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How Deen is different from Religion?

 

Islam is the religion of 1.8 billion people around the world. It is the second-largest religion in the world. Muslims follow the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). There are many differences between deen and religion.


What Is the Difference Between Deen and Religion?

 Deen is an Islamic term that refers to the principles and practices of Islam. Religion is a term used to describe the beliefs and practices of various religious groups.

While deen and religion share some common elements, they also have significant differences. Deen focuses on the spiritual aspects of life, while religion focuses on life’s spiritual and temporal aspects. Deen emphasizes obedience to God rather than human authority, while religion often has a hierarchical structure. Finally, deen is based on faith in God alone, while religion can include belief in deities or gods.

What Are the Similarities Between Deen and Religion?

 Both deen and religion are ways of living one’s life that emphasize obedience to God or gods. Both have a set of beliefs and practices that followers must follow to be pious. 

Both can justify violence, discrimination, and other harmful actions. However, some critical differences between deen and religion make them unique and essential social institutions. Deen is based on the belief in one absolute God who created the universe, while religion can involve a variety of gods or goddesses with different beliefs and practices. Deen focuses on personal salvation through faith in Allah or another god, while religion often stresses humanitarian values such as compassion for others.

Deen is more about daily life than religion is. Religion is often focused on salvation and heaven, while deen focuses on good deeds and manners.

Why Do People Use the Term “Religion” To Refer to Islam?

 People use the term “religion” to refer to Islam for various reasons:

  • Islam is the dominant religion in many parts of the world.
  • Muslims follow a specific set of religious beliefs and practices that differ from other religions.
  • Many people view Islam as a monolithic entity separate from other cultures and societies.



What is Islam?

 Islam means “The submission to the will of Allah Almighty”. The followers of Islam are known as Muslims. Islam is a monotheistic religion that is considered the second-largest religion globally. It originated in Arabia during the 7th century, and over 1.6 billion people follow it, making it one of the widely followed religions in the world.

Muslims believe Allah is one, and Muhammad is His prophet. They believe that there are mainly five pillars of Islam which include;

  • Shahadah (declaration of faith) 
  • Salat (prayer), 
  •  Zakat (almsgiving) 
  • Sawm (fasting) and 
  • Hajj (pilgrimage). 


These five pillars are what Muslims used to live their life by, and they are also what they used to judge other people’s lives by.

What are the Teachings of Prophet Muhammad?

 The teachings of Prophet Muhammad are the guidelines for the Muslim community. They are based on the belief that Allah is one and Muhammad is his messenger. The central teachings of Islam are:

  1. Believe in Allah and His angels, His books, His prophets and messengers, the Day of Judgment, and life after death.
  2. Prayer five times a day. 
  3. Fasting during Ramadan. 
  4. Giving money to charity or almsgiving. 
  5. Going on pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime if you have the means. 


What are the Practices of Muslims?

 Muslims are followers of the Islamic faith. They follow the teachings of Prophet Muhammad and live under the guidance of Allah. The practices of Muslims are based on the Quran and the Sunnah teachings. The practices that Muslims follow all over the world include daily prayers, fasting, giving charity, and pilgrimage to Mecca.

Practices of Muslims may vary depending on where they live, how they were raised, and their family background. But there are some standard practices that all Muslims adhere to, such as praying five times a day, fasting during Ramadan, and giving to charity.


Conclusion:

 Islam is a religion that follows the teachings of Prophet Muhammad. Muslims believe in one God and Mohammed as his last messenger. They practice five daily prayers, donate to charity, and eat halal food.

There are many differences between deen and religion. However, there are also some similarities between them. Muslims should not use the term “religion” to refer to Islam but should use “deen”. 

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