Things You'll Need:
- Koran
- Hadith
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Step 1
Obtain a copy of the Koran or Qu'ran with both Arabic and English text. The Koran is widely available at religious bookstores, mosques, mosque bookstores and over the Internet. There are online versions of the Koran but it is better to have a copy you can highlight and quickly reference.
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Step 2
Attend a mosque service. In traditional mosques, women are unable to enter during services but can listen from just outside the door. Women are usually allowed to visit a mosque when there is no service taking place. This helps one to understand the mosque layout as it pertains to the teachings of Islam.
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Step 3
Study the societies in which Islam is the dominant culture. Make sure to see how each social class adheres to the tenants of the religion and look for variations in practices and levels of devotion. It is easy to presume that all Muslims view their religion as seen on the television but like Christians, the matter is far more subjective than often portrayed.
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Step 4
Attempt to involve yourself in Islamic festivals in your area. Taking part in Ramadan is a great way to see the charitable aspects of Islam often not covered in the popular press or even in the classroom.
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Step 5
Learn or at least attempt to learn Arabic. The complexity and contextual nature of the Arabic language will give you the insight to study the Islamic texts. Realizing there is more than one interpretation for many passages help provide a more open-minded approach to the study of Islam.
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Step 6
Read the Hadith stories that accompany the Koran. The Hadith is a collection of myths, interpretations and teachings that act as extension of Islamic teaching and offer several different approaches to the study of Islam and the Koran.
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Step 7
Look for similarities between your own religion and the religion of Islam. Studying religion comparatively makes it easier to understand new concepts and relate them to beliefs or interpretations in your own life and culture. This task will be particularly easy for those following monotheistic religions.
Comments
muqeem said
on 10/11/2009
To know more about Islam please visit http://islam100.wordpress.com/ ___________________
Sufficient is it to say that the way of Islam is the same as the way of the prophet Abraham, because both the Bible and the Quran portray Abraham as a towering example of someone who submitted himself completely to God and worshipped Him without intermediaries. Once this is realized, it should be clear that Islam has the most continuous and universal message of any religion, because all prophets and messengers were “Muslims”, i.e. those who submitted to God’s will, and they preached “Islam”, i.e. submission to the will of Almighty God.
relaxingonline said
on 6/9/2009 lol Outside the door indeed! Women are allowed inside the mosque! we have our own libraries, shower rooms, cosy prayer area, meeting rooms etc. In Islam defining someone by their money is seen as grave ignorance. It is classless religion and people from every background, 'class' amd 'colour' marry each other and eat and pray together! God sees people according to the goodness in the them and who are we to place value on one another?Tha hadith are the words and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him!) recorded during his lifetime by his closest friends and wife. What relevance are these you may ask!The Bible wasn't by written by Jesus (peace be upon him). 80% was written by Saul (better known as Paul). Saul lived about 200 years after Jesus (peace be upon him)died and never even met him. Sauls job was to round up Christians and sell them to the Romans to be killed as Christ...