Islam

  • Revelations started when Muhammad was 40 years old, continued for ~23 years

Qur’an

  • Sura = books, Aya = verses

  • movement to write down revelations when he dies

  • Abu Bakar said they need to be written down, most variations come from this period until it was standardized→ very standardized

  • initial variations can still cause issues/different views

Allah- most scholars believe this just means The God, like He’s the only one that matters

  • root of Islam/Muslim = submission in a letting it go/peace kind of way

    • give yourself over to the will of God, aligning your soul with it

    • kind of like Stoicism going along with providence

  • there are other divine beings but God is completely above all of them

  • similar to Hebrew tradition

    • does not conceive of itself anything different from other traditions, considers itself part of that tradition

    • supposed to be a reset

  • very forgiving in lifetime but also afterlife b/c He is the only one who judges and understands repentance

    • God of Mercy

    • comforts Muhammad b/c some not listening/converting b/c God is in control of that, like God hardening hearts

    • but still believe in free will and we are in charge of our choices, just b/c God knows what will happen doesn’t mean he causes them

5 Pillars- technically Sunni description of tradition, all Muslims have some version of these

  1. Creed- assertion of faith

    • no God but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God

    • a lot about the Oneness of God, difference b/w Islam and Christianity b/c Muslims opposed to there being a Trinity

    • angels are not the daughters of God→ this was the belief of polytheists in the area

    • God does not need division of power

    • Muhammad = seal of the prophets, last one who will provide the unadulterated message of God

      • important but not put on a pedestal→ aniconic religion→ no images of Muhammad or anyone close to him b/c unity, prioritize only the Word

  2. Prayer- ritualized

    • face towards Mecca

    • Idea of “Do your best”, God is forgiving

    • 5 times a day (not all Muslims agree on times but this is typically standard)

    • not individual kinds of prayers, typically public, in Muslim heavy areas, prayers play over loudspeakers

  3. Alms- replaced by idea of charitable donation

    • like Mansa Musa giving out a ton of gold as he made his pilgrimage

    • generally 2.5% of income should be given to those who need it

    • largest source of charitable donations in the world

    • obligation to help those who are marginalized, need to help your community from the bottom up

  4. Fasting- rid yourself of something, like food, drinking, smoking

    • Ramadan- fasting between sunrise to sunset for a month

    • show that you can give things up for God because God is important, same as giving up time in your day to pray

  5. Hajj- at least 1 pilgrimage to Mecca during your lifetime

    • if you can do so, you have to do it

    • many people do this more than once

  • People see Islam as very hard and fast, but there is also an idea of forgiveness baked in, not completely absolute other than submission to God

    • not supposed to eat certain things, but also don’t starve to death, eat them if they’re the only things available to eat

Audience

  • addresses Muhammad as prophet, but also “You”, singular typically means Muhammad, other times it’s plural, sometimes addresses other people

  • sometimes talks to hypocrites (people who say they submit to God but don’t, worst thing you can be), sometimes non-believers

  • “We”- plurality at odds w/ singular nature of God, interpreted as royal We

  • not as much about orders, but “don’t do this”

  • there are some aggressive parts but largely poetic nature, can really let it wash over you and meditate on it even without the rhythms and everything in original