Chapter 3 Islam for dummies

Chapter 3: Looking at life the Islamic Way

1. According to Islam, we are all born "good" - how does it then explain the "bad" that exists? In Islam, it is believed that we are all born good however the bad comes along due to our physical nature. This is different from Christianity where we are all born with sin.

2. What are the purposes of the 3 levels of self-development in Islam?

Animal self- basic instincts and desires; accusing self- higher order questioning of our purpose; restful self- transcending worldliness as a focus  

3.How does Islam both accept other religious ideas but is the "last installment of God's will" Islam tries to accept other religions, it understands where certain differences are and voices its own perception with that said Islam believes it is the “last installment of Gods will”

4. What do you think is the role of the Tawba? How does this play a role in the daily responsibility of individuals? How is this different (or similar) compared to other religions? Tawba is the 4 step program of repentance to relieve yourself from sin. This plays a role daily because everyone sins at the moral level not necessarily at the physical level, so tawba is used to repay those sins. It is similar to other religions because you are supposed to feel bad morally when wrongful actions have been committed, in other religions other courses of repaying the sins may be taken for example in Christianity, you have to go to confession.

5.Why is Islam not a faith of "good deeds" even if it superficially may seem to be - or as claimed in the reading, it is a form of "religious capitalism" Because it is ones sins that our held against them on judgement day if those sins are not repented for

6. What is meant in the sentence: "Salvation in Islam comes from making the choice while alive to accept Allah and mold like according to the way of life He has established." This sentence means that during your lifetime you must accept Allah as God and do what is right on his name and also do not sin. That is how you reach heaven

7.Revisit / expand on the concept of the Fitrah Fitrah is basically our morals and conscience we are all born with a clean sinless conscience but as our life goes on we sin and dirty our fitrah