Islam means Peace through Submission, Muslim means one who submits to Allah (God: Monotheistic)
Islamic beliefs – moral codes 5 pillars
1. Shahadah – CREED, one god Allah and Muhammad is his messanger – all beliefs flow from it – no pictures of ALLAH, 99 names ( merciful, all powerful…) diet – halal or lawful food= slaughter in the name of Allah, no blood eaten, no pigs, do not use silver or gold plates, wash and give thanks to Allah before eating
2. Salah – not personal prayer but organised prayer - pray 5 times ( Friday Mosque, wudu (wash), face Mecca, Adhan – call to prayer, Raka – prayer movements, Mosque – no paintings, prayer mat, symbol = star and cresent, quiblah indicates the direction of Mecca to face when praying, Imam= teacher
3. Zakat – charity give to the poor 2.5%, at festivals give meat to poor
4. Ramadan- sawm fasting daylight hours every Muslin over 12 years, no eating drinking, sexual relations in daylight, fasting an act of personal worship, special prayers, reading the Quran, last 28 days celebrates month ( 9th month) Muahmmad received the Quran from Allah, finished with Festival Eid el Fitr pray in Mosque thanksgiving to Allah, special sermon from Imam, presents and sweets, feast
5. Hajj – pilgrimage – obligation once a lifetime Mecca Muhammad lived and received the Quran, peace with Allah, one’s soul, one’s neighbour
a. TAWAF is going around the Kabbah ( in Mecca Great Mosque, Saudi Arabia) 7 times, touch black stone of Kaabah
b. SAY is brisk walking between two small hills called Safa and Marwa as Hagar (Abraham’s wife) did during her desperate search of water for her son Ismael.
c. Mina 8 km from Mecca spend the night
d. Plain of Arafat pray for forgiveness and listen to sermons
e. Sun set Mizdalifah road to Mecca evening prayer
f. Mina throw stones stone pillars to represent rejection of Satan ( devil) and temptations in their lives
Festival after Hajj – Eid el Adha ( sacrifice goat like Abraham was about to sacrifice his son Ishmael ( Hagar his mother) to show his love for Allah
Ka’bah ( in Mecca Great Mosque, Saudi Arabia) means house of God, first house on earth built by Adam destroyed by Great Flood, Rebuilt by Abraham and his son Ishmael, Abraham given black stone given by angel Gabriel – corner of Ka’bal
Abraham - Muslims claim Abraham a Muslim, Arabs descendants of Abraham, Jews descendent of Issac, 7th century forgot about Allah but forgot used to worship idols
Cultural context: Arabia- Arabia land of Arab nomads, wealthy- route between Africa and Asia, 7th century divided + lawless, Mecca – pilgrimage to city, Arabs polytheistic – 7th century 360 idols
The prophet Muhammad 570 CE, Information about Muhammad (highly praised)
Ø Hadith- collections Muhammads sayings
Ø Sunnah – stories about Muhammad
Ø Biographies of Muhammads life written by Muslim scholars 8 and 9th
Centuries
Muhammad’s life Member Haslim clan – Quraysh tribe, Orphan, adopted by uncle, Ran a camel caravan carrying cargo – business man, Married widow Khadijjah, 6 children, Respect – Al-Amin – the trustworthy ,Troubled by corruption, greed and injustice Mecca
Revelation: The Night of Destiny/Power - Mount Hira 610 CE, Angel Gabriel, Scroll to recite/read, Muhammad illiterate
Muhammad preaching in Mecca: 613 CE, 3 years
• Wife, children best friend Abu Bakr 1st converts
• Beliefs- Allah one God, treat all people as equal, Allah will reward you for your good actions
• Uncle protected him, then died, wife died
• The night journey – Mi’raj 620CE Angel Gabriel took
• Hijrah ( start of Islamic calendar 622AD) Departure from Mecca to Medina persecuted risk of being murdered– in Medina Muhammad accepted converted to Islam, 1st Mosque, n=battle between people from Mecca and Muslims Muhammad and Muslims won, Muhammad went to kaaba and tore down
Quran – sacred text in Arabic, word of Allah, means to read, revealed to Muhammad, cannot be changed, not historical facts, oral to written tradition Muhammad got scribes to write down, chapters are called suras, in schools is learnt by heart, person recite the Quran by heart called Hafiz.
Rites of Passage -
Birth – Adhan whispers call to prayer in baby’s right ear, honey in month for a sweet life, 7 days after Aquiqah – baby named where baby’s hair is shaved, weight of hair in gold given to the poor, sacrifice animal for thanks
Marriage – religious duty to marry and have children, arranged marriages unlawful, dowry ( symbol of who valuable she is ), marriage contract, wedding feast, divorcee last resort- free to remarry but unusual
Death – death approach Shahadah is repeated last words, soul carried buy and angel to Allah where one is judged good and bad deeds, heaven or hell, body prepared – wudu wrapped in white clothes, buried on right side pointing right towards Mecca
Development of Islam /Islamic tradition
§ 632AD Muhammad died, Islam in central and southern Arabia
§ Abu Bakr Muhammad’s father in law chosen as Caliph ( deputy of Prophet)
§ Omar successor but assassinated
§ Uthmann successor but murdered
§ war about who would succeed – Ali ( Muhammad’s son in law) or Muawiya ( governor of Syria)
§ Ali followers – Shi’ites
§ Muawiya – Sunnis
§ Christian crusaders attacked and murdered the Muslims 10th century
Higher level – tradition, faith and practice today
2nd largest religion (1200 million approx.) and fast growing religion in the world
Religious law – Shar’ia law is the law of the country e.g. Iran Iraq, Pakistan,
Schism – branches of Islam
§ Shi’ites- follow bloodline Ali, only 10% not wealthy, many persecuted in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, one infallible Imam for each generation – e.g. Iran homeland of the Shias – 1979 Ayatollahs – Islamic state, strict religious laws and police, Syria President Assad is Shitie and murdering the Sunnis today
§ Sunnis-orthodox Muslims authority from the Sunnah- words and actions of Muhammad, follow the Caliphs, make up 90% of all Muslims, standardised doctrines of Islam , Saudi Arabia is Sunnai
§ Sufis – person express their love of Allah in their own way – dervish – music and dance
Women in Islam
Quran and Sunnah – women high standing, cannot be forced to marry, role of mother and wife is sacred, dress – loose and respectful - Hijab scarf. Iran– chador, Afghanistan – burqua
Islamic fundamentalism and Islam’s response to terrorism
Islamic Fundamentalism aims to set up a state whose laws and government are based on Islamci /Shar’ia Law e.g. Taliban in Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran.
Jihad- HolyWar – struggle to follwot he way of Allah
ISLAM DOES NOT PERMIT TERROISM OR SUICIDE – AGAINST WHAT ALLAH SAYS IN THE QURAN
KILLING FORBIDDEN
Islam in Ireland
1950s the first Muslim doctors students study at the college of surgeons
1959 Dublin Islamic Society – build mosque and Islamic centre in Harrington Street Dublin
1983 mosque in South circular road Dublin
1992 1st Muslim TD member of Irish government Dr. Bhamjee elected in Clare
1996 Islamic Cultural Centre Clonskeagh – primary school, halah restaurant, shop library.
2014 mosque in Dundalk , cork ,Belfast, galway over 30,000 Muslims in Ireland