Huston Smith Islam Reading Pages 257-268

What is Sufism?

1. Sufi’s saw the material and wordly temptations that were overtaking Islam, so they decided to cleanse it and make it have a deeper meaning to the individual.

2. Sufis wanted to experience Allah in their lifetime, instead of waiting for death to be with Him.

3. To encounter Allah, Sufis believe that they must get closer to Him through the mysticisms of love, ecstasy and intuition. The mysticism of love is gaining knowledge of Allah through a person’s heart, the mysticism of ecstasy is gaining knowledge of Allah through entering an altered state of mind where they can visually experience Him, and the mysticism of intuition helps Sufis gain knowledge about Allah through a mystical “eye” that sees the world as Allah in disguise.

4. Sufis use symbolism to deepen the meaning of Islam for the individual by asserting that everything is God, and use analogies to visualize and comprehend things that they usually wouldn’t be able to about Allah without the use of symbols.

5. Sufis and the rest of the Muslim community have been peaceful towards each other, although Muslims who are not Sufis view Sufism as almost sacrilegious because the divisions between the two denominations are so profound.

Thesis: The main goal of Sufism is to create an extremely personal relationship with Allah through accessing His love in your heart, accessing Him through entering altered states of mind, and learning to access Him through everything in the world, because everything is the world is God.

What is Whither Islam?

1. Islam has had a long history and has made many great contributions to the world in the areas of scientific and social developments

2. Although Islam has had a long history of achievements, it currently faces many challenges of how to change with the world and still keep it’s main teachings.

3. Islam is one of the most powerful religions in the world and although the religion and it’s followers face many issues of development it is still a strong and influential force in the world because of it’s multitude of followers.

Thesis: Islam has had a long history and although it faces many challenges in how the religion will progress, it has a lot of power in the world because of its many followers.

Islam Part 3

Islam Part 3

1. (Jinns, Muhammad, Qur’an)

People believed in Jinns before Muhammad became a prophet and people saw Allah as a Jinn as well. When Muhammad received his message from Allah and became a prophet, he preached that Allah was actually God, instead of a Jinn and that he was the one and only God that existed. Muhammad dictated Allah’s messages, which were written down into the Qur’an, helping to spread the religion of Islam and this belief that Allah was not a Jinn, but was actually God.

2. (Shi’a, Ummah, Sunni)

Ummah is the worldwide community of Muslims, and although they are all connected in their devotion to Allah, there are divisions in their beliefs about Muhammad. Shi’a and Sunni Muslims disagree about who Muhammad left as a successor and who has authority over Islam. Sunni Muslims make up the majority of the followers of Islam, but the division in their beliefs has caused conflict in the Ummah since after Muhammad’s death, which was when the division first occurred.

3. (Tawhid, Yawmuddin, Shari’a, Sunna)

Tawhid states that Allah is unified and is the one and only God. Humans must follow Allah’s laws because if Allah is the only God, then following His laws is the only way to enter heaven during Yawmuddin. Muslims can follow and surrender to Allah by following Shari’a Law and living a life that is devoted to Allah. Another way that Muslims can follow Allah’s rules and regulations is through Sunna and by looking at the Hadiths for examples of how to act and the type of behavior that is conducive to staying devout and surrendering to Allah.

Huston Smith Islam Reading Pages 242-257

What are the five pillars of Islam?

1. The first pillar of Islam is the Shahada, which is the creed that summarizes the basic beliefs of the Islamic faith. Muslims recite the Shahada during times of turmoil, to remind themselves of their faith in Allah and that He is the answer to all questions.

2. The second pillar is that Muslims must pray five times a day. Part of the reason that Muslims must pray is to give thanks to Allah and also to remember that they were created by Allah and must submit to Him.

3. The third pillar of Islam is that everyone must help those who are less fortunate. Muslims who are in the middle or upper class are required to give a portion of their income to the poor. This creates a brotherhood among Muslims because everyone is contributing to help out those who are less fortunate.

4. The fourth pillar of Islam is fasting during Ramadan. If a person is healthy enough, they must fast from sunrise to sundown during the entire month. This pillar is important because it makes people remember their dependence on Allah, and it makes people more willing to help the hungry because they understand what it is like to go hungry.

5. The fifth pillar of Islam is the pilgrimage to Mecca. At some point in each person’s life, they must go to Mecca to deepen their understanding of their faith and devotion to Allah. The pilgrimage also reminds Muslims of the worldwide community of Muslims who have submitted themselves to God.

Thesis: The five pillars provide a defined way for Muslims to live their lives in devotion and submission to Allah by providing five basic requirements that all Muslims must follow.

What are the social teachings of Islam?

1. Islam teaches that wealth should be distributed among everyone, but it does not necessarily need to be equally distributed. People are allowed to be entrepreneurs and competitive with their business, but they must always make sure that the wealth of a society is distributed among everyone.

2. The status of women in Islam is very misunderstood by people who aren’t Muslim. The Qur’an and Muhammad did a lot to improve the rights of women and provide a way for women to be educated and have a place in society. The Qur’an also legitimized marriage although it says that polygamy is okay, monogamy is the preferred state of marriage.

3. Another important social teaching of Islam is that everyone is equal no matter what race they are. This is shown through historical figures in Islam who promoted racial equality and the worldwide group of Muslims that come from different racial backgrounds.

4. Islam focuses on Justice, and sometimes justice requires force but Islam does not encourage aggression. Although sometimes Islam was spread through involuntary conversions, most Muslims would argue that the success of Islam and its popularity is not due to violence and that people convert willingly.

5. Although Islam has gone through periods where people have used the religion to promote violence, Muslims argue that this has happened in all religions, the concept of Jihad is widely misunderstood by westerners, and that these mistakes throughout history should be remembered more than the good things that have come out of Islam.

Thesis: Along with the five pillars which provide a system for the individual to live in devotion to Allah, the social teachings of Islam provide a system for societies to function in accordance with Allah’s will and improve the lives of it’s citizens.

Huston Smith Islam Reading Pages242-257

What are the five pillars of Islam?

1. The first pillar of Islam is the Shahada, which is the creed that summarizes the basic beliefs of the Islamic faith. Muslims recite the Shahada during times of turmoil, to remind themselves of their faith in Allah and that He is the answer to all questions.

2. The second pillar is that Muslims must pray five times a day. Part of the reason that Muslims must pray is to give thanks to Allah and also to remember that they were created by Allah and must submit to Him.

3. The third pillar of Islam is that everyone must help those who are less fortunate. Muslims who are in the middle or upper class are required to give a portion of their income to the poor. This creates a brotherhood among Muslims because everyone is contributing to help out those who are less fortunate.

4. The fourth pillar of Islam is fasting during Ramadan. If a person is healthy enough, they must fast from sunrise to sundown during the entire month. This pillar is important because it makes people remember their dependence on Allah, and it makes people more willing to help the hungry because they understand what it is like to go hungry.

5. The fifth pillar of Islam is the pilgrimage to Mecca. At some point in each person’s life, they must go to Mecca to deepen their understanding of their faith and devotion to Allah. The pilgrimage also reminds Muslims of the worldwide community of Muslims who have submitted themselves to God.

Thesis: The five pillars provide a defined way for Muslims to live their lives in devotion and submission to Allah by providing five basic requirements that all Muslims must follow.

What are the social teachings of Islam?

1. Islam teaches that wealth should be distributed among everyone, but it does not necessarily need to be equally distributed. People are allowed to be entrepreneurs and competitive with their business, but they must always make sure that the wealth of a society is distributed among everyone.

2. The status of women in Islam is very misunderstood by people who aren’t Muslim. The Qur’an and Muhammad did a lot to improve the rights of women and provide a way for women to be educated and have a place in society. The Qur’an also legitimized marriage although it says that polygamy is okay, monogamy is the preferred state of marriage.

3. Another important social teaching of Islam is that everyone is equal no matter what race they are. This is shown through historical figures in Islam who promoted racial equality and the worldwide group of Muslims that come from different racial backgrounds.

4. Islam focuses on Justice, and sometimes justice requires force but Islam does not encourage aggression. Although sometimes Islam was spread through involuntary conversions, most Muslims would argue that the success of Islam and its popularity is not due to violence and that people convert willingly.

5. Although Islam has gone through periods where people have used the religion to promote violence, Muslims argue that this has happened in all religions, the concept of Jihad is widely misunderstood by westerners, and that these mistakes throughout history should be remembered more than the good things that have come out of Islam.

Thesis: Along with the five pillars which provide a system for the individual to live in devotion to Allah, the social teachings of Islam provide a system for societies to function in accordance with Allah’s will and improve the lives of it’s citizens.

Huston Smith Islam Reading Pages 231-242

What is the Standing Miracle?

1. Muslims read the Qur’an literally and consider it to be the exact word of God. There are two essences that make up the Qur’an; the physical copy and the “uncreated Qur’an that is the miracle of the physical Qur’an.

2. The Qur’an is seen as a continuation of the Old and New Testaments, but it is seen as the last scripture, like the way that Muhammad is the last profit. Muslims believe that although the Old and New testaments contain truth, they are flawed and the Qur’an is not.

3. One of the main features of the Qur’an that makes it so powerful is the language that it’s written in and how it sounds when spoken. Many Muslims memorize parts of the Qur’an and recite them when they are praying. When these segments are recited, they do not sound just like words being recited, there is a pattern and a beat to how the words are said.

4. The Christian and Jewish holy texts are historical and therefore lead to the doctrine of the religion, but the Qur’an focuses on doctrine and leads to historical information as an example of the doctrine.

5. The Qur’an is extremely important and central to the Islamic faith because it provides interpretation of every major life event that a person has.

Thesis: the Qur’an is the central building block of the Islamic faith because it is interpreted as God’s direct word, provides an expansion of the religious doctrine, and provides a connection between Muslims and God.

What are the basic theological concepts of Islam?

1. Muslims believe that Islam is the only monotheistic religion in the world, and although some religions have recognized God as the only God, they also worshipped other beings as God such as Jesus Christ in Christianity.

2. In Islam, there is only one God who is unique and awe-inspiring. For Muslims, the greatness of God is never-ending and Muslims fearfully respect Allah for all of His power. Although Allah is powerful, He is also extremely merciful and compassionate too, and there are no barriers that separate Allah from humans, so each person can have a personal relationship with Him.

3. The story of creation in Islam says that the universe was created deliberately by Allah, and was not a random event. Muslims believe that because Allah created, the universe then the physical world is real and important to humans, which is one of the reasons that science has flourished in Islam. Also, Muslims believe that because Allah created this world, the world is good and a representation of Him.

4. Human nature in Islam dictates that humans were created to be good, and although there are temptations that cause humans to sin, there is no such thing as original sin. People forget that they were created from a divine origin, and that is why they sin. Humans have two main obligations that form two of the most important tenants of Islam; one is that humans must have gratitude for the gift of life that Allah has given them and humans must surrender and make a commitment to Allah.

5. Islamic theology on the final judgment of a soul says that although there is no way to know what will happen to a person’s soul when they die, everyone makes choices in their lives and we are all given an opportunity to lead a good life. Muslims consider heaven and hell to be real places, which are vividly depicted in the Qur’an. Muslims believe that each soul will be judged and sent either to heaven or hell.

Thesis: The major concepts of Islam are that there is only one God, who deliberately created the universe and humans who must surrender to God and make good choices in their life so that they can go to heaven when their soul is judged.

Huston Smith Islam Reading Pages 221-231

What is the background of Islam?

1. One of the main reasons that Arabs have become powerful in the world today is because of the multitude of people who follow Islam.

2. In Islam, there is only one God, who is called “Allah” because Allah literally means “The God” in Arabic.

3. Allah and the religion of Islam existed before Muhammad, He spread the word of Allah and the religion but He did not create the religion.

4. Muslims consider themselves to be Semetic, or descendants of Shem; one of the sons of Noah who was a descendant of Abraham, and therefore they are descendants of Abraham.

5. They believe that although they are descendants of Abraham, they are descendants of Ishmail, his first son who was banished along with his mother after Isaac was born. They believe that the descendants of Ishmail became Arabs and the descendants of Isaac became the Hebrews.

Thesis: Islam is a strictly monotheistic religion that stems from the descendants of Abraham, but has millions of diverse followers today.

What is the seal of the prophets?

1. At the time of Muhammad’s birth, the society He lived in was in chaos. The major religion left all morals unchecked, and violence was very prominent in society. These characteristics led Muhammad to be very removed from society and contemplate life’s bigger questions.

2. Although Islam kind of existed before Muhammad, He was the first person to say that Allah was the one and only God, because many people worshipped Allah, but they worshipped other Gods too.

3. Muhammad was different from the other prophets before Him because He was not a miracle worker. He only preached Allah’s word that He received from divine revelations and thought that was enough proof for people to believe him.

4. Muhammad was also different from other prophets because He wanted social change. He preached that everyone is equal and His moral teachings completely opposed the way that society functioned at the time.

5. Muhammad underwent a lot of opposition and dedicated His life to spreading the word of Allah and gained many followers.

Thesis: Although there were prophets before Him, Muhammad was different and revolutionary so he is called “the seal of the prophets” because He is the final prophet who fully understood God’s word and would be successful in spreading it.

What is the migration that led to victory?

1. As Muhammad gained followers, the people in power in Mecca began to persecute Him because His ideas were so revolutionary, and they became scared that their place in society would be threatened if He gained any more power. Muhammad decided to move to a neighboring city called Yathrib to escape persecution.

2. The journey to Yathrib was very dangerous, but Muhammad was sure that they had God on their side and in the end they reached Yathrib safely and He began to establish a life there. This migration is very important and is known as the Hijra.

3. After arriving, Muhammad’s role changed to a leader in the new city, which was re-named Medina. He was well liked and His administration blended justice and mercy together equally. Muhammad became very successful but was still the same kind person.

4. The Meccan army continued to try to persecute Muhammad and His followers, and there was a long struggle between Mecca and Medina. In the end, Medina and Muhammad won control over Mecca, which Muhammad dedicated as the center of Islam.

5. In 632 A.D. Muhammad died after he won control over almost all of the Arabia. Most of this control was due to Islam, which had spread all over Arabia and was very successful. Although He lived a short life, He accomplished more than any other person in the world, and Muslims attribute these accomplishments to God.

Thesis: By migrating to Yathrib, Muhammad was able to gain more followers and acquire political and religious power over almost all of Arabia by the time He died ten years later.