History, Values and Culture

8/14/2019 History, Values and Culture

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Islam:History, values and culture


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We are all Muslims; some have the Gospels,

others have the Quran

A Patriarch from Syria


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1. Which of the following is a true statement:

A. All Arabs are Muslims B. All Muslims are Arabs

C. Iran is an Arab country D. None of the above


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1. Which of the following is a true statement:

A. All Arabs are Muslims B. All Muslims are Arabs

C. Iran is an Arab country D. None of the above


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2. During prayer a Muslim should face:

A. Mecca B. Islamabad

C. Jerusalem D. Washington, DC


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2. During prayer a Muslim should face:

A. Mecca B. Islamabad

C. Jerusalem D. Washington, DC


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Islam

Founder: Muhammad Ibn (son of) Adballah

Born: 571 AD in Mecca, Arabia Descendant of Abraham

Titles: The prophet, the messenger (Alrasul)

Holy Book: The Quran, derived from read


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Quraiysh

Qussaiy

Abdmanaf

Abdshams Hashem

(Amneh+) Abdallah Abutalib Hamzeh Alabbas Abulahab Alhareth

(661-750) (750-1258)

Muhammad Ali

Adbelmuttalib

Ummayah Dynasty Abbbassides Dynasty

Abraham

Ismail

Adnan


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Historical Overview


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Mecca

Medinah

The Levant

MesopotamiaThe fertile Crescent

H

I

j

a

z

EGYPT ARABIA Dynastiesof the

South


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Middle East, 7th Century

The Arabian Peninsula

The source of Arabs and the Semitic race

Mostly desert, few urbanized areas

Urban centers, Mecca

Mainly tribal society

First mention of Arabs, 854 B.C.

Arabs of the North and Arabs of the South

Dynasties in the south

Religions

Christianity (inclusive), Judaism (exclusive), polytheism

The Sassanid or Persian Empire Ailing

The Byzantine or Eastern Roman Empire

Christianity is the state religion, 3rd century

A foreign occupying power

Sectarian conflicts with the locals


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Byzantine

Empire *Persian

Empire

An Arabian

dynastyAn Arabian

dynasty *


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571 Muhammad born in Mecca.

610 First revelation in the Harraa cave (27 Ramadan). 622 Hijraor Escape. Muhammad and followers escape prosecution

and go to Almadinah (Yathrib).

Year 1 in the Islamic calendar

Missionaries sent all over Arabia

building peaceful coalition 629 Muhammad conquers Mecca peacefully (NO REVENGE)

destroys idols in Alqaaba.

single-handedly, brings peace to war-torn Arabia

632 Muhammad dies in Almadinah. Unmarked grave (his will)

Islam, 610-632


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Islam by the death of Mohammed 632


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Abu-Bakr - 632-634 The first elected official. Wise leader, crisis manager

Omar Ibn Elkhattab - 634-644

A first-rate statesman. Honest, modest and just.

Conquered the Levant, Egypt, Iraq, Persia

Damascus (9 / 635) and Jerusalem (5 / 638) surrender peacefully

Omars pledge to the Jerusalemites

A modern state: Treasury, communication, defense. Engraved currency.

Othman bin Affan - 644-656 Collected and compiled the Quran Emergence of power struggle

Ali Bin Abitalib - 656-661

Power struggle escalated to armed conflict

Emergence of political parties

End of democracy. Ummayah Dynasty in Damascus, Muawyia (661-680)

632-661: the Four Elected Successors (Caliphs)


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Islam at 644, the year Omar died


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The Ummayah Dynasty, 661-750

Empire center and capital move to Damascus

Expansion: All N. Africa (Atlantic), W. Europe, much of C. Asia, the wall of China

711: Conquer of Spain and Portugal. Tariq Bin Ziyad

Expansion into W. Europe blocked in France by Charles Martial, 732

Power Struggle continues, but the Caliphs brutally liquidate all rivals

Karbalaa in S. Iraq (10 Nov, 680) and the emerge of the Shiha

Addelmalek builds Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem (691)

Massive translation of Greek and Indian writings

Arabization of the empire

Bloom of architecture, arts, agriculture, and science


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732, 100 Yrs after Mohammed


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The Abbassides Dynasty, 750-1258

The center of the Empire moves to Iraq and Iran

Baghdad, built 762 AD by Almansur (2nd Caliph).

With over 2 M, Baghdad becomes the glamorous center of the world

Science, art, architecture, learning, and wealth

Lighted streets, public baths, public libraries and hospitals everywhere

Other dynasties in Egypt, Spain, and parts of the Levant.

A 2nd Ummayah dynasty in Spain, 9th century Qurtoba (Cordova) competes with Baghdad

Cairo, built 968 AD


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Islam as Monotheistic Religion


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Islam: Surrender, related to salaam, or peace.

Abraham, father of all prophets, is the first Muslim

Islam is also a code for social conduct

Quran plus the authentic statements of Muhammad (Hadith) = Shareeha

(constitution), as Interpreted by Islamic scholars

Muhammad is the last prophet (33: 40).

Gabriel highest ranking angel

The Quran: Islams holy book, an inspired scripture. Gods word inspired to his messenger,

114 Chapters (chapter = Surah), 4 to >200 verses/chapter (verse = Aiyah)

Confirms most narratives and prophets of the Jewish and Christian faiths

Special place for Virgin Mary, the only female (the Chapter of Mary)

Allah is the word for God used by Christian and Muslim Arabs

God = Allah (Arabic) = Eluhim (Hebrew) = El (Aramaic)

One and only one God, no trinity

Arabic as the language of the Quran


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The framework for Muslim life. Essential practices

1. The declaration of faith: "There is no deity but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God"

2. Prayer:

Five obligatory prayers each day.

A direct link between the worshiper and God.

No hierarchical authority or priesthood

3. Zakat:

Obligatory charitable giving.

Wealth belong to God and it is held in trust by humans. Zakat, or, "purification" by setting aside a portion (2.5%) for the needy

4. Fasting:

From sunrise to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan

5. Pilgrimage:

A pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca, Arabia. Only those who can

The 'Five Pillars' of Islam


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Jihad and the Conduct of War

Islam is not addicted to war, and jihad is not one of its "pillars

Jihad in Arabic does not mean "holy war. It means "struggle or strive.

It is the difficult effort needed to put God's will into practice at every level

The "greater jihad in the Quran is that of the soul, of the tongue, of the pen, of

faith, of morality, etc. The "smaller jihad" is that of arms.

Many directives in the authentic statements of Muhammad (Hadiths):

He told his companions as they go home after a battle "We are returning from

the lesser jihad[the battle] to the greater jihad, at home" Three levels:

Personal: That of the soul

Verbal: Raising one's voice in the name of Allah on behalf of justice.

"The most excellent jihad is the speaking of truth in the face of a tyrant"

(Hadith) Physical: Combat waged in defense against oppression and transgression.

Profoundly misunderstood in today's world.


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Much of the Koran revealed in the context of an all-out war imposed on early

Muslims by the powerful city of Mecca, and many passages deal with the conduct

of armed struggle.

While one finds "slay[enemies] wherever you find them!"(e.g., 4: 89),

in almost every case it is followed by something like "if they let you be,

and do not make war on you, and offer you peace, God does not allow you

to harm them"(2:90; 4: 90; 5: 2; 8: 61; 22: 39)

Since good and evil cannot be equal, repel thou evil with something that isbetter, and love he between whom and thy self was enmity may then become

as though he had always been close unto thee, a true friend" (41:34)

God does not allow harm of civilian, and requests the protection of women,

children and the elderly during war (4:96; 9: 91; 48: 16,17)

If any one slew a person--unless it be for murder or for spreading mischiefin the land--it would be as if he slew the whole people; and if anyone saved

a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.(5:32)

You shall feed and protect prisoners of war, and you shall not expect a

reward (4: 25,36; 5:24)

Thus, the only permissible war in the Quran is one of self-defense, you

cannot kill unarmed (civilian), and you have to protect prisoners of war



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Warfare is always evil. Sometimes you have to fight to avoid persecution. e.g.,

the one Mecca inflicted on early Muslims (2: 191; 2: 217), or to preserve decent

values (4: 75; 22: 40)

Muslims may not begin hostilities "Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits;

for Allah loves not transgressors."(2: 190). Notice: Defensive war, fight back

Hostilities must be brought to an end as quickly as possible, and must cease theminute the enemy sues for peace (2:192-3; 41:34)

Martyrdom: Those killed during fighting or while doing civic duties (martyrs) are

promised a place in heaven (several passages, e.g., 2:154; 3:169-172)

However, suicide is not allowed; it is forbidden and condemned (e.g., 6:151,

17:33, 25:68)

One of my favorite Hadiths

'Do not attack a temple, a church, a synagogue. Do not bring a tree

or a plant down. Do not harm a horse or a camel


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Relation with other Faiths

Like the Torah, the Quran permits retaliation eye for eye, tooth for tooth.

But, like the Gospels, it says it is meritorious to forgo revenge in a spirit of charity(5: 45)

Acknowledges Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses,

David, Solomon, Zacharia, Jesus, John the paptist, and others as the the good

prophets of God

A special place for Jesus and Mary (e.g., 3:45,46; 4:156-158; 19:1-98) Accepts that Marys conception is from Gods soul.

Rejects the divinity of Jesus (no trinity).

Jesus was not killed (e.g., 4:155-159; 5:17-19)


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Islam did not impose itself by the sword. "There must be no coercion in matters of faith"(2: 256)

Muslims have to respect Jews and Christians, the "People of the Book,"

who worship the same God (e.g., 2:62; 29:46). "And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except with means better,

unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong: but say, 'We believe in

the revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down

to you; Our Allah and your Allah is one; and it is to Him we bow. In one of his last public sermons Muhammad said

God tells all human beings, "O people! We have formed you into nations

and tribes so that you may know one another" (49: 13). Do not conquer,

convert, subjugate, revile or slaughter but to reach out toward otherswith

intelligence and understanding

The Levant remained mainly Christian for almost 200 Yrs. No one was forced to convert to Islam

The right of all faiths to warship was respected

Sites of warship, holy places and shrines of all faiths were protected

Relation with other Faiths


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Charity, Charity, Charity .

On top of the Zakat. Help the orphan, the poor, the ill, the lost, the homeless,

the elderly Endless times in the Quran (16 times in Chapters 2-5 alone)

Freedom, Integrity, Equality, Justice .

An hour of justice by a ruler is better than sixty days of hard work(Hadith)

Endless request for justice in the Quran (e.g., 2: 282; 6; 152)

O mankind, Weve created you from a male and a female and have madeyou nations and tribes that you may know and interact with each other.

The noblest of you in the sight of God is the best in conduct(49:13).

No Arab is privileged over non-Arab but by his or her conduct(Hadith)

All people are equal like the teeth of a comb (Hadith)

You are not considered faithful in the sight of God unless you like foryour brother(read, others) what you like for yourself (Hadith)

when you are greeted with a greeting of peace, answer with an even

better greeting, or at least the like thereof" (4: 86).

Social Justice


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Right and Status of Women

Eliminated many pre-Islamic discriminatory practices Gave women rights (e.g., inheritance) and equality to men, both were made

from a single soul (e.g., 4:1)

Limited the number of wives a man can marry

Treat women with kindness and respect their rights as equal to men

The hijab or head scarf

Modest dress apply to women and men equally (Quran and Hadith).

Women are required to cover their bodies so that their figure is not revealed.

Women are not required to cover their faces.

The forbidden or taboo (muharramat) include pork, blood, improperly butcheredanimals, baby animals, gambling, and charging interest

Alcohol drinking was gradually disallowed

Other Values


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Science and Civilization


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A dedicated quest for knowledge and a burst of scientific innovation

in a multi-ethnic and multi-faith society

Lasted for over 8 centuries, and produced a plethora of knowledge and

discoveries in all disciplines Induced the later European renaissance

The Arabic tong, invigorated by the Quran, was the vehicle, and tolerant,

inclusive, and knowledge-advocate Islamic faith was the culture

Repeated requests in both the Quran and the Hadith for seeking

knowledge, and application of rational thinking

Seek knowledge even in China

Seek knowledge from crib to grave

On judgement day, the ink of scientists is valued by God higherthan the blood of martyrs

The two important disciplines of science are theology and Biology

Initially, massive translation of Greek and Indian writings

preserved all literary and scientific works and transmitted them to Europe


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Medicine and Pharmacy Chemistry and Physics

Mathmatics Astronomy

M di i d Ph


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Medicine and Pharmacy

Institutionalized and regulated the practice of Medicine and Pharmacy The modern concept of clinics

Board exams and license to practice. Regulatory boards (FDA's!!!) Classification of plants and Algae for their medical use, and outlined

possible side effects (PDRs!!)

Hospitals:

Tens, including specialized, in each of Baghdad, Qurtoba, and Damascus.

Mobile hospitals for emergency.

Departments and University Hospitals.

Patients records and vital signs, urine tests, family history.

Surgery:

Threads from animals intestine.

Opium and Hashish for Anesthesia. Alcohol as disinfectant.

Treatment of cataract, and removal of kidney and gallbladder stones

Autopsy !!!

Students training (Anatomy)

Cause of death

Known Physicians


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Abu-bakr Elrazzy; 9th Century

Father of Physicians, great clinician and experimentalist

Many books including Smallpox and Measles

Ibn-Elhaytham: 10th Century

Multidisciplinary scientist. Ophthalmologist

Mechanism of sight. Function of the eye

Over 100 books in Med. and Math.

Ibn-Seena (Avisai): 10th Century

The Qannun, the medical text book in Europe till 19th Cen. Described the medical use of over 2700 plants

Light has a finite speed, which is much faster than the speed of sound

Ibn-Rushd (Aviros): 13th Century

Philosopher and Physician. Many books

Ibn-Elnafees: Blood circulation and the role of lungs

Abulkassim Alzahrawi (Abulcasis or Albucasis): 11th Century

One of the greatest surgeons. A good dentist and GP.

Removal of breast cancer.

Hemophilia and its hereditary transmission (female to male)

Known Physicians


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Arabic terms and methods of preparation for Alkali, Alcohol, Tartarate

Discovered and prepared in pure form 28 elements (Ibn Elhaytham) The processes of crystallization, fermentation, distillation, sublimation,

Preparation of acids (H2SO4, HCl, HNO3) and bases (NaOH)

Light travels in straight lines. Laws of refraction, reflection and illusion of light.

Eluded to the Magnetic properties of some objects

Chemistry and Physics


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Arabic numeral and the decimal system of numbers. Right Left. English. But 1000

Arithmetic. Roots and powers

Algorithm = Alkhawarismi

The mathematical ZERO

Algebra (combining fractions).

The Use of (x, y, z) to solve complex arithmetic/geometric problems

Trigonometry (Albairuni and Albuzjani), differential and Integral. = 3.141596535898732.

Some known Mathematicians:

Abu-bakr Alkhawarismi

Thabit Ibn Qarra (9th Century). Calculus.

Ibn-elhaytham Albairuni (10th Century) Albuzjani Omar Elkhayam (2 & 3 equations)

Mathematics


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Astrology (myth) Astronomy (science)

Movement, path, and location of planets and stars

The Asturlab

Earth is spherical and rotates along its axis and around the sun.

Calculated earth circumference (Albairuni)

Calculated the time needed for one rotation around the sun (solar year), with

an error of 2 22 only (Albattani) Calculated the equinoxes

Current names of most constellations, and many stars are from Arabic

Some known astronomists:

Alkindy (9th Century)

Albattani (9th Century) Ibn-elhaytham (11th Century)

Thabit Ibn Qarra

Almajreeti

Astronomy


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Sunni and Shiha

Sunni 90% of Muslims

Follow the Quran and the Hadeeth as we have them today,

and as interpreted by the Sunni scholars

Shiha

Came to be as a sect after 680 A.D.

Believe in the Quran and Hadeeth, like Sunni

However, they place Ali very high as a holy figure, and think main stream

Islam discriminated against him

Today Shiah is mainly in Iran (90%), Iraq (55%) and Lebanon (~40%)


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Important Holidays

Al-adhaa (the sacrifice)

Symbolizes Abraham attempt to sacrifice his son Ishmael by Gods request.

Should sacrifice an animal and give the food to the poor.

The pilgrimage to Mecca

Alfetr Observed at the end of the holy month of Ramadan (the fasting month)

The Islamic New Year Yr 1, Islamic calendar = 622 A.D.

Alisraa Walmaaraj Symbolizes the ascending, in Jerusalem, of Mohammed's soul to heaven

The Birthday of Muhammad

Ashuraa day (Shiha only)


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Islam Today

1.3 Billion worldwide, three continents

0.3 Billion Arabs

Indonesia (200 M) > India (180 M) > Pakistan (160 M) > Bangladesh (120 M) >

China (80 M) > Egypt (70 M)

There are about 20 M Christian Arabs Egypt > Syria > Lebanon > Palestine > Iraq

About 7 M Muslims in the USA, 3-4 M are Arabs

Roughly half of the Arab Americans are Christians

A b A i


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Farouq Elbaz (Egypt), NASA, the moon mission

Ahmed H. Zewail (Egypt) Winner of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry,

Cal. Tech. Saleh Wakeel (Iraq), member of the Natl Acad. Sci., Biochemistry

Qais Elawqati (Iraq), member of the Natl Acad. Sci., Microbiology

Majdi Yacub, first open heart surgery

Michael Debakee (Lebanon), chief cardiologist of the White House

Ralph Nader (Lebanon), consumer advocate, Green Party founder, and 2000 presidential candidate

John Sununu (Palestine), White House Ex-Chief of Staff

John Sununu JR., current state governor

Donna E. Shalala (Lebanon), Ex secretary of HHS

Helen Thomas, Ex dean of the White House press corps.

Edward Attiyeh (Syria), Ex governor of OR

Spencer Abraham (Lebanon), Secretary of Energy

George Mitchell

Arab Americans


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Arab Americans

Casey Kasem and Don Bustany (Lebanon) creators of radio's American

Top 40

Mustapha Elaqqad (Syria), Hollywood movie director

(director of the Halloween series) Tom Shadyac (Lebanon), Hollywood movie director

Salma Hayic (Lebanon), a Hollywood star

Yasser Seirawan (Syria), US Chess Champion

Jacques Nasser, president and CEO of Ford Motor Co

Ray Irani CEO of Occidental Petroleum (Exxon Mobil) Co

The Hyatt, Hagar, and Farah enterprises

Christina McAuliffe, an astronaut who died aboard the space shuttle

Challenger

Candy Lightner, founder of MADD

Suggested Reading


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History of the Arabs, Philip Hitti

The Arab People, Albert Hourany

Islam, An Empire of Faith, PBS Video, 2001 Islam: A Short History, Karen Armstrong, 2000

Muhammad, Karen Armstrong, 1998

Jihad: A Commitment to Universal Peace, Marcel A. Boisard, American Trust

Publications, 1988 The Oxford History of Islam, John L Esposito, ed. 1999

Islam: The Straight Path, John L Esposito, ed. 1998

The Meaning of the Holy Quran, Abdullah Yusif, Ali, 1997

Lives of the Prophets, Leila Azzam, 1995

From Difference to Equas, George Kindy, and Philip Saliba, eds., NYAS, 1994

Science in Medieval Islam, Howard R Turner, 1997

Arab American Encyclopedia, Anan Ameri, and Dawn Ramey, eds., 2000

Suggested Reading

History, Values and Culture

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