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Islam

Islam. Ritual, Practice and Modern Islam. The five pillars of Practice. Central patterns of worship set forth in Shari’ah Shahadah Central tenet of faith Profession How one becomes a Muslim (obviously with intent). The Five pillars. Ritual prayer ( salat )

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Islam

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  1. Islam Ritual, Practice and Modern Islam

  2. The five pillars of Practice • Central patterns of worship set forth in Shari’ah • Shahadah • Central tenet of faith • Profession • How one becomes a Muslim (obviously with intent)

  3. The Five pillars • Ritual prayer (salat) • Ritual prayer not to be confused with personal prayer • Performed in Arabic • Done facing Mecca (Ka’ba)

  4. The Five pillars • Fasting • Ramadan • Holiest month of the year • Month long fast • Abstain from: eating, drinking, smoking, sex, violence from sunrise to sunset (includes thoughts)

  5. The Five pillars (cont.) • Zakat (alms-giving) • Ritual giving • Amount varies from 2.5%-10% • Institutionalized and collected by the govt. in some countries • To be used exclusively for social welfare or religious purposes

  6. The five pillars • Hajj (the pilgrimage) • Performed at least once in life of Muslim if resources allow • Ka’ba most holy place in Muslim world • Actions taken during pilgrimage • Time of purification • Circle the Ka’ba • Run between the hills • Stand on the plain of Arafat • Where Muhammad delivered farewell sermon • Sacrifice • In memory of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Ishamael

  7. The Hajj

  8. Sixth(?) pillar • Jihad = struggle or striving in the path of God • Outer Jihad • Can include war, written defense of Islam, missionary activity • Furtherance of Islam (not necessarily war) • Inner or Greater Jihad • Inner struggles, especially against our instincts

  9. Life cycle rituals Circumcision Goes back to practice of Abraham Performed In infancy Sometimes as puberty rite

  10. Life cycle rituals (cont.) • Marriage • Sunni Law • Many can marry Muslim or woman of monotheistic religion • Woman can only marry a Muslim man • Polygamy • Wives must be treated equally • Not universally accepted • Marriage customs largely cultural • Death • Passage from one life to next • Ideally should die facing Kabba saying the Shahadah

  11. The Arts • Influence of Persia and Byzantium • Poetry • Especially valued • Art- Aniconism – no pictorial representation • Only God creates; creating likeness is emulating God • No creation of idols • However if representations are made… • Pictures tolerated if kept in private residence • Shi’ites • Ornamental art (even if representational art present, not emphasized) • Book illumination • Music • Generally discouraged among early orthodox • Sufi’s use of instrumental and vocal music • Architecture • Remarkable achievements

  12. Christianity in Islam • People of the Book • Jewish prophets and Jesus brought true revelations, but the message has been distorted by humans • E.g. Jesus cannot atone for sins; only God • Prophets called to bring people back to original monotheism • Christian Bible foretells the coming of Muhammad • The Paraclete of John 14.16,26 is Muhammad • Jesus as messianic figure (cf. 12th Imam) • Jesus was not crucified or resurrected • References to Gnostic texts

  13. Modern Islam and Struggles with the West

  14. and Afghanistan Tensions Between Islam and the West • Christians and Muslims together make up about half of the world’s population • From the perspective of the West towards Muslims: (Ghazi bin Muhammad, A Common Word, 6)* • Fear of terrorism • Loathing of religious coercion • Suspicion of the unfamiliar • Deep historical misunderstandings *H.R.H. Prince Ghazi Bin Muhammad of Jordon , ‘On “A Common Word Between Us and You,” in A Common Word: Muslims and Christians on Loving God and Neighbor, eds. MiroslavVolf, Ghazi bin Muhammad, and Melissa Yarrington.

  15. Tensions (cont.) • Muslims towards the West: • Wounded pride due to colonialism • World War I and World War II • Loss of Ottoman Empire • Creation of the State of Israel (1948) and the situation in Palestine • Probably the greatest sticking point • Our reading of the event vs. those of Muslims • Western foreign policy • First Gulf War and Iraq • Current war in Iraq and Afghanistan

  16. Tensions : Muslims Towards the West(cont.) • 9/11 • Fear and resentment of the massive missionary efforts launched by the West into the Muslim world • To this list Ghazi bin Muhammad adds: • Poverty and unemployment • Illiteracy (I would add the broader category of education here) • Ignorance of true Islam • Social and political oppression • Technology gap

  17. Muslim response to Pope’s Regensburg lecture Muslim activists burn an effigy of Pope Benedict XVI during a protest in Srinagar, India. Daily Mail, • Washington Post • Daily Mail • A Common Word

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