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ISLAM AS AN ABRAHAMIC FAITH: CONTINUITY AND CONTRASTThird Age Learning series on Understanding Islam
Persistent Orientalist modes of thinking and Muslims
Once again dominant, has acquired the status of commonsense
Promoted by primary definers of the news in a climate of fear and intimidation
Such definitions become normative through a process of repetition
Key commonsense assumptions: taken for granted frames that underpin discussion of Islam and Muslims
Islam is a monolithic religion Islam is a uniquely sexist religion The Muslim/Arab mind is incapable of
rationality and science Islam is inherently violent The West spreads democracy whereas
Islam promotes terrorism
Islam vs. Judeo Christian tradition?Emergence of the concept in the twentieth century?Resurgence of the concept in the current times, especially post-9/11Use by Islamophobes and implications for alienating Islam and MuslimsShift to Abrahamic traditionsApproach of the three traditions to Abraham and scholars wrestling with finding common ground in Abraham
Questions to ponder for today What is Islam and Muslims? What does it mean that Abraham is the father
of all monotheistic faith traditions? What does the Quran itself tell us about
continuity and contrast, pluralism and diversity?
What are our choices—clash or convivencia? Any other questions you will bring to the table
in a respectful way All questions are good, better to ask than to
believe in the “commonsense” myths
The Basics
What is Islam and who are Muslims? When did Islam arrive on the scene
Adam/Abraham/Muhammad? Three Dimensions of Islam
Islam (Submission) Iman (Faith) Ihsan (Excellence)
Faith principles:Pillars of Islam and Ihsan
Five pillars of Islam (submission): belief in One God, Prayer, Alms giving, Fasting, Pilgrimage,
Six pillars of Iman (faith): faith in One God, all Prophets, all Books, Angels, Last day, Measuring out of good and evil
Muslims
Over 1.7 billion people who live in 57 Muslim majority countries all over the world
Large sections of Muslims live as minorities Arab and Muslim not to be conflated. Arabs
only make up 20% of the global Muslim population
Faith and family core values in Muslims’ lives Muslims like Jews and Christians believe in
the God of Abraham, Moses and Jesus Islam and Muslim is not a monolith
Essence of Oneness
Reality of God as the One, the Absolute and the Infinite-- Allah Surah Al-Ikhlas (Purity ) Chapter 112 In the Name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the
Giver of MercySay, He is the One, God the eternal, He begot
no one nor was He begotten, No one is comparable to Him
Oneness of God and other religions Reassertion of the revelation of God to
all Prophets The Quran states
We have never sent a messenger before except that We revealed to him, saying, “There is no god but I, so worship Me”
Who or what is God?
Praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds. The Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
God is the Light of the heavens and the earth…. neither of the east nor of the west,… Light upon Light! 24:35
The East and the West belong to God. To whichever direction you turn, you will be turning to God. God is All-Embracing, All-Knowing. 2:115
There is no male or female representation of God Ninty nine attributes (never personified) that describe the nature
of divinity Al Asma al-husna (Beautiful names) God is never the father or heaven—He is the all-Knowing, the
Praiseworthy, the strong, the Creator, the Permanent. God’s reality is absolute, human reality is relative God is close than the jugular vein
God for Whom?
We have honoured the children of Adam (not Muslims) 17:70
Quran favours the ‘virtuous’ individual and admonishes the ‘vicious’ individual It does not guarantee special status to anyone but the righteous:
Goodness does not consist in turning your face towards East or West. The truly good are those who believe in God and the Last Day, in the angels, the Scripture, and the prophets; who give away some of their wealth, however much they cherish it, to their relatives, to orphans, the needy, travellers and beggars, and to liberate those in bondage, those who keep up the prayer and pay the prescribed alms; who keep pledges whenever they make them; who are steadfast in misfortune, adversity, and times of danger. These are the ones who are true, and it is they who are aware of God 2:177
O Human beings, … We have made you into nations and tribes that you may recognize one another. Verily, the most honoured of you, in the sight of God, is he who is the most righteous among you. … 49:13
Islam and creation of humans Insan (human)
“ God created humans in the best of stature” 95:4
With intelligence capable of Knowing the One.
Primordial nature (al-fitrah)Relationship between humans and God even
before coming into this world
Plurality and diversity by design Had your Lord willed, all the people on
earth would have believed. So can you compel people to believe? No soul can believe except by God’s will, and He brings disgrace on those who do not use reason. 10:99-100
If your Lord had pleased, He would have made all people a single community, but they continue to have their differences 11:118
Creation of Adam (synonym for human being)
God created Adam the first human in His image
Human as vicegerents of God (khalifa) Carrying the trust and human freedom God taught Adam the names Abd (servant of God) Servanthood
precedes vicegerency Servant of God an epithet given to
Muhammad and Jesus in the Quran (also a very common name, Abdallah)
Adam’s superiority to Angels God announces Adam’s creation to Angels.
They say: “What, will you place in the earth who will
work corruption there, and shed blood?” (2:30)
Gog replied, “I know something you know not.”
God taught Adam the Names--knowledge God asks Angels to bow before Adam, Iblis
refuses
Adam and Iblis (Satan)
Trust and fitra (innate nature) suggest that humans have a great responsibility before God and His creation
God created humans from a single soul People be mindful of your Lord, who
created you from a single soul, and from it created its mate…(4:1)
God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden with instructions
Enter Iblis
Iblis’s disobedience, leads to his downfall How Satan came to be the enemy of humans. His
motivation pride, anger and envy Iblis’s mission until the end of time with God’s
permission Said he, “My Lord, because You have led me astray, I
shall make the earth seem fair to them and I shall lead them astray, except the sincere among Your servants.”
Said He, “This is for me a straight path: As for My servants, you shall have no authority over them, except those that follow you, going astray. Gehenna is the promised place for all of them.” (15: 39-43)
Instructions for Adam and Eve We said, “ Adam, dwell, you and your
wife, in the Garden, and eat thereof easefully wherever you desire. But do not come near this tree, lest you be wrongdoers.”
Then Satan caused them to slip there from and brought them out of what they were in. (2:35-36)
Freedom and guidance
What does it mean to be human?
Choice between right and wrong Both Adam and Eve ate the forbidden
fruit from the tree of knowledge, both slipped and both asked for forgiveness
“Adam disobeyed his Lord’ (20:121) God then said to them both
“Did I not prohibit you two from this tree and say to you, ‘Verily, Satan is for you two an open enemy?” (7:22)
No original sin
Both Adam and Eve recognize their mistake and seek God’s forgiveness and they are both forgiven
God chose Adam as the first Prophet God then sends Adam and Eve down to
earth as vicegerents Dialogue of Moses with Adam
Why Prophets?
In Islam revelation and Prophecy are necessary and Universal
Divine Oneness (Tawhid) and its reaffirmation through Prophets
Why? Ghafla (heedlessness, forgetfulness of fitra)
Religion (din), a way of life Revelation (wahy) Prophecy (nubuwwa) Kitab--- Quran and other books
Islam’s Prophets
Start with Adam down to Muhammad Acceptance of multiplicity of prophets
and revelations People of the Book—Jews and Christians Some traditions number them at
124,000 Finality of Prophecy—”Seal of
Prophethood” Role of Abraham, Moses and Jesus in
Islam
Abraham the father of monotheism Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he
was one inclining toward truth, a Muslim [submitting to Allah ]. And he was not of the polytheists 3:68
Say, [O believers], "We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him 2:137
Abraham’s descendants
Or were you witnesses when death approached Jacob, when he said to his sons, "What will you worship after me?" They said, "We will worship your God and the God of your fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac - one God. And we are Muslims [in submission] to Him 2:134
Demonizing Ishmael and his descendants
Often based on a exclusivist interpretation of the Bible
The angel of the LORD also said to her( Hagar): “You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son.You shall name him Ishmael,[a]
for the LORD has heard of your misery.12 He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him,and he will live in hostility toward[b] all his brothers.”Genesis 16:11-12New International Version
Quran and Prophet Muhammad a continuation
Quran as revelation: key issue To understand Islam, it is essential to
understand the Prophet of Islam to whom the Quran was revealed
The Prophet, a human just as all other Prophets—no divinity
Islam is not Muhammadanism Verily you have in the Messenger of God and excellent
exemplar for him who looks to God and Last Day and remembers God often” (32:21)
Who was Prophet Muhammad? Born in Mecca in 570 A.D. into the tribe of
Quraysh An orphan A Hanif (primordialist, followed the monotheism of
Abraham) Al Amin (the trustworthy) His marriage to Khadija Revelation at the age of 40 Al-Miraj (ascension to heaven) Opposition and migration Return to Mecca Death in Medina
Continuation of revelation
This Qur'an … is a confirmation of (revelations) that went before it, and a fuller explanation of the Book - wherein there is no doubt - from the Lord of the worlds. 10:37
We have revealed to you (Muhammad) as We revealed to Noah and the Prophets after him, and We revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the offspring of Jacob, and Jesus and Job, and Jonnah, and Aaron and Solomon, and We gave to David Psalms. 4:163
Repeatedly the Quran underscores the fact that its message is not something new or completely different from the message of the earlier prophets or former scriptures.
Universality and particularity of Prophecy
All Prophets brought the first shahadah—tawhid (oneness f God)
“We have never sent a messenger before thee save that We revealed to him saying, ‘There is no god but I, so worship me’” (21:25).
“to every one of you (messengers) We have appointed a right way and an open road (shariah) (5:48)
Particularity of the second part of the shahadah (bearing witness)
No differentiation in Prophets of God
Say: We have faith in God, and in that which has been sent down on Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, and Jacob, and the Tribes, and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and the prophets by their Lord. We make no distinction among any of them, and to Him we have submitted (2: 136, 2: 285, 3:84)
Acknowledgement of different messages
Any distinction has to be made on the basis of messages “And those messengers—some we have
preferred above others. Among them was he to whom God spoke, and He raised some in degrees. And We gave Jesus son of Mary the clear explications, and We confirmed him with the Holy Spirit” (2:253)
“And we have preferred some Prophets over others, and We gave David the Psalms” (17:55)
Islam and other religions
No consensus among Muslims on the issue of Islam and other religions
Shades of exclusivist tendencies persist Quranic perspective, centrality of tawhid.
“Those who have faith, and those of the Jews, the Christians, and the Sabeans---whoso has faith in God and the Last Day and works wholesome deeds—their wage awaits them with their Lord, and no fear shall be upon them, neither shall they sorrow” (2:62)
Believers vs. Non believers
Focused on distortion of Tawhid (oneness of God)
Corruption of scriptures Trinity (in Christianity) Criticism of Jews who broke the covenant
of God and opposed conspired against Prophet Muhammad
Kuffar (those who cover) or truth concealers, does not equate to infidel
People of the Book
Jews and Christians are referred to as the people of the Book
Mentioned throughout the Quran Some of the people of the Book are a wholesome
nation. They recite God’s signs in the watches of the night, prostrating themselves, having faith in God and the Last Day, bidding to honour and forbidding dishonour, and vying with one another in good deeds. They are among the wholesome. Whatever good they do, they will not be denied its reward”. (3:113-115)
Jews and Christians in the Quran
The Quran frankly acknowledges the virtues of Jews and Christians and thus generates an inclusive attitude among the believers. It says: Of the people of Moses there is a section who guide and do justice in the light of truth 7:159 Of the People of the Book there are upright people: they recite the word of God all night
long, and they prostrate themselves in adoration. 3:113
…and nearest among them in love to the believers will you find those who say, "We are Christians": because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant. 5:82
The Quran also acknowledges the Jewish and Christian scriptures, their high status and position: It is He Who sent down to you (step by step), in truth, the Book, confirming what went before
it; and He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this, as a guide to mankind, … 3:3
It was We who revealed the law (to Moses): therein was guidance and light… 5:44 And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come
before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear God. 5:46
This (i.e. the Quran) indeed is what is taught in the former Scriptures — The Scriptures of Abraham and Moses. 87:18-19
Islam and religious pluralism today
Role of political tensions Missionaries and colonialism Forced conversions in Islam
unacceptable—precedence in Prophet’s return to Mecca
Apostasy and freedom of religion “There is no compulsion in religion” (2:
256)
Clash of civilizations vs. clash of ignorance
Bernard Lewis Samuel Huntington Edward Said’s response
Where do we go from here?
Constant divide or dialogue of civilizations
Who will frame the future of which path we choose?
Our responsibility
Thank you
For sharing this time with me. I am grateful.
Peace be with all of you