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Transcript
Islam – Qur’an QUR’AN AND HADITH There are two main sacred texts in Islam: the Qur'an and the Hadith. These two texts form the basis for all Islamic theology, practice and Sharia (Islamic law). The Qur'an is the most sacred text, as it is believed to be the literal word of God as revealed to Muhammad. The Qur'an, whose name means "recitation" in Arabic, is the sacred text of Islam and the highest authority in both religious and legal matters. STRUCTURE OF QUR’AN Muslims believe the Qur'an to be a flawless record of the Angel Gabriel's revelations to Muhammad from 610 until his death in 632 AD. It is also believed to be a perfect copy of a heavenly Qur'an that has existed eternally. The Qur'an's name is derived from Gabriel's initial command to Muhammad to "Recite!" Recitation is a fundamental concept associated with the Qur'an. The first followers of the Prophet memorized his recitation in order to recite it to others, following an established Arabic method for preserving poetry. Recitation is a practice which can fulfil a Muslim’s worship of Allah. The revelation was put in writing shortly after Muhammad's death to preserve the content from corruption, but it is still regarded as most authentic when recited aloud. The Qur'an is divided into 114 surahs (chapters) of widely varying length, which, with the exception of the opening surah (fatihah), are generally arranged from longest to shortest. Each surah has a heading, which usually incorporates the following elements: A title (e.g. "The Bee," "The Cow") taken from a prominent word in the Surah, but one that does not usually represent its overall contents. The basmalah, a formula prayer (e.g. "In the name of God the Merciful, the Compassionate") An indication as to where it was received: eg. at Mecca or Medina The number of verses in the Surah In 29 of the Surahs, fawatih, or "detached letters" of unclear significance. They may be abbreviations, initials of owners of early manuscripts, or have some esoteric meaning. Go to the following link to download a free copy of the Qur’an to see these features for yourself. Free Qur’an Link Most of the Qur'an is written in the first person plural, with God as the speaker. When Muhammad himself speaks, his words are introduced by "Say," to clarify he is being commanded by Allah to speak. The Hadith is a secondary text that records sayings of Muhammad and his followers. Hadith (Arabic for "narrative" or "report") is Islamic tradition: it is a record of the words and deeds of the Prophet, his family, and his companions. Although not regarded as the spoken Word of God like the Qur'an, Hadith is an important source of doctrine, law, and practice. It is revered in Islam as a major source of religious law and moral guidance and has been studied in Muslim religious colleges since the Middle Ages by both male and female scholars. SHARIA LAW The Qur’an is the source of Islamic law - will of Allah penalty of eternal punishment. Totality of Islamic law - Shariah meaning ‘the path’ - broad term which includes faith and the Muslim way of life. Shariah includes all laws, religious and secular, personal and communal, and covers offences which range from the seriously immoral to matters of etiquette and personal hygiene. SHARIA LAW SHARIA LAW 5 CATEGORIES OF SHARIA LAW 1. Obligatory (wajib or fard). These like salat, fasting during Ramadan, and zakat must be done. ◦subdivided in two: individual obligation (fard ‘ayn) and community obligation (fard kifaya) such as funeral salat. 2. Recommended (sunna, mandub, mustahabb). highly desirable e.g. Friday prayer is not obligatory for women but some women attend Friday prayer. 3. Permissible (mubah). These actions are neutral - no reward or punishment The majority of actions come into this category as well as political and governmental matters. 5 CATEGORIES OF SHARIA LAW 4. Reprehensible (makkruh meaning hated). These areundesirable actions, but they are not completely forbidden. Divorce fits in the category 5. Forbidden (haram). Absolutely forbidden actions which are punished by God. E.g. eating of pork or the drinking of alcohol, committing murder or fornication. PUNISHMENTS 3 different classifications. 1. penalties imposed by Allah in the afterlife; 2. penalties imposed by Allah in the Qur’an or Sunna such as cutting the hand of a thief or stoning those guilty of fornication; 3. discretionary penalties which are decided by a judge or ruler. The third classification form the majority of penalties. WOMEN IN THE QURAN – And wed not idolatresses until they believe; and assuredly a believing slave girl is better than an idolatress, although she pleases you. And wed not your women to idolaters until they believe 2:221 Mixed religion marriages are also forbidden in Deuteronomy (7: 3-4) NOT WITHOUT MY DAUGHTER WOMEN IN THE QURAN Your women are a tillage for you, then go in unto your tillage as you will… 2: 223 Is this Sura promoting male control of women? …Or simply suggesting that women are fertile? WOMEN IN THE QURAN For those who swear off from their wives is the waiting of four months 2: 226 Meant to act as a check on the impulsiveness of men – have to wait four months before getting a divorce WOMEN IN THE QURAN Men are overseers over women, by reason of that wherewith Allah has made one of them excel over another… So the righteous women are obedient and watchers in their husbands’ absence by the aid and protection of Allah… And those wives whose refractoriness you fear, admonish them and avoid them bed and beat them; but if they obey you, do not seek a way against them… 4: 34 PROBLEMS WITH INTERPRETATION For much of the last 14 centuries, some 90 percent of the world's Muslims for whom Arabic is not a primary language had to depend on Islam's clergy-all of them men, as women are not allowed to enter the clergy-to define the meaning and message of the Quran for them. Arabic is a language whose words can have multiple, sometimes contradictory, meanings, so how one chooses to render a particular word from Arabic to English has a lot to do with one's biases or prejudice. Example from Sura 4:34, which has long been interpreted as allowing husbands to beat their wives: "As for those women who might rebel against you, admonish them, abandon them in their beds, and strike them (adribuhunna)." The problem, as a number of female Quranic scholars have noted, is that adribuhunna can also mean "turn away from them." It can even mean "have sexual intercourse with them." WOMEN IN THE QURAN Women are also subjected to the power of men in the Bible: “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church” (Ephesians 5: 22 – 24) WOMEN IN THE QURAN And to women is due like what is due from women honourably. And for men there is a degree above them. 2: 228 Or, in other words, women have similar rights to men, but men have a status above women A similar, explicit statement of the rights of women isn’t found in the Bible WEARING OF THE VEIL Traditionalists generally agree that women should cover their heads and face and their reasons are based on Sura 33.59 and Sura 24.31 O Prophet! Say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close around them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognized and not annoyed. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (Sura 33.59). And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers or husbands’ fathers, or their sons or their husbands’ sons , or their brothers, or their brothers’ sons or sisters’ sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male attendants who lack vigour, or children who know naught of women’s nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah together, O believers, in order that ye may succeed. (Sura 24:31) BURQUAS WEARING OF THE VEIL Moderates take a less strict interpretation of the Qur’anic texts and believe that Sura 33.59 does not explicitly prescribe that women should cover their faces and that Sura 24.31 only refers to the covering of the breasts because in pre-Islamic times women used to leave their breasts uncovered. ACTIVITY So why might Islam be considered by many to be oppressive against Women? Clothing Legal rights of women (can’t drive cars in Saudi Arabia) Honour Killings BUT these conditions are often culturally or socially influenced. Quoting the Quran does not provide definitive proof. REMEMBER If you use the Quran to infer that Islam treats women poorly, you could also use the Bible to infer that: Women in Judaism/Christianity are treated poorly Incest is permissible in certain circumstances Slavery is permissible in Judaism/Christianity Stoning to death is acceptable in Judaism/Christianity FURTHER INFORMATION http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/sacredtexts/index.html