Huston Smith Part I

Chapter 1- Islamic Background

-It only took a century for Islam to expand from the Atlantic to China.
-These people developed their own culture and denied any of the massive empires around.
-The creation of Islam is a combination of socioeconomic conditions and the message of God.
-Muslims believe that Adam was the first man created by God,
-Muhammad's son, Ishmael was banished and may have further spread Islam, or Judaism/Christianity.

Islam saw success almost immediately in its spread due to the conditions of the time. This led to the creation of a new people whose believes accepted some of those of Christianity and Judaism, but differed in many aspects. This started with the account of Ishmael's life, Muhammad's son.

Chapter 2- The Seal of the Prophets

-Muslims believe that there have been many authentic prophets, but that Muhammad was there culmination or "The Seal of the Prophets".
-Muhammad was born into an "Ignorant" world of tribes and impulse. He suffered many losses early in his life and God brought light through his revelations.
-His first wife Khadija comforted him after the message became his burden, and made it his light, she helped him prepare to share his new status of prophet.
-Muhammad brought science to Muslims by discussing the world's incontrovertible order.
-Violence resulted due to the democratic message he gave, but when influential people began to see the truth in his message, they joined his effort and spread Islam.

Islam's believe that Muhammad is the final prophet of God, and that he gave light to the ignorant world he was born into. His wife helped him accept his role in the new religion and in God's eyes. This allowed him to fight for the spread of his message and slowly cultivate a following. His early successes quickly displayed that he had God on his side, and increased his following and the eventual spread of Islam.

Chapter 3-The Migration that Led to Victory

-Yathrib was a city 280 miles north of Mecca that felt the impact of Muhammad's teachings. Therefore, they reached out to him when they needed a strong leader.
-The migration to this city is referred to as the Hijra and is the start of the Muslim calendar.
-At his arrival in the city now known as Medina, Muhammad became more than a prophet, but a powerful politician. He still remained humble. \
-After merging the 5 conflicting tribes of Mecca word of his Miracle and his reputation began to spread.
-Even after Muhammad's untimely death, Islam spread quickly to the shores of the Atlantic ocean.

After Muhammad's miracle, he began to spread his revelations. This caused lots of conflict as well as attention, and although his life was threatened at multiple points he was still able to get to Medina to help the struggling city. His incredible reputation and humble character increased his following which spread the religion even after his young death in 632.

Critical Commentary Linear Questioning

Interview with Robinson Carroll:

The members of the Umma create a moral in the community that pushes other members to become closer to God. Ex: Sawm and Hajj

Question 1-
Why do you think a sense of community will make a person closer to God?

"I think that if you are growing in your faith with friends then it allows you to work together and discuss things based on personal experiences with God."

Question 2-
Do you think that by building relationships under experiences tied by God, one can increase their faith in God?

"Yes, because if you and your friends or community have similar beliefs than it makes you belong, instead of being an outcast without a community in which you belong."

Question 3-
How could being an outcast either lead to religion or the denial of religion?

"Being an outcast can lead to its denial because feeling outcast might make the person feel as if there is no way a good God would treat them that way- and leave them all alone. It might make them turn to God in pursuance of overcoming their situation and developing the feeling of belonging that the community will bring them."

Question 4-
Why do you think people turn to God at the hardest times of their lives?

Response/ Conclusion- "Because they have no where else to turn and they belief that even if they have pulled away from God in the past that it is the only area of hope left."

Critical Commentary on the Interviews

Critical Commentary

1. Do you think it is acceptable to draw pictures or show images of God? and

To what extent do you agree that God cannot be materialized into human standards?

Yes, because we believe that representations of God are something that helps people focus their worship and centralize their beliefs around something they can visualize. This helps create a common image for people to associate with God and their religion. I think it is up to the religious persons to represent their God in the way they would like. This also allows religious artwork to have religious meaning.

I believe that God is not something that can be broken down into our standards or human image. However, in representing him as a human man this allows practitioners to connect with God on a personal level and feel closer to him. I think most people believe or understand that God does not look the way we portray him, but this gives them an image to the name. I think images of God may be seen as more of a symbol than a picture, and this is something that is used on a personal level and differs greatly throughout different religions and practitioners themselves. God may not be materialized into a human, but he may be represented symbolically with art and images that happen to resemble the human figure.

2. Muslims do not believe in representing God with images or human figures. They use words and calligraphy to represent Allah. This is due to the belief that God can not be understood in the context of human standards. He is beyond what we can imagine or see on Earth. Artwork that gives Allah or Muhammad a face is considered extremely controversial.  This is shown by the extreme retaliation to the publication of a comic by Charlie Hebdo that shows an image of Muhammad. As a group, none of us are Muslims. This comic strip does not make any of us upset or offended, but we understand how it could offend some Muslims by bringing Muhammad, one of the prophets, down to their human level. We also find it interesting how Charlie Hebdo created this work of art with the knowledge that it would stir up a lot of controversy and we wonder if this controversy is the reason that his comic became popular.

3. The questions asked during student/teacher interviews were:

• Do you think it is acceptable to draw pictures or show images of God?
• To what extent do you agree that God cannot be materialized into human standards?

After interviewing 5 different people-2 teachers and 3 students, our group came to the consensus that these five people had similar opinions and viewpoints. In response to the first question, most people believed that it was acceptable to draw pictures and show images of God as a way of expressing themselves and it gives people something to look at or picture in their mind while worshipping their God. As a group, we agree with these interviewees and found it interesting that we all agree on this specific question. The response to the second question sparked multiple ideas and different thoughts. Some people agreed that God can be materialized into human standards just by the way one thinks of Him. Others expressed that they do not agree that God can be materialized into human standards and believe that God is not something that can be broken down into what we believe is a human image. Our group found it interesting that there were more than one major viewpoint expressed and we believe that God cannot be materialized to human standards, but in representing him as a human, it allows personal connection.

4. Integration (Connection) of evidence: examining how the question relates to Muslims in comparison to MHS society.

Showing images of God and attributing human traits to God are both strictly forbidden in the Islamic religion. Through our questions, we were trying to compare these Islamic ideas to the ideas present in the Millbrook community. Our community is mostly influenced by Christianity and Judaism rather than Islam. It was interesting to see how people that were more influenced by these religions would answer these questions since it is easy to hypothesize how a Muslim would answer them based on the beliefs of Islam.

Koran by Heart

Journal Entry- Nabioallah

     Yesterday, I competed in the International Holy Koran Competition at the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Cairo, Egypt. I represented my entire country of Senegal against kids of all ages from 70 different countries. I was very nervous when I went up to recite my passage, but once I started to speak I was able to calm down. My life for the past few years has led up to this moment. I have spent hours a day memorizing the Qu'ran and working with my teacher on my pronunciation. One difficult aspect of this has been the fact that I speak Tajik and do not understand Arabic. This has led to many challenges in not only my studies, but in visiting Cairo for the competition as well. I have also never learned Tajweed, due to the nature of my small rural school. Speaking of, this school has been shut down in an attempt to reduce extremism. I have been forced to search for a new school in the capital. This has proved difficult due to the fact that I am nearly illiterate. My education thus far has been on memorizing the Qu'ran, and I must now branch out into other aspects of learning. Traveling to Egypt has been extremely scary with all of the mosquitos, people, cars, and buildings. I am all by myself and I do not understand the language. Memorizing the Qu'ran has placed me in a distinct comfort zone which I must now expand off of. The attention I received after finishing 3rd has been overwhelming. I suppose I should learn Tajweed for my future visits. 

The notes I took on the video:

The international holy koran competition- Ministry of Religious Affairs in Cairo, Egypt

During Ramadan- Call to prayer ends fast

These kids are 10 and represent their entire countries (70 different)

Rules of Tajweed- Rythmic (Melody is improvised)

Qu’ran means “A Reciting”

Nabioallah (Senegal)- 

All by himself

Not Arab- speaks Tajik

Scary world- mosquitos, people, cars, buildings- so much

Computer- how does it work/ buttons

Nerves before- reciting calms

Judges were amazed at his beautiful voice and unpredictable rhythm. 

He doesn’t speak Arabic

Lots of attention- overwhelmed

Scored a 95

School shut down by Tajikistans secular government in an effect to shut down extremism

Can not continue studies at the school anymore- applied to school in the capital that is approved by the government (Rural schools have one teacher- young extremists)

Illiterate in Tajik

Will study and live in the new school if he was accepted

He was told to come back for more tests after his trip to Cairo

Does not know the rules of Tajweed!

Won 3rd place

Chapter 4: All About Allah

Chapter 4: All About Allah

1. What is intriguing / interesting / insightful about the benefits of Islam forbidding the use of any representations of Allah? More about this later as well.

God is not personified or brought to the level of comprehension that we hold our world at. He is abstract and impossible to understand. I believe that this may hold some realistic qualities in the idea that God is something that no one can explain and we mustn't degrade into the level of human representation as this will never be accurate. I think this is fascinating and the success they have found in keeping Allah out of human concept. 

2. How in some ways is the God of Islam similar to the Hindu concept of Bramha

It is very similar in the idea that God is in all of us and God is everything. God has an endless reservoir of energy and everything on the earth is connected or is God. Brahma encompasses everything too. They are also similar in the indescribable aspects of each. 

3. What is the meaning of the phrase "La ilaha ill Allah" and what are some of the implications of this phrase? (What reasons do Muslims give for this steadfast belief?)

This means "There is no god other than God." This belief is justified by the counter of claims by other religions. The idea that there is a trinity involving God is blasphemous because there is only the one and he does not discriminate. This is shown through the equal punishment of all religious persons all over the world.

4. Why can't Muslims blame anyone or anything (such as Shaytan) at the time of their judgment?

They cannot blame Shaytan because he has no actual power only the ability to suggest. We have free will and choices and this is ultimately what is judged. 

5. What, according Muslim beliefs, is the role of Jesus and how is he much like Adam? What then are the reasons they do not accept Jesus as the son of God or redeemer of sin?

The lack of a father to Jesus is equal to the lack of parents to Adam. They say that if Jesus was the son of God then he would be equal to Adam. Both were created and told to "be" and they were. They accept his virgin birth and his prophet status but not being killed on the cross or redeemer of sin. 

6. If Muslims are forbidden from depicting God in any way, how do they then conceptualize Allah?

He is connected to everything we think and say and he is therefore "as close as a jugular vein."Taqwa is the consiousness of God in ones life. Increasing Taqwa brings one closer to Allah. Muslims are able to conceptualize him through his actions and descriptions including the 99 names of Allah.

7. Why is "He" used to describe Allah if you cannot attribute physical traits to God?

In Arabic, all nouns have a gender, Allah is feminine and is combined with masculin Hoowa to cancel it. It is not accepted that God is either a male nor female, because he can not be compared with our world. 

Chapter 3: Looking at Life the Islamic Way

Chapter 3: Looking at life the Islamic Way

1. According to Islam, we are all born "good" - how does it then explain the "bad" that exists?

We are born good but have a natural weakness to succumb to our desires and avoid pain, and these lead to sin. There is also the concept of a devil or evil that influences actions; however, we are given the tools to overpower these urges. 

2. What are the purposes of the 3 levels of self development in Islam?

The animal self, accusing self, and restful self are the levels we go through as we struggle to accept God. The purpose is to overcome our inner nature and raise our minds to allow us to seek God. 

3. How does Islam both accept other religious ideas but is the "last installment of God's will"

These other religions are the result of people attempting to reach spirituality through what is familiar. However, they believe that after exploring these compromised religions one will practice Islam or the ultimate representation of God's will. 

4. What do you think is the role of the Tawba? How does this play a role in the daily responsibility of individuals? How is this different (or similar) compared to other religions?

I think the role of the Tawba is overcoming the sin and learning from it. It is showing the practitioners devotion and remorse for the act. This places more responsibility on the individual to keep their promises from previous Tawba's and resolve to become better people/ sin less. This is different in the simplicity of the steps but similar in the idea of remorse and vowing to never commit the sin again. 

5. Why is Islam not a faith of "good deeds" even if it superficially may seem to be - or as claimed in the reading, it is a form of "religious capitalism"

It is religious capitalism because the entire purpose that is placed on good deeds is to be rewarded for it. Hard work is recognized on judgment day and it is therefore not a communal caring society, but a selfish way to strive for a goal.

6. What is meant in the sentence: "Salvation in Islam comes from making the choice while alive to accept Allah and mold like according to the way of life He has established."

This counters the Christian idea of people being born evil, and says that we must consciously maintain our good that we are born with and strive to live within the guide of Allah to go to heaven. To live a life based on morality and giving is to mold according to his way of life. 

7. Revisit / expand on the concept of the Fitrah

Fitrah is our inner good. This is the angel on our shoulder that tells us to do good and fights with the devil on the other side that thinks only of personal desire and immediate satisfaction. This comes from the good in our souls that we are born with, without sin. This is the tool that God gives everyone to overcome the temptation of the devil.