Islam Final
How Islam is a heuristic model?
"What you do is more important than what you say"
Define Orientalism and give two stereotypes about it.
- It the views and differences of the Western world on Muslims. - Two stereotypes are women being submissive and Muslims being anti-American.
Khaled Abou El Fadl believes in bringing back the beauty of Islam. Name the problems that led to this:
- Lost Jurists Muslim World (it lies within Islam and it needs to fix itself) -The rise of extremism has caused a schism that has separated all of Islam -Moderates need to step up in order to reclaim the real Islam
Essay Question: In Amir Hussain's Muslims, Pluralism, and Interfaith Dialogue, he justifies that Islam is pluralistic in nature. Give three examples of how he does so.
-Diversity is the will of Allah as stated in the Quran. -Islam is a tolerant religion and the term Kafir is often misinterpreted. -Islam has an inherent principle of justice that relates to both Muslims and non-Muslims.
Compare and contrast between Islamic Law, Common Law, and Common Law. Then defend which you feel is best and why.
-Islamic Law is based upon living a life that is pleasing to God. - Common Law is based on society and social norms. - Civil Law is based upon universal principles.
Please provide at least 3 of the 4 sources for Islamic Law - Sharia Law
1. Hadiths: are a collection of verified second hand sources pertaining to the life of Mohammed and the early Umma. They are used to recreate the context around the Quran in order to better understand its meaning. 2. Quran - word of God: 250 if its 6000 verses deal with specific instructions and form the core of Islamic Law. 3. Sunna: Mohammed's sayings, actions, responses to others and examples of his Character. It is important to note that Mohammed is considered the "example" Muslim and therefore his actions and reactions carry a very significant weight. 4. Schools of thought: Without a theoretical lense facts cannot be processed properly. The schools of thought (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali, and Shai'a) act as a framework to understand and apply the information extrapolated out of the Quran, Hadiths and Sunna.
What type of government do Puritans seek
A Theocratic Government
Discuss one of the problems in the Muslim world according to El Fadl, author of The Great Theft.
A major problem facing the Muslim world is how to deal with the "acts of ugliness" that are receiving international attention. Terrorism and the treatment of women are two such "acts of ugliness" identified by El Fadl. El Fadl believes the current argument of blaming these actions on social, political, and cultural reasons is dishonest and disingenuous. He believes Islam requires introspective self criticism and reform in order to prevent more ugliness from occurring.
What does Free will and Responsibility means for Muslims?
All humans are free to do whatever they want during their lives, but there is the responsibility to acknowledge what is the good for his creature and religion. Justice will uphold, after death.
Why is agency important in veiling?
An individuals decision to veil is a profession of faith, being forced to veil is the result of sexual victimization.
Who was Rabi'a (Rabi'a al-Adawiya) and what is her contribution and relation to the practice of asceticism in Sufi Islam?
Asceticism is a lifestyle found in many religious traditions where an individual abstains from indulging in worldly pleasures and instead aims to fulfill spiritually uplifting goals. Originally, within the context of Sufi Islam, asceticism was practiced as a way of not only denouncing the corruption of worldly corruptions of the earthly living, yet it was also seen as a way of living in fear of God and the day of the final judgment. Sufi al-Hasan al-Basri's lifestyle was mirrored off of this form of living in dread of the God's potential wrath. Hasan lived so much fear of the God's judgment that he never showed lighthearted emotions, instead he wept for his sins and of the sins of those around him. Rabi'a al-Adawiya took on another form of asceticism by professing and acting on a devout love for God. Through her life, Rabi'a found liberation from the worldly distractions that consume many people. Rabi'a led a structured life yet her relationship with God was one full of compassion, joy and love. Her love for God was unique amongst her fellow Sufis since it was neither based on a fear of an ultimate demise or an aspiration towards paradise, she loved God for God himself. She never married since God was the only that was able have access to her love. Through her lifestyle she gained many followers due to this overwhelming display of devotion and love towards God.
Why can the isnad of a Hadith be problematic?
Because the reliability of a source can be relative, and otherwise hard to determine, especially decades after the fact.
Islam has five acts of worship, often called as pillars, point at least one and explain its meaning.
Both, spiritual and physical. Spiritual is achieved through kindness, concern for others, openness to God and sensitivity to moral issues. And if one is impure, One shall not handle the Qur'an, perform the Kaaba or the Hajj. Hajj - It is required to occur at least one in the life of a Muslim, when they are both physically and financially capable. It's held annually in Mecca, Saudi Arabia during the pilgrimage month. The ones going to Hajj should pay all debts before their pilgrimage.
What are the 4 factors that contributed to the survival and expansion of Wahhabism in contemporary Islam?
By treating Muslim Ottoman rule as a foreign occupying power,Wahhabism set as a powerful precedent for notions of Arab self-determination and autonomy. Wahhabism only allowed people to lead their life through "rightly guided early generation". This expression refers to the generations of Companions of the Prophet and the generation after it. By regulation what might be considered as orthodox belief and practices , Saudi Arabia became uniquely positioned to greatly influence the belief system of Islam itself. The discovery of oil made Saudi Arabia rich and for which they invested in the promotion of Wahhabi thought around the word.
What is cultural absolutism?
Cultural absolutism is a psychological concept that espouses the belief that one must accept any practices of a culture, even practices that hinge more on the negative. Under cultural absolutism, one labels the practices of a different culture as "their culture" and that it should be left unchanged since it is "their culture" and those outside of that a said culture should seek the understand. The problem with cultural absolutism is that it claims that diverse cultures can be understood and even judged under a universal standard.
What is cultural absolutism? Give examples
Cultural absolutism is the acceptance of another culture's practice. An example of cultural absolutism would be the West viewing women wearing the veil as a cultural practice instead of an act of oppression. The West would not be considered cultural absolutists because we believe that Muslim women are oppressed and stripped of their human rights because of their cultural practices.
What is the thesis of Abou El Fadl's The Great Theft?
El Fadl says there is a struggle in Islam between the moderates and the puritans as to what are the "truths" of the Islamic faith. El Fadl says the emergence of Muslim Extremism is Muslim responsibility and has to be dealt with.
How does enthocentrism play a role within Islam?
Ethnocentrism is when one culture judges another culture based on the values and traditions of their own culture. Muslims can look at view other Muslims in multiple negative ways. They can be judged by their nationality, how they pray, their pronunciation of Arabic words, etc. A Muslim in Turkey can practice Islam completely differently than how one practices Islam in Sri Lanka. Within a Muslim community, this can cause a great divide. Even within politics and government, this can be an issue.
Why Civilization clash?
First, differences among civilizations are not only real; they are basic. Civilizations are differentiated from each other by history, language, culture, tradition and, most important, religion. Second, the world is becoming a smaller place. The interactions between peoples of different civilizations are increasings; these increasing interactions intensify civilization consciousness and awareness of differences between civilizations and commonalities within civilizations. Third, the processes of economic modernization and social change throughout the world are separating people from longstanding local identities. They also weaken the nation state as a source of identity. Fourth, the West at the peak of its power confronts non-Wests that increasingly have the desire, the will and the resources to shape the world in non-Western ways. Fifth, cultural characteristics and differences are less mutable and hence less easily compromised and resolved than political and economic ones. Finally, economic regionalism is increasing.
What are the two types of purification used before prayer and how do they differ?
Ghusl and Wadhu are the two types of purification used before prayer. Ghusl is a major cleansing such as a shower, that takes place after sex, menstration, or a major wound. Whereas Wadhu is a minor purification performed before every prayer and involves quickly washing oneself in stages of three, and is very ritualistic.
Why is Huntington's idea of civilization dangerous?
Huntington's idea of civilization is dangerous because it strongly supports racism. His idea that it will be civilizations versus each other in the future is ludacris. He still has a bi-polar theory of the world instead of a multi-polar view. He also assumes people only identify with one thing and he assumes that civilizations have boarders. His zero sum game view only leads to violence and misinterpretations of people.
Describe "wudu" and its importance to Islam as a whole.
Impurities need to be washed before prayer. This is done through ritualistic and regulated cleaning of one's self. Hadath, or impurities, can be caused by sleeping, breaking wind, intoxication, menstruation, and more. In order to remove these impurities, one must clean specific areas with clean water. these areas include the face, elbows, the head, feet, ears, and more. In order for one to stay on the path, one must maintain physical and mental purity.
What is the thesis of Khaled Abou el Fadl's The Great Theft?
In The Great Theft, Khaled Abou el Fadl's thesis is that there is a struggle going on in the heart of Islam between the puritans and the moderates to define the truth of Islamic faith. If the moderates do nothing in response to the puritans actions, they will lose and the results will be disastrous for Islam and the world; primarily Islam.
There were 3 wars between the people of Medina and Muhammad and the Muslims, what were the results of these three wars? What did Muhammad do after the third war?
In the first war the Muslims won, in the second war it was a stale mate and ended with a treaty, in the last war Mecca had surrendered because so many people were converting to Islam. After the Muslims had won Muhammad was let back into Mecca and he cleanses the Ka'aba of polytheism and all of the statues that were inside, he leaves a picture of Mary and baby Jesus.
Identify the thesis to Khaled Abou El Fadl's The Great Theft.
Islam is a religion that opposes extremism and is based on jurisprudential law. The interpretation of these laws by extremists, or fundamentalists, often promotes violence based on the primitive laws which must change with time. Wrestling Islam from these extremists is essential to the future of Islam.
Describe the basic definition of "Islam" and some of its features
Islam means "submission" or "surrender" to Allah. One who submits is a Muslim. Islam is an act and not a thing, which includes the continual relationship between the servant and his or her master. The proper way to commune with God is in worship and praise which uses the Qur'an and hadiths. In doing so, one must live by the Five Pillars of Islam : Profession of Faith/Testimony (Allah and the Prophet as His Messenger), Prayer (5x a day), Pilgrimage to Mecca, Fasting, and Almsgiving. Jihad, or s"struggle" may also be included. The first person to become a Muslim was Khadija, the Prophet's wife.
What are the names of two main factions (groups)?
Islam was split into two factions: the Sunni, who followed the Caliphs, and the Shi'ite, who believed that Ali was the proper heir of Muhammad and would only follow leaders descended from him.
What three aspects of Islam does the Hadith of Gabriel prioritize?
Islam, Iman and Ihsan.
What is thesis of Huntington's 'Clash of Civilization?'
It is natural for civilizations to clash. The fundamental crisis in the world will not be ideological or economical, the great division will be cultural. i.e. culture vs. culture. Huntington's primary focus is how can we keep America on top.
What role does the Hijab play in Islamic tradition?
It protects the innocence and integrity of women by making men speak to women as a human being rather than for her body.
What is Huntington's thesis in "Clash of Civilizations?"
It's natural for civilizations to clash and will be mainly cultural and not economic or ideological
What are the main differences between the Prophet Muhammad and Jesus Christ?
Jesus is the son of God and Christians heavily worship him, while Muhammad is not worshiped and he is seen as a divinely gifted human.
Why do Muslims pray towards Mecca instead of Medina?
Medina was the home of the first Ummah - the first generation of the Muslim community led by Mohammed. Mecca is home to the Khabba - ancient temple and safe house for tribal deities. It was cleansed by the early Ummah because of its polytheistic roots and became the center of the Islamic religion. Moreover, it is believed that the Khabba was originally established by Abraham. Since Islam is an Abrahamic religion this further increases the city of Mecca's significance.
What was Muhammad's reasoning in de-idolizing the church?
Muhammad believed idols took away focus from God. Muhammad believed in monotheism, and that God (or Allah) is the only god. Idols made people focus more on the actual physical statue than their actual faith and beliefs
describe the role of Muhammad in Islam.
Muhammad is seen as the messenger of God in Islam. He was to deliver the religion of Islam to the people. God spoke directly to Muhammad and he delivered God's word to the people.
Why Abu Bakr is an important person is Islam?
Muhammad's closest companion and adviser, who succeeded to the Prophet's political and administrative functions. Shortly before his death, Muhammad asked Abu Bakr to offer up a prayer for the people. This was taken as a sign that the Prophet had chosen Abu Bakr to succeed him, and after Muhammad's death, Abu Bakr was accepted as the first "deputy of the Prophet of God," or caliph.
Name a few differences between Sunni and Shiite Muslims
One difference lies within the belief of prayer access. Sunnis believe in all access to God while Shia Muslims believe in mediators like saints. They are very similar to Catholics while Sunnis are very similar to Protestants.
Please show at least one difference between the three main Branches of Islam, Sunni, Shia and Sufi.
One major difference in their historical view is that the Sunni branch believe as the successor of Mohammad. Sunni's confirm Abu Bakr as the primary successor, while Shia believe that Ali, Mohammad's son in law and cousin should be the successor.
Discuss a critique of Huntington's Clash of Civilizations.
One problem with Huntington's Clash of Civilizations is the overarching thesis. The very idea of a "civilization" assumes a singularity of human identity. In reality, people hold multiple identities and cannot be easily defined. There's an old saying that "when all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail". Huntington's hammer is his bi-polar world view inspired by Cold War politics. The multi-polar modern world cannot be properly analyzed using such an outdated theory.
Define orientalism and give 3 specific examples.
Orientalism is a way of thinking that promotes stereotypes of Arab people, particularly Muslims, and contrasts them against "Western" society to further exaggerate clichéd features of said people. Three examples would be all Arab men wear turbans, all Arab women veil and Muslim men with beards are dangerous.
Describe Orientalism.
Orientalism is the term used to depict certain views towards the Middle East and Eastern Asia. It is a view that has the potential to be negative towards anything that is "not Western". Having the view that the Middle East and Eastern Asia are inferior and under developed is an example of Orientalism. It is a term that can also be used in literature and art.
What is orientalism? Give examples.
Orientalism, according to Edward Said, is a style of though based upon ontological and epistemological distinction made between "the Orient" and "the Occident." In other words, orientalism is how the West stereotypes the East. Examples of orientalism include ideas that the Middle East is uncivilized, dependent on the West, undemocratic, oppressive towards women, and made up of many radical Muslim groups.
What is Pluralism?
Pluralism is active engagement between different ethic and religious communities. The goal of pluralism is to arrive at an understanding of a different culture. However, it is much deeper than simple toleration of differences. Genuine pluralism is about engaging differences in order to gain a deeper understanding of another culture. It requires a great deal of participation and dedication.
Why Ghadir Khum is a significant location for Muslim?
Prophet Muhammad P.U.H stops on his way back from Farewell pilgrimage stops at Ghadir Khum. He prays and then recites from Quran. Also, he says to people with him that its time for him to leave, so if they want to be on the right path as a Muslim, they should rely on Quran and people in his house. "People in his house" created confusion between Muslim after Prophet's death, because some people thought that he appointed Abu Bakr as the first caliph, whereas the other group believed he was talking about Ali.
What was Mohammed's miracle, and why is it so significant?
Prophets are identified by their wisdom and confirmed by their performance of miracles. Mohamad was unlettered: depending on translations this could mean he could not read/write or that he was not significantly educated. Yet the Revelations were beautiful works of literary genius. His miracle was the fact that He should have been incapable of the artistic language. The significance of this is twofold: first, the miracle confirmed Mohammed's status as a prophet and second, the miracle revealed Gods active use of Mohammed as his prophet.
What is the difference between moderate and puritan Muslims?
Puritan Muslims live day by day by the exact word of the Qur'an. They believe the Qur'an should be translated into the real world literally. On the other hand, moderates believe in doing what is "beautiful". They believe the Qur'an is an ethical guide to making ones own decisions.
What is sharia and fiqh?
Sahria is the divine law created by God. Fiqh is Islamic law as created by humans
What are the five pillars of Islam and why are they important to Islam?
Shahadah is the declaration of faith. Salat is the obligatory prayer. Zakat is the concept of alms giving. Sawm is the fasting during the month of Ramadan. Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca/ Kaaba. These five pillars are important because they not only establish moral and ethical support as a basis for the religion but they also provide the basic "requirements" that a person must meet in order to call themselves a Muslim.
What are the 5 pillars of Islam?
Shahadah:It is a part of imam or faith towards Islam by saying "there is no God but Allah and Muhammed is the Messenger of God". Salat: The foundation of muslims devotion is the ritual prayer service. They pray five times a day facing towards Makkah. Zakat: It means alms giving.It is a foremost duty of every muslims to give Zakat. in Muslim countries government collect the zakat from people and give it to recipients. Sawm: It means fasting during the Holy month of ramadan. From before dawn until sunset those who are observing the fast are forbidden from eating, drinking, smoking and martial relations. Hajj: it is the pilgrimage to Mecca during the month of Dhu al Hijj. It is required for every Muslim to go hajj once in a life time if he is financially and physically capable.
What is Jihad?
Sometimes Jihad is considered as the sixth pillar of Islam. The meaning of jihad is "striving exertion in the way of god. In the West it is known as the holy war. Muslim recognizes a greater and lesser jihad. Greater jihad means individual struggle with his base instincts and lack of faith and devotion.The lesser jihad means armed struugle against the enemies of Islam only for self-defense. We can see the lesser jihad mostly in the extremists.
Discuss the differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims.
Sunni Muslims are the majority and believe in a direct connection from humans to God. They appoint a Caliph to serve as a political and military leader and an Imam to serve as a prayer leader. They believe all early Caliphs were members of the house of the Prophet and view history through a triumphant lens. Shia Muslims are the largest minority in Islam. They appoint an Imam or Ayatollah as a political, military and spiritual leader. They believe the Imam is divinely inspired and needs to be a descendent of the Prophet. A major Shia belief is that Imans and Saints stand between humans and God. They also view history as tragedy, which has a large impact on their world view.
How do the sunni and shia outlooks on life differ?
Sunni see life as a gift and a positive experience because of the gift of Islam. Shi'a, because of the assassinations of Huseyn and Hassan and Ali, and social marginalization see life as one of suffering.
What are the main differences of Sunni Muslims and Shiite Muslims?
Sunni's believe in a caliph and they believe that the leader can be anyone. Shia's believe in an Imam and that you have to be a descendent of the prophet in order to be a leader.
Explain the difference between Shia and Sunni. Which are there more of?
Sunnis follow the traditions of the Prophet whereas Shias follow the linage of the Caliphs. Dates back to the death of the Prophet. More Sunni than Shia.
What does Khalid Abou El Fadl in the Great Theft classify as the problem and "acts of ugliness" within Islam?
Terrorism, Treatment of women and the hate against others religions. He believes that the problem is within Islam.
What is the Haj and what two things must be in order prior to the trip?
The Hajj is the Islam Pilgrimage to the Kabba to pray. All Muslim's are supposed to go on the Hajj at least once in their life. Prior to going on the Hajj, Muslims are instructed to (1) pay all debts, and (2) leave no relationship in a state of wrong. Additionally - it is expected that Muslims are more devout after their pilgrimage and it is said that sins afterword's count double
Explains the difference between the Qur'an and the Hadiths.
The Qur'an is the direct word of God. The words in the Qur'an are inimitable while the Hadiths' are not. The Hadiths are stories of the prophet Muhammad. The Qur'an is the word of God and the Hadith contains the message of God conveyed to the people by the Prophet.
Describe what the Qur'an is and its structure.
The Qur'an is the literal word of God as it was told to the prophet, Muhammad. Jesus is to Christians what the Qur'an is to Muslims. The New Testament of the Bible is to Christians what the Hadiths are to Muslims. Hadiths are collections of stories of the prophet and they create a set of guidelines for how Muslims should live their lives. The Qur'an is the standing miracle of Islam and it comes from only one source. The Qur'an is made up of chapters called Surahs. Each surah has a title that has to do with something that is mentioned in that chapter. Every verse in the Qur'an has 7 meanings, 1 meaning is only understood by God. The translation of the Qur'an is not considered to be the Qur'an.
What is the difference between The Qur'an and the Hadiths?
The Qur'an is the miracle of Muhammad. The Qur'an is the literal word of God, with absolutely no errors. Meanwhile, the Hadith's are stories, not the literal word of God. The Hadith's are sacred literature and stories about the prophet Muhammad and his companions.
Compare and Contrast Sunni and Shia.
The Sunnis are similar to Protestants and the Shias are similar to Catholics. The Sunnis look to caliphs as political and military leaders whereas the Shias look to the Imam as a political, military, and spiritual leader. The Sunnis consists of Muslims who follow the example of the prophet and the Sunnis believe that Ali should have taken over from the very beginning. The Sunnis pray directly to God whereas the Shias pray to Saints and Imams to relay their prayers to God. Sunnis and Shias are similar in that some Sunnis also pray to Saints and Imams and also both sects believe in one God.
Explain briefly how Islamic believers sees the creation of the Qur'an.
The creation of the Qur'an is still unknown whether if is eternal or created. Some argue that God would not limit himself to the creation of the world, while other argue that God and his word may be two separate divines.
What are the five daily Islamic prayers and their general times as discussed in class?
The first prayer takes place before sunrise and is caled Fajr. The second prayer is called Dhuhr and normally takes place in the mid-afternoon. The third prayer is Asr and takes place in the late afternoon. The fourth prayer is the Maghrib and takes place in the early evening, often at sunset. The final prayer is the Isha and takes place late at night, after the Maghrib and before rest.
Explain the term "Bloody Borders" as stated in the Clash of Civilizations, whether it is true or not.
The term "bloody borders" refers to the borders of Islamic countries. In the Clash of Civilizations, the author explains that Muslim countries have the most violent of borders and do not get along with surrounding countries. This statement is false, for Islam simply has more civilizational borders than most religions and therefore has more conflicts.
What are the three types of law as discussed in class, and how do they differ?
The three types of law discussed in class were common law, civil law, and Islamic law. Common law emphasizes the use of precedent, while civil law emphasizes equal principles. Islamic law has simillarities to both common and civil law, but relys on the teachings in the Qu'ran and the Hadiths to guide people to live in a way that is pleasing in the eyes of god.
Explain the five times of prayer and why Muslims do not pray at dawn.
There is Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib,and Isha. Muslims to not pray at dawn so that they could distinguish themselves in early times. The Zoroastrians would pray at dawn and worship the sun. The time to pray for Fajr would be between dawn breaking and the sun rising, but not in a manner which mimics the worship of the sun. Each prayer period has a limited period of time.
What are some of the reasons as to why Muslims Women veil?
To protect her virtue and safeguard her chastity from lustful eyes To hide her beauty from those who aren't her husband Men learn to appreciate their intellectual abilities because their beauty isn't displayed Do not want to get mixed up in American Culture Shows their submission to God and obedience to Islam
After 9/11, describe how Westerners started to view Islam.
Westerners viewed Islam as a culture. There was a mutual thinking among many Americans as to what Islam is. Muslims, on the other hand, came together and acted like a brotherhood. Islam became "the enemy" and many Muslims were harassed, abused, and misunderstood. Because of 9/11, a keen interest developed for the Middle East and the Arabic language. What many Westerners couldn't understand was that American Muslims were not terrorists. It's important not to label any Muslim as a terrorist. Not every Muslim wanted to harm the West. There were very high and mixed emotions towards the Middle East and Islam after 9/11.
Give an example of a current event in which Muslim women are taking a stand for themselves.
Women in Saudi Arabia are taking a stand against the government so they can drive and not be charged. This is significant, because Saudi Arabia has many strict rules that prevent women from living in a liberal environment. If the Saudi government agrees to let women drive, it will be a big step for them as well knowing that they are very strict and have rules that mainly follow Shariah Law.
What is one of their most essential reasons that explain why Muslims have to complete their first prayer (Fajr) before sunrise?
Zoroastrians pray to the sun. In order to distinguish Muslim prayer form Zoroastrian prayer, Muslims have to complete their Fajr prayer prior to sunrise. Also, Fajr prayer has been revealed, through the Qur'an, to be God's most favorite prayer out of the five daily prayers since others are asleep at that time and Muslims are taking the time to prematurely lift themselves out of their slumber and profess their devotion towards God.
Define Pluralism
interaction and active understanding of other religions. It is much more engaging and accepting rather than just tolerant.
What are the Hadiths?
the Quran new testament- a collection of stories from the prophets life that teach how to practice Islam and pray
Explain three out of the four major schools of Islamic Law
~ Hanifi More liberal and flexible. Stressed use of analogy. ~ Shafi'i Developed main principle if Islamic jurisprudence. Stressed use of consensus of legal scholars. ~Maliki Stressed the living tradition of the Prophet's city
Name one theme that we discussed in class about our book reviews, that we found in a majority of the books read. Explain how this opened your views on how Muslims are treated in America?
• -Identity: Being "Muslim" vs. Being "Western" (can't be too much of either) • -Stereotypes (ie, all Muslims are terrorists, hijab) • -Assimilating/fitting into a community, the struggles • -Religion: fundamentalism, what kind of religion is good/bad?
Haj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is usually done towards the end of one's lifetime. Why is that?
• -It is a once in a lifetime trip, that is not something to "just get out of the way" • -Upon return, intention and sincerity must remain for the rest of life • -Acts of beauty, free of sin. Must be very careful of actions
In the movie The Messenger , why was the prophet Mohammad never shown? How does this separate Islam from other religions?
• -Mohammad is not to be idolized • -Muslims are not to worship Mohammad, only God • -Other religions use images of their prophets of God, which decreases the sacredness over time
What was the difference between the puritans and moderates as explained in The Great Theft? How does this cause conflict within the religion?
• -Puritans use Islam as rules that define their every day life • -Moderates see Islam as an ethical system to teach them what it beautiful. Do not use literally. • -The struggle is finding the definition of the truth of Islamic faith
What are the 5 pillars of Islam?
• shahada • Prayer • Zakat • Sawm (fasting) • Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca)
What is the topic of Amina Wadud's essay on Race and Ethnicity in Progressive Islam? Why is it important to attempt to change the relationship between African American Muslim and Immigrant Muslim?
➢ Immigrant Muslim believe they are more Muslim that African American Muslim ➢ The financial advantage that Immigrant Muslim have over African American Muslim ➢ African American Muslim's thoughts about their relationship ➢ "For a people long considered second-class citizens within their own country, being treated like second-class citizens within their own religion is a sore point" ➢ African American Muslim are underrepresented at the administrative level that leads to disagreements, which eventually leads to separation of two groups into two different communities.
