Islam and Liberal Democracy Full Term

Fukuyama’s 3 Keys to Liberal System of Governance

• Economic: allows us to sell, buy, invest, etc. which allows us comforts

• Pragmatic: tolerance and ability to exist in a modern diverse state without fear

• Moral: having autonomy

Vilayat Al-Faqih

Iranian form of government that requires god instead of human agency in the creation and governance of people through islamic law

Examples of American’s War against Allah

• Occupation of arab lands

• Massacres and unjustified war in Iraq

• Devastation and destruction of Iraq (also fragmentation of Saudi Arabia and Egypt and Sudan) for purpose of securing Israel and economic/religious goals

Anthropocentricity

appealing to humans instead of god for solutions to problems we are facing in society (govt context)

Blindness of West

we believe our values are so good that everyone else should have them because they are universal

Sayyid Qutb

fundamentalist egyptian who was ideological inspiration for Osama and killed for rebelling against govt.

Jahiliyyah

period of unbelief before muhammad’s teachings - even now people can choose between the righteous path or choose

4 Righteous Caliphs

Ali, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman

Three Empires that formed After Crusades

• Ottomans (Turkey and Europe in Vienna attacks in 1529 and 1683)

• Mughal (Sunni empire in India)

• Safavid (Shiite Iranian Empire)

Minos

King of Crete and is considered model of a just ruler but was also wicked and harsh

City (Aristotle)

community aimed at achieving highest good

Citizen (Aristotle)

someone who has right and capacity to participate in political/judicial process

Messenger vs. Prophet

give book to a community and unlike prophets are assured success by God; all messengers = prophets but not all prophets = messengers

Jihad

struggle for better life or warlike struggle for Islam to spread

Dar Al Harb vs. Dar Al Islam

• Dar al harb: World of War = world that doesn’t live according to Islam yet

• Dar al islam: World of Islam = world thats been conquered and lives under Sharia

Divine Law (Espinosa)

that which only regards the highest good and aims to know God as highest goal (is universal and common to all men)

Human Law (Espinosa)

that which only serves to render the state secure

Outer vs. Inner Piety

• Outer Piety: being a good citizen in a state (obedience to sovereign); justice and charity are outer piety examples 

• Inner Piety: being a good religious person

Five Pillars of Islam

• Profession of Faith: one god and Muhammad is messenger

• Prayer: 5 times a day facing Mecca

• Almsgiving: attending to social welfare of their community (all men have to pay wealth tax of around 2.5% of their accumulated wealth and assets)

• Fasting during Ramadan: during ninth month of Islamic calendar from dawn to dusk

• Pilgrimage (Hajj): at least once in life if you can go to Mecca and go around Kaba - has sacred black stone embedded given to Abraham by Angel Gabriel 

• (SIX) Jihad sometimes referred to as sixth pillar - means struggle for virtuous life and to spread/defend Islam

Four Sources of Islamic Law

• Koran

• Words and Actions of Muhammad compiled in Sunna

• Consensus

• Reasoning

4 Schools of Islamic Law:

• Hanafi (Most liberal - interpret Koran extensively)

• Hanbali (Most conservative - letter of the law)

• Maliki

• Shafii

Sufism

spiritual part of Islam that teaches that one must die to ego centered self in order to feel closer to God (similar to Buddhism)

Practices:

• Letting go of all attachments

• Remembrance or recollection of god

• Use of music and song

• Veneration of Muhammad and Sufi saints

2 Schools of Islamic Theology and Beliefs (God’s Attributes, Free Will, Eternality of the Koran)

Mutazila: god has no attributes; Koran is not eternal because then would be like god; people have free will

Asharite: god has attributes so omnipotent and transcendent; god is knowledgeable and uncreated and is God’s word; acquire free will

Islamic Law vs. Islamic Theology vs. Islamic Philosophy

Law: deals with matters concerning how to live your life (punishments for crimes, how to pray, etc.) based on Sunna, Consensus, Reasoning, and Quran

Theology: deals with matters concerning belief and ideas of God (omnipotence, the afterlife, oneness of god, etc.)

Philosophy: deals with matters concerning reason and revelation (utilizes reason to prove God’s existence and that Islam is correct) based on interpretation of Greek Texts and Syllogism

Taqlid

blind obedience and following of past and tradition

Tajdid

Renewal

Islah

Reform

Itijihad

Interpretation and reconsideration of tradition and ideas

Jahiliyah

period of unbelief and ignorance before Islam and Muhammad

Umma

global muslim community

Fard Kifaya

Collective obligation such as Jihad

Fard Ayn

individual obligation such as the 5 pillars

Shirk

Polytheism

Bay’a

Consent and allegiance

Aqd

Contract

Battle of Lepanto (date and definition)

A naval battle fought in 1571, where a coalition of Christian states defeated the Ottoman Empire, marking a significant turning point in the struggle for control of the Mediterranean Sea.

Dates of Sieges on Vienna

1525 and 1685

Treaty of Karlowitz (date and definition)

major loss of Ottoman territory codified in an agreement - 1699

Napoleon in Egypt - Date

1798

Revivalism (Century, Prominent Figures, Goals)

18th Century movement with goal of uniting Islam and getting back to its fundamental teachings

Modernization (Century, Prominent Figures, Goals)

19th century movement focused on islam = science and that modern world is governed by science
Al Afghani and Muhammad Abdul

Neorevivalism (Century, Prominent Figures, Goals)

20th Century movement which wanted a return to the fundamental teachings of Islam - Islam is self sufficient

Sayyid Qutb, Hasan Al Manabora, Malama Al Duti

Hobbes Laws of Nature

1st Law - we should seek peace with others unless they are unwilling to cooperate

2nd Law - should be willing to give up rights in favor of peace and self defense if others are willing to do so and enter contract

3rd Law - those who enter contracts must honor them so punishment for breaking them must be greater than reward

Four Types of Jihad

heart (inner jihad), tongue (promoting good), hands (preventing wrong), sword (war)

Lewis - Who suffers most from cultural change?

women (worst position), nonbelievers, and slaves

3 Modern Systems that Challenge the West (Gray)

Radical Islam, Soviet Communism, and National Socialism

6 Characters and their Roles in Bacon’s Text

• Polio (aristocracy), Martius (military man), Eupolis (good city), Zebedaeus (catholic zealot), Gamaliel (protestant zealot), and Eusebius (moderate piety)

  • Eusebius doesn’t speak at all

  • Idea of dialogue: is good moderate politics (Eupolis) uniting with (Polio) who represents wisdom, aristocracy, and well spokenness