FREE ESSAY ON ISLAM IN THE 20TH CENTURY

ISLAM IN THE 20TH CENTURY

The three largest and oldest religions of the world are Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
The history of the Hebrews and their relationship with God is told into the first books
of the Bible, known as the Old Testament. The Ten Commandments, which are also followed
by Christians, is a set of rules that forbid immoral conduct, such as stealing and
murder. Both Islam and Christianity developed out of Judaism. All three religions believe
in one God (monotheistic) Christianity later divided into Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman
Catholicism. Finally, in the Protestant Reformation of the 1500's, Western Europe divided
into Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. Islam emerged on the Arabian Peninsula. Within
a hundred years, Islam controlled an area larger than the Roman Empire at its height. 
Judaism is one of the oldest religions in the worlds. Based on the teachings found in the
Torah, it is a monotheistic religion that states that Jews are the chosen people of God.
This information is found in the Old Testament. Jews believe that God spoke to them
through Moses who set down rules regarding ethical behavior, family relations and forms
of worship. According the Old Testament, Moses led the ancient tribes from Egypt to the
Promised Land where they would have their own kingdom. Despite two thousand years of
discrimination and dispersal throughout Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, the
Jews retained their common beliefs and ethnic and religious identity. Jews are classified
into three different orders: Reform, Conservative and Orthodox. In Judaism Saturday is a
holy day, and Jews are presumed to observe the traditional holidays such as Yom Kippur
and Roshashanah. Many Jews believe that Palestine, located in the Middle East was
promised to them by God and have established the Jewish nation of Israel in that place.
However, this nationalistic movement where Jews unite to form a nation is called Zionism.
From Judaism sprang Christianity and then Islam.
Christianity is a religion based on the teachings and divinity of Jesus Christ. Developed
in the Middle East, this monotheistic religion traveled north and west and is the common
religion of Europe and the Americas. Devout Christians believe in the eternal life of
Jesus Christ as the Son of God who was sent to Earth to spread His teachings. In the
scriptures or the Gospel, it is said that Jesus was crucified for his beliefs and
miraculously ascended into heaven. Christianity has two main divisions: Protestantism and
Catholicism. Around the 16th century, many priests and devout Catholics detected
corruption in the church. The emergence of Martin Luther, and the Reformation (reform
within the church and its institutions) initiated this separation. The protestant
reformation was aided really by the printing press. Luther's 95 thesis and his other
writings quickly spread throughout Northern Europe. Much of Northern Europe in the 1500's
broke away from the Catholic Church and formed their own denominations of Christianity.
All Christians and Protestants believe that those who are baptized, believe in God, and
follow the teachings of Christianity will live a life after death in heaven. They accept
the Bible as the holy book of Christianity.
Islam is a religion fundamentally based on the teachings of Muhammad. This is the
dominant religion of the Middle East, many parts of Southern Asia, southeastern Europe,
and Northern Africa. Followers of Islam are known as Muslims. Islam is a monotheistic
religion and declares that Muhammad is the prophet of the one true God. Muslims follow
the sacred texts of the Koran, which is equivalent to the Bible and the Old testaments of
the Jews and Christians. Muslims are expected to follow the Five Pillars of Wisdom that
include faith in Allah, daily prayer, charity, fasting during the holiday of Ramadan, and
making a pilgrimage to Mecca, at least once in their lifetime. A religious movement that
focuses on a literal interpretation of religious texts and strict adherence to religious
doctrines and customs of the Koran is Islamic fundamentalism. Islamic fundamentalism is
on the rise in much of Middle East. Women in traditional Islamic society have a much
inferior status. Though women have legal rights and may own and inherit property, men are
taught by the Koran to provide hem with direction and protection. In fundamentalist
areas, women are kept in seclusion in the home. Similar to the religion of Christianity,
Muslims can be classified into two religious groups: Shiites and Sunnis. 
Bibliography
Palaganas, Patrick The Birth of Islam 1992