bosnian steelworkers; from Indonesian fishermen to Tuareg nomads. Islam spans nearly every continent and plays a key role in the modern political world. Twenty percent of people on Earth consider themselves Muslim.

Despite their differences in language and culture, Muslims share a common faith that brings them a sense of peace and stability in their individual and community lives. Islam guides every aspect of their day-to-day lives, from their choice of work and leisure activities to the food they eat and the way they interact with other people.

Islam has more in common with other religious faiths than many people realize. Muslims believe in One Almighty God and the guidance that He has sent to prophets. Their holy book, the Quran, contains stories of such familiar figures as Noah, Moses, Abraham, and Jesus. They honor universal values such as equality, honesty, mercy, and humility.

Yet in todays world, Muslims are often associated with extremism and intolerance; their beliefs are misunderstood and even despised. Stereotypes and misinformation are spread out of ignorance or deliberately promoted for political or social purposes. Isolated cases of violence, many times without any religious motive, stand as examples of what is now considered normal Muslim behavior. Unfortunately, Muslims themselves often promote such misunderstandings due to their own selfish motivations or lack of knowledge.