Islam

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Islam

Islam originated in the Late Antiquity in the Arabian Peninsula especially within Saudi Arabia. Its five pillars, which are mandatory for all believers, include the creed, shahada that is a testimony to his/her belief in one God and his messenger the prophet Muhammad and is often recited under oath. Muslims also engage in ritualistic daily prayers as a sign of devotion to God as well as alms-giving, which entails offering a portion of wealth to help the needy in the society. It is meant to enhance fellowship among the masses. Fasting is also a common feature performed from sunrise until sunset while pilgrimage is another religious obligation centered on the city of Mecca. Nevertheless, Shia Muslims differ from their Sunni counterparts since the former believe in the saintly status of imams over elected officials due to their closeness to Him while the latter recognize leaders as having the blessings of God and the people hence their superiority over imams. As such, both sides have interpretation differences in some religious texts. Christianity mirrors Islam in that believers believe in a higher being and the sending of God’s Messiah. Muslims however believe that Jesus did not die on the cross as preached by Christianity. It is thus clear that the Quran prohibits suicide bombing since it is against committing suicide especially in search of salvation. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is therefore not an Islamic institution because of its rampant suicide bombings, beheadings of innocent citizens as well as commission of sinful non-Islamic acts such as the burning of a fellow Muslim to death. In committing these acts, the ISIL exhibits radicalism, which is inconsistent with Islamic teachings.