Download - Islam Working for Unity in the Middle East World’s Second Largest Religion (1.5 Billion Followers)
History of Islam• Pre-500AD – Saudi Arabia is largely unconnected, pagan tribes• 610 AD – “Night of Power” - Muhammad receives first
revelation• 622 AD – Year 0 on the Muslim Calendar - Muhammad flees
from Mecca to Medina and begins a community• 630 AD – Muhammad gains control of Mecca
▫ 632 AD – Muhammad dies without establishing order of succession• 732 AD – Islam spreads all the way to Europe, but stopped by the
French at the Battle of Tours• 1099 AD – Christian Crusaders conquer Jerusalem from the
Muslims• 1291 AD – Christians expelled from Israel by the Muslims• 1453 AD – Muslims conquer Constantinople (renamed Istanbul) • 1492 AD – Muslims expelled from Spain• 1947 AD – Pakistan gain independence as an Islamic nation
Islam as Unifying Politics• Before Islam existed the religions around the Arabian Peninsula
were Judaism, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism▫ Also, many in the area practiced various religions▫ Tree spirits, tribal gods, and jinni (carefree spirits)▫ Allah was the supreme god of these groups
Three Daughters of Allah: al-Lat, Manat, and al-Uzza (goddesses of nature, the moon, and fertility)
• Mecca was already a site of religious pilgrimage▫ Kabah – “the cube” around meteorite; considered message from the
gods, surrounded by shrines to more than 360 gods▫ 4-month regular truce was practiced by the tribes for religious festivals
in Mecca▫ Mecca was considered holy (no fighting allowed there)
• The tribes constantly fought and stole from one another▫ No farming, no trade; only land
• Naturally, there was a need for something that unified the tribes
Name Meanings• As in Judaism, names often are foreshadowing for the
life of the person:▫ Abdul – “servant”▫ Abdullah – “servant of Allah”▫ Barak – “blessing”▫ Hassan – “lovely”▫ Jamal – “beauty”▫ Kareem – “generous, noble”▫ Latifah – “gentle”▫ Mustafa – “chosen”▫ Rasheed – “wise”▫ Shakira – “grateful”▫ Yasmine – “jasmine”
Muhammad (570-632 AD)• Abd al-Muttalib – Muhammad’s grandfather was the head of the Quraysh tribe
and the “Keeper of the Kabah”▫ Muhammad’s parents died when he is very young, and he lives with his
grandfather▫ After his grandfather’s death, he lives with his uncle, Abu Talib
• Muhammad worked as a caravan driver for Khadijah, a wealthy widow (she was 15 years older than him, but they marry)▫ By leading a caravan, he traveled and encountered many cultures (Jews and
Christians)▫ Zoroastrianism – believed in an eternal struggle between good and evil
• At 40 years old, he heard a voice of an angel (Gabriel) with his first revelation▫ Shared this insight with his wife, cousin (Ali), and friend (Abu Bakr)▫ These followers become the first Muslim – one who submits to Allah
• Muhammad has the Quran (Muslim holy book) revealed over the course of his life
• Muslims are persecuted for beliefs and commands, and Muhammad flees to Yathrib (later called Medina)▫ Created the first Islamic mosque – Muslim house of worship
• After a long struggle, Muhammad returned to Mecca
Power Struggles• Muhammad died without a true successor, so the big question is who
would be the next leader▫ Caliph - successor
• First, Abu Bakr (Muhammad’s father-in-law)▫ Died 2 years later
• Second, Umar (Muhammad’s cousin)▫ Assassinated
• Third, Uthman ▫ Assassinated
• Fourth, Ali (Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law)▫ Assassinated
• 600s AD- Umayyad Dynasty - Muslims conquer Syria, Persia, Egypt, and Eastern Africa
• 711 AD – Muslims conquer Spain; Stopped from spreading all over Europe by the Battle of Tours in France
• Islam’s “capital” becomes Baghdad• 1453 AD – Muslims conquer the Christian capital of Constantinople
(renamed to Istanbul) – Becomes the center of Ottoman Empire
The Quran• The Koran – means “the recitation”
▫ The Arabic translation is considered the most authoritative▫ Of divine origin, considered “Allah’s Words”▫ Revealed over 20 years to Muhammad▫ It is a series of sermons▫ And, it is very repetitive
• Discusses Biblical Characters▫ Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Solomon, David,
Jesus, and Mary• 114 Suras – chapters of the Koran
▫ Chapters are often titled for the images▫ Chapters are not in order of which they were revealed
• Because images are prohibited within Islam, calligraphy of the Arabic becomes central art
• Also, the Quran is most often heard chanted with it’s repetitive words
Basic Beliefs• Islam – word means “surrender” or “submission”
▫ Salam – Arabic word for “peace”▫ Inner peace is found by those who surrender to Allah▫ Ancestry traced back to Abraham’s son, Ishmael
• Islam is monotheistic (Allah – Arabic word for “god”)▫ Allah is all-powerful, over-all, present in all, creator God▫ Allah has many names, and is meant to be understood as a personal being with
no gender▫ Allah has spoken through human beings:
Abraham, Moses, and Jesus are prophets Muhammad is the last and final prophet
• Theologies:▫ Bodily Resurrection, the Soul, Final Judgment, Afterlife ▫ Promoted kindness, honesty, support for the poor, and protection of the weak▫ Demanded strict monotheism, called for no usury (lending money at high rates)▫ The Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible are valid revelations, but are
misinterpreted by Jews and Christians▫ Christians and Jews are considered “people of the book” and “children of
Abraham”
Basic Practices• Diet – no pork or wine
▫ Wine is associated with violence and addiction• No Interest in Loans or Gambling
▫ Islam is deeply focused on taking care of the people without the ability to take care of themselves, especially in regards to money
• Circumcision – at 7-8 years old▫ Quran does not command this practice
• Marriage – civil contract arranged between families▫ Ceremony is at home and for witnessing the contract▫ Islam has a very low divorce rate
• Women’s Roles – primarily wife and mother▫ Women should not raise attention to themselves▫ In some places, women are to be veiled in public
• Death Rituals ▫ Readings from the Quran, males in white shroud, face turned toward
Mecca
Five Pillars of Islam1. The Creed
▫ “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger” ▫ When said with belief, this sentence makes a person a Muslim▫ Should be said in Arabic, during prayers, and at various times during
the day▫ Statement of strict monotheism▫ Muhammad is not divine, he is merely a prophet
2. Prayer▫ Wudu – the practice of cleaning before prayer▫ Prayer times 5 times a day▫ Begins: Allahu Akbar (“God is supreme”)▫ Prayer is done in mosques and homes facing Mecca
Mihrab – special niche in mosques pointing to Mecca▫ Friday is the day of public prayer▫ Prayer in various positions: standing, bowing, prostrating, and sitting▫ Men and Women are separated for the times of prayer▫ In Muslim countries, Friday is taken as a day of rest
More Pillars…3. Charity to the Poor (Zakat)
▫ Muhammad desired a more just and generous society▫ 2.5% tax on possessions (20% more in strict branches)▫ Islamic practice is that this tax is on all that one owns▫ In Islamic countries, this is a governmental tax▫ A Muslim is also expected to exercise random acts of generosity throughout the year
4. Ramadan Fasting▫ Fasting – to abstain from food for a certain amount of time▫ Ninth Month of the Islamic Calendar
354 day/year▫ Fasting from dawn until dusk▫ Month ends with Id al-fatr - a celebration feast
5. Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)▫ Pilgrimage – a religious journey to a religious site▫ Goal to see Mecca at least once in a Muslim’s lifetime▫ Men wear one seamless white robe for the pilgrimage, called “the Robe of Abraham”▫ The meteorite, surrounded by the Kabah, was thought to be brought by Gabriel as a
sign from Allah▫ 2,000, 000 visitors come to Mecca every year▫ “Greater Pilgrimage” – travelling to Mecca during the special pilgrimage month (7th)▫ “Lesser Pilgrimage” – travelling to Mecca at any other month of the year
Holy Days• Islam has few holy days, because they emphasize “life as a continual
remembrance of the divine” and “nothing should be a distraction from Allah” (including holy days)▫ Many Muslims do not practice holy days other than those associated
with the Five Pillars• Id al-Adha - The Day of Sacrifice
▫ Every head of the family is expected to sacrifice, or pay someone to sacrifice, a sheep, goat, cow, or camel
▫ Remembering Abraham’s sacrifice of Ishmael▫ Meat is cooked and fed to the family▫ Associated with the Hajj
• Id al-Fitr – The Day of Breaking the Fast▫ After the month of Ramadan is over, the Muslims practice a massive
feast with parties▫ Associated with the Fasting Pillar of Ramadan
• Muhammad’s Birthday▫ 12th day of the 3rd month of the Islamic year
Divisions of Islam• The Divisions of Islam center around who should be the right
caliph (direct family or tribe)• Sunni - 85-90% of Muslim population (tribal)
▫ No separation of religious and political lives▫ Scholarly debate is central to Sunni Islam▫ Wahhabi – most conservative sect (most famous: Osama bin Laden)▫ “Cultural Muslims” - many are Muslim by name and not practice▫ Saudi Arabia and Egypt are the centers of Sunni Islam
• Shiite – 10-15% of Muslims (familial)▫ Think the right of succession should go through Ali’s sons (Hassan
and Hussein – both killed)▫ Hussein is considered a martyr (one who dies for a cause) worthy of
being imitated▫ Imams – twelve successors who are legitimate leaders
Last Imam – Muhammad al-Madhi is thought to be “coming back” to restore Shiite Islam
▫ 12ers, 7ers, 5ers – all disagree on line of succession▫ Iran is the center of Shiite Islam
Islamic Mysticism• Sufism – movement beginning because of respect for the
spirituality of the Christian monks and hermits▫ Begins in 922 AD▫ Muslims wore robe made of wool ( word “Suf” means “wool”)▫ Fighting against luxury and wealth▫ Rejection of laws as Islamic practice alone; entrance of emotions;
known as the “heart of Islam”▫ Goal: Experiencing Allah face-to-face is the whole purpose of life▫ Took passages of the Quran that required interpretation and focused
on them▫ Experience Fana – the loss of the sense of self
• Sufi Scholar al-Ghazali▫ Professor who adopted Sufism▫ Formed the Sufi Brotherhood that later branched▫ Whirling Dervish – group famous for spinning dancers
• Sufi promotes poetry and special worship practices
Zoroastrianism (Part of Islamic Origin)• Monotheistic religion in the Middle East and Near East
▫ Small now, but it was once all over the region of Persia• Zarathustra – “Zoraster”, the founder
▫ He hated the sacrifices of animals to appease a god, but fire was a symbol of divine goodness
▫ At 30, he had a vision that changed his life▫ Ahura Mazda – the High God and Wise Lord
Associated with cosmic justice▫ Eventually, he converted the Iranian King▫ Avesta – the holy book
• Teachings:▫ Ahura Mazda expresses himself through virtues▫ He manifests himself in spirits, the most important is Spenta Mainyu
(”the holy spirit”)▫ There are forces of good and forces of evil▫ Idea of divine judgment and punishment or reward in the afterlife▫ Belief in resurrection▫ Practice a rite of passage for boys and girls
Discussing “Jihad”• Jihad – term for “struggle”, at times refers to holy wars
▫ By some, called “the 6th pillar of Islam”▫ Two Types of Jihad:
Personal – internal struggle to live with virtue Christian Equivalent = “Battle Belongs to the Lord”; Spiritual Warfare
Public – the goal to establish all of society with the Islamic ideals of truth, morality, and justice Christian Equivalent = The Kingdom of God; Evangelism Crusades
• The Quran has many different sayings about the use of force during jihad▫ At some points, Muhammad encourages to “fight for the causes of Allah”▫ At others, he says to never “compel others into religion”
• Also, the Quran offers specific consequences for errors and taboos. Some of these are different from most Western culture▫ Public execution for adultery; Robbers limbs are amputated▫ Therefore, a government that bends to taboos needs to be replaced
• Of the 1.5 billion Muslims, most are moderate and peaceful• However, the tension exists where extremists decide to fight for an
Islamic cultural ideal
Islam and America• 6 million Muslims live in America today (2% of population)• History:
▫ 1920 – Wallace Fard starts the “Nation of Islam” (mixture of Muslim and African toleration movement in America)
▫ 1960s – Malcolm Little (Malcolm X or Malik Shabazz) takes a hajj and returns to America to condemn racial inequality (assassinated)
▫ 1978 – Louis Farrakhan revitalized the Nation of Islam into the mainstream culture
• Problems:1. Many Muslims are of African or Middle-Eastern origin (America has a
history of racial oppression against those groups)2. Western Secularism – clothing, food, economy, and philosophy are
totally different than the Community of the Quran Taliban – “seekers of the truth”; strict followers of the Quran
3. Need for Middle Eastern Resources – America consumes more oil than most nations combined and forces economic sanctions
4. History of Democratization – America has a history of removing governments to set up democracy
5. America is viewed as a “Christian Nation” (85% Christian)