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Islam
Essentials of Islam
• Islam means “surrender” or “submission” – Indicating
wholehearted surrender to God
• Muslim means “one who submits” to God (Allah)– Expressed during
worship-prostration of the entire body during prayer indicates a belief in divine power and the believer’s submission to it
Theology • Islam worship the same God Jews and Christians worship• Muslims refer to God as Allah• The word is a contraction of al (“the”) and ilah (“God”)• Muslims explain that the word Allah is not the name of God- it simply
means “God”• It is said that God has 99 names
– Merciful, just, compassionate • Even though God is referred as a male, God has no gender
VIEW OF HUMAN NATURE
• Essentially good• People “forget” and
that’s why they sin– Came from the fall
in the Garden of Eden
– Therefore pray 5 x daily in order to remember
• Human destiny is dependent on the struggle (jihad) for goodness– Reward for
goodness – Heaven
– Punishment for forgetfulness – Hell
Umma • Islamic
community – The Umma
bases its laws and lifestyle on the teachings from the Koran
Mosque • Mosque refers to a space for prostration• Its design is simple• Has at least one formal entry to the
compound-– where shoes are to be taken off and left
outside• There is at least one fountain for
purification• There is a high pulpit indoors or
outdoors for sermons• worshipers stand and prostrate
themselves in rows• Mihrab- is a special arched niche that
indicates the direction of Mecca- Muslims pray facing Mecca
• The floor is usually covered with rugs or mats
Mosque cont.
• Outdoors there is usually a minaret– a tall tower or two towers at the
corners of the mosque where prayer is called
• a muezzin– calls out from the top of a tower
for prayer– The muezzin’s call to prayer
begins with Allahu akbar (“God is supreme”)
– Nowadays, recordings of the call to prayer are often played over loudspeakers
Marriage • Marriage
– Arranged by parents and formalized by a written contract
– The bridegroom’s family makes an offer of money or property to the family of the bride as a part of the contract
– The marriage ceremony is held at home
• It consists of signing the contract
• A passage from the Qur’an might be read
• There is usually a feast following the signing of the contract
MARRIAGE, CONT.
– Multiple wives (polygamy) – no more than 4 permitted• Must be treated equally
• Not allowed in western countries with monogamous marriage laws
Female roles
• In some societies, a woman must be veiled when she goes out of the house
• She allows only her husband and relatives to see her face
– In most places it is a choice, not in Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran
• Women are expected to socialize only with female friends and relatives
• Women may work as nurses, doctors, and teachers
Circumcision
• Male circumcision is required – Age 7 or 8 is common– Muhammad was
circumcised • In some countries, girls are
circumcised at puberty– Purpose: decreases sexual
desire, helping her to remain a virgin before her marriage, be faithful to her husband afterward
– Non-Muslims in the West criticize the practice as being repressive and dangerous
Prohibitions
• The Qur’an forbids the consumption of pork and wine
• Charging interest on loans is not allowed
• Gambling is forbidden
Prohibition: image making
• The prohibition against the making of images has been observed in Islam, but there are at least three exceptions:
• One: Muhammad’s Night Journey. However, Muhammad’s face often appears as a ghostly blank space.
Prohibition: image making• Another exception: Pilgrims who return successfully from Mecca
make a picture of their pilgrimage and place it outside the house, near the front door, where it cannot be missed.
Death rituals • Prayers from the Qur’an are
recited for the dying person• After death, the body is
buried in a plain white shroud– If the deceased is a male who
has made the pilgrimage, he will wear the robe he wore in Mecca
• The face of the decease is turned toward Mecca at the burial
• The headstone is usually an undecorated stone marker- signifies equality of all people in death
Islam and Judaism and Christianity
• Islam and Christianity– Belief in the soul– Bodily resurrection– Final judgment (Day of
Doom)– Afterlife of hell for the
wicked and paradise for the good
• Islam, Judaism, and Christianity– Belief in angels and
devils