INTRODUCTION TO ISLAMIC TRADITIONS

1. INTRODUCTION TOISLAMIC TRADITIONS RELS 120 Religion, Spirituality& Health March 2014

2. 120 - appleby Readings • IWR, Ch. 12, p.459 to 513 • Amy Rowe : “Honey, Hadiths, and Health Day” http://www.hds.harvard.edu/cswr/resources/print/rhb/first/08.Rowe.pdf

3. 120 - appleby Unit Objectives • To identify the geographical, historical and cultural origins of Islam; • To locate Islam’s foundational figures, texts and practices; • To understand significant developments within Islam over time; • To explore spiritual practices regarded as central for the Muslim faith; • To examine teachings concerning illness and healing within the Islamic faith tradition.

4. 120 - appleby ISLAM: The Final Revelation Of Monotheism

5. 120 - appleby What does “Islam” mean? • Submission or surrender; a Muslim is someone who has surrendered him/herself to God – Allah • The Muslim community is composed of all who are members of the family of faith and who submit themselves to Allah • Muslims have a personal and ongoing relationship with Allah • Allah, in turn, cares for Muslims in a manner that is compassionate and just • The divine nature and will hasbeen revealed throughout the history of humanity beginning with Adam and Eve and continuing encounters with Abraham, Moses, the Prophets, Jesus, and finally, Muhammad.

6. 120 - appleby The Context of the Final Revelation • Muhammad was born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, into the Quraysh tribe • Orphaned as a child, Muhammad was raised by his uncle • The Quraysh tribe was responsible for maintaining the Kabah – a black square shrine built to contain a black meteorite that had fallen to earth centuries ago • At the Kabah, tribes from across the Arabian Peninsula performed a yearly pilgrimage to worship the hundreds of gods – during the pilgrimage, a truce was observed between tribes

7. 120 - appleby Series of Divine Revelations • When Muhammad was about 40 years old, he was meditating in a cave where he had retreated to pray • Here he received the first Divine revelation from the angel Gabriel concerning the one God • The narrative of the one God, Allah, and God’s encounters with humanity are dictated by Gabriel and recorded by Muhammad, resulting in the sacred text of the Qur’an

8. 120 - appleby Roots of Monotheism • The Divine revelation affirms the prophet Abraham as the prototype of monotheism • The prophet Moses is affirmed as the prototype of law • Prophets familiar from the narratives of Judaism and Christianity are identified as sources of further revelations of the one God • Prior to Muhammad, Mary and Jesus are named as the most recent signs of God • Muhammad is the final prophet in the monotheistic tradition, and the Qur’an is the final revelation of God and Divine truth

9. 120 - appleby The History of Revelation • The following slides present a series of illustrations from a Qur’an • Each shows a story or encounter involving a prophet from the Abrahamic monotheistic tradition • For each story, a parallel text from the Hebrew or Christian Bible related to the particular prophet is provided • Islam situates itself as the final and complete revelation of Divine truth

10. 120 - appleby http://exhibitions.nypl.org/threefaiths/

11. Sura 1 – the opener; http://quran.com/1 120 - appleby

12. 120 - appleby The expulsion of Adam and Hawwa from Paradise • http://exhibitions.nypl.org/threefaiths/sites/exhibitions.nypl.org.threefaiths/files/imagecache/large/images/primary/03_TL_104_1658025u_large_rev2.jpg Parallel text in Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) – Adam & Eve are banished from the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3

13. Sura 7:54 – the battlement; http://quran.com/7 120 - appleby

14. 120 - appleby Ibrahim prepares to sacrifice his son, Ismail • http://exhibitions.nypl.org/threefaiths/sites/exhibitions.nypl.org.threefaiths/files/imagecache/large/images/primary/01_TL_104_1658031u_large_rev2.jpg Parallel text in Hebrew Bible – Abraham prepares to sacrifice his son, Isaac in Genesis 22

15. 120 - appleby Noah on the Ark • http://exhibitions.nypl.org/threefaiths/sites/exhibitions.nypl.org.threefaiths/files/imagecache/large/images/primary/04_TL_104_1658027u_large_rev2.jpg Parallel text in Hebrew Bible – Noah & his family on the Ark in Genesis 6, 7

16. Sura 7:59-64 – the battlement; http://quran.com/7 120 - appleby

17. 120 - appleby The staff of Moses is turned into a dragon that devours Pharoah’s men • http://exhibitions.nypl.org/threefaiths/sites/exhibitions.nypl.org.threefaiths/files/imagecache/large/images/primary/07_TL_104_1658036u_large_rev2.jpg Parallel to the story of the Exodus in the Hebrew Bible – Exodus 7

18. Sura 2: 47-52 – the cow; http://quran.com/2 120 - appleby

19. 120 - appleby Jonah disgorged by a giant fish is offered clothing by an angel • http://exhibitions.nypl.org/threefaiths/sites/exhibitions.nypl.org.threefaiths/files/imagecache/large/images/primary/08_TL_104_1658037u_large_rev2.jpg Parallel to the story of the Prophet Jonah, swallowed by a great fish, in the Hebrew Bible – Jonah 2

20. 120 - appleby The hanging of Jesus • http://exhibitions.nypl.org/threefaiths/sites/exhibitions.nypl.org.threefaiths/files/imagecache/large/images/primary/10_TL_104_1658042u_large_rev2.jpg Parallel to Gospel accounts of the death by crucifixion of Jesus – in the New Testament

21. Sura 3: 40-43 – the house of imram; http://quran.com/3 120 - appleby

22. 120 - appleby http://exhibitions.nypl.org/threefaiths/sites/exhibitions.nypl.org.threefaiths/files/imagecache/large/images/primary/1689987u_large.jpg

23. 120 - appleby Messages of the Prophets of God • Turn away from false gods • develop a proper relationship with God • improve one’s relationship with God • Develop a proper relationship with other human persons • human actions toward other humans • human duties toward one another

24. 120 - appleby The Life of Muhammad • BBC The Life of Muhammad – The Seeker • Video clip trailer (2:25); http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHUgUL3XxZU&feature=related