Let's start a reading list for people who want to learn more about Islam.
The main motivation for me starting this thread is that I am getting tired of all the propaganda and want to bring out balanced information that helps people understand Islam (including myself!).
RULES OF THIS THREAD
1. No content other than the info. for the reading materials is allowed. (Yes, this includes discussion that is on or off-topic, and flaming.)
2. No posting of propaganda or materials that incite hatred against Islam (or any other religion or group of people).
3. If you want to discuss something on the reading list, start a new thread about it.
4. It is expected that the moderators will strictly enforce these rules by deleting posts that break any of the rules.
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ReligiousTolerance.org
Info about the site and its purpose
Religious tolerance means:
to extend religious freedom to people of all religions, even though you sincerely disagree with their beliefs and/or practices.
Religious freedom means that you can:
Believe, worship and witness as you wish;
Change your beliefs or religion; and
Join with others to express your beliefs. 1
Our site mandate:
"To promote religious tolerance and freedom.
To describe religious faiths in all their diversity.
To describe controversial topics from all points of view."
Our two mottos:
"Study of the world's religions will lead
to an understanding of religious diversity.
Understanding will lead to inter-religious dialogue.
Dialogue will lead to peace among religions..
Peace among religions will lead to peace among nations." 2
"Whenever someone deviates from reality, others usually get hurt."
Why the website is different than many others...
This website is unlike almost all other religious sites:
It promotes religious freedom, and diversity as positive cultural values.
* We do not promote our own religious beliefs. We can't because we are a multi-faith group. We try to explain the full diversity of religious belief in North America, from Asatru to Zoroastrianism, including Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Taoism, Universism, Wicca, other religious groups, and spiritual/ethical groups.
* We try to describe all viewpoints on controversial religious topics objectively and fairly. We cover everything from abortion access to equal rights and protections for homosexuals and bisexuals, including same-sex marriage, and dozens of other "hot" topics.
ISLAM
About Islam:
Estimates of the total number of Muslims range from 0.7 to 1.2 billion worldwide and 1.1 to 7 million in the U.S. 3 About 21% of all people on earth follow Islam. The religion is currently in a period of rapid growth.
Christianity is currently the largest religion in the world. It is followed by about 33% of all people -- a percentage that has remained stable for decades. If current trends continue, Islam will become the most popular world religion sometime in the mid-21st century.
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Topics included in this section:
About Islam:
- "The Truth About Islam": A description in about 600 words
- Introduction to Islam:
- Part 1: Its origin, Muhammad, texts, beliefs, etc.
- Part 2: Its practices, schools, holy days, etc.
- Comparing the beliefs of Islam and Christianity
- Comparing their growth rates
- How many Muslims are there in the U.S. and in the rest of the
world?
- Books, web sites, and web rings
- Links to web sites featuring clothing, cards, etc.
Quotations:
- Quotations from the Qur'an
- Hadiths: sayings of Muhammad
- Comparison of Qur'an verses with the Hebrew Scriptures' Ten
Commandments
Beliefs and Practices:
- Apostasy (Irtidãd) -- abandoning Islam
- Status of women:
- Female genital mutilation among Animists, Christians, and Muslims
- The role of women in predominately Muslim countries
- The Hajj -- pilgrimage to Mecca
- The significance of Eid-Ul-Adha
- Holy days of Islam -- seasonal days of observance and celebration
- Homosexuality
- The concept of Jihad
- Paradise: life after death
- When is killing innocent humans permitted? Terrorist attacks and
the principle of tattarrus
- Punishment for non-marital sex
- The fast of Ramadan
Tolerance items:
- Accommodating Islamic prayers in public schools
- Senate/House resolutions promoting religious tolerance towards
Muslims.
- A prayer for peace and unity
- Why do "they" hate the West?
- "Terror has no faith" An essay by Ibraham Hooper of CAIR
Conflicts:
- Verbal attacks on Muslims by Fundamentalist and other
conservative Christian leaders
- Beliefs about Islam by the American public
- Is Islam a religion of violence or peace?
- Hate crimes against Muslims and mosques
- Sharia law as practiced in Ontario
- A joint Senate/House resolution promoting religious tolerance
towards Muslims.
- A book about Islam on the University of Northern California reading
list
- Terrorist attacks in America 2001-SEP-11, not by typical Muslims,
but by extremist, radical, fundamentalist, Muslim terrorists.
- The Washington-area sniper
- Al Qaeda's beheading of Paul Johnson in Saudi Arabia
- An excerpt about Iran from a book by Reza Aslan titled "No god but
God"
- A sampling of fatwas and other statements during 2005 condemning
terrorist acts
- Radical Muslim group(s) in U.S. Prisons
Religious terms:
- "Fundamentalism" within Christianity and Islam
- Names given to the "Holy Land"
- Religious terms used to refer to Islam and Muslims
In addition to the above, we have short passages on:
- Virgin birth of Jesus (pbuh)
- Jesus' (pbuh) sinlessness