Religions of the Middle East, Rel 203




Announcements: Final Exam begins 6/6
Extra credit assignment will be either a discussion class, a guest speaker or another assignment TBA.


Islam- Claim to be descended from Abraham and Ishmael.
Koran= Quran- "revealed word of Allah"
"WE" in Quran or "I" is Allah(God)
"Say" refers to God telling Muhammad what to say to the people.

Hadith- "traditions" of Muhammad- his life and teachings from family, friends and followers.

Positive Characteristics of Muhammad(from Hadith)- Charisma, diplomatic skills.

Negative Characteristics- Temperamental- ordered assassinations, looted caravans, spread Islam by the sword, to pagans "convert or die", to Jews and Christians "accept Muslim rule and pay taxes. Superstitious, omens. Sexual appetite- 16 wives, harem of up to 22 women(even though it is stated in Sura 4:3 that there is a limit of 4 wives that a man can have. Took adopted son's(Zaynab) wife- justified in Sura 33:28-34. Married Aesha at age 5 or 6 and consummated marriage at age 8. Low view of women, although he improved women's rights and outlawed infanticide, also legislated that a women's testimony is worth 1/2 of that of a man's( before it was worthless),and women get 1/2 of inheretence of brothers. Sura 4:34- Men have authority over women- beatings.

Weird beliefs: Dogs scare angels away. Carried over pagan traditions.

Muslims claim that Kabah was built by Adam and restored by Abraham and Ishmael.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN JESUS AND MUHAMMAD:

Jesus was a pacifist. Muhammad was a desert chieftain (Violent)

There is less Biographical information on Jesus.

Jesus never married. Muhammad had many wives and practiced unethical sexual activity.

Jesus adopted no pagan beliefs. Muhammad included them.

Jesus "had no hand in the writing of the Gospels". Muhammad Edited the Suras in the Quran.