Islam

basics

  • islam means surrender or submission to the will of Allah, peace, gratitude for all that Allah has done — 1.6 billion people worldwide

allah

  • god is one (al — the, lah — god)
  • has no gender
  • 9 facts
  • “allahu akbar” — god is greater [than anything]
  • people are forgetful but basically good
  • ghaflah — forgetfulness
  • day of judgement
  • will be proceeded by the Mahdi (men’dee) savior or figure similar to Jewish Messiah

the Qur’an

  • holy book given by Allah to Muhammad
  • translates to recitation
  • there is really only one Qur’an in heaven
  • the presence of Allah in the world

Muhammad

“peace be upon him”

  • most perfect human being, last prophet, but not God
  • born 570 AD, orphaned, married Khadija
  • 610 AD: Angel Gabriel appeared, told him to “Recite / Proclaim” 3x
  • the night of power and excellence
  • happened 22 more times until 632 AD
  • Arabia was polytheistic at the time (360 gods) and rejected his teachings
  • Muhammad advocated for social change
  • last Muslim prophet

fleeing — hirja

  • had to emigrate north to Yathrib in 622
  • muslims base dates on anno hegirae — in the year of Hirja = AD 622 = AH 1
  • Yathrib became controlled by Muhammad and name changed to Medina (city of the prophet)
  • 8 years of battle with Mecca and he took over Mecca and its leadership, too

seal of the prophets

  • others: Abraham, Moses, Jesus

other

  • hagar and ishmael rather than sarah and isaac
  • sunna
  • teachings of the prophet in the words of the prophet
  • miracles performed by mediation not magic
  • receiving qu’ran, negotiating daily prayers down to 5
  • ramadan

qu’ran

  • has 114 suras (chapters)
  • very different from other major world religions’ primary texts:
  • complete worldview, not just worship: way of life, culture, society, governance

Islam basics

  • science does not conflict with faith
  • the world is good
  • umma — muslim community
  • shari’a
  • obligatory, recommended, indifferent, disapproved, forbidden
  • was the law of the land in the past
  • still the law of the land in saudi arabia, iran, pakistan

pillars of islam

shahada

  • there is no god except God (Allah). Muhammad is the messenger of God (prophet)

prayer

  • 5 times a day, usually on a prayer rug
  • face mecca
  • fridays prayer in mosque (place of worship)
  • imam (worship leader, usually multiple per mosque)

fasting

  • ramadan — 9th month of lunar year
  • compassion, mortality, self-discipline, reflection, dependence
  • commemorates Hirja

wealth sharing

  • 2.5% of all your possessions not just money
  • poor don’t have to, they’re asked to receive money

pilgrimage

  • hajj
  • allah forgives your sin if you make the journey
  • if you die on the journey, you are a martyr and go to paradise
  • males wear white (no rank or wealth, all are equal)
  • females wear colorful clothing of their culture
  • rituals of running back and forth and circling the ka’ba (stone built by abraham, sacred center stone)

other

  • personal life
  • take care of your body
  • women in society
  • men and women are equal but have different roles in society
  • men—economic and public life
  • women—family
  • hijab (head covering)
  • jihad (spiritual struggle)
  • anything that detracts from worshipping or venerating Allah
  • preserve the order willed by Allah
  • similar to just war theory of christianity — can’t force others to convert, can defend self, don’t have to be attacked

history

expansion of islam

  • Muhammad died in 632 AD
  • caliphs (military/political leaders)
  • 100 years later, Islam is huge and Europe almost becomes muslim

division if islam

  • sunni: 87% follow sunna (follow customs)
  • shi’i/shia: minority (majority in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kuwait)
  • follow Ali — cousin/son-in-law of Muhammad, married Fatima; Ali was murdered
  • believe he was the true successor who was passed up three times
  • son was assassinated
  • follow imams (there have been 12 since Ali)
  • significant infighting between sunni and shi’i/shia muslims

sufism

  • mystical approach
  • change shahada “there is nothing but God”
  • sufis want to attain God now, not in the afterlife
  • whirling dervishes
  • followers are fakir (poor in spirit)
  • leader is shaykh (guide, master of sufism)
  • recitation of names of God, breathing, chanting, dancing
  • prayer beads
  • like Catholic religious order but can marry
  • the goal is al fana (death before death)
  • the fire of god
  • love
  • ecstasy
  • to stand outside oneself
  • trancelike state = visual knowledge
  • discernment
  • use of symbolism = head knowledge
  • every verse of Qur’an has several levels of symbolism to it