Islamic Worldview

Islamic Worldview – The Basics
The Islamic worldview is grounded in Allah (God), Mohammad (the ultimate and final prophet of Allah), and the Qur’an (the Word of Allah delivered through Mohammad beginning in about 610 AD). Islam means submission to Allah and a Muslim is one submitted to Allah. About 1/5th of the world’s population is Muslim, about three-quarters of which are non-Arabs. Our friends at Summit Ministries have helped us explain the basics of the Islamic worldview across ten major categories. For comprehensive coverage of each concept, please click on READ MORE at the end of each paragraph.

Islamic Worldview – More than a Religion
The Islamic worldview is more than a religion. Islam covers all aspects of life for its followers. While many religious scholars treat the Islamic worldview as a monotheistic religion following five simple “pillars” of faith, the concept of Islamic State actually goes much deeper, including the following:

Islamic Theology – Theism (Unitarian)
Islam reveres Allah, whom they consider to be the one and only God, the only creator and master of the universe. This can be seen in their primary declaration of faith: “There is no god but (one) God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.” Muslims also hold that this god is the same one worshipped by Christians and Jews . READ MORE

Islamic Philosophy – Supernaturalism (Faith and Reason)
Like Christianity, Islam is a revealed religion. Therefore, some adherents consider the fusion between the Islamic faith and the discipline of philosophy (or reason) to be impossible. Among those who do think it’s possible, however, there are at least three approaches. The first is to use philosophical arguments to prove the assumed tenets of faith to be true. The second is to attempt to prove independently of one’s religious beliefs that these beliefs are, in fact, sound. The third approach is to try to apply analytical philosophy to one’s religion, in this case, Islam. READ MORE

Islamic Ethics – Moral Absolutes
The Muslim understanding of the Qur’an and the practices of Muhammad serve as the foundation for Islamic ethics. This foundation happens within the context of worshipping and submitting to Allah. All human beings are called to “command the good and forbid the evil” in every sphere of life. In addition, it is believed that people have been given the means to discern the will of God and to adhere to it. READ MORE

Islam and Science – Creationism
The Islamic worldview is grounded in Islamic creationism, which is the belief that the universe (including humanity) was created directly by Allah as explained in the Qur’an. While contemporary Islam tends to take religious texts literally, it usually views Genesis as a corrupted version of God’s message. READ MORE

Islamic Psychology – Mind / Body Dualism (un-fallen)
While Islam affirms that human beings exist beyond the death of the body – thus affirming some form of distinction between the body and the soul – its view of human nature diverges from the Christian understanding. The Muslim view of human nature does not include the attribute of “fallenness.” Rather than seeing Adam and Eve’s sin as giving every human being a sinful nature, Islam sees their disobedience as having been completely forgiven, thus leaving no trace in the generations that have followed. READ MORE

Islamic Sociology – Polygamy, Mosque, and Islamic State
Like Christianity, the family, worship of God, and the state are central to Islamic teachings. Of course, there are substantial differences. While most Muslims practice monogamy, the Qur’an permits a man to have four wives upon certain conditions. Regarding the worship of God and the government, Islam does not distinguish between social institutions and the state. It is a comprehensive reality – the state is to be as much Islamic as is the local mosque. READ MORE

Islamic Law– Shari’ah Law
Governing many aspects of day-to-day life, Shari’ah Law is taken from four different sources: the Qur’an, the Sunnah, the Ijma’, and the Qiyas. Shari’ah refers to the body of laws Muslims believe are applicable, while fiqh is the human endeavor to understand and apply those laws. Muslim jurists do not have as their goal the making of laws, but the understanding or knowledge of a law deemed to already exist. In contrast to biblical Christianity, however, Shari’ah does not reveal the nature of God, only his will. READ MORE

Islamic Politics – Islamic Theocracy (Global Islam)
Global Islam means that all nations would be ruled under an Islamic theocracy, which is simply a national government set up under the rule of Allah’s divine sanction as expressed in the Qur’an and Shari’ah law. Though early Islam spread primarily through force, this methodology does not enjoy as much widespread support, though it is still taught and practiced by certain Muslim groups. READ MORE

Islamic Economics – Stewardship of Property
While locating their economics between the capitalism of the West and the communism of the East, the Islamic worldview bases its economics on four foundational principles: unity, equilibrium (the responsibility to take care of the poor), free will, and responsibility. READ MORE

Islamic History – Historical Determinism (Jihad)
The Islamic worldview affirms that history is not made up of a series of chance happenings. Rather, because Allah created the world, he superintends it through time, guiding it toward an expression of his will. As one expert puts it, “The world is a becoming entity, created by the will of a Designer and sustained by him for meaningful purposes. Historical currents take place in accordance with His will and follow established laws. They are not directed by blind chance, nor are they random and disorderly incidents.” READ MORE

Islamic Worldview – Conclusion
The Islamic worldview began with the birth of Mohammad in 570 AD. By 650 AD, the canon of the Qur’an was established, and significant conquests in the name of Islam were underway, including Mecca, Damascus, Jerusalem, Egypt, and Persia. Today, the Islamic worldview has approximately 1.2 billion followers. Obviously, the Islamic worldview is an important part of any comparative worldview curriculum.