ISLAM

1. ISLAM History ‘There is no God but God’

2. Key Terms and Persons • Islam- submission, surrender to God • Muhammad – the final Prophet to whom God gave His final revelation • Shahadah – Muslim profession of faith that there is no God but God • Zakat – giving alms to the poor. One of the five pillars of Islam • Hajj- pilgrimage to Mecca- one of five pillars of Islam • Imam- prayer leader for Sunnis; for Shi’ites has divine authority, successor to the Prophet • Qur’an (Koran)- Sacred, final revelation or word of God, eternal, revealed to the Prophet. • Ummah – Muslim community • Shari’a- Islamic law • Tawhid- God’s oneness or unity. Also when one acts to affirm the divine unity • Shirk – associating anything with God or putting something alongside God in importance. Greatest sin. • Sufi – a mystic within Islam; typically belonging to one of the various tariqua or orders • Kalam – rational theology

3. Introduction • Over 1 billion adherents (estimate 1.3) • Some diversity influenced by: • Language • Country • Ethnicity • Sectarian identity • Contrast with non-Muslim neighbors • But similar, especially in: • Rituals • Almost universal use of Arabic in prayer • Koran as the literal word of God

4. Introduction • Among Islam’s contributions have been: • The number zero • The algebraic system • Elliptical orbits in astronomy • Koran (Qur’an) as literal word of God

5. History • Abrahamic Religion • Ishmael not Isaac • Building of Ka’ba (black meteorite) • Later to be most Holy place of worship and pilgrimage • The Times of Ignorance • Tribal Religion • Little thought of afterlife – not well defined • The Ka’ba • The Quraysh

6. Muhammad • Vehicle for God’s message (later compiled as Koran) • Focus for Islam is God’s revelations to Muhammad, not Muhammad himself • Muhammad’s miracle is reception of Qu’ran (although later miracles are attributed to him) • Considered perfect example for humanity • Sunnah (way Muhammad lived- to be exemplified) • Muhammad will later work from generalizations in the Koran and apply them to specific situations

7. Muhammad • Youth • Marriage • Turning point: Mystical experience at cave • First followers • Night of Ascension • Growth of the umma • Flight from Mecca to Yathrib/Medina • Tribal warfare • Victory over Mecca

8. Rise of islam • After Muhammad’s death • Successor is appointed (lifetime) • Dissension • Sunni-Shi’ite split • Support of Abu Bakr, Muhammad’s companion Sunnis (currently majority- around 80%). First caliph (=successor to the Prophet) • Support of Ali, cousin of Muhammad, husband of favorite daughter, Fatima- Shi’ites • Caliph • Leader but not prophet • Umayyad

9. Rightly Guided caliphs: First four successors • Abu Bakr (632-634 A.D.) – prophet’s companion and father-in-law (Aisha) • Election • in part, on fear of Quraysh to blend religious authority of Prophet with secular authority of Caliph (as might happen if Ali was chosen) • By group of elders (Ali absent) • Assumes popular consensus (consensus of umma) • Abu Bakr • Khalifat Rasul Allah – ‘the Successor to the Messenger of God’ • reinforces loyalty to umma • unlike traditional tribal understanding of oath • Enforces tithe tax

10. Rightly guided Caliphs (cont.) • Umar (634-644 A.D.) – prophet’s companion • ‘Commander of the Faithful’ • Defeats Byzantine army in southern Syria; then Sassain forces • Damascus, Jerusalem, Egypt and Libya fall to Umar’s army • Uthman (644-656 A.D.) – prophet’s companion –assassinated • Umayyad clan; Quraysh (election preserving the Quraysh elite) • Problems • Takes title of Kahlifat Allah = ‘Successor to God” instead of deputy of Messenger now representative of God on earth • Nepotistic – replaces amirs with his immediate family • Collection and canonization of Qur’an

11. Rightly guided caliphs (cont.) • Ali (656-661 A.D.) – prophet’s cousin, son-in-law – assassinated • Refused title of Caliph (not least because of its tainted use by Uthman) • ‘Commander of the Faithful’ • First civil war led against Ali by Aisha (daughter of Abu Bakr). Defeat of Aisha at Battle of the Camel • Battle against Mu’wayia; arbitration • Assassinated by Kharijites

12. Sunnis • Follow elected caliphs • Role of caliphs • Administrates Shari’ah • Shari’ah = sacred law of Islam • Teachings and practices • Based primarily on Koran and Sunnah of Muhammad • Leads worship • People of the Sunnah • Role of ummah • selects caliph • Koran, Hatdith and Sunnah are continuously interpreted by consensus of opinion and wisdom of jurists. • E.g. test-tube fertilization

13. Shi’ites • Believe Ali, Prophet’s cousin, to have been the rightful original successor of the Prophet

14. Shi’ites: Karbala • Martyrdom of Ali’s son Husayn at Karbalah • Penitents • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tveXLR5Qg_w • Gives impetus to Shi’ite movement

15. Shi’ites: imams • Imams, not caliphs • Imam = religious leader; legitimate successors of Muhammad • Esoteric knowledge passed down • Without sin (as Muhammad was kept sinless) • Political leaders as well as divine guidance • Shari’ah interpreted by Imam (not scholarly consensus) for each successive generation

16. Shi’ites: Imams • ‘Twelvers’ • Majority of Shi’ites • Total of 12 Imams • 12th Imam continues to guide religious scholars while in a hidden state and will publicly return on the Day of Resurrection. • Others hold to different numbers of imams

17. Expansion of islam • 661-750 Umayyad Dynasty • Mu’awiyya – Sunni, Umayyad • Disputes Ali’s appointment • Succeeds Ali • Establishes Umayyad Caliphate appointing son, Yazid • Rapid expansion

18. Dome of the rock (691 A.D.) From http://www.fotosearch.com/DGV078/200213679-001

20. Expansion (cont.) • 750 – Emergence of Abbasid dynasty • New cultural phase; the ‘golden age’ of Islam • Influence of: • Greek learning/philosophy • Sufi mysticism; contemplative practices • Interpretations of the shari’a

21. Expansion (cont.) • Abassid Dynasty (cont.) • Capital moved to Baghdad • Ended, more or less, with Mongol invasion in 1258 • Though Mongol’s were eventually converted to Islam • Concurrent with Abassid Dynasty • Spain - Umayyad • Egypt – Shi’ites

22. Medieval islam • Ibn Rushd/Averroes(1126-98) • Integrated Greek philosophy w/Islamic tradition • Ibn al’Arabi (1165-1240) • Mystic-philosopher • 1258 Mongol Incursion • Sacking of Baghdad • 1492 Islam driven out of Spain • Establishment of: • Safavid Empire- Iran • Mughal Empire – India • Ottoman Turkish Empire (Asia, N. Africa. E. Europe)

23. Modern period • Wahhabi Reforms • Khilafat movement (1818-1924) • Turkey • Muslim Brotherhood • Palestine and Israel • Radical Muslims

24. Muslim response to pope’s regensburg lecture • Washington Post • Daily Mail Muslim activists burn an effigy of Pope Benedict XVI during a protest in Srinagar, India. Daily Mail,