Chapter Eight:
Islam
Culture and Values, 6th Ed.Cunningham and Reich
Muhammad and the Birth of Islam
Muhammad born in Mecca (570) Fatima, piety and purity Revelations of God through Gabriel From Mecca to Medina - Hegira (622) Qa’aba Islam: “submission to God”
Five Pillars of Islam
Recitation of the Muslim act of faith Obligation of prayer Charity Fasting during Ramadan Pilgrimage (Haj)
Practices of Islam
No pork, alcohol Male circumcision Polygamy acceptable Usury forbidden Observation of feast days Simplicity and asceticism
– Rapid growth and spread of religion
The Qur’an
Central text of Islam– Collation of Muhammad’s oral revelations
114 chapters (sûras) Written in Arabic
– Cannot be translated
Source of unifications for all Muslims Memorization and recitation Qur’an, Hadith, Shari’a
Calligraphy
“Beautiful writing” Kufic (characteristic form) Decorative feature of mosques Abstract, geometric designs with text
– No depictions of divinity– Arabesque– No narrative scenes
Islamic Architecture
Functions of Islamic mosques– Community gathering centers
Large gathering area– Minbar– Michrab– Fountains
Islamic Architecture:
The Dome of the Rock
Caliph Abd al Malik– Temple Mount, Jerusalem
Octagonal building, golden dome Roman+Byzantine architecture Lavish mosaics Qur’anic verses Uncertain original functionality
Islamic Architecture:
Mosque of Damascus
Abd al Walid Lavish interior decoration
– Marble– Byzantine mosaics
Caliph’s palace
Islamic Architecture:
Mosque in Córdoba
Muslim capital in Spain Rival of Great Mosque of Damascus Al-Hakam
– Constantinople artisans, workmen– 17 tons of tesserae
Survived the Reconquista
[Image 8.8]Maqsura screen of the Córdoba Mosque
Islamic Architecture:
The Alhambra
Exterior : complex of towers and walls Islamic university? Infusion of interior streams Palace of the Myrtles
– Public occasions Palace of the Lions
– Private residence– Pinnacle of opulence
Islamic Architecture:
Taj Mahal
Mughal reign 1526-1858 Emperor Shah Jahan
– Tribute to wife, Mumtaz Mahal
Dome atop octagonal structure Highly polished white marble
– Restrained exterior decoration
Inspired by Qur’an
[Image 8.10]Taj Mahal
Sufism
Sunni and Shi’a traditions Sufism = mystical dimension of Islam
– Sheyks and disciples– Retirement in poverty– Piety and repentance
Sufi tariqas in North Africa, Egypt
Sufi Writers
Saint Rabia– Aphorisms, poems, meditations– Focus on the love of God– “possess nothing…except Allah”
Rumi– Persian poems (rhyming couplets)– Discourses on mystical experiences– Recitation and movement (dervishes)
The Culture of Islam and the West
Abbasid Dynasty Caliph Al-Mamun’s “House of Wisdom”
– Translations of Greek texts
Advances in mathematics, medicine– Al-Khwarizmi, Al-Uqlidisi, Al-Hazen,
Rhazes, Avicenna, Averröes– Moses Maimonides, Jewish physicians
The Culture of Islam and the West
Exchange of goods / ideas– Quality swords, silk (damask), coffee– Windmills– Lexicon contributions
Al-Ghazali– The Incoherence of the Philosophers
Averröes– “He of the Great Commentary”– The Incoherence of Incoherence
Chapter Eight: Discussion Questions
In what ways are the Five Pillars of Islam similar to the basic tenets of Christianity? Explain the similarities and differences between the two religions.
What role did Islamic culture play in the tradition of Western literary (and, thus, philosophical) thought? What circumstances facilitated this contribution?
To what must we attribute the slow movement of ideas from their Islamic origins to the Western world? Does the Western canon today, in your opinion, assign adequate notoriety to those non-Western advanced thinkers? What are the implications of recognizing the origin of a technology? Explain.