Islam

Key Questions

• How did Islam come to be?• What are the key ideas of Islam?• What are the sects of Islam, and what are they

based on?• Is Islam a religion of terrorism or of peace?

Pre-Islamic World

Pre-Islamic World

• Arabs = Semitic-speaking people of SW Asia• 106 B.C. – Roman conquest• Under Roman rule:

– nomadic tribes (Bedouin Arabs)– tribal gov’t. : leader = sheikh, council of elders = majlis– economy: shepherding, caravan trade from Persian

Gulf to Mediterranean– religion: polytheism, w/ Allah as supreme god (Ka’aba

in Mecca)

How did Islam come to be?

• Muhammad (570-632)• 610 – Angel Gabriel tells Muhammad to preach.• 622 – hejira – Muhammad and followers forced

out of Mecca (went to Medina). Begin expansion of Islam.

• 630 – Muhammad and followers conquer Mecca.• Expansion continues after Muhammad’s death.

What are the key ideas of Islam?

• 5 Pillars1.belief in 1 God (Allah)2.prayer (5 times/day)3.zakat – charity to poor4.fasting during Ramadan5.hajj – pilgrimage to Mecca

• jihad

SUBDIVISIONS OF ISLAM

Subdivisions of Islam

A Blogger’s Commentary:

Opinions on Divisions

• One hadith (saying of Muhammad) states “Differences of opinion among my community are a blessing.” A degree of diversity among Muslims has therefore been seen as good and even divinely sanctioned.

• Another tradition predicts that Islam will subdivide 73 times but also states that there is only one right path. Some Muslims, declaring their version of Islam to be the correct one, condemn other Muslims as apostates (people who abandon their faith).

The Major Subdivisions

• Sunnis– Answer: anyone– majority (85-93.5%)

• “sunna” = “the acts of the Prophet Muhammad”

• Shiites– Answer: only

descendants of Ali, Muhammad’s cousin & son-in-law

– minority (6.6-15%)

• “Shia” = “followers

Question of who should be caliph (Muhammad’s successor)?

Sunnis and Shiites are very similar. Examples of a few differences:

• Shiites add to the standard declaration of faith “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of God,” the phrase, “Ali is the friend of Allah, the successor of the messenger of God and the first caliph.”

• Shiites and Sunnis have their own hadiths (sayings of Muhammad)

• Most Shia reject predestination

Only countries with a Shia majority are: Iraq (60-65%), Iran (89%), Azerbaijan (80%)

Why is Iran Shiite?

Persia became Shiite with the rise of the Safavids (founded in 1501)

Some scholars speculate that the Safavids chose Shia Islam to distinguish themselves from the neighboring, Arab-dominated Sunni regimes and because Persia had a history of investing authority in ancient priestly families that it had inherited from the Zoroastrian past. In contrast, Arab tribes were traditionally led by chiefs who regularly consulted tribal elders, with the result that leadership was more collegial.

Sufis

• seek union with God – notion of hubb, the love b/t the “beloved” (Allah) & the “lover”

• seek God through inner experience rather than through scripture … solitary prayer, meditation, chanting

• bridge between Sunni and Shiite• emphasis on humanitarianism – helping

others decreases self-centeredness• often condemned for not following rituals

Sufis

• Origins: In existence since the time of Muhammad – even emphasize Muhammad’s own experience w/ meditation. Formalized through writings in 11th-12th c.

• Not all Sufis belong to Sufi orders. Many Sunnis and Shiites practice Sufi-style devotion.

Sufis: “Whirling Dervishes”

Islamism

• political Islam• emphasis on enforcement of Sharia• anti-Western• literal interpretation of the Qur’an• support of social programs helps their appeal• aka Islamic fundamentalism

Modern Islamist Subdivisions

• Muslim Brotherhood – Egypt• Hezbollah – Lebanon • al-Qaeda• Jaamati-i-Islam – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh• Wahhabis – Saudi Arabia

Wahhabism

• Saudi Arabia’s dominant faith for >2 centuries• strict Wahhabis believe that those who don't

practice their form of Islam are heathens and enemies

• Wahhabism's explosive growth began in the 1970s when Saudi charities started funding Wahhabi schools (madrassas) and mosques from Islamabad to Culver City, California

Are there any modernizers?

Yes, there have been important individuals, ex. Muhammad Abduh (1849-1905) and Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938). Modernizers look to reform Islam; they look to the future, and argue that Islam should change with the times. No large organization of modernizers has formed, in contrast to the proliferation of Islamist groups.

Sources

Islamic Beliefs, Practices and Cultures (Marshall Cavendish, 2011), Google Books