1 / 31

Islam

Islam. Introduction ‘There is no God but God’. Diversity?. Introduction. Over 1 billion adherents ( estimates vary, but around 1.3) D iversity influenced by: Language Country Ethnicity Sectarian identity Contrast with non-Muslim neighbors But similar, especially in: Rituals

caia
Download Presentation

Islam

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Islam Introduction ‘There is no God but God’

  2. Diversity?

  3. Introduction • Over 1 billion adherents (estimates vary, but around 1.3) • Diversity influenced by: • Language • Country • Ethnicity • Sectarian identity • Contrast with non-Muslim neighbors • But similar, especially in: • Rituals • Almost universal use of Arabic in prayer • Koran as the literal word of God

  4. Introduction • Curious case of, for example, U.S. and Canada • Tendency to bring together diverse elements • Confusion between culture and religion • Among Islam’s contributions have been: • The number zero • The algebraic system • Elliptical orbits in astronomy • Preservation and reintroduction of Hellenistic philosophy (e.g. Aristotole) and literature

  5. Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God? • Abrahamic Religion • Ishmael not Isaac

  6. Islam: History

  7. History: pre-islamic religion • The Times of Ignorance • Tribal Religion • Little thought of afterlife – not well defined • Fate • “They say, ‘There is nothing but our present life; we die, and we live, and nothing but Time destroys us.’ Of that they have no knowledge; they merely conjecture. And when Our signs are recited to them, clear signs, their only argument is that they say, ‘Bring us our fathers, if you speak truly.’ (Sura 45.24-25)

  8. Pre-islamic religion • Mecca • The Ka’ba • Religious center for tribal deities • Later to be Islam’s most holy place of worship and pilgrimage • Allah as the high God • The place and role of Qurayshat Mecca

  9. Muhammad • Vehicle for God’s message (later compiled as Koran) • Focus for Islam is God’s revelations to Muhammad, not Muhammad himself • Muhammad’s miracle is reception of Qu’ran (although later miracles are attributed to him) • Considered perfect example for humanity • Sunnah (way Muhammad lived- to be exemplified) • Muhammad will later work from generalizations in the Koran and apply them to specific situations

  10. Muhammad • b. around 570 A.D. • Youth • Signs: the monk Bahira • Marriage to Khadija • Turning point: Mystical experience at cave • Encounter with the angel Gabriel: “one terrible in power, very strong; he stood poised, being on the higher horizon, then drew near and suspended hung, two bows’-length away, or nearer, then revealed to his servant that he revealed. (Sura 53.5-10)

  11. Mohammad • First followers • Khadija (wife) • Ali (cousin and son-in-law; married to Fatimah) • Growth of the umma • Flight from Mecca to Yathrib, an oasis inhabited by Jewish tribes (later called Medina) • Tribal warfare, especially with Mecca • Victory over Mecca

  12. Rise of Islam • Upon Muhammad’s death • Lifetime successor is to be appointed • Dissension • Sunni-Shi’ite split • Support for Abu Bakr, Muhammad’s companion • Sunnis (currently majority- around 80%). First caliph (=successor to the Prophet) • Support for Ali, cousin of Muhammad, husband of favorite daughter, Fatima • Shi’ites

  13. Rightly Guided caliphs: First four successors • Abu Bakr (632-634 A.D.) – prophet’s companion and father-in-law (Aisha) • Election • in part, on fear of Quraysh to blend religious authority of Prophet with secular authority of Caliph (as might happen if Ali was chosen) • Precedent set- a caliph is a leader but not a prophet • By group of elders (Ali absent) • Assumes popular consensus (consensus of umma) • Abu Bakr • Takes title: KhalifatRasul Allah – ‘the Successor to the Messenger of God’ • reinforces loyalty to umma • unlike traditional tribal understanding of oath • Enforces tithe tax

  14. Rightly guided Caliphs (cont.) • Umar (634-644 A.D.) – prophet’s companion • ‘Commander of the Faithful’ (title underlines leadership over entire Muslim community) • Defeats Byzantine army in southern Syria; then Sassain forces • Damascus, Jerusalem, Egypt and Libya fall to Umar’s army • Uthman (644-656 A.D.) – prophet’s companion –assassinated • Umayyad clan; Quraysh (election preserving the Quraysh elite) • Problems • Takes title of Kahlifat Allah = ‘Successor to God” instead of deputy of Messenger now representative of God on earth • Nepotistic – replaces amirs with his immediate family • Collection and canonization of Qur’an

  15. Rightly guided caliphs (cont.) • Ali (656-661 A.D.) – prophet’s cousin, son-in-law – assassinated • Refused title of Caliph (not least because of its tainted use by Uthman) • ‘Commander of the Faithful’ • First civil war led against Ali by Aisha (daughter of Abu Bakr). Defeat of Aisha at Battle of the Camel • Battle against Mu’wayia (appointed governor over Syria by cousin Uthman) • Arbitration • Ali assassinated by Kharijites

  16. Shi’ites • Believe Ali, Prophet’s cousin, to have been the rightful original successor of the Prophet

  17. Shi’ites: Karbala • Martyrdom of Ali’s son, Husayn, at Karbalah • It is here we have a decisive break between the Shi’ites and the Sunnis • Gives impetus to Shi’ite movement • Gathering of pilgrims • Penitents

  18. Shi’ites: imams • Imams, not caliphs • Imam = religious leader; legitimate successors of Muhammad • Esoteric knowledge passed down • Without sin (as Muhammad was kept sinless) • Political leaders as well as divine guidance • Shari’ah interpreted by Imam (not scholarly consensus) for each successive generation

  19. Shi’ites: Imams • ‘Twelvers’ • Majority of Shi’ites • Total of 12 Imams • 12th Imam continues to guide religious scholars while in a hidden state and will publicly return on the Day of Resurrection. • Others hold to different numbers of imams • Idea is (re)interpreted by the Ayatollah Khomeini

  20. Expansion of Islam • 661-750 Umayyad Dynasty • Mu’awiyya – Sunni, Umayyad • Disputes Ali’s appointment • Succeeds Ali • Establishes Umayyad Caliphate appointing son, Yazid • Rapid expansion

  21. Sunnis • By far the majority of Muslims (around 80-85%) • Follow elected caliphs • Role of caliphs • Administrate Shari’ah • Shari’ah = sacred law of Islam • Teachings and practices • Based primarily on Koran and Sunnah of Muhammad • Leads worship • Role of ummah(Muslim community) • selects caliph • Koran, Hatdith and Sunnah are continuously interpreted by consensus of opinion and wisdom of jurists.

  22. Dome of the rock (691 A.D.) From http://www.fotosearch.com/DGV078/200213679-001

  23. Expansion (cont.) • 750 – Emergence of Abbasid dynasty • New cultural phase; the ‘golden age’ of Islam • Influence of: • Greek learning/philosophy • Sufi mysticism; contemplative practices • Interpretations of the shari’a

  24. Expansion (cont.) • Abassid Dynasty (cont.) • Capital moved to Baghdad • Ended, more or less, with Mongol invasion in 1258 • Though Mongol’s were eventually converted to Islam • Concurrent with Abassid Dynasty • Spain - Umayyad • Egypt – Shi’ites

  25. Medieval Islam • IbnRushd/Averroes(1126-98) • Integrated Greek philosophy w/Islamic tradition • 1258 Mongol Incursion • Sacking of Baghdad • 1492 Islam driven out of Spain • Establishment of: • Safavid Empire- Iran (1502-1736) • Mughal Empire – India (1526-1858) • Ottoman Turkish Empire (Asia, N. Africa. E. Europe) (1299-1922)

  26. Modern period • Wahhabi Reforms • Khilafat movement (1818-1924) • Turkey and the end of the Ottoman Empire (1299-1923) • Muslim Brotherhood • Palestine and Israel • Radical Muslims • More on struggles with the West in final lecture on Islam

  27. Current Muslim Distribution

  28. Key Terms and Persons • Islam- submission, surrender to God • Muhammad – the final Prophet to whom God gave His final revelation • Shahadah – Muslim profession of faith that there is no God but God • Zakat – giving alms to the poor. One of the five pillars of Islam • Hajj- pilgrimage to Mecca- one of five pillars of Islam • Salat = formal/ritual prayer • Imam- prayer leader for Sunnis; for Shi’ites has divine authority, successor to the Prophet • Qur’an (Koran)- Sacred, final revelation or word of God, eternal, revealed to the Prophet. • Ummah– Muslim community

  29. Key terms • Shari’a- Islamic law • Jihad(striving/struggle) • Greater • Lesser • Itjihad – individual thought in legal reasoning • Tawhid- God’s oneness or unity. Also when one acts to affirm the divine unity • Shirk – associating anything with God or putting something alongside God in importance. Greatest sin. • Sufi – a mystic within Islam; typically belonging to one of the various tariqua or orders • Kalam – rational theology

More Related