What strategies would be helpful when encouraging others to have a stronger devotion to the scriptures and their teachings, in light of this?

The point of this paper is twofold. First, you will be explaining the basis of Islam, based on an understanding of the Five Pillars, the Islamic conception of God, and the Islamic view of the scriptures. Second, you will be reflecting on the notion of devotion, or one’s adherence to the teachings of the scriptures.

Remember that the goal is to explain—not to merely report what is found in your sources. Don’t just tell me what the authors said; explain why they said it, and explain what they mean by saying those things. The goal is to explain the ideas, in your own words, as you would explain it to someone who has not read these materials. While you will be utilizing (and citing) various sources, you should not quote extensively. Instead, demonstrate your understanding by explaining in your own words. Relying too heavily on quotes means that you are reporting, not explaining.

Content

This paper should consist of five paragraphs (which are outlined below). Remember that each paragraph should contain at least 2 substantive sentences and is expected to be 5-8 sentences in length. Additionally, note that I am indicating exactly what you should be explaining in each of your paragraphs. Make sure that you answer the questions that have been posed.

Read the excerpts from the Qur’an found on pages 261-3 in the textbook. Based on these readings explain the Islamic understanding of Allah. What are the attributes of Allah which are recognized by Muslims? Explain how the Islamic scriptures depict Allah, and why this is important in understanding the core of Islamic belief.
Also based on the excerpts read above, describe the Islamic view of the scriptures. What is the nature of the Qur’an? Why does their understanding of the nature of the Qur’an lead to a strength of devotion?
Explain the five pillars of Islam. For each, give a brief description of the practice involved, as well as the importance of each of these rituals/traditions.

One trait that is common between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam is a high regard for scripture. The readings you have already completed for Judaism (pages 199-200) and Islam (pages 261-3) have emphasized this; now also read Matthew 7:24-27 (on page 235 of the textbook). Based on all of these readings, explain the reason that devotion to the sacred texts of one’s religion are important. How might difficulties arise in an individual’s life if they are not devoted to the teachings of their faith? In what way(s) might ethical dilemmas arise which are difficult to navigate if an individual does not have a solid foundation in the teachings of their chosen religion?

Reflecting on what you have identified in the previous paragraph, briefly explain some of your core religious beliefs. Explain the importance of sacred writings in connection with those core beliefs—in keeping with the insights explained in the previous paragraph. What strategies would be helpful when encouraging others to have a stronger devotion to the scriptures and their teachings, in light of this? Why might we claim that an understanding of the teachings of scripture, and a devotion to those scriptures, would be helpful when we do encounter dilemmas in our everyday lives?

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