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What is Islam and What is its Importance?

Frances Cramer Tatum

            Anthropologists have studied Islam for many years, and they have shown Islam from a scholarly point of view. However, even though these scholarly studies are extremely helpful for those who do not practice nor know any practicing Muslims, living as a Muslim practicing Islam is more spiritual and more personable. Even though we won’t be looking into interviews today, I do want us to focus on the scholarly views and personal Muslim views on Islam. That will include the differences between a practicing Muslim Islam scholar and a non-Muslim Islam scholar. I personally enjoyed reading and learning from Dr. John Esposito as he is Catholic while being distinguished in the Muslim-Christian studies with a main research focus on Islam (. The other scholar we will also be focusing on is a practicing Muslim who is a scholar in Islamic studies, Mufti Ismail Ibn Musa Menk, the most influential Muslim Islam scholar in the world, as of now.

            In the 1970’s, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism were very much misunderstood when it came to religious influence (Pfitzer. 2017.). However, in 1979 is when the Iran revolution happened and brought in the Islamic government (Pfitzer. 2017.). The Iran revolution and Islamic government forced the Western nations, including America, to reconsider the importance and influence of Islam (Pfitzer. 2017.). Esposito talks about how there are small “Islamic” groups who do perform awful acts, however, the Protestants and Catholics of Northern Ireland (late 20th century) also performed violence (Pfitzer. 2017.). The point of him bringing these two things up is to understand that every religious group has bad people with bad ideas but to not blame the religion as a whole but just the individuals in a single matter as religion teaches something way differently than what those specific people act on.

 

            John Esposito discusses how Muslims, Jews, and Christians are descended from the same Father but different Mothers and why all three are “People of the Book”. Muslims have always viewed Jews and Christians as the People of the Book due to the word of God that came in forms of scripture (Esposito. Pg 1. 2011.). Jews, Christians, and Muslims all came from Abraham but from different Mothers (Esposito. Pg 6. 2011.). Jews and Christians came from Sarah, Abraham’s wife, through their son Isaac, while Muslims came from Hagar, the maidservant, through their son Ismail (Esposito. Pg 6. 2011.). However, in all three religions it is believed that Hagar and Abraham’s son, Ismail, is the first born (Esposito. Pg 6. 2011.).

            Mecca became an iconic symbol for Muslims due to Ismail and Hagar moving to Mecca and nearly died until a spring came from the desert (Esposito. Pg 7. 2011.). Abraham and Ismail rebuilt the Kaaba which is viewed as a temple built by Adam (Esposito. Pg 7. 2011.). Because of this, the Kaaba is viewed as the Temple of the one true God and so this is why Muslims are facing the direction of the Kaaba when performing Salah (the five prayers of Islam) (Esposito. Pg 7. 2011.). There are differences between the Bible and Qur’an that instead of Isaac being the intended sacrifice, it was instead Ismail (Qur’an) (Esposito. Pg 7. 2011.). However, according to the Bible, it was Isaac that was supposed to be sacrificed to God (Esposito. Pg 7. 2011.).

            Islam isn’t the only religion that originated in Arabia, it was also Christianity, Zoroastrian and Judaism that originated in Arabia (Esposito. Pg 8. 2011.). This means that there are Arabs who aren’t Muslim but of other religions as well. However, when it comes to languages, Allah is Arabic for God and Adonai (or Hashem) is Hebrew for God (Esposito. Pg 8. 2011.). There is several importance in Islam such as the Five Pillars of Islam that distinguishes Islam from other religions (Esposito. Pg 18. 2011.). These are the core beliefs of Muslims that also unite one another (Esposito. Pg 18. 2011.).

            The first Five Pillars of Islam is the Shahad, the declaration of faith by citing the Shahada in front of two witnesses, “There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.” (Esposito. Pg 18. 2011.). The second of the Five Pillars of Islam is the Salat, which means prayer and Muslims pray the Salat five times a day with different Salat for each celebrated Islamic holiday (Esposito. Pg 19. 2011.). The third Pillar of Islam is the Zakat which is the act of donating money to Islamic organizations, helping the poor, or any kind of time that involves helping the poor (Esposito. Pg 20. 2011.). The fourth Pillar of Islam is Sawm, which is the fast for the holy month of Ramadan which includes fasting from sunup to sundown (no, not even water) and breaking the fast with Iftar but with the blessing of Allah for pregnant women, menstruating women, the sick, elderly, etc. to be excused from the fast and make up for it by Zakat or other means (Esposito. Pg 21. 2011.). The last and final fifth Pillar of Islam is the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, where the Kaaba is located, which is mostly performed during the holy month of Ramadan but can be when you, as a Muslim, are able to make Hajj and when it rains in Mecca it is believed your Dua will be answered for sure by Allah (Esposito. Pg 22. 2011.).

            When it comes to balancing life and religion, Sheikh Mufti Menk had a lot to say when a follower of his called him out on social media after he (Mufti Menk) posted himself having fun with his family in London (Entertainment Desk. 2022.). “Rasulullah SAS (Prophet Muhammad) engaged in many recreative activities with his family. We must be balanced.”- Mufti Menk (Entertainment Desk. 2022.). He also mentions how “our families have a right over us.” (Entertainment Desk. 2022.). Which is true as the “Ummah is only possible if you have concern four your own family first.” – Mufti Menk (Entertainment Desk. 2022.). According to the Qur’an in the Surah al-Baqarah it states that you must take care of the family as well as yourself (Ahmad. Nd.).

            Why is Islam so important and why is it deemed the final word of Allah (God) and not the others? Are there other books that are not published, and we are not aware of? To answer these questions, we must look deeper into religion as these are based on faith and beliefs. I grew up Christian, converted to Judaism, and found love in Islam. So, for me I have three points of view of religion, and I do believe in Islam being the last and completed religion as it ties in all of the three Abrahamic relgiions. This is strictly based on opinion, faith, and belief.

            I cannot argue in a scholarly context, but I can say it makes sense thanks to the scholars and their studies on the religion of Islam along with compare and contrast with the other two religions, Christianity, and Judaism. It’s intriguing on how the Judeo-Christian-Islam faiths are all connected in some shape of fashion. However, is the Gospel of Barnabas true? Barnabas is in the Bible, and he is talked about and known. This is a recent gospel I ran into this week, and it talks about Isa (Jesus) and Muhammad along with the second coming of Isa (Jesus). It also states how Isa (Jesus) was not sacrificed on the cross, Judas was, and how Isa (Jesus) was ascended into Heaven with Allah and never died along with not being mentioned as the Son of God or being God.

            I am still looking into the scholarly side of the Gospel of Barnabas and its authenticity but it’s an interesting start as it is (or would be) a book of the Bible. Looking into these scholars in this class and their work has helped me research authenticity of religions and their books. Judaism is the beginning, Christianity is focused on the ending as Jesus if the Son of God (or is God), and Islam recognizes Isa (Jesus) as a Prophet (I believed in this growing up) and not the Son of God or as God and Muhammad is the final Prophet of Allah (God). Looking into Islam from Esposito’s scholarly view has helped me understand as someone who grew up Baptist and questioned religion at the age of 10. Esposito’s position on Islam is respectful and informative.

            Conclusion, the purpose of this short paper is not to deem Islam as right or wrong but to deem it not this negative and oppressive religion contrary to popular Western belief. As Esposito stated, there are bad people in Christianity and there are going to be bad people in Islam, but we must not judge a religion from a group of people. They are simply that, just a group of people with their own beliefs in life and their own actions, not the teachings of said religion. Policies and culture are inspired by religion, not religion inspired by culture (although this can sometimes be the case). Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan have their own policies in politics that are far from the religious teachings of Islam such as the “no women can drive” to the “no women can receive an education” as this is not in the true teachings of Islam but instead just simply a political policy implicated from governmental powers as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) talks highly of his wives and Allah gives permission to women to miss Ramadan fasts as we go through menstruation and are pregnant as these take huge tolls on our bodies scientifically.

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