Islam:Elements of the Religion

World ReligionsFr. Llane Briese

Review

• Four Steps:– Self-Understanding– Values– Points of Agreement with Catholicism– Points of Disagreement

• History: Why Important?• Religion as a Culture• Examples: Elements of a Culture

Beliefs and Practices

• Cf. Textbook, ch. 4, sections 2-6• Different Cultural Elements of a Religion– Sacred Texts– Beliefs and Practices– Sacred Times and Seasons– Sacred Places

• Examples of these Elements in Catholicism

SACRED TEXTSLesson One

The Koran

• FYI: Koran = Qur’an• Considered so sacred that it is never placed

under anything.• Muslims perform ritual washings before

reading it.• Literal Meaning: “recitation”

Composition of the Koran

• Muhammad received these revelations and memorized them.

• Followers later committed them to writing.• Uthman (3rd caliph) compiled them into one

text.• Organized into Surahs (chapters): specific

revelations

Content of the Koran

• Major Themes:– Earlier Period/Mecca: Strict monotheism, morality,

and eschatology.– Later Period/Medina: Practical matters such as

relations with non-Muslims, good society, finance, legal

– 144 total surahs (arranged neither chronologically or thematically).

• Hafiz: One who has memorized the entire Koran.

Authorship of Sacred Texts

Islam (Koran)• Revelations dictated to

Muhammad.• The texts are only

divine; they are in no sense human speech.

Catholicism (Bible)• Revelation is progressive

and reaches its perfection in the person of Jesus.

• Jesus = The Word (cf. Jn 1)• Bible is inspired by the

Holy Spirit• Text has two authors: God

and human beings.

Other Islamic Texts

• The Koran is only read (at least officially) in Arabic. (All translation is a corruption.)

• The Sunnah: A Way of Life (e.g. how to pray)• Hadith: Stories of Muhammad’s words and deeds

—written in the 2nd Muslim century (between 722-822 in the Gregorian calendar)– Transmitted orally; written only much later on.– Some dispute among Muslims on importance of

discernment regarding Hadith.• For Shiites Only: The teachings of the imams going

back to Ali.

BELIEFS AND PRACTICESLesson Two

Main Tenet of Faith: Monotheism

• Islam: Submission to the one God (Allah)• Attributes of God– Benevolent, omnipotent, omniscient,

omnipresent, and all-merciful– Master of life and death and judge

• Free Will: One should submit, but can choose not to do so.

• Surrender = True Freedom

The Muslim Concept of a Prophet

• A Muslim = one who submits to God.• A prophet (in Islam) is a true muslim (= one

who submits to God).• Therefore, in Islam, Jesus is considered a

prophet.• Christian Concept of a Prophet = Different

The Five Pillars of Islam

• Shahadah (Witnessing): “There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God”– Fathers whisper these words to a newborn.– A dying person makes them their last words.– To Islam what the Shema is to Judaism.

• Salah (Prayer)– 5 times a day– Facing the Ka’ba– On Friday, the second prayer is followed by a

sermon.– No clergy in Islam.

The Five Pillars of Islam

• Zakah (Almsgiving)– An obligation and considered an act of worship– A concept also present in both Christianity and Judaism.– One gives 2.5x one’s savings.– Includes other acts of charity.

• Sawm (Fasting)– Ramadan: Month in which Muhammad received first

revelation from God.– Abstinence from food, drink, and sex.– Spirituality: Solidarity with the poor and vulnerable.

The Five Pillars of Islam

• Hajj (Pilgrimage)– To Mecca, where both Abraham and Muhammad

submitted to the will of God.– Pilgrimage centered around Abraham, Ishmael, and

Hagar events in Mecca:• Hagar and Ishmael going into the Arabian Desert and not

surviving until water appeared at Zam Zam, which grew into Mecca.

• Abraham would occasionally visit.• Abraham and Isaac would eventually rebuild the Ka’ba.

– Eid al-Adha: Commemorates the sacrifice of Ishmael.

Key Rituals of the Hajj

• Circling the Ka’ba 7 times counter-clockwise• Running 7 times between the two hills of Safa

and Marwah recalling Ishmael and Hagar’s fragrant search for water.

• Centerpiece: Pilgrimage to the Plain of Arafat where Muhammad gave his last sermon.– TRIVIA: Which book of the OT describes a single

important figure giving his last sermon?

Islamic Law: Shar’iah

• The life of Muslims is lived in community (ummah).

• The key to Muslim life = submission to God.• Shar’iah = the practicalities of submission.• Sources: Koran and Sunnah• Unpacked by an ulama (in Sunni Islam)• Shiite Islam: Teachings of the imams.• Plenty of debate (e.g. women’s dress)

SACRED TIMES AND SEASONSLesson Three

Sacred Time in Islam

• All time is sacred.– Note the similarity with Christianity.

• Daily Prayer: 5x a day.• Islamic Calendar: Lunar (354 days in a year)

and begins with the hijrah.• Therefore, occasionally a major feast will

occur twice in a year and the feasts can occur any time of year.

Major Celebrations

• Eid al-Fitr: Festival that ends Ramadan.– Cards sent out and homes decorated.– Children receive presents.

• Eid al-Adha: End of the Hajj– Gabriel put a ram in place of Ishmael– Muslims slaughter an animal to symbolize willingness to

sacrifice life for God.• Ashura: Marks the day God freed Moses and Hebrews

from the grips of Pharoah. A day of fasting.• Shiite Muslims: Remember the martyrdom of Husayn.

2013 and 2014 Dates

• Eid al-Fitr– 2013: Wednesday, August 7– 2014: Monday, July 28

• Eid al-Adha– 2013: Monday, October 14– 2014: Sunday, October 4

• Ashura– 2013: Wednesday, November 13– 2014: Sunday, November 2

SACRED PLACESLesson Four

Sacred Places

• Mosque: A “place of prostration”• Mecca, Saudi Arabia• Medina, Saudi Arabia• Jerusalem• Karbala, Iraq: Martyrdom of Husayn (for Shiite

Muslims)