'Polygamy is a fundamental right of a husband and is sanctioned by the Quran itself'. Discuss.
'Polygamy is a fundamental right of a husband and is sanctioned by the Quran itself'. Discuss. This essay shall aim to assess the presence of verses within the Quranic text pertaining to polygamy against the wider array of literature concerning polygamy found in the Prophetic tradition and modern legislation as symbolized in forms of 'ijtihad' or 'qiyas', which are "all forms of methodological reasoning on the basis of the Quran and Sunna"1. It shall subsequently be shown how such reasoning sanctioning polygamy has been challenged by actors in the increasingly secularised nation states of the Middle Eastern region and how such opposition is embodied in the various respective codes of legislation. It shall be shown that whilst the Quran has sanctioned polygamy, it is nevertheless imperative to contextualise both the verses and anecdotes alluding to such a practice in order contextualise the polygamous phenomenon. Furthermore, even though the various schools of thought have endorsed the practice as legal regardless of the reasons for concluding a polygamous marriage, such a phenomenon has rightly been challenged by those states where Islamic law is pertinent to at least the civil realm of life, as they fear that the practice itself has been taken out of its original intended context, which shall be discussed at length below. It shall serve firstly to state that the
Gandhi and the Partition of India". New Delhi: Sterling Publishers Private Ltd. 1984.
Chaudhri, Sandhya. "Gandhi and the Partition of India". New Delhi: Sterling Publishers Private Ltd. 1984. The first two chapters address factors of Hindu-Muslim contention, their growing differences and Gandhi's nascent endeavors to resolve the quandary of communalism in India. The next chapter deals with the emergence and evolution of ideas concerning the establishment of Pakistan as an independent homeland for Muslims. Chapter 4 entails an analysis of British efforts to resolve the question of India-Paksitan partition through the Cripps Offer and Gandhi's reaction to it. In the following chapter provides a gloss of the Quit India Movement and its effect on political developments on this issue. In Chapter 6, an overview of Rajagopalachari's formula and Gandhi's dialogue with the League leader for arriving at a settlement of the communal problem is discussed. The final three chapters include a survey of the British approach toward the settlement of the Indian tangle through the Wavell offer, the Cabinet Mission Plan and the Mountbatten Plan-each followed by Gandhi's reaction. Chaudhri presents an extended overview of the process whereby India split into two nations. To compliment the process, he uses Gandhi as a gauge to measure and access failure and success in keeping India united. Through evaluating the Muslim League's campaign for a separate homeland, while
What was the role of the Qur'an in shaping a distinctive scientific culture in classical Islam?
* What was the role of the Qur'an in shaping a distinctive scientific culture in classical Islam?' At the beginning of the 7th century, the teachings of Islam were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad and were compiled as volumes of Holy Scripture called the Qur'an. By the end of the same century, Islam had spread over all of the Middle East, North Africa and Spain. The word "Islam" means "submission in peace (to the will of Allah)", and the people who profess such faith are "Muslims". Muhammad's armies swept out from the Arabian Peninsula in the 7th and 8th centuries, and due to its position in the "middle belt" of the globe, Islam was exposed to many different civilisations and cultures. It was during this time that much of the forgotten or unknown knowledge of the ancients was rediscovered. It is the purpose of this essay to identify the influence of the Qur'an on the Islamic people; how its verses were interpreted by the Muslims, and finally whether there existed alternative streams of power whose effects were greater, or equal to that of the Qur'an in shaping the scientific culture. The practical information already familiar to the Arabs and Berbers, wandering tribes and traders, simply allowed them to survive in the harsh landscapes of the Arabian Peninsula and Northern Africa...and concerned information on plants, animals and geology for example. Important also was
When I ask people what world peace means to them,I rarely get a coherent answer. When I do, they generally express the same sentiment:
Peace "If you could have one thing, what would it be?" The classic answer to this question, of course, is world peace. When I ask people what world peace means to them, I rarely get a coherent answer. When I do, they generally express the same sentiment: "Where everyone is happy and no fighting is taking place." Yet a dream scenario such as this can never truly exist, even in a utopia. This impossibility leaves me wondering whether peace is just an unattainable goal, or something different, more personal and more possible. A dictionary defines peace as a state of existence with an absence of conflict. Again, the unattainable goal of "peace" is the basis of this definition. Dictionaries, although they print a strict definition, cannot take into account all the different connotations of a word. Dictionaries also cannot begin to explore what a word means to different people based on their experiences. I once knew someone who worked as a peace keeper in Bosnia. He told me that his job description included disabling people who tried to disturb the "peace." He commented on how ironic this was, as he, by disabling people, was not actually being peaceful himself. He said that he had to break the peace in order to keep the peace. His definition of peace was one of organizations, religions, or groups of people that did not physically fight or hurt each other. My mother
Was the prophet Muhammad, in your opinion a political leader? Discuss and support your opinion with evidence.
Henry Morris, 0255543, TH1060 Was the prophet Muhammad, in your opinion a political leader? Discuss and support your opinion with evidence. In the early seventh century, Muhammad had a vision. The angel Gabriel appeared and proclaimed "You are the messenger of God". Muhammad began his career as rasul Allah (a messenger of God). Today more than a billion people align themselves with the Islamic tradition and recognise Muhammad as its human founder. On earth Muhammad led and guided people, militaristically, spiritually and politically. He appears to have been an extraordinary man who founded a very large and influential religion. But was he a political leader? Muhammad was a skilled politician and a shrewd tactician. To Muslims, however, he is a prophet. He led people under God's banner. The aim of any politician or political party is to attain power. Muhammad didn't appear to be out for power himself, rather to show the world the way of Islam. As a prophet, Muhammad performed the functions of a political leader for Islam rather than himself. We might suggest that the compartmentalisation of religion and politics is fairly recent and it is accordingly anachronistic to look at Muhammad in such simple terms. This provokes the question, how are we identifying Muhammad? Are we looking at him, or representations of him made over thirteen centuries. Is posterity providing our
Analysis of Islamic Scripture. Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 260 One of the most fundamental precepts of many religions is belief in the unseen.
Paper 2: Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 260 One of the most fundamental precepts of many religions is belief in the unseen. This is especially true in the religion of Islam where Muslims can only grasp the essence of their religion by having a firm belief over the existence of Allah, the Angels, the Hereafter, the Prophets, and in Allah's power to resurrect all of the mankind on the Day of Judgment. Acting upon the rulings of Islam may be an easy task but developing a sound belief in the aforementioned tenants may be one of the most challenging aspects of Islam. When a person is able to develop a firm belief in these hidden realities, he also develops a high level of appreciation for the religion, and is able to practice the religion much more sincerely. Among those who needed the firmest of beliefs in the hidden realities were the Prophets. The Prophets were people who took the message of Allah to a particular nation, and needed to be convinced to the utmost degree in their beliefs in order to spread the message of Allah. Indeed, if the Prophets did not have true conviction in what they were preaching, there was no way for them to assert their message convincingly to bring people towards the truth. In the Quran, we find several stories where Prophets have asked Allah to show them signs of the unseen realities. One such story is provided in verse 260 of Al-Baqarah, where Prophet
Women in Islam
Women in Islam Islam has often been stereotyped as a "sexist" religion, that it is "oppressive to women, that the veil and segregation epitomised that oppression, and that these customs were fundamental reasons for the general backwardness of many Muslim nations". Provide a critique of these assumptions, using relevant examples. This essay will discuss the notion that Islam is a sexist and oppressive religion. It will include a brief explanation of the Qur'an and Hadith's and how interpretations of these writing's have led to varied practices of the faith among the vast Muslim populations. The essay will touch on the many inconsistencies in the equality of men and women. Particular attention will be given to the traditions of marriage, the veil and segregation as well as the varying views on theses practices. Ultimately, this essay will attempt to offer differing attitudes on the oppressiveness of women in the Islamic faith. The Islamic faith is based on the Qur'an which is the sum total of God's revelations to the Prophet Muhammad. According to Muslim belief, the Qur'an is the primary source of Islamic jurisprudence and theological interpretation (El Saadawi, N., 1982, pg 198). The hadith (or traditions) are narratives collected into written form in the three or four centuries after Muhammad died, which encompassed the revered precedent of the Prophet and his Companions
While the spread of Islam extended, in theory the rights of women should have as well. However, Islam has not been able to protect global women
The three major monotheistic religions of the world can each be recognized for their contribution to the world. While Judaism is most recognized for its length of existence, and Christianity for its massive following, the latest statistical records reveal that Islam has the fastest growing rate in all religions. Despite the fact that Islam is considered to be among the youngest of the world major religions, the most recent figures shows approximately one billion Muslims, while Islam continues to spread predominantly in over 40 countries in the world (Encyclopaedia Encarta). Islam belongs to the same family of monotheistic faiths that includes Judaism and Christianity. The origin and development of Islam was in Saudi Arabia over 1,400 years ago (Singer). Before Islam, women were treated harshly, as well as tortured, to the extent that a woman was denied all rights of inheritance and ownership. Men, on the other hand, had absolute power over women (A. Jawad). In order to most effectively understand the present struggle of Islamic women one must analyze the past condition of these women by having an understanding of their past and how their rights have developed. The conditions of women before Islam were miserable and inhuman. The history of human civilisation testifies that the women, who gave birth to men as mothers, were humiliated, treated harshly and reduced to the
Events Foretold in the Qur'an.
Events Foretold in the Qur'an Presence of more than one world 'Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds' (1:1) This is the first verse of the opening chapter of the Holy Quran. 1400 years ago, the human mind was incapable of any sound thinking about the earth, the solar system or the galaxies. Yet the Quran is testifying to the presence of 'worlds' beyond the earth. The words 'Lord of the worlds' appear 73 times in the Quran. Today, mankind knows for a fact there are other planets besides earth. This is known through invention of telescopes and other scientific developments. But the Almighty revealed this knowledge to Muhammad (pbuh) long before man invented the telescope and other similar inventions. Origin of the universe as one entity 'Have they not who disbelieve seen that the heavens and earth were joined together (as one piece), and then We parted them. (21:30) This Quranic verse has explained a mystery that was unknown to the greatest physicists and astronauts for centuries. The verse reveals that the heavens and earth at the beginning were joined together, and then they were separated. Recent advancements in astronomy especially the Big Bang theory of the creation of the universe support this Quranic statement. The Big Bang theory says that about 20,000,000,000 years ago (..that's quite a bit..), the universe began with an explosive expansion of a single
Mohammeds' Muslim expansion: Divine inspiration or mass manipulation?
MOHAMMEDS' MUSLIM EXPANSION: DIVINE INSPIRATION OR MASS MANIPULATION? Allison Rosenstein April 28, 2003 Jus 495G ISRAEL, ISLAM AND THE WEST When thinking of the earliest part of the Muslim Expansion during the life of Mohammed, many factors come to mind. It could appear that the Muslims were simply more aggressive, barbarous or violent than communities already existing within the scope of their path. A theory presented in the film "The Story of Islam" proposes that the Muslim Expansion during the life of The Prophet was simply a case of 'divine will'. Still another theory ratifies the concept of a type of 'superior mobility' amongst the Muslim Conquerors. 1 Though these theories certainly hold weight, we must move past the surface of and discover the roots of these theories. For example: What would give the Muslim armies the advantage of superior mobility? Were initial followers of Islam really experiencing some form of divine inspiration when brought into the fold, or was material gain a prime motivating factor? Ultimately as we examine the Muslim Expansion in terms of the time of Mohammed, we will discover the speed and enormity of it can be attributed solely to the unique abilities of The Prophet to recruit and control various nomadic and settled tribes. It was this ability that set the tone for the pace and the massive scale of the spread of Islam during the