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10. ISLAM Chapter Overview It Would Be Difficult to Overestimate The 10. ISLAM Chapter Overview It would be difficult to overestimate the importance of monotheism in the religion of Islam. When an infant is born into a traditional Muslim family, the first sentence spoken to the baby is the Shahadah, the chant: There is no god but God. Islam teaches the Oneness of God as the most important lesson of life. Although God may be called by ninety-nine different names in the Islamic holy book, the Qur an, these are really characteristics of attributes of the one God. The name of God that encompasses all these attributes is Allah. Perhaps the most remarkable feature in the history of Islam was its tremendous expansion in the centuries after its founder, Muhammad, died. The religion spread from the Near East to the Arabian peninsula and Syria, through the Persian Empire, to major cities in Egypt, and eventually to Turkey, North Africa, and northern Spain. In 732 C.E. at the battle of Tours in France the European expansion stopped. Even so, Islam continued spreading in the East. It went as far as northern India, Indonesia, and the southern trade routes of Africa. The ethos of Islam is highly cultured. Since the medieval era, Muslims have been stereotyped as war-like, scimitar carrying, radicals engaged in holy war against the infidel. Think for instance of the way Muslims were portrayed in the Walt Disney animation of Aladdin. Contrary to popular belief, the religion of Islam was not spread by military campaigns. Historically, Islam spread predominantly by interaction along trade routes, the mystical appeal of the Sufi tradition, and conversions by people who felt oppressed by Roman and Persian religions. In fact, the Qur an forbids forced conversions of people, urging instead the followers convince others by demonstrating wisdom and reverence in their personal lives. The chapter discusses the recent resurgence of Islam. This movement takes several forms. One emphasizes a return to the religious law proclaimed in the Qur an instead of obedience to European law, which is predominantly Greek and Judaeo-Christian. However, the law that evolved over the past thirteen centuries must be adapted to changing times in which women wish to make contributions to professions and the economy. It is interesting to note that during the time of Muhammad, women and men worked together, and women were not ordered to wear veils. Customs of separation were adopted from the Persian and Byzantine empires. Another expression of resurgence noted by the chapter is that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world and in the United States. Mosques can be found in Manhattan as well as Saudi Arabia. It has approximately one billion two hundred million followers. A further indication of resurgence is in the realm of education. More attention is being given to developing educational systems modeled on Islamic thought. Islam is certainly applicable to modern times, for it is a faith that historically placed a strong emphasis on the importance of reason and the value of science. It encourages education that is well rounded, balancing intellectual studies with those of the spirit and feelings. The chapter also discusses the outreach of Islam into the arena of politics. The goals of the chapter are these: 1. To describe the origins and development of Islam 2. To sketch a brief biography of the founder of Islam and to present his teachings 3. To explain the importance of the Qur an for this religion 4. To present the central teachings of Islam 5. To investigate the resurgence of the Islamic faith in the contemporary world The Prophet Muhammad Islam means complete surrender to and trusting in God. The greatest prophet of this religion was named Muhammad. Muhammad , the praised one, was born in approximately 570 CE in Mecca. His father died before he was born, and his mother died when he was very young. He was raised by a woman from another tribe and raised as a shepherd. Muhammad was known by his contemporaries as a respectable, trustworthy person. His stories and sayings form a literature called the Hadith, and his mode of behavior is known as the Sunnah. At the age of twenty-five, Muhammad met a beautiful woman who was several years older than he. Her name was Khadijah, and she was most supportive of his spiritual life. When they married, he was twenty-five and she was forty. Historians report that during his marriage, Muhammad began spending periods of time in solitary religious retreat for the purpose of undistracted contemplation. A particularly significant event for him took place during one of these retreats during the month of Ramadan when he was forty years old. One evening called the Night of Power, Muhammad had a revelation from God and a visit from the angel Gabriel. Somewhat disturbed by the depth of this religious experience, Muhammad went home and was comforted by his wife and encouraged to continue on this religious journey. The spiritual communions recurred, and Muhammad began to feel more at ease with them. However, at first he did not attempt to share them publicly. Then he received a message telling him to warn his people that they should worship the one true God in order to prepare for harsh judgment day. Muhammad was not well liked for the most part in his hometown of Mecca. So in 622 C.E. he and some followers left Mecca for Medina. This event is known as the Hegira. It is the point from which historians date the Muslim era. Muhammad eventually returned to Mecca for a pilgrimage, and he became very ill. He left instructions for his followers, telling them about the rites they should follow. However, during his illness there was some confusion over who was to be his rightful successor, and that question is still alive in the distinction between Sunni and Shi ite Muslims. Muhammad died in 632 C.E. Muhammad is understood by Muslims to be a great prophet, teacher, and founder of the tradition. He is not considered divine in this religion and to revere him as such would be considered blasphemy by a Muslim. The Qur an The sacred scripture of the Islamic people is called the Qur an. The tradition claims that it is the collection of readings or recitations received by Muhammad over a twenty-three year period. One of the main themes of this sacred text is the unity and oneness of God. The Qur an includes religious figures from Judaism and Christianity, including Abraham, Jesus, Jesus mother Mary, and the angel Gabriel. Islam teaches that these figures were important in carrying out God s work, but that they are not as central as Muhammad in the revelation of God s word. The Qur an also teaches that humans have been created in the likeness of God. Islam teaches that people are born free of sin and contain more good than bad. With the help of the divine, people can learn to follow the will of God. Islam warns of a final judgment day. At the end of time, a wild beast will rise from the ground and speak to the people but will be conquered by an agent of God called the Mahdi. Afterward, humans will die, and there will be a bodily resurrection. People will be judged by their thoughts and deeds. The central teachings The chapter explains five major beliefs within the Islamic religion which is not to be confused with the Five Pillars discussed below. These teachings are about: the oneness of God and of humanity, prophethood, the relationship of humans to the divine, the unseen life, and the last judgment. First, the religion of Islam is strictly monotheistic. It is estimated that over ninety percent of Muslim theology deals with the unity of God. The Shahadah,is the Muslim confession of faith which declares, There is no god but God. This exemplifies the theological emphasis on strict monotheism in a polytheistic environment. The Muslim name for God is Allah. Second, devout Muslims believe that Islam envelops all religions; therefore, all prophets are honored by Islam as messengers from the same, one, God. Prophets other than Muhammad were historically conditioned and their messages were tailored for specific peoples in specific time bound circumstances. On the other hand, Muhammad s message is timeless, meant for all peoples everywhere. He is considered the last of the prophets and the greatest. Third, this religion professes that God in his sovereignty rules the world and has created everything for a divine purpose. In light of this, humans can only find peace by learning God s laws and living by them. The relationship of humanity to the divine is one of total surrender. Regarding this surrender two major sins emerge: shirk or idolatry in the sense of associating anything other than God with the divine. The other is kufr or atheism. A third problem is thought of as forgetfulness of God where one loses touch with God s law and God s way of life. Revelation is intended to remind one of their true nature and destiny. Fourth, in Islam, there are beliefs in the intangible world of the spiritual including angels, Gabriel, Satan, jinn, and saints. Lastly, the Qur an teaches that a bodily resurrection and a final judgment will occur where one will either enjoy the rewards of the Garden of Bliss or the tortures of Hell. Intriguingly, Muslims believe that Hell is eternal only for nonbelievers. Believers can eventually be lifted out of Hell into Paradise because it is believed that God s mercy outweighs God s wrath. The Sunni-Shi ite Split There are three expressions of, or divisions within Islam: Sunni, Shi ite, and Sufi.
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