wh 2-18

Sunna & Shi'a

• Course: HIST 1010

• Instructor: Adam Jortner

• Date: 2/18/2025

Questions

• Discussion questions pose significant inquiries about religious texts and traditions.

• Example Question: In rabbinic Judaism, if written Torah and oral Torah are equally valid, what is "Torah"?

Written Torah & Oral Torah

• Written Torah: Includes texts such as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, etc.

• Oral Torah: Comprises interpretations, including Midrash, Talmud, and modern interpretations.

The Five Pillars of Islam

1. Profession of Faith (Shahada): Declaration of faith.

2. Pray five times a day: Daily prayers are essential in Islamic practice.

3. Fasting in Ramadan: Observance of fasting during the month of Ramadan.

4. Alms for the Poor: Obligation to give to those in need (Zakat).

5. Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca, required once in a lifetime for those able.

Acronym: FARMS

• Fast during Ramadan

• Alms to the poor

• Repeat prayers five times a day

• Mecca (the pilgrimage)

• Shahada (Profession of Faith)

Jihad

• Best translated as "striving".

• Refers to both internal and external struggles.

• The term appears four times in the Quran.

• Quranic verse 2:256 emphasizes no compulsion in religion.

• The view of jihad as a universal command for all Muslims is misrepresented.

Three Key Periods After the Prophet

1. Rightly Guided Caliphs (632-661)

2. Umayyad Dynasty (661-750)

3. Abbasid Dynasty (750-1258)

The Four Rightly Guided Caliphs

• Abu Bakr: Caliph 632-634

• Umar: Caliph 634-644

• Uthman: Caliph 644-656

• Ali: Caliph 656-661

Uthman

• From the House of Umayya, a Meccan aristocrat.

• An early convert to Islam around 1 AH.

• His caliphate involved rivalry between Umayyids and the "Party of Ali" (Shia).

• Kharijis emerged, believing that any qualified Muslim could be a leader.

Ali (Caliph 656-661 CE)

• Both a political and religious leader.

• Beliefs about Ali led to the split between Sunni and Shi'a.

Shi'ism

• Gradually separated from Sunni Islam, emphasizing the role of Imams.

• Ali recognized as the first Imam. His sons al-Hasan and al-Husayn as the second and third.

• The last Imam is believed to have vanished and will return as the Mahdi.

Mysticism in Religion

• Interior and exterior religious experiences are interconnected.

• Mysticism includes diverse beliefs:

  • New Thought manifesting concepts.

  • Direct communication with God.

  • Altered states of consciousness in other religions.

• Often not strictly categorized and present in varied religious practices.

Sufism

• Represents mystical interpretations of Islam.

• Beliefs in monism: a singular essence.

• Practices include ecstatic states induced by repetitive actions like standing and dancing.

• Example: The Conference of the Birds – a famous Sufi poem from 1171 CE.

Mu‘āwīya b. Abī Sufyān

• Entered Islam around 630 CE, became caliph in 661.

• Moved the capital to Damascus, establishing the Umayyad Dynasty.

• Expanded conquests, developed the navy, and initiated an attack on Constantinople.

• Society had three informal tiers: Arab Muslims, Non-Arab Muslims, non-Muslims.

Umayyad Empire (661-750 CE)

• Significant centers:

  • Cordoba

  • Kairouan

  • Fustat

  • Damascus

  • Kufa

  • Medina

  • Mecca

  • Isfahan

Abbasid Rule

• Key figure: Abu Muslim ibn Muslim.

• Emphasized Arabization, albeit with non-Arab themes abroad.

• Revolt against the Umayyids focused on Islamic values rather than tribal leadership.

Abbasid Empire (750-1258 CE)

• Capital: Baghdad

• Ahead in civil service, science, arts; significant advancements include algebra, optics and coffee.

• Saw the merger of Greek & Roman scholarship with Islamic scholarship.

Shari'a (Part 1)

• Described as "Islamic law" but not hierarchical or centralized.

• Legal scholars (ulema) derive rulings from the Qur'an and hadith.

• Rulings are based on clear texts or through reasoning when ambiguity exists, utilizing principles like qiyas (analogy) and ijma (consensus).

Shari'a (Part 2)

• Expanded during the Abbasid period, acting as a check on the sultan's power.

• Three major schools of thought emerged, serving as a division between mosque and state.

Summary of Shi'a and Shari'a

• Shi'a: Considered as "the party of Ali," one of the principal branches of Islam.

• Shari'a: Islamic law, often summarized as SHARI’A = AR = Always Reading.

Damascus Room, ca. 1700

• Decorative calligraphy found in historical rooms of Damascus.

Abu Yusuf’s Advice to Haroun al-Rashid

• Emphasizes the importance of timely action and righteous living.

• Encourages focus on deeds rather than social rank in facing God's judgment.

Timeline of Key Events

• Prophet Muhammad (570s-632 CE)

• Medinan period begins (622 CE)

• Conquest of Mecca (630 CE)

• Death of Muhammad (632 CE)

Extended Timeline of Leadership

• 634-644: Umar

• 644-656: Uthman

• 656-661: Ali

• Post-661: Islam spreads into Egypt, Arabia, Middle East, Turkey, and Mesopotamia.

• 750: Expansion into Spain, North Africa, Afghanistan, India.

• Transition from Rightly Guided Caliphs to Umayyad Dynasty (661-750), followed by Abbasid Dynasty (750-1258).