Explain the Muslim idea of Religious Authority.

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Jo Batty

Part A – Explain the Muslim idea of Religious Authority

Revelations are the way in which we receive knowledge of God and this is done through the Holy Books.  In the Christian tradition there is an understanding that the Bible is a medium of revelation (Prepositional view), this is where the truths recorded by God are recorded, there is also an understanding that revelation is the way in which God acts with human experience through history (non-prepositional view)

In Islam religious authority comes from God via the Qur’an through the process of tanzil.  The Qur’an tells them about God and gives them guidance ‘this is the book in its guidance is sure without doubt’.

The Sunnah and the Hadith are also sources of authority.  The Sunnah, which is the life example of the Prophet Mohammad, is a source of authority because he was a wise and trustworthy man who settled tribal disputes.

The Hadith is also a source of authority because Muslims look to Mohammad because he showed true obedience to Allah’s commands.

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The Imam also has authority, the Shi’ites believe the Imam possess spiritual ability and divine light but the Sunnis simply see the Imam as a leader of prayer who has no superior status.

The Shariah is also part of religious authority because this is the Islamic law for Muslims and it gives all the basic rules and regulations as to how human beings should live and act in a political, economic, social and collective individual spheres.  The Shariah looks at family life, inheritance, marriage, food regulations and divorce for example Muslims must eat halal foods, those that have been slaughtered ...

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