Supplementing the Koran as a source for Islamic religious, social, and legal precepts is the Hadith (which means a story, tale, or report). These are collections of traditions attributed to Muhammad, his companions, and early caliphs. Consisting of rules and practical social norms (sunnah) formulated by the prophet and enforced by early leaders in the Islamic community, the Hadith contains prescribed rules and behaviors not offered in the Koran that guide Muslims. Proclaimed in sermons or informally before witnesses, the apostolic traditions remained unwritten until the beginning of the seventh century. In response to Caliph Oman II's orders for a formal collection of extant tradtions, an Iranian savant, Abu Abdallah Muhammad, traveled throughout the Islamic World, where he uncovered more than 600,000. Joined by other collectors, al-Bukhari devised a critical scientific method to separate authentic traditions from the spurious. From this, he produced an authoritative Hadith consisting of 7397 authentic traditions. His collection, along with those by Abul Husain Muslim and four less reliable collectors, acquired canonical status among the orthodox Sunnis and is known as the Sahih ("The Genuine").In the Hadith selections that I would like you to read, you can get a sense of what the main religious duties of a Muslim are and how the individual relates to Allah. As you're reading the document ask yourself: What is distinctive about Muslim religious life? Why do so many people find Islam such a satisfactory religion, often converting to it from other faiths? Please click on the following link in order to read the selections (The Hadith). When you have read this, please think about and discuss the following... What are some of the main religious obligations of Muslims, according to these passages? What were the goals of a proper religious life? How do the gender values in these passages compare with the previous selections from the Koran? What might account for any differences? What was the Islamic approach to social and economic inequality? To slavery? How did this approach compare with the social theories of the classical Mediterranean period? What were some of the major offenses against Islamic rules? Finally, do these passages suggest some of the reasons for Islam's striking success as a world religion?
20 comments:
sounds pretty much like muslims almost believed in something similar to khama. they thought that if someone was good or bad that allah would treat them accordingly. this would probably appeal to the poor since it kinda says that if they are good they will get paradise. it also teaches that the rich should give to the poor.
I didn't find these documents surprising about how similar Islam is to Christianity and Judaism. I do think it's amazing that so many different religions could come out of "There is only one God". And even different forms of those religions formed! Peopl probably find Islam a satisfactory religion because of it's simplicity, like we talked about today. These sayings even talked about the little things like being polite and wanting too things. This makes me think that the society may have been kind of strict in some ways, but I guess if it was really strict not as many people would have converted. They talk about how it's bad to commit suicide. Is this also expressed in Judaism? or Christianity? I can't remember. Most people don't seem look at suicide in a religious aspect. They seem to talk about women being lower than men, so these douments were probably written later in Islamic history.
The Islamic religion was basically refining and adding to the ethics codes already laid out by the early Christians and Hebrews. Islam like Christianity also appealled to the poor making for its success. It said as long as you follow these rules you can go to heaven, similiar to Christianity and monotheism helped to resolve the long standing conflicts amoung the various clans which appealled to the common people affected by this. Also Muhammed used his strong attributes as a political, military, and religious leader to win decisive decisions and show that god was on his side.
Islam seems like it took some of the ideas of Christianity and Judaism and built off them making the religion simple and appealing to all classes of society.
i think that the simplicity of the requirements for acceptance into heaven is a huge factor in the pull toward Islam. it basically directly states that (like Christianity) if you declare your belief in god from the bottom of your heart then TAH-DAH you are saved from Hell instantly. The only other obligations you are put to are give to the poor (which is easy if you figure out a way to do it right) respect widows (who disrispects widows, anyway?) make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in your lifetime ( that's basically saying take a trip ONCE IN YOU LIFE. not so bad) and fast during Ramadan ( this would be a little annoying, but, hey, it's only a month and you can eat and do the other prohibited stuff after dark anyway) So since all of this stuff is relatively easy to do and it secures a personal relationship and a good destination for your soul FOR ETERNITY, what's not to like?
this basically just seems like islam took beliefs and other traditions that christianity and judaism used and made it very simple for other classes to use... for lower and upper classes
hmmmm. i'm getting a feeling that we all noticed the simplicity here. lol. so, yes it's simple, and of course people became muslim. who doesn't like simple?
what i still don't get though is you said in class that Muhamad belived Jesus was a prophet and belived in what he said, yet they don't reccognise Jesus as the son od God. i mean, did god just go "oh, i don't want a son anymore, so i'll just send a new prophet who speaks how jusus isn't my son now..." and...i don't know. i don't get that part... i mean, id maybe jesus got it wrong that he's not the direct son of god, then y not belive that Gabriel said the right thing? i mean, he belives SOME of Gabriels words, but not others? i'm so confused!
The obligations of the muslims is also known as the five pillars. They must pray five times daily facing the city of Mecca. They must fast during the months of Ramadan. They must also give alms and worship Allah as their only god. And if possible they must visit the holy city of Mecca. In the hadith, it sounds as though they treated slaves the same as other people. It says if they are worthy to their owners, then Allah will be worthy to them. I think that Islam's success comes from its simplicity.
miss niemann, the idea is that the revelations that muhammad received, and that were recorded in the koran later, serve as the final clarification and refinement of several centuries of communication and revelations given from God to humans. where the koran conflicts with other texts, the koran is looked to as the source of truth, being, essentially, the final chapter and clarification. again, this is a history class so we're not in the business of being critical of the belief system itself. that's not really the point. the point is that we understand islam well in order to understand the global impact it will have. no world history class is complete without this understanding, as the islamic world will go on to dominate the globe in season 2, and essentially shape the world that we know today in more ways than you may realize. the advancements in medicine, for example, made in the islamic world far surpassed anything else being done at the time (while europe slid backwards into centuries of ignorance during the early part of the post-classical period). the point is that what is "true" or not is irrelevant to a critical study of islam from a strictly historical perspective.
Earlier today I came on the blog and read the first 2 pages of the document and was slightly confused when reading peoples' comments as well as Mr. Prill's questions to keep in mind. Everyone was saying how simple the ethic codes are and how accesible it was.
I was thinking to myself, hold on now... This doesn't look all that accesible to me, all these laws and ethic guidelines sem like the faith required a sort of unachievable moral perfection.
When I came back to read the 3rd and 4th pages I understood.
"Even if" they have violated some of the laws, if they truly believe in Allah and the Apostle, they will have a place in paradise, although some will have better paradise, the difference is but a thorn it says.
Suddenly it seemed much more accesible to me.
On gender relationships, we clearly see a change here from pre-Islamic Arabia. It is forbidden to look at a woman and even more so to touch her.
Mr. Prill when it says that hell was much more female-populated, this surely signifies the belief of impurity in women. Was this a common belief? Why so? ( I know that it was patriarchial, but what is the origin or reason, or is it simply that it is the word of the Apostle?)
Islam like its "cousin" religions Christianity, and Judaism, follow simple directions on how to live life. Because people of all social classes have the opportunity to do well, it is appealing to alot of people.
Dante' Johnson
good question mr. livaditis... we're already beginning to see emerge the notion of the woman as a temptress or a seductress, and that if a man and woman were to be caught engaging in indecent conduct, it was the woman that lured in the man. both would be punished according to the koran, but it is generally still seen as the woman's fault. equality? i think not. this is still a patriarchal society, albeit with more freedoms than we see in other parts of the world at the time.
I think that one of the main appeals to the Islamic faith was like christianity in that it was simple. That being a good person and praising Allah or God then you were esentially going to a better place in your after life. You also needed to follow the five pillars in order to be a attain your better after life.
i am so glad that we are learning about the ilsamic religon because i know that i was an "ignorrant american" walking into this touchy subject. so i just wanted to thank you mr. prillcuz i have already learned so much
yea..I must agree...it's similar to Christianity and very simple. I'm begginning to see a trend in all of these religions. The more simple the more people follow. Makes since. Well anyways..I'm glad we are learning about Islam because it really clears up all the exaggerations and half truths the media tells us. Even movies are inaccurate these days about Islam.
so im a bit confused islam is a mixture of christianity and judaism right or no?
well miss hammond, islam is a unique religion all on it's own, however the fact is that much had been borrowed from jewish and christian tradition and theology in islam. essentially, the idea is that islam is the final refinement.
Islam appealed to all people no matter what they're status in the civilization. It had many parts that were like Christianity and Judaism, but that just made it spread faster. People in other parts of the world were already used to the idea of one god, so it wasn't a far stretch for them to convert. The Christians being prosecuted definitely were more than willing to convert. I think that by the Muslims conquering for land definitely made the conversions to Islam quicker because they didn't have to wait for merchants and travelers to spread the word.
its really cool to see how simliar religions are and how they have been amendmended by other religions. you can still see huge similarities from christianity and jewish religions. it never clicked in my head that these religions worshiped the same God. this just shows you how well the publicity and media puts crap in your head.
In the beggining of the passage, it states the five pillars; Shahada, which is the confession of faith, praying (five times a day), the zakat (paying the legal alms), making the hajj pilgrimage, and fasting during ramadan. It further goes into other aspects of Islam, and states many examples as to if you are good, you will be rewarded, and if you are bad, you will be punished. This shows that there is no social inequality here, so it can bring intrest into the lower classes ans slaves. They can be rewarded no matter their social position. "If a slave serves honestly his master and worships earnestly his lord, he will have double the recompense." This shows how slaves are treated with the same chance as wealthy folk.
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