I am currently studying religion. In June, I had an experience that shattered a lot of my prior rigid conceptions and beliefs regarding God, the divine and my relationship to them, and so I started examining other belief systems, to see if something else out there may be more true, a better foundation for my spiritual life. These writeups are shares of the things I’m learning through my studies.
I do not intend to make these writeups into exact summaries of the belief systems and doctrines of other religions, except where those are pertinent to evaluation. I highly recommend turning to Wikipedia or Youtube if you want a better explanation of each religion I look at.
With that said, I started my journey by reading the Quran. Here are some things I’ve learned from Islam.
What is the Islamic view of God/The Divine?
Islam teaches that God is one God, alive, immaterial and universal, and there is no partner associated with Him. He is known by 99 names in the Quran, mostly in terms of the roles he plays: protector, giver of boons, giver of knowledge, etc. He is severe in punishing, but also Most Forgiving, Merciful. He is omniscient, being All-Knowing, All-Seeing. Islam also teaches that there are angels who sometimes appear to men to deliver messages from God, as the angel Gabriel did to Muhammad. God is also omnipotent, and determines the fates of all people in a way similar to the predestination concept of Calvinism.
How does Islam connect people to God/The Divine?
In the religion of Islam according to the majority Sunnis, connection to God is achieved through what are called the Five Pillars: Shahada (Expression of faith) Zakat (The paying of charity) Sawm (Fasting) Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca) and Salat (Prayer 5x daily). Other denominations sometimes have different lists, but this is the general heart of most of them.
What do I learn about God/The Divine from Islam?
1) It has taught me to be mindful of my works. Are my works good? If there is a God who cares about justice and mercy, He would want my works to be good. He would want me to put my arm around the orphan and give strength to the needy. Am I doing these works? 2) It has taught me I need to be more consistent and intentional with my prayers. I bought a prayer rug and do my morning and evening prayers prostrated, and try to dedicate a time to pray at least 5x a day, mirroring the practice of Salat. 3) The Quran speaks often of how things act as Signs, “to those who have knowledge.” It references the sun, the moon, the rain and the cycles of seasons as signs of God. That has taught me to be more willing to see the divine in all things. 4) The practice of Zakat, the paying of charity, is considered an act of purification in Islam. It is a purification: in my mind, that means that it helps me align my motives with what is best and good and most embodying of Love. I admire the practice of Zakat, and I mirror it with my own commitment to paying tithing as well as donating to causes that I consider worthy. Conclusion
Overall, I admire many things about Islam. I recognize that the modern Islamic world faces plenty of problems, such as the minority of its followers that align with extremism, but I also recognize the beauty and goodness that flows from a pure understanding of Islam as a practice.
However, do I need to convert? Does Islam provide a better foundation than what I currently have? No. I find that while I am uncertain who or what God is at this phase of life, Islam’s conceptions of God do not square with my experiences with God, and so I do not feel the need to replace my current foundation with Islam.
While I do not feel the need to convert, I have been blessed by my understanding of Islam and learned a great deal from it and the faith and devotion of its adherents, and hope to continue learning and growing from my understanding of Islam.
I do not intend to make these writeups into exact summaries of the belief systems and doctrines of other religions, except where those are pertinent to evaluation. I highly recommend turning to Wikipedia or Youtube if you want a better explanation of each religion I look at.
With that said, I started my journey by reading the Quran. Here are some things I’ve learned from Islam.
What is the Islamic view of God/The Divine?
Islam teaches that God is one God, alive, immaterial and universal, and there is no partner associated with Him. He is known by 99 names in the Quran, mostly in terms of the roles he plays: protector, giver of boons, giver of knowledge, etc. He is severe in punishing, but also Most Forgiving, Merciful. He is omniscient, being All-Knowing, All-Seeing. Islam also teaches that there are angels who sometimes appear to men to deliver messages from God, as the angel Gabriel did to Muhammad. God is also omnipotent, and determines the fates of all people in a way similar to the predestination concept of Calvinism.
How does Islam connect people to God/The Divine?
In the religion of Islam according to the majority Sunnis, connection to God is achieved through what are called the Five Pillars: Shahada (Expression of faith) Zakat (The paying of charity) Sawm (Fasting) Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca) and Salat (Prayer 5x daily). Other denominations sometimes have different lists, but this is the general heart of most of them.
What do I learn about God/The Divine from Islam?
1) It has taught me to be mindful of my works. Are my works good? If there is a God who cares about justice and mercy, He would want my works to be good. He would want me to put my arm around the orphan and give strength to the needy. Am I doing these works? 2) It has taught me I need to be more consistent and intentional with my prayers. I bought a prayer rug and do my morning and evening prayers prostrated, and try to dedicate a time to pray at least 5x a day, mirroring the practice of Salat. 3) The Quran speaks often of how things act as Signs, “to those who have knowledge.” It references the sun, the moon, the rain and the cycles of seasons as signs of God. That has taught me to be more willing to see the divine in all things. 4) The practice of Zakat, the paying of charity, is considered an act of purification in Islam. It is a purification: in my mind, that means that it helps me align my motives with what is best and good and most embodying of Love. I admire the practice of Zakat, and I mirror it with my own commitment to paying tithing as well as donating to causes that I consider worthy. Conclusion
Overall, I admire many things about Islam. I recognize that the modern Islamic world faces plenty of problems, such as the minority of its followers that align with extremism, but I also recognize the beauty and goodness that flows from a pure understanding of Islam as a practice.
However, do I need to convert? Does Islam provide a better foundation than what I currently have? No. I find that while I am uncertain who or what God is at this phase of life, Islam’s conceptions of God do not square with my experiences with God, and so I do not feel the need to replace my current foundation with Islam.
While I do not feel the need to convert, I have been blessed by my understanding of Islam and learned a great deal from it and the faith and devotion of its adherents, and hope to continue learning and growing from my understanding of Islam.
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