primarily "peace", secondarily "submission"
Not 'Muhammadenism'
Qur'an
Qur'an, not the Prophet, is central
Centering on Mohammed's life is to ask un-Islamic questions
'Problems' or influences in Mohammed's life are historically interesting but are irrelevant to Muslim faith
Pre-Islamic Arabian religion
3 daughters of Allah
al-Lat (mother goddess [Sun?])
al-Manat (fate)
al-'Uzza (morning star [=Ishtar])
Allah as distant, imageless creator God
In retirement for all practical purposes
Compare to El in Caananite religion
Ka'ba (book has Ka'aba)
Movie: Fundamentalisms (Islam)
Represents a minority view
Comparable to Jerry Falwell in Christianity
Issues
Cancellation of Algerian election
Should state be governed by Shari'a?
Book distinction between 'Muslim' & 'Islamic' state
Should women wear veils?
Women as source of temptation to men (but not the reverse)
Quran vs. Hadith
Qur'an is oracular
compare Torah || Qur'an, Talmud || Hadith
a few examples from Hadith
A'isha
Married to Muhammad at 6, moved in at 9
Memorized the Qur'an
Significant source of information in Hadith
Codification of Qur'an under first Caliphs
Collections of Hadith stretch over 2 centuries
Always supported by chain of attestors (who heard it from whom, going back to the prophet)
Muhammed
Opposition in Mecca
The Hijra (622 CE)
Yathrib = Medinat an Nabi ("City of the Prophet") = Medina
Relations with Jews at Medina
Muslims account this as the year 1 in their calendar
War with Mecca
Muhammad waylaid caravan to Mecca
Two resulting battle (advantage 1 each), neither decisive
Battle of the Ditch
Meccans attacked w/10,000 in 627
Muhammad built encircling trench to stop cavalry (successful)
Muhammad attacked Mecca in 630 w/10,000
Won decisive victory
Circumambulated Ka'ba, then cleansed it (got rid of idols)
Returned to Medina
Died 632
Movie: Saint and Spirits
Relationship between orthodoxy & popular expression
Folkloric aspects connected to veneration of saints
Intermediaries (prophetism)
Shewapa's (sp?) dedication compared to wedding
Problem of intermediary activity if Muhammad is last of prophets
Jinn vs. saints
Jinn can be either good or bad
First 4 Caliphs
Abu Bakr (632-634)
Conflict over hereditary vs. religious succession
Ridddah wars
Umar (634-644)
Capture of Damascus (635)
Khalid
Jewish & Christian response
Fall of Jerusalem (638)
Egypt (639-641)
Persia (640-652)
Assassinated by Persian slave largely because he could not be corrupted
Uthman (644-656)
Ummayyad
Politically weak (Ummayyad puppet)
Codified Qur'an
Assassinated in Medina because of nepotism and general weakness
Ali (656-661)
Conflict with Mu'awia (Ummayyad governor of Syria)
Assassinated by own troops after he offered to negotiate with Mu'awia
More history
Ummayyad dynasty of Caliphs
Ruled from Damascus 661-750
Abbassid dynasty of Caliphs
Ruled from Baghdad 750-11th century
Various regional Caliphates, but esp. Turkish
11th c. - 20th c.
Shi'i (Shiite)
12 imams beginning with Ali & his two sons
12th imam is Muhammad Al-Muntazar (d. 878)
He did not actually die, but went into hiding
He will come out of hiding at the end of history as the Mahdi (=Messiah)
Much emphasis is placed on the teachings of lesser, charismatic imams (ulama)
Remember that 'imam' usually means a leader of congregational prayer
Not to be confused with the succession of the 12
Reading
WR:
pp. 130-179 (Islam)
pp. 180-203 (Hinduism)
Web links:
Selectons from the Qur'an
Selections from & about Hadith
Muslim responses to terrorism