ISLAM

1. Medina mosque Mecca mosque ISLAM Muhammad preaches to early converts

2. Key terms • Islam = “submission to the will of Allah (God)”; name of religion passed down from Allah to Muhammad • Muslim = “one who submits”; one who practices the Islamic religion • Qu’ran = “recitation”; Allah’s revelations to Muhammad for 23 years • 114 chapters (surahs) • 6,000 verses (ayahs) • Poetic, spiritual, moral teachings • Pre-hijra revelations = belief in Allah’s spirituality • Post-hijra = how to organize politically, economically, poor, disabled, crime, etc.

3. Muhammad ibn Abdullah • Born in Mecca in Saudi Arabia (c.570 – 632) • Querysh ethnicity = nomadic traders who controlled Mecca politically & economically • Khadijah = wife & 4 daughters • 40 yrs.= Mt. Hirato fast & meditate, received revelations from Allah through Jibral, • Only 1 God, Allah, Muhammad is last prophet • Abraham founded the religious tradition, 1st prophet • Jews & Christians strayed from their faith, M’s role was to restore faith for all people • Next 23 yrs. = continued to receive revelations

4. Muhammad ibn Abdullah • preached in Mecca • New beliefs challenged Querysh religious beliefs & political/economic interests • Querysh persecuted M so moved to Medina • 622 = “Hijra”: emigration to Medina, 1st year of Islamic calendar • ruled as supreme judge & political leader of 1st Islamic state & returned to control Mecca • 632 = Mohammad died at age 72

5. Shia, Sunni, & Sufi Islam • Who should become caliph upon M’s death? • Ali, husband of Fatima: Shia Ali • Abu Bakr, M’s disciple • M selected Abu Bakr: Sunni • Shia today: 10-15% of Muslims • Sunni today: 85-90% of Muslims • Sufism = mystical & ascetic spiritual practices, no Sharia, spiritual teachers have direct union w/Allah (shayks, pirs, walis, marabouts)

6. Stereotypes • Orientalism = (Edward Said’sOrientalism, 1979); Western style of dominating, imagining, misrepresenting & having authority over the East • Islam = inherently violent, called for holy wars to convert people • Post 9/11/01 = backward religion, terrorists, violent fanatics who want to suppress freedom & dissent Reality = fastest growing of major religions: 1.3 billion pple, 1/5 world population

7. 5 Pillars of Islam • Shahada = profess faith in Allah & Muhammad • Salat = pray 5 times/day, facing Mecca • Sawam = fast during Ramadan (9th month) • Zakat = give alms to support poor, orphans, disabled in your community • Hajj = make pilgrimage to Mecca (12th month)

8. Aspects of Islam • Cosmology = heaven, earth, hell • Humans = represent God on earth, judged according to deeds • Must follow God’s will, path of righteousness • Weak & easily tempted, must repent • “Islam” = submit to the will of Allah • Day of reckoning = righteous to heaven, evil to hell • Sharia = Islamic law: politics & codes for criminal law, family, marriage; different schools of Islamic law (Maliki, Hanifa, Al-Shafi, Hanbali)

9. Gender, family, marriage • Early research: focused on texts, distorted realities, male researchers no access to women • Qu’ran: forbids female infanticide & all sexual immorality • Sharia law: • Women inherit ½ parents’ estate • Women are ½ legal status of men • Polygyny practiced but not universally • Arranged marriages: education, age, class, sex • Economic, political, cultural factors influence practices: no rigid norms

10. The Veil

11. Pre-Islamic origins: Mesopotamian, Persian, Jewish, Christian, Byzantine cultures • Hijab meanings • Sacred divide between men & women • Outward symbol of separation • Modesty • Morality • Purdah = enforced seclusion of women • Revival movements: women reclaim veil • Protection from strangers • Desexualizes work environment • Anti-western colonialism & imperialism: attacked Islamic cultural identity

12. Islamic Civilizations • Islam spread from Arabic region (Middle East) to: North Africa, Spain, and Asia • Early civilizations: Baghdad (Iraq), Cairo (Egypt), Cordoba (Spain), Palermo (Sicily) • Baghdad (750 – 1258) • Universities • Translated texts from Greek, Roman, Hindu, & Persian cultures into Arabic; synthetic philosophy • Algebra, geometry, trigonometry, physics, astronomy, philosophy, art, architecture, medicine • Arabic = (700-1300, Middle Ages) world’s major intellectual & scientific language & influenced the West

13. Western colonization • 1095-1291 = “Crusades,” EU launched military expeditions to defeat Islamic dynasties & return Holy Land to Christian rule • EU wanted control of Eastern trade routes (spices, silk, cotton) • 1400’s = Portuguese establish ports from Arabia to SE Asia, controlled spice trade • 1800’s = EU colonizes Middle East: seeking raw materials & new markets

14. British & French colonies • Suez canal: 1869, connected Mediterranean Sea W/Gulf of Suez • 101 miles long • immediate and dramatic effect on world trade • combined w/ American Transcontinental railroad, allowed entire world to be circled in record time • British & French owned • increased EU penetration & colonization of Africa

15. Egypt: British colony in 1882; sugar, cotton • Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco: French colonies; railroads, mining, agriculture • Iran: N. Iran was Russian colony, S. Iran was British; tobacco • SE Asia: Dutch in 1917; sugar, coffee, tobacco, indigo • Malaysia: British; tin, rubber, Chinese labor

16. Post-WWII colonies • French: North Africa, Lebanon, Syria • British: Egypt, Iraq, Palestine, South Asia • Dutch: SE Asia • Colonial economies based on cash crops: tea, coffee, sugar, tobacco, cotton, opium • Independence/nationalist movements, new nation-states in 1960’s: Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kuwait, Iraq, Tunisia, Syria, Jordan

17. Post-colonial Islamic Reform movements • Egypt • Women are equal to men in constitution • Anti-sexual discrimination laws • Women involved in medicine, law, engineering, management, government, etc. • Liberal divorce laws • Turkey & Tunisia: prohibit polygyny • Saudi Arabia • Gender segregation: schools, jobs, transport, public entrances, etc.

18. Why Islamic resurgent movements in 1970’s? • 1967 Arab-Israeli war: Arab territories lost to Israel, turned to Islamic faith for strength • Oil boom: Allah’s will; revenues in Libya, Iran, Saudi supported fundamentalist movements • Disillusionment w/capitalism & socialism: looked to Islamic solution • Iran success: Islamic revolution overthrew secular, Western-influenced shah

19. Iran’s Islamic Revolution • 1500’s: Shia Islam became state religion; today, 90% of Iranians are Shia • Shia leaders: • Mullahs = village preachers • Mujtahids = religious judges • Ayatollahs = religious scholars, moral & political leaders • Shahs = political rulers

20. Iran “modernizes” • economy, military, education • Educated elite: Western democratic values & representative govt. • Opposed Shah’s absolute power • Shia critique: shah gave West permission to undermine Islam • 1925-1979 Pahlavi dynasty • Shia leaders viewed as obstacles to modernization • Secular laws replaced Sharia law • No more veil • 1963 “White Revolution” • Shah was “Great Satan,” puppet of US govt. • Commercial agriculture, land reform, capitalism, landless peasants, women vote, SAVAK secret police • Ayatollah Khomeini arrested

21. Opposition increases • Rural migrants: sided with Islamic clergy • Westernized middle class: democratic hopes • University students: Shia Islam like liberation theology, free them from foreign control *Demonstrations, protests, fervor* 1979: Ayatollah Khomeini led revolution “Islamic Republic of Iran” = theocracy ruled by Shia clergy Political, cultural, social transformation

22. Islamic Republic of Iran • Mosques = government offices, places of worship, local police; all Iranians forced to register • Purge Iran of Western influences • Women forced to wear head scarves • Family Protection Act abolished • Minimum marriage age was 13, polygyny, divorce at will • 10 year war against Iraq • Struggle: moderate democrats v. conservative fundamentalists

23. Afghanistan • 1800’s • British supported leaders • Modernization (built roads, etc.) • Unify/pacify ethnic groups • 1920’s-30’s • Economic development & democracy failed • Soviet Union supported Marxist movements • 1970’s • Soviet Union sponsored 2 successful coups

24. Resistance forms • Afghanistan ethnic groups: Pashtuns (47%), Tajiks, Uzbeks, Turkmen, Kirghiz, Hazara, Baluchis, Sunni (88%), Shia (12%) • Mujahidin = “holy warriors” launched jihad (holy war) against Soviet-sponsored govt. • 1979: Soviet Union invaded AF to repress resist. • West gave financial & military aid to Mujahidin • Afghans fled to Pakistan • Soviets withdrew • 1980’s-90’s • Islamic & ethnic groups fought for power • West w/drew support from Mujahidin, fearing revolution like Iran

25. Taliban emerges • Taliban = “religious students” • 1994 Islamic faction • Afghan religious students recruited from schools in Pakistan • Militia gained control over most of Afghanistan • Strict Islamic guidelines & norms • No music, dancing, singing, kite flying, cards, chess, etc • Men can’t trim beards, women wear burqas • Al Qaeda supports Taliban • Headed by Osama Bin Laden = Saudi multi-millionaire terrorist

26. Take-home messages • We must interpret multiple forms of Islam with respect to local cultural, historical, & political contexts • No essential “Islamic tradition” • Islamic fundamentalisms have emerged within the context of: Western colonialism, Western imperialism & internal factional, sectarian, and class differences