Belief Systems: Islam (1 Viewer)

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Erm I didn't do belief systems but I am Muslim, so this is a wild guess:

* What values have continued or changed over time? e.g increasingly liberal/conservative

* I would consider a continuity its inherit principles towards peace and fairness.

* A change may be the demographics of the average Muslim, and perhaps being the fastest growing religion in the world

* I would say a continuity would be the continued value towards the five pillars of Islam including attending Hajj if one can afford it and is physically able to do so

* Maybe continuities and changes could be displayed in the types of religious leaders of Islam? E.g. Males still lead prayers in Mosques but there are also heaps of opportunities for women to get together and have their own religious sessions and meetings and be recognised as leaders of religious communities (I would think that women were still in leadership positions previously but the way they lead *may* have changed over time)

* I dunno if this is relevant but whilst we continue to read the Quran in Arabic increasingly there is a desire to understand it thoroughly in our own native languages to ensure we understand what it means and its relevance (rather than someone who is recognised as a leader may claim what it means and exploit and illiterate audience) and look at the layers beyond literal meaning of religious texts

* I would say the inherit intentions of Islam would continue but how it is practised would change, and it's not just within Muslim subcultural groups but externally within their societies that change exists in how we are treated or with commercial items such as Ahiida who made Islamic swimsuits to cater to religious and cultural values whilst supporting Australian beach culture I think.

* Change through the existence of different branches of Islam (and some cults wrongly labelled Islamic such as that one from the 60s in America that Malcolm X was initially part of), though many would challange some supposedly Muslim sects because their religious beliefs seem too different in core areas to mainstream Islam

* A disturbing change may be the misinterpretation of the word jihad (arabic word for struggle) to blow people up and corrupt the value of the word which focuses on how Muslims struggle to do what is right rather than presuming that suicide bombing will get you into heaven (so sad:( )

* Overall I'd say within Islam as a religion and thereby Muslims as a collective maintain strong continuities in adherence to values towards equity and peace (when properly applied) but how Islam is practised changes because of how we adapt to global societies such as modernisation and globalisation etc.

Sorry if that was absolutely no help at all, but hopefully something in there was of some use rather than the empty sound of tumbleweeds and crickets :)
 

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