1 / 10

Islamic Traditions

Islamic Traditions. Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D. REL 117 Introduction to World Religions Berea College Spring 2005. WHO IS A MUSLIM ?. Muslim = from Arabic Islam , “submission”

presencia
Download Presentation

Islamic Traditions

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. Islamic Traditions Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D. REL 117Introduction to World Religions Berea College Spring 2005

  2. WHO IS A MUSLIM? • Muslim = from Arabic Islam, “submission” • A Muslim is “one who submits” to one who submits” to Allah (God) through the revelation (Quran) given to humanity through His Prophet, Muhammad (570-632 CE) • A Muslim is anyone who can say and believe the Shahada, or “Profession of Faith”: • There is no God but Allah • Muhammad is Allah’s Prophet

  3. ANCIENT ROOTS OF ISLAM • Muhammad (570-632 CE): • Born in Arabian city of Mecca; raised by relatives after parents’ death • Absorbs diverse religious influences (Christian, Jewish, local Arab polytheism) in cosmopolitan commercial city • Experiences revelations from Allah (name of one Arab deity) beginning with “Night of Power” (610), later transcribed in Quran • As revelations continue, begins to preach monotheism, moral purity, and simplicity of lifestyle • Persecution leads to escape (Hijra) from Mecca to Medina (622) • Gaining support, returns to Mecca as conqueror (630) • Dies after making pilgrimage (Hajj) to sacred sites in Mecca

  4. Shahada: profession of faith in Allah as sole deity and Muhammad as final messenger (culmination of Hebrew and New Testament prophecy) Shalat: ritual prayer five times daily (morning, noon, afternoon, sunset, dusk) while prostrated in direction of Mecca – customarily solitary, but communal on Fridays at noon in masjid (mosque) Zakat: charity – a “loan to God” representing 2.5% of one’s income, donated by those 16 years and older who can afford it Ramadan: abstinence from food, drink, sex, stimulants during daylight hours of ninth lunar month in commemoration of the Prophet’s “Night of Power” Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca to be made by every Muslim at least once in a lifetime THE “FIVE PILLARS” OF ISLAM

  5. THE GROWTH OF ISLAMIC INSTITUTIONS • After the Prophet’s death, caliphs (deputies) govern the ummah (Islamic community) in his place, combining judiciary, military, political, and religious functions • Power struggle leads to death of fourth caliph, Ali (600-661), Muhammad’s cousin, and Husain (626-680), Muhammad’s grandson • Sunni (“traditional”) Muslims revere first four caliphs, emphasize Islamic unity, and see Shari’a (jurisprudence) as link between Prophet and ummah • Shi’a (“factional”) Muslims honor Ali and Husain as martyrs, tend toward sectarianism, and see imams (religious leaders) as link between Prophet and ummah

  6. ISLAMIC MYSTICISM • Soon after Prophet’s death, some Muslims become critical of what they see as worldliness and corruption of caliphs • Preaching simple living and constant prayer, and distinguished by their blue wool (sūf) clothing, Sufis become famous for their use of meditation and mystical union with Allah • Primary value of Sufism: tawakkul (absolute trust in Allah) • Tawakkul in turn arises from tawhid (absolute unity/uniqueness of Allah) • Tawakkul is expressed through faqr (“poverty,” both material and spiritual) • Faqr in turn leads to fanā (“annihilation” of self in the presence of almighty Allah)

  7. ISLAM SINCE THE MIDDLE AGES • Since 1600s, gradual domination and exploitation of Muslim world by non-Muslims has generated fear, resentment, and violent resistance • Wahhabi (after Muhammad ibn `Abd al-Wahhab, 1703-1792) movement revives strict faithfulness to Islamic traditions, especially Quran, in attempt to “purify” Islam – still very influential in Saudi Arabia • Pan-Islamism, a movement begun by Sayyid Jamal al-Din al-Afghani (1838-1897), teaches Islamic unity against Western colonialism, selective embrace of science and technology, and individual reason in Quran interpretation • 50% of Muslims today live in India and Indonesia • Less than 20% of Muslims are Arabs

  8. Muslims affirm that: Life is linear and finite One omnipotent and loving God (Allah) created all life, gave humans free will and revealed himself in Quran Human refusal to submit to Allah leads to lawlessness and suffering Submission (Islam) is the proper response to Allah and offers redemption Two greatest values: Tawhid (unity) of Allah; through Islam, humanity is unified Dhikr (remembrance) of Allah through prayer and action Muslims rely on: Quran – Allah’s revelation to the Prophet, initially memorized and later transcribed; only Arabic original is authoritative Hadith – “traditions” related to sayings of Prophet not found in Quran, which record his sunna “custom” Shari’a (“broad path”) – Islamic jurisprudence; result of Arab encounter with non-Arab customary laws and cultures Muslims interpret using: ijmā (communal consensus) qiyās (analogy) ra’y (speculation) TRADITIONAL MUSLIMGOALS & GUIDES FOR LIFE

More Related