Professional REflection: Theory and practice Part 1: Believing X ! Believing, belonging and behaving: some considerations when ? teaching about Islam 3 Jenny Berglund and Bill Gent Even for teachers who have acquired specialised knowledge about religions, teaching about particular traditions can be daunting: I don’t think I know enough. What happens if I get things ‘wrong’? Am I up to date? What if some students know more than me? In this article, which is the first of two articles on Dr Jenny Berglund is an Associate this subject, a Swedish and a British researcher into Professor at the department of the Study of Religions, Södertörn University, Islam offer some guidance. Stockholm, and a Visiting Associate Professor at the Warwick Religions and Religion, representation and This notion of religion as being Education Research Unit (WRERU), the the ‘three Bs’ primarily about ‘key beliefs’ can be University of Warwick. Email As teachers of RE, it is important that we challenged, however, and it needs to be [email protected] are aware that the concept of ‘religion’ acknowledged that this way of viewing is itself complex and open to historical ‘religion’ – and, indeed, the very concept Dr Bill Gent, former editor of REsource/ fashion. For many people brought up in of ‘religion’ itself – is rooted in Christian Professional REflection, is an Associate the secular west, the concept immediately tradition. But, more than this, the idea Fellow at the Warwick Religions and conjures up notions of ‘key beliefs’ and of religion as being primarily about Education Research Unit (WRERU), ‘faith’: indeed, the words ‘faith’ and beliefs and faith can make us blind to the the University of Warwick. Email ‘religion’ have sometimes been used many-dimensioned daily reality of ‘lived [email protected] interchangeably. religion’ in many people’s lives.1 In order 61 Professional REflection: Theory and practice to remind themselves of this, many people can be tracked across a range of different Much could be said, of course, about each find it helpful to think of religions (and words, is a feature of classic Arabic.) In of these ‘articles of faith’, and there will non-religious worldviews) in terms of three this case, the sequence is ‘S-L-M’ which, in be reference to elements of them in what intertwined and overlapping dimensions: Arabic, carries the root meaning of ‘peace’. follows, but in the context of this article, Believing, Belonging and Behaving.2 Thus, the argument runs, the essence two useful points can be made. First, of ISLaM is connected with ‘peace’, most the traditional source of this grouping It must be noted at this stage that, fundamentally in the sense that following of six fundamental beliefs goes back to although the ‘three Bs’ are a useful the ‘straight path’ of Islam leads a person the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) himself, mnemonic for both understanding and towards peace and fulfilment, both in this the evidence being a hadith – a report of teaching, the different dimensions should world and the next. As such, a MuSLiM is a what Muhammad (pbuh) said. The use not be separated too rigidly. To begin with, person who seeks peace through submitting and value of hadiths since the early days they are intertwined in the sense that they his or her life to God. Again, in everyday of Islam has been immense, for reasons merge into and affect each other.3 Second, life, the traditional greeting of one Muslim connected to the key Muslim belief that the emphasis on each of the different to another (of whatever nationality) begins Allah sent messengers and prophets to all elements varies between different religious with the Arabic waSaLaaM aleikum – ‘peace communities but that the final prophet and non-religious traditions. This has long be upon you’. was Muhammad (pbuh) (570–632 CE), been recognised, scholars4 sometimes through whom the final message in the categorising different religious traditions In the second sense, Muslims often point out Arabic language was revealed during the as having an emphasis on orthodoxy (right that there is no Arabic word which can be last 23 years of his life, traditionally by the belief) or orthopraxy (right practice), both directly translated as ‘religion’. Rather, the angel Jibril (Gabriel). Muhammad (pbuh) Judaism and Islam being placed in the word that is most commonly used is deen, then recited7 the words to others who, in latter category. which means ‘way of life’. Understanding turn, memorised and recited them to others, this point demonstrates how thinking of thus beginning a chain of transmission This article will begin by looking at the Islam predominantly in terms of ‘faith’ and that continues to this day. Some years term ‘Islam’ itself. It will then comment on ‘key beliefs’ can be misleading: particularly after Muhammad’s (pbuh) death, these aspects of Islam through the lens of the for pious Muslims, being Muslim might remembered words were brought together first of the ‘three Bs’, believing, highlighting affect daily life to such an extent that a to form the written Qur’an (though the diversity along the way. distinction between ‘religious’ and ‘non- primary experience that Muslims have had, religious’ aspects becomes problematic. So, and continue to have, of the Qur’an is that The second part of the article (to be yes, a pious Muslim they hear it recited). published in September) will look at would want to belonging and behaving, and will also take time to pray ... a Muslim is a person As the final prophet include two brief case studies – one on at five set times through whom the ‘learning to be Muslim’, the other on daily and to fast who seeks peace Qur’an was revealed, ‘Muslim attitudes to music’. It will end with during the month through submitting it is not difficult to some comments on evolution and change of Ramadan (two understand why within Islam. of the so-called Five his or her life to God. Muhammad (pbuh) is so Pillars of Islam) and revered by Muslims and The word ‘Islam’ so on, but ‘being why both his words and Islam is a broad and diverse religious Muslim’ might also affect how one dresses, actions were of such significance. For, as tradition which, like all religious and what and how one eats and drinks, how the ‘walking, living Qur’an’, as Muhammad secular non-religious traditions, has to be one greets (see above), how one washes (pbuh) is sometimes styled, he was taken on its own terms: in other words, and cleans one’s teeth, how one goes to the believed to embody the truth and spirit of each has its own particular dynamic and toilet, how one responds to or looks at other the Qur’an. In other words, if you want to characteristics. Muslims themselves often people and so on. The reasons for this will be know how to live the Muslim life, then you claim that Islam should be understood developed in the rest of this article. can do no better than look at the example less as a religion and more as a way of of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). life. Now, there are a number of senses Islam and … believing in which this claim can be understood, Though in school RE there is usually clear From an early time, then, Muslims began but let’s briefly explore two, in both cases reference to the Five Pillars of Islam, there to share and then collate hadiths of what with reference to the Arabic language, is probably less focus on the traditional Muhammad (pbuh) had said and done: the language of the Qur’an, believed by ‘six articles of faith’, usually listed as the answers he gave to questions (such Muslims to be the actual words of God.5 belief in: Allah (an Arabic word meaning as ‘What are the fundamental beliefs a God),⁶ angels, the books revealed by Allah Muslim should hold?’ – see above), how In the first sense, the three consonants (notably, the Qur’an), the prophets sent by he reacted and related to other people, within the word ISLAM are highlighted. Allah, belief in the Day of Judgment and the judgements he made about troubling (The occurrence of three consonants, which predestination. or contentious issues, what he wore and 62 Professional REflection: Theory and practice looked like, and so on. The significance of Further reading 3 In his first 2016 Reith Lecture, for example grasping this is that down the ages the Bushill-Matthews, L. (2008), Welcome – see note 1 above – Kwame Anthony shape of Muslim life, despite its many to Islam: A convert’s tale (London: Appiah illustrates how belief and practice diverse forms (influenced by other factors Continuum). inform each other. such as nationality, culture, custom, age, ethnicity and fashion), has been profoundly Gilliat-Ray, S. (2010), Muslims in Britain: 4 The famous Canadian scholar Wilfred influenced, not only by the principles An Introduction (Cambridge: Cambridge Cantwell-Smith (1916–2000), employed espoused in the Holy Qur’an but also by University Press). this distinction in his famous and very the practical examples given in the many readable book, The Meaning and End hadiths that were collected together8: how Janmohamed, S.J. (2009), Love in a of Religion (first published in 1963). to relate to others, what counts as modest Headscarf: Muslim woman seeks the one clothing, at what times the five daily set (London: Aurum). 5 Though the global Muslim community is prayers (salat) should take place, what marked by great diversity, it has certain positions should be adopted in such prayer Malik, K. (2014), ‘Is there something about vital common elements, including the and so on.