Theodicy and Ethics Within Islam

By definition, Islam is a religion of those who obey the doctrines of the Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad, who in the 7th century lived in Arabia, initiated a religious movement that throughout the Middle East was supported by the Arabs. Today, not only in Middle East origins, Islam has adherents, where it is the dominant religion in all countries (Non-Arab, and Arab), but also in other parts of Africa, Asia and, of course, as well as in the United States. Those who are loyal to Islam are called Muslims. The Sunni, Shiite conflict in Iraq started long before the ruling of Saddam Hussein, but when Hussein became Prime Minister of the country the conflict between the two religious sects was taken to a new level. Right when Hussein gained full power, under his control, began years of persecution of the Shiite Muslims in the country. But, before this happened, the conflict was based upon Muhammad and who was to rule after he had died. When Muhammad had died there were many disputes on who should succeed the Prophet Muhammad after his death in 632. Shiites believed that the prophet’s son-in-law, Ali, was to be the successor. Both consider the Koran the word of God. But, devoutness and religious practice distinguish between the two sects. However, Islam teaches that all Islam is equal so Sunni and Shiite sects fight with each other not only because of “hatred” but, also because of religious

The Sunni Creed of Adud al-Din-Iji and the Zaydi creed of Imam al-Mutawakkil have some major fundamental differences, as you may expect since both come from opposite spectrums of Islam; but, after careful analysis, one may be surprised to find that both creeds hold a fair amount of similarities. In this essay, I plan to compare and contrast the Sunni creed and Zayid creed by showing you evidence of the significant similarities and differences in these two short texts. Even though one branch may have something that the other may not have, one can still see that both creeds of Islam provide the instructions and general beliefs of how a Muslim must act, how God is the most powerful. The biggest

As time goes by, ethical and moral issues have been brought up for long periods of time and these issues are recently becoming the rising problem to be discussed in society, business area and daily life. Most of people generally understand that the general meaning of ethics equals to the meaning of moral. However, moral is basically a matter of individual conscience without forcibleness, but ethics are related to social system with forcibleness. The academic definition of ethics is described as a stem of philosophy which raises moral questions and is demonstrated what is the main characteristic of morality and the way in which moral standards are decided (Gray & Webb, 2010).

1. Summary of the Islamic worldview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Islamic studies has become a subject of strategic importance in our multicultural society. With all of the political upheaval and ever present fear of extremism and terrorism in the world today, it is essential to promote the understanding of Islam and the role Muslims have in the contemporary world. To do this, one must first have an understanding of the culture and religious tenets surrounding Islam, compare and contrast these beliefs with Christianity and Judaism, and discuss how the perceptions or

To commit a wrong is up to the person who is given free will. Because God gave all things free will, they alone have the power to do right and wrong, although this does give the opportunity for evil, it also gives the opportunity for good, love, happiness and warmth. It is up to the individual, who knows right and wrong not only from the teachings of God, but from the learned and adapted morals that they uphold in their daily life. Since sin and evil cannot be avoided, God and his forgiving ways brining the universe a “fresh

People tend to be extremely attentive when religion is involved. In ‘We are all Guilty”, the author, Azmi Ashour, illustrates how the ethics of Islam are being neglected and distorted. Although Azmi Ashour succeeded in triggering the audience’s sympathy by stressing on the fact that Islam is being used to justify terror and the young are brainwashed, he failed in specifying his audience, thus the article lacked quality of information.

There are a variety of different ethical systems that have developed of the course of millennia. However, even though the subject has been covered so thoroughly, it is still heavily debated. The varieties of ethical systems that are in existence look at various ethical problems from different perspectives and can be applied differently in different circumstances. Because of the subjective aspects to applying ethics, they can be as much an art as they are a science. Ethics are something that must be practiced and really cannot be perfected. In this way, studying ethics is a continual process that does not really stop. This paper will argue that ethics are the most important subject that an individual can pursue.

Islam believes that Allah weighs an individual’s good and bad deeds against each other on the Day of Judgment and will punish them if their evil deeds outweigh their good deeds. If the bad deeds outweigh the good they will be sentenced to an afterlife in the fires of Jahannam

The American Psychological Association’s ethics code recognizes the importance of cultural competence by stating that a practitioner should have an understanding of various topics such as religion in order to provide appropriate, effective, and ethical treatment (APA, 2010). Ahmed and Reddy (2007) point out that culturally competent practitioners have increased credibility, trust, and respect and therefore improved therapeutic alliances with clients. Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in the world (Hammoud, White & Fetters, 2005). It is important for practitioners to understand, within the context of this growing population, how the intersections of history, culture, and religious beliefs and practices impact mental health and its treatment. This understanding will allow them to improve their competence in working with these individuals.

"Islam" is derived from the Arabic root salaama meaning peace, purity, submission and obedience. Islam stands for making peace by submitting to the will of God and obeying His law. Jews and Christians view Islam as the latest of the world's great religions. However, worldwide Muslims (sometimes written "Moslems") understand their universal religion as the "final religion" and the "primal religion."

There are several ethical teachings in Christianity and Islam that instruct Christians and Muslims on how they should act in everyday life. These ethical teachings often require the members of each religion to give generously to the welfare of those in need. This essay will prove that both Islam and Christianity have ethical teachings that instruct people to give to the needy. This will be proved by first defining what an ethical guideline or teaching is, by looking at the Islamic ethical guidelines that instruct Muslims to help those in need and finally through analysing the Christian ethical guidelines that teach Christians to contribute to the welfare of those in need.

The holy Quran is a collection of the divinely inspired utterances and discourses (Ahmed, 16). It is composed of some 300 pages which are divided into 114 Surahs (chapters). The general tone of the holy Quran is sombre and meditative. It is a dialogue between God and humanity. At the core is a moral earnestness (Ahmed, 16). The Quran also teaches that humanity is created by God and therefore God understands its weaknesses and in Allah humans find the source of peace. Islam’s appeal lay – and – lies in the simplicity: one God, one Book, one Prophet (Ahmed, 17). Islam is a religion of balance, equilibrium, and compassion. The Islamic virtues are courage, generosity, cleanliness, and piety: and in his life the Prophet exemplifies them (Ahmed, 17).

The religion of Islam dates back to the 7th century CE and the life of its founder, Muhammad of Mecca, in Saudi Arabia. Islam is an Arabic word meaning: making something safe and secure, making something sound and whole, entering into peace and tranquility, and surrendering to something other than oneself. A follower of Islam is called a Muslim. In the religion of Islam, it requires the belief in certain core tenets, which include the articles of faith and the five pillars of worship. These two combined, form the Islamic creed.

The world’s fastest growing religion that originated in the Middle East may have a lot more in common with a philosopher from Ancient Greece than many may think. Although Islam came many years after Plato, and originated in a completely different part of the world, they have major key similarities. Some of these similarities include both of their views on the soul, Plato’s philosophy and Sharia (Islamic Law), and their view on the concept of moral absolutism. The astounding similarities will be discussed further in the following paragraphs.