ISLAM FROM THE OUTSIDE IN
Series by Lucinda Allen Mosher, Th.D.
January 2006
Summary by Janet Wahl
The appreciation of Islam is critical to world peace. Consequently, we in the West must better understand this major world religion of the Middle and Far East, Africa and Asia. To promote such interreligious understanding, Dr. Lucinda Allen Mosher, an Episcopalian Christian ethicist, presented a series of four talks at the Unitarian Church of All Souls at 10:00 a.m. on four Sundays in January 2006. This series was sponsored by Adult Education and supported by the Peace Task Force.
Gabriel’s Catechism
January 8, 2006
The five pillars of Islam -- its major beliefs -- originated in the seventh century story of the angel Gabriel’s encounter with Muhammad, the prophet of Allah. The first pillar is submission to Allah, to bear witness that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is his prophet; the second, to commit oneself to prayer; the third, to give alms; the fourth, to fast during daylight during the month of Ramadan; and the fifth, to make the Hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca.
There are two types of prayer. One type consists of the ritual lines from the Qu’ran that emphasize the greatness of Allah: that is, the idea – both humbling and comforting – that, no matter how important or famous a person or thing may be considered, Allah is greater. The other type of prayer is a supplication for such benefits as safety or rain. The call to prayer occurs five times a day: dawn; early afternoon; around 4 p.m. during the busiest time of day; early evening, as the sun begins to set; and at bedtime. Praying frequently allows one to know that Allah is always present and that the door to God is open.
Ramadan, the fourth pillar of belief, begins on the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal.and encompasses several festivals. This is a month of fasting from darkness to darkness, from before dawn when people take something small to eat (Iftar) until night when the fast is broken. Id al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice), begins on the tenth day of the month in which Hajj (pilgrimage) is made to Mecca which also occurs during the month of Ramadan. Id al-Adha celebrates the living child and commemorates Abraham’s offer to sacrifice Isaac. The Hajj, a four-day religious observance, commences with the sacrifice of an animal of which all parts are used or given to charity. Some people make the trip to Mecca -- a pilgrimage that is deeply moving to the faithful. When the month of Ramadan ends on the first day of the following month, Id al Fitr is celebrated for three days with special meals and gifts. Just as with prayer, this observation brings spiritual practice into everyday life.
Different sects of Islam have different practices. The most notable factions are the Sh’ia, or Shiites, who constitute about 10% of the world-wide Islamic population; and the Sunnis, who constitute about 80%. The split has four components: political, methodological, and theological – all three of which, in turn, affect the fourth, a sect's traditions and customs or laws (Hadith). The political difference concerns leadership. When the Prophet died in 632 CE, according to the Sh’ia, his successor was Ali, his cousin and son-in-law; while the Sunni claim that the Prophet left the choice of successor to the consensus of the community. These differences in allegiance resulted in a bloody battle in 656 CE. Subsequently, the Sh’ia follow the theology, traditions, and laws of Ali, but the Sunni rely on the Hadith of Abu-Bakr and Aisha, authoritative Companions of the Prophet. In theology the two sects also have some differences. For example, the Sh’ia regard Ali as, “next” to the Prophet, the most perfect, excellent human being. Further, they believe imams are sinless by nature and their authority is infallible. In contrast, the Sunnis think this "infallibility" makes an imam too much like a prophet, and there are to be no more prophets. Although today Muslims find common ground on many religious practices, hostility arises when either group gets involved in politics.
The Qu’ran says there should be no hostility. No person is right in the sight of Allah until one wishes for one's neighbor as one wishes for oneself. Furthermore, Allah made us diverse so we could get to know each other and outdo each other in good deeds. Understanding and appreciation of one another’s beliefs is essential in order to fulfill this command.
For further reading:
Elias, Jamal J. (1999). Islam. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Esack, Farid. (1999). On Being a Muslim: Finding a Religious Path in the World Today. Oxford: Oneworld.
Nasr, Seyyed H. (2003). Islam: Religion, History, and Civilization. San Francisco: Harper.
Islamic Law as the Search for Beauty
January 15, 2006
In the minds of many people who live in the West, the words “Islamic law” evoke images of subjugated women, death by stoning and amputated hands. Law in the West, although once intertwined with religion, is now considered to be based on human reason and to be the final arbiter of truth (arbitrary). Although laws vary among states and can be somewhat nebulous, religion is a matter of personal conviction and cannot provide just laws for all. In Islam, Muslims cannot conceive of laws separate from religious morals.
Although Shari’ a is commonly translated as “Islamic law,” it really means “a broad path that leads to water, which is life itself.” It is divine law, God’s guidance on how to live. The way Muslims live affects the unity among God, the spiritual world, and the physical world.
Fiqh is the science of religious law, which is based in Shari’a. There are four sources of interpretation, or schools of law, known as Madhahib: the Qu’ran which is God’s speech; the Hadith, the words and deeds of the Prophet; the consensus of the trained scholars in the community; and law by analogy. The differences in interpretation of a law depend on the first source consulted. If one consults the Hadith, the interpretation is based on strong tradition; while if one begins with consensus or analogy, the interpretation is less connected to tradition. Further, Islamic law allows for a plurality of legal systems within one jurisdiction. It is the right of every citizen to be tried by his or her own religious community, and each individual is recognized as belonging to a particular community regardless of geographical boundaries. The Muslim attitude is that “In difference is mercy.” There are two fundamental differences between Islamic law and the Western concept of law. First, the law of God is not arbitrary in the way that laws reflect the will of the people are. God’s law is perfect, something unavailable to humans. Second, Islamic law allows a plurality of legal systems that can be applied within one jurisdiction. It is based on personal needs and is not bound by geography. Unfortunately, the Western media report events that distort these teachings and lead Westerners to think that Islam is arbitrary and capricious– when, in fact, one human opinion is no better than another especially when those opinions come from devout Muslim men and women.
Muslims believe that God is concerned with justice in society with individual responsibility. An individual is responsible for his or her relationship with God; one cannot rely on intercession or mediation. This relationship is based not on good works or total obedience, but on God’s mercy and nothing else. In addition, each individual is created to exist in community, which is taken very seriously.
The use of laws to advance the political purpose of a government often results in persecution. For example, the Wahabi, who consider themselves as the only ones “who get it right,” do not adhere to any school of law interpretation; they go back to the text and interpret it themselves. Because they have many resources, their views are widely published, and they exercise a great deal of political power, especially in Saudi Arabia. Likewise, in the West, many Christian sects consider themselves to be absolutely right and that anyone who disagrees with them will go to hell.
For further reading:
Abu Ell Fadl, Khaled. The Conference of the Books: The Search for Beauty in Islam. Baltimore: University Press of America.
Breiner, Bert F. (1994). The Shari’ah and Islamic Law: A Christian’s Reflection. Church and Society, 84:3, 40-52.
Rauf, Feisal Abdul. (2003) Islam: A Sacred Law: What Every Muslim Should Know about Shariah. New York: Aiblah Books.
Family Matters
January 22, 2006
Robina Naiz, the founder and Executive Director of Turning Point for Women and Families in Queens, was the invited speaker.
Professor Mosher opened the session with a translation of Chapter 33, verse 35 of the Qu’ran, which states that God has prepared a rich reward for all men and women who submit, believe, are obedient, truthful, humble, charitable, and chaste, and who fast and remember God frequently. The spiritual demands as well as the rewards are outlined for both men and women equally. This is the basis for the treatment of Muslim women; they are equal to men in the eyes of God Muslim women can speak for themselves.
Their voices can be heard through several organizations. The Karamah organization (www.karamah.org) is a group of Muslim women lawyers formed to support human rights and for the continuation of dialogue. It is an eclectic group of women -- some, traditional; some less so. They write about Islamic law for women. Another organization is Women for Afghan Women (WAW) (www.womenforafghan women.org), which provides community outreach and education for women and fights for human rights. These are empowered, educated Muslim women who like being Muslim, contrary to what the media might lead us to believe.
The guest speaker, Robina Naiz, described how her Pakistani father ensured that his four daughters were as educated as his three sons. While growing up, she was encouraged to question and discuss all matters. After she trained as a social worker in Pakistan, she moved to the US. After 9/11, life for the Pakistanis in the US changed dramatically. Many Muslim husbands in Queens were detained and taken away leaving their wives, who did not know English, to fend for themselves. Families were devastated. Robina considered returning to Pakistan. After much prayer, she started Turning Point in 2004 with $500 from her brother. Today its diverse board of directors represents the entire Muslim community. The organization provides crisis intervention, referrals, advocacy, support groups, a mentoring program for teenaged girls and connections with the mainstream organizations. Robina is the model of a devout, active Muslim woman who is dedicated not only to helping her people, but also to finding the collective strength to change attitudes toward Muslim women in their community and in the larger society.
For further reading:
Abdul-Ghafur, S, Ed. (2005). Living Islam Out Loud: American Muslim Women Speak. Boston: Beacon Press.
Barlas, A. (2002). “Believing Women” in Islam: Unreading Patriarchal Interpretations of the Qu’ran. Austin: University of Texas Press.
Webb, G. (2000). Windows of Faith: Muslim Women Scholar-Activists in North America. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press.
Modern Turkish Mysticism
January 29, 2006
The three dimensions of Islam include its five beliefs, or pillars; its practices; and the “doing of the beautiful.” The many and varied approaches to ”the doing of the beautiful” depends on one’s understanding of the Qu’ran.
Two great Turkish teachers, Bedi üzzaman Said Nursi and M. Fethullah Gülen, have influenced Islam, with the purpose of not to proselytize but rather to promote understanding. Nursi, who lived from 1877 to 1960, wrote books during a time when doing so was illegal. He dictated many of his thoughts while on horseback, which were subsequently hand copied and distributed. His disciples were a loose network of 18 movements. According to Nursi, supplication is the marrow of worship, a mighty mystery. Now his thoughts and teachings can be found in the four-volume Risale-i Nur, available online: http://www.saidnursi.com. He did not ascribe the writings to himself, but said that, proceeding from the Holy Book itself, they were “rays shining out from [its] truths. " The Risale-i Nur demonstrates that all beings, on all levels, are interrelated and interdependent, like concentric or intersecting circles. In his willingness to work across religions, Nursi contacted the Pope as well as rabbis for dialogue.
Gülen, an Islamic intellectual and scholar, provides a Turkish perspective of Islam. This leader -- in trying to promote dialogue, understanding, and tolerance -- is intensely connected to nature. Trained as a scientist, he says that science and knowledge can benefit people if they have high moral standards. Gülen is willing to integrate science and religion. Einstein said that science teaches what is; religion teaches what should be. Gülen said that science without religion is crippled; religion without science is blind. Gülen’s followers continue to hold scholarly symposia, to partner with churches to share dialogue and prayer, and to publish articles (Muslim World Journal) and his teachings.
For further reading on topics in this series:
Mosher, Lucinda. (2005). Faith in the Neighborhood: Belonging.
Mosher, Lucinda. (2005). Faith in the Neighborhood: Prayer.
Watch for future books in this series.
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