Islam

Islam is one of the Western Abahamic religions, among Judaism and Christianity. It is a monotheistic religion in which Muslims believe that a person finds peace in the surrender to God. The word Islam means, “submission to God” and those who submit to the one God are Muslims, which means “one who surrenders”, or “submits” to the will of God. Muhammad is their great prophet whom they believe was the last prophet of God and the conduit for the Qur’an. Muslims know that there are certain ways to live a moral life that are the basic tenets of Islam called the Five Pillars of Islam. Islam is the world’s second largest religion, following Christianity.

The Western Abrahmic religions share the belief in covenant, tradition, and monotheism. Judaism believes in one God with the divine name “Yahweh”. Christianity also believes in the one God who created the world and takes interest in the humans who inhabit it. To Muslims, their one God named “Allah” transmitted his word to the prophet Muhammad. This revelation was written down in the Qur’an and is considered the divine word of God. The Qur’an means “recitation”, and has become the scripture of Islam. These writings are so important because they were dictated from Allah to Gabriel and then to Muhammad. The Qur’an is often sung to enhance joyous celebrations. It consists of 114 chapters or surahs and has similar stories to that of Jewish and Christian scripture.

The prophet Muhammad was very influential in the religion of Islam. He is believed to be the last prophet of God and a conduit for the Qur’an. He was also a human man who was born in 570 CE around Mecca in a trading city called Arabia. Muhammad was orphaned, illiterate, and worked for a wealthy caravan trader. The trader had a daughter named Khadija whom Muhammad married when he was 25 years old. Muhammad lived the rest of his life in prayer at Mt. Hera near Mecca. In 610 CE, when he was 40 years old, Muhammad received a revelation from the angel Gabriel. The angel appeared to him while he was praying and Muhammad submited; this is miraculous because he was illiterate. He had many revelations over the years, which he has written down and became the writings of the Qur’an. Muhammad is not considered divine and Muslims do not worship him.

The Five Pillars of Islam are the basic tenets of Islam. They are the basic ways to live a moral life and are believed to make a person a good practicing Muslim. The Five Pillars include Shahadah, Salat, Sawm, Sakat, and a Hajj. Shahadah is the Muslim’s creed or “profession of faith”. The creed is said in the morning and at night before bed. It says, “I witness that there is no God but Allah, and that Muhammad is the prophet of Allah.” The second pillar, Salat, is a prayer ritual. It is a precise ritual of praying five times a day facing Mecca. Mecca is the navel of the earth, sacred center, or the axis mundi to Muslims.

The third pillar of Islam is Sawm, a fasting ritual. Each day in Ramadan, the ninth month in Islam, Muslims are required to fast. From dawn until sunset they will fast from everything including eating, drinking, sexual activity, gum, toothpaste, and medicine. Sakat is the fourth pillar and is the pillar of charity. Muslims participate by giving alms to the poor in acts of charity. These alms are money savings or charitable gifts they give to the less fortunate.

The last and final pillar of Islam is the Hajj, which literally means “pilgrimage”. Muslims are required to take a pilgrimage to Mecca, if physically able, at least once in their lifetime. No non- Muslim is allowed in Mecca because Mecca is the most holy place for Muslims. The first step to the Hajj is to circumambulate the Ka’aba seven times. The Ka’aba is a black stone around which Muslims gather at Mecca. Second, a Muslim must “hustle” between the two hills and drink from the spring, symbolizing when Hagar was looking for water for her son. The third step is the go to Mt. Arafat to pray and rest. After much rest and prayer, a Muslim throws seven stones at each three pillars to represent casting out evil. Sacrificing an animal and sharing a meal is the last step and ends the pilgrimage.

http://www.injil.org/singing.htm

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/religion-islam-muslim-islamic-quran.htm

            

Judaism

Judaism is the religious culture of the Jewish people. Beginning with just a small Hebrew nation it has gone through thousands of years of suffering and persecution to get to where it is today. The main Jewish communities today are in Israel and the United States. Judaism is a monotheistic religion, which is they worship only one God. They believe that God has personal attributes and that he makes relationships with people. They express their faith through a profession of faith called the Shema. There are also many nationally recognized holidays. It is a very influential religion and culture.

Judaism is a monotheistic religion. Jewish followers believe in only one God who he has personal attributes. The divine name for their God is YHWH. They believe that the sacred name of God is so holy that they cannot even spell it out. In the Jewish Bible they fill in between the letters with random others to keep from writing it down or accidentally saying it. Also, in early Hebrew writing, there were no vowels. So instead they use the word Adonai, which means Lord. When professing their faith, Jewish people recite the Shema. The Shema says:

                        “Hear O Israel,

          the Lord is your God,

               the Lord is one!.”  - Dt 6:4

The Shema is said in the morning and also at night as a bedtime prayer. People sometimes close their eyes or cover their face with their hands to concentrate and eliminate distractions. The Tanak, or the Hebrew bible is separated into three sections based on their content. The Torah is the first five books of Moses. These are the laws and instructions he received from God.The second is the Neviim that tells about the prophets.  The last section is the Ketuvim, which is majority writing, including books of psalm and proverbs.

            In Judaism, they believe that God is a personal God and he likes to make relationships with people. A covenant is a promise and the Jewish believe that God has made several promises with their people. The first covenant was with a man named Noah. God was angry with his people and was going to destroy the earth with a flood. He told Noah to build an Ark to save himself and God’s creatures. When the flood was over God made a covenant with Noah and promised never to destroy the earth by flood again. The second covenant was with Abraham. Abraham was an older man with his wife Sarah who was old and unable to have children. God said to Abraham that he would provide them with a child if they had him circumcised. The covenant from God was that he would provide Abraham with land and descendants if they kept the command to have them circumcised.

            The third covenant from God was with Moses. Moses was the man who led the people out of slavery in Egypt and received the Torah from God on the mountain. The torah includes what is called kosher law or a food law. This restricts the Jewish from eating pork, shellfish, or milk. It also requires them to keep holy the Sabbath day and worship only their one God. God promised that as long as people kept the torah, he would be their God. The fourth and last covenant was with David. David is the fulfillment of the covenant from God that said he would provide an eternal kingdom and will dwell in the temple there forever. Jerusalem is the eternal city for Jews, Christians and Muslims.

            There are many rituals involved in Judaism. Rituals are things that are reoccurring and in this case yearly. In Judaism there are 6 yearly rituals that Jewish people celebrate. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and this year was on September 8. Yom Kippur is the second ritual of the Jewish year also known as “the day of attonement”. This is a ritual when priests offer sacrifice in the Holy of Holies. Sukkot is the third ritual and it is a meal taken place underneath a tent or booth to remind the Jews of when they were fleeing from Egypt and had to stay in tents and rely on God for all that they received to survive. The fourth ritual of the year is Chanukah, or the festival of lights. This is an 8 day festival celebrating when a lamp that had no oil left miraculously burned for 8 days in the temple.

 Purim is the next ritual and is similar to Halloween. This ritual celebrates Esther’s triumph over Haimon and is celebrated with cookies, drinks, and costumes. Passover is the second pilgrimage festival and the sixth yearly ritual in the Jewish year. It represents the Passover of the angel of death. Whoever had sacrificed the lamb and put its blood above the door had spared the life of their first-born son. Fifty days after Passover is Shavuot. Shavuot is the first fruit festival and is an agricultural celebration for the late spring harvest. The Jewish year all starts in the fall and cycles around to late spring and summer. Every ritual is celebrated in remembrance of the suffering and persecution but sometimes triumphs of their past. Judaism is a very influential religion and culture.

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/shema.html

http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/index.htm

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Which_country_or_continent_is_Judaism_popular_in

Holy Cities of Pilgrimage

             Into the third week of September, our religion class has begun to discuss outlooks on pilgrimage. The definition for pilgrimage is “a universal quest for the self.” (p.197) We have started looking at two theorists, Mircea Eliade and Edith and Victor Turner. The Turners believed Pilgrimage involved “leaving social convention and joining a temporary communitas.” (p.201) Eliade believed there was a sacred and profane, “the ‘sacred’ is REALLY real and exists as a force larger than society.” (p. 200) Eade and Sallnow and Emile Durkheim are theorists we are planning on covering this week. I was very interested in exploring the major places sought out for pilgrimages. Some major cities are, Lourdes, France, Jerusalem, Mecca, Bodhgaya, and Benares. These are all cities frequently visited by millions of Catholic, Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu peoples.

            Lourdes, France has developed into a major pilgrimage spot for Roman Catholics. It is home of a beautiful grotto where fourteen year old St. Bernadette, received a message from the Virgin Mary herself. She allegedly appeared to her 18 times at the grotto. Pilgrims travel in search of healing from the water of the natural spring that appeared in the grotto.  Connected with this pilgrimage is often the consumption of or bathing in the Lourdes water. Many believe that the waters possess certain healing powers. There has been 67 recognized miraculous healings. Five million people travel to the small town each year in search of their own miracle.

            Jerusalem is considered one of the world’s holiest cities. It is sacred to three world faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It is a place where Jewish come to visit the temple of Solomon and Muslims believe the prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven. Christians come to walk in Jesus’ footsteps and follow his Crucifixion. There are three holy cites in Jerusalem, the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. This city is a very popular pilgrimage cite because it is rich with history and religion.

            Mecca is considered the center of the Islamic world and the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad. This sacred land is located on the western part of the Arabian Peninsula in Saudi Arabia. A Muslim follows fundamental practices called “The Five Pillars of Islam”. The hajj pilgrimage is the fifth pillar, which requires a male or female to make at least one trip to Mecca in his or her lifetime. When a pilgrim comes to Mecca, they come dressed in a simple white garment that symbolizes purity. They enter a state of holiness when they enter the masque in Mecca and walk around the shrine of Ka’ba seven times in a counterclockwise direction. Next, entering into the shrine, the pilgrim kisses the sacred stone. A pilgrimage to Mecca is forbidden to all people outside the Muslim faith.

            Bodhgaya is among one of the four most sacred pilgrimage places for Buddhists. It is situated on the Phalgu river in Northern India. Gautama Buddha is believed to have found enlightenment under the sacred Bodhi tree at Bodghaya. Pilgrims tie pray flags to the branches and meditate under it. Monks sit at the base of the tree to meditate and chant. The Bodhi Tree is not the only attraction in Bodhgaya. Two others include, Vajrasana and the Mahabodhi temple. The serene atmosphere is ideal for meditation.

            Benares is located in Northern India, between the Varuna and Ashi rivers. It is a sacred city that stands as a Hindu symbol of religion, tradition, and history. Pilgrims come in search of divine blessings at the ghats in Benares. A ghat is a series of paved steps that lead to water with temples built into its side. These structures were built and owned by the royal families of India. In the morning, the waters are filled with people in hope that the water will wash away their sins. The five major ghats in Benares are, Assi, Dasawamedha, Barnasangam, Panchganga, and Manikarnika. It is the oldest place of learning and is filled with centuries of tradition.

http://www.catholicpilgrims.com/pilgrimagetolourdes.html

http://unmyst3.blogspot.com/2009/09/healing-water-of-lourdes.html

http://www.worldtravelguide.net/holidays/editorial-feature/feature/pilgrimages-and-religious-destinations

http://www.sacredsites.com/middle_east/saudi_arabia/mecca.html

http://www.culturalindia.net/indian-pilgrimage/bodh-gaya.html

http://www.pilgrimageindia.net/budhism_pilgrimage/bodhgaya.html

http://www.buddhist-pilgrimage.com/bodhgaya.html

www.rajuindia.com

http://www.tourism-of-india.com/benaras.html

http://www.templenet.com/Ganga/varanasi.html

Keeping An Open Mind

This past week, we have explored the ideas of four theorists. These theorists included James Frazer, Emile Durkheim, Sigmund Freud, and Karl Marx. Each theorist had a different outlook on religion. Here is a more in depth look at each theorist and their beliefs.

James Frazer (1854-1941) was a religious theorist who believed that religion was the power that comes from inside the internal person. His field of study included comparative anthropology with sources of mythology and Greek writings. He believed in sympathetic magic where nature works on sympathies or influences. He said, “when nature fails, the primitive peoples made every effort they could to understand the world and change it.” (Pg 34) He suggested that science follows the failure of religion. I was open to the theories Frazer suggested about the contrasts and similarities of magic and religion. It was interesting how he distinguished between the two. When most people’s outlooks are concrete and unwilling to explore possibilities he tried to understand an alternate way.

Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) was sociologist who believed that God, an ultimate reality, is essentially the group or the clan. There will always be a unified group with a unified system of beliefs and practices. He was interested in sources of community ideas and the realm of the mind. He said, “ Religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, things apart and forbidden.” (Pg 99) The totemic principle is the hidden force worshipped by the clan. I think there is always the possibility of change.

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) was a psychologist who was mostly involved with the field of psychoanalysis. Freud ultimately did not believe in religion. His personal stance is a complete rejection of religious belief. He said, “ They are erroneous, they are superstitions.” (Pg 65) Freud believes that religion is a universe of obsession neurosis; that neurotic people believe in religion and normal people follow science. He thinks that God is an illusion, or an image projected from the self to satisfy a deep need or overcome our guilt. I think someone who is agnostic or atheist is a very pessimistic person. Freud can definitely be described as a weird thinker but I like that he looks outside the box and he finds new and strange outlooks on things.

Karl Marx (1818-1883) was an economic philosopher. He believed there was a higher class and a lower class; the proletariat and the bourgeoisie respectively. He thought the psychical was always better than the ideal. We have creativity and beauty, we can grow and change, but Marx says we have rejected all of that and instead, have projected it in a God figure. He says, “ Religion is pure illusion.” (Pg 138) and, “ the sigh of the oppressed creature.” (Pg 141) He believes the oppressed creature clings to religion as their hope. I think Marx was very close-minded in the fact that he tried to put everything into the economic standpoint of life. However, compared to Freud who was calling people crazy, Marx explained why we are the way we are.

As a Catholic, many of the theorists we have gone over completely go against my views of religion as a whole. I have been brought up to believe God and his only son are my saviors; they make up everything about my rituals and beliefs. To hear theories about God not existing or that a belief in a God is “crazy” is a tough challenge to comprehend, however, I need to keep an open mind about other world religions and beliefs.