Global Religions: Islam
IGS 10a
Chandler Rosenberger
Sona Jobarteh
World’s Largest Church?
Used to be Saint Peter’s in Rome
Now: Basilica of Our Lady of Peace (Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire)
Paul’s inspiration to resist oppression
Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with
stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day
in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been
in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my
fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in
danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false
believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without
sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone
without food; I have been cold and naked.
• 2 Corinthians 11:24-27
Most Rev. Daniel Deng Bul
Fourth primate of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan
(ECS) at All Saints Cathedral in Juba.
“Death has Come to Reveal the Faith"
South Sudanese hymn
Death has come to reveal the faith
it has begun with us, and it will end with us
oh you who fear death, do not fear death
it only means that one will disappear from earth
Who is there who can save his life and leave death aside?
We who live in the world, we are mere sojourners upon the
earth
As the Lord has said, "Let us serve the truth"
Pentecostals: Pastor TB Joshua, The Synagogue
Church Of All Nations
Catholicism as advocate
• The Catholic Church
must be close to
"poorest, the weakest,
the least important...
the hungry, the thirsty,
the stranger, the naked,
the sick, those in
prison.”
• Pope Francis, March
2013
World of Islam
•
•
Islam a Western religion
Along with Judaism, Christianity -- a "people of
the book“
Scriptures share many books, characters, ideas
Monotheistic -- one God
Judgment Day -- good and evil judged
Destiny -- history has a direction, guided by
God
Monotheism: more monotheistic than
Christianity
Allah -- al-ilah -- "the God". Tawhid -- "oneness.“
God completely transcendent -- never incarnate in
Christ. Beyond gender.
shirk -- idolatry. Ignoring the oneness of God.
Favoring anything over God.
More serious than kafir -- unbelief.
Muhammed (570-632)
Combination of spiritual and secular success.
610 A.D. – sees angel Gabriel in cave outside Mecca
Told to recite -- did for next 22 years, until death in 632 A.D.
Formed a Muslim community in Mecca 622
Fled Mecca, settled in Medina
Returned triumphantly to Mecca to build Empire
Ottoman Empire at its height, 13001683
Quran
Perfect word of God: untranslated
114 suras (chapters)
Medinan suras focus on social and political matters
Marriage, war, gambling
Way of life as well as religion
Constant emphasis on proper treatment of the poor
Zakat – turn over 2.5 percent of worldly
possessions
Five pillars of Islam
Shahadah: “there is no god but God, and Mohammed is
the messenger of God.”
Salat: humility expressed in prayer five times a day:
reminder of submission to will of One God
Zakat: charity – give 2.5 percent of assets to the poor
Sawm: fasting during holy months
Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca, the Kabah shrine
Sunni and Shia
Sunni
Sunnis (most Arabs)
• followed Muhammad's
father-in-law (Abu Bakr)
• successors as chosen by
close followers
Two forms of governance:
Social and political: caliphs
Religious: left up to community
to choose
had caliphate until 1924
Shia: dynastic succession, hidden
Imam
Shia (Iranians, most Iraqis, some
Lebanese): social, political, and
religious authority in hands of
imam
– Follow Muhammed's son-in-law and
cousin, Ali
– Grandson, Hosain, killed at Karbala in
Iraq
Had 12 imams down to 873 A.D.
– 12th went into hiding -- will return at
end of days
– (Primarily in Iran, but also Iraq,
Lebanon)
Umayyad Caliphate, 622-750
Abbasid Dynasty 750 - 1258
Malmuk Sultanate, 1258-1517
Ottoman Conquests
Ottoman Empire at its height, 13001683
Decline of Ottoman Empire, 18071924
Ottoman Empire at its height, 13001683
Decline of Ottoman Empire, 18071924
Contemporary Middle East and North
Africa
Kurzman: Islamists as modern
Sayyid Qutb (1906-1966), Islamist
thinker from Egypt
• “A Muslim has no nationality
except his belief.”
• In sight of Allah, “all other
relationships based on blood
or other considerations
disappear.”
• “Nationalism here is belief,
homeland here is dar-alIslam, the ruler here is Allah
and the constitution here is
the Quran.”
Kurzman: Political Islam is Modern
Political Islam works in Iran: overlap of
nationalism and religion
Islam and Nationalism: Turkey
Turkish Prime
Minister Recep
Erdogan, with
portrait of secular
Turkish nationalist
Ataturk
Roy: A new ‘habitus’ in Europe