Islam

Hearth: Mecca (place where Muhammad was born; place where the spring came from the rock for Hagar and Ishmael)

Founder: Muhammad. Muslims do NOT depict Muhammad – he said not to draw pictures of him because he was not to be worshipped. The only one to be worshipped was Allah (God). We will watch a video later about Muhammad’s life.

Major Branches: Sunni = 83%; Shia = 16%

Universalizing or Ethnic? Universalizing

Regions of Practice: Middle East; Northern Africa; Indonesia

Conversion: One must say and believe, “I bear witness there is no deity but Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.” Also, one then takes a shower to be cleansed of his/her past life.

Holy Sites: Mecca, Medina (burial place of Muhammad); Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem

Mecca. The structure in the middle covered with velvet, embroidered cloth is the kaaba (this is the place where Hagar and Ishmael’s spring came from the rock). In 2012, over 3,161,000 went on the pilgrimage to Mecca

Medina and the mosque there

Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem

Dome of the Rock

Disposal of Dead: burial. To the right are rituals associated with burial practice.

Body WashingThe body is to be washed by a member of the same sex, except if the deceased is a child or spouse. Body WrappingFor wrapping a male body, three pieces of clean white cloth are required. Each piece must cover the entire body. Silk is not to be used for wrapping a male. PrayerAfter wrapping the body, the deceased is taken to a place designated for prayer services. Most often this is done in a public outdoor area, such as a public square or courtyard. FuneralUnless carrying the body, people are to walk in front of or beside the stand on which the casket or body is placed. Talking is not permitted. People are expected to maintain silence or pray silently. No outbursts of emotion or music are allowed during the funeral.

Religious Landscape:

Lunar calendar

In mosques, one will see geometric patterns and calligraphy – no depictions of people

Clothing. Women wear head scarves. In some stricter Islamic areas, women wear burkas. Men also cover their heads, and the head coverings vary from place to place.

burka

Diffusion: You can identify Islam because it goes from the Middle east into northern Africa. Spread through armies, trade, missionaries

Beliefs: The Five Pillars of Islam•Pray five times per day facing Mecca

• Give money to the poor (at least 2.5% of their yearly income)

Five Pillars continued…•Ramadan –Fast dawn to sunset in the holy 9th month of Ramadan. Fast to remind themselves that the spirit is more important than the body.

•The Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca. Every Muslim, if physically and financially able, must take a pilgrimage to Mecca

•Profess belief in Allah (the one true God) and Muhammad as the true messenger.

Beliefs continued…

Muslims believe in angelsMuslims believe in prophets (e.g.: Abraham, Moses, Jesus… they believe Jesus was a prophet, not divine)Muslims believe in a Judgment Day

Lifestyle Impacts•Food taboos (foods that are not allowed): pork, blood, alcohol•All meat must come from herbivorous animals slaughtered by a Muslim, Jew or Christian •Clothing (mentioned before)•Polygamy allowed but limited. The Qur’an says to marry one person, but will allow a man to marry more IF he is able to care for all of them equally and well.•Sharia Law (see next slide)

“Sharia law is the law of Islam. The Sharia law is created from the actions and words of Muhammad, and the Quran, which he authored.As a legal system, the Sharia law covers a very wide range of topics. While other legal codes deal primarily with public behavior, Sharia law covers public behavior, private behavior and private beliefs. Of all legal systems in the world today, Islam's Sharia law is the most intrusive and strict, especially against women.” Not all countries/areas that practice Islam have Sharia law. Some places have a legal system separate from the Qur’an.

Examples of Sharia law…

According to the Sharia law:•  Theft is punishable by amputation of the right hand (above).•  Criticizing or denying any part of the Qur’an is punishable by death.•  Criticizing or denying Muhammad is a prophet is punishable by death.•  Criticizing or denying Allah is punishable by death.•  A Muslim who becomes a non-Muslim is punishable by death.•  A non-Muslim who leads a Muslim away from Islam is punishable by death.•  A non-Muslim man who marries a Muslim woman is punishable by death.•  A man can unilaterally divorce his wife but a woman needs her husband's consent to divorce.•  Testimonies of four male witnesses are required to prove rape against a woman.•  A woman who has been raped cannot testify in court against her rapist(s).•  A woman's testimony in court, allowed only in property cases, carries half the weight of a man's.•  A female heir inherits half of what a male heir inherits.•  A woman cannot drive a car, as it leads to fitnah (upheaval).•  A woman cannot speak alone to a man who is not her husband or relative.