By Pangley Yang and Munthaha Mumin Staff Writers
From the publication of “Islam on Demand,” the word “Islam” means surrender or submission. The word “salaam” means peace; it is the root word of Islam. Islam is a universal religion. There are 1.6 million Muslims in this world and it is the fastest growing religion in the world.
In Islam there are five pillars that every Muslim must follow. They are: testimony prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, and alms-giving. Wealthy Muslim’s must complete all pillars before they die. The poorer Muslims must complete the first three pillars. But, every Muslim should pray five times a day.
Islam is a peaceful religion. Terrorism, unjustified violence, killing of non-combatant civilians, and forced marriages are forbidden in Islam, says the Publication of Islam on Demand.
“Killing innocent people is most definitely forbidden in Islam,” said senior Anika Chowdhury.
Juan Cole is Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University of Michigan writes in his online news article, Informed Comment that, in Islam, taking revenge is forbidden. In the Qur’an it says “it shall be as if he had killed all mankind; and he who saves a life, it shall be as if he had given life to all mankind.”
An article posted on “Empowering Youth for Peace in Iraq” says, there are “20,000 women and girls in Iraq that could face an increased risk of sexual violence promoted by ISIS.”
Junior Nikebia Brown-Joseph says, “Women already face enough discrimination and hardships across cultures, seeing and hearing what they have to go through compared to what women here at home have to go through, it is definitely more extreme. It makes me really upset and worried how women will continue to be perceived in cultures. It seems as if women are not valued. Young women my age should only have to worry about education, instead of sexual assault and violence against their lives.”
The Islamic religion is a peaceful religion, therefore ISIS cannot possibly be following the Muslim way of life.
