American Conception of Islam
Islam is often portrayed as the religion of prominent oppression. It is thought that Islam and its laws consist of controlling guidelines wherein the male seek and control over the females. For as long as there has been this image there has been ignorance. Ignorance of accepting the only source of Islam, the media, and ignorance of Islam as a whole is the current for the status of Islam in the west. Some individuals of the western culture, especially Americans, tend to be oblivious to the fact that the view the propagandas view of oppression is far from the truth. The most common assumption made in the media is that Muslim women are isolated and subordinate to their men. Yet the strange thing is that there are many women converts who talk about the adoption of the Islamic dress code as liberation. They see it not as a denial of sex and sexuality but that these are treasures to be shared with a loved one and them alone. They are not hidden but rather freed from objectification. Being a Muslim woman, I have experienced both worlds. I have been in the western world unveiled and in the western world islamicly, veiled. I would have to say I enjoy the life of the veiled Islamic women so much more. The sense of liberation you experience is beyond explanation. To be able to draw away from the western culture of how women are supposed to look and dress in order to be considered
How to Comprehend Jihad
How to Comprehend Jihad Dr. Nadia Mahmoud Mostafa Professor of International Relations Cairo University, Egypt 25/03/2003 Throughout Islamic history, jihad has been considered to be the core concept of the Islamic perspective on relations between Islam and the rest of the world. The concept stimulated different interpretations in classical and modern Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) as well as in Orientalist's writings. The term "jihad" was used to specify different types of external Islamic relations. The changing circumstances surrounding the Muslim world deeply affected the dominant interpretations, as well as the use of the term to justify political and military actions. The international and regional context that has prevailed since the attacks of 9/11 has shown the urgent need to revisit the term jihad. Linked to terrorism, the term has surfaced again in analyzing the logic of Islam and its nature as a value system. The attack against the USA was labeled as an act of global terrorism. For the USA, the involved parties are new transnational forces that threaten globalization and Americanization. On the other side, the Intifada in Palestine is continuing in the face of escalating Israeli aggression and the collapse of the peace process. The acts of legitimate resistance are clearly a sort of legitimate jihad, meaning self-defense against aggressors. Yet the US,
"Islam and the west" by Bernard Lewis - review
This book titled "Islam and the west" whose author is Bernard Lewis was published in 1993 by the Oxford University Press. It discusses the relationship between Europe and Islam and how these two are related sociologically and historically. This book shows first how Islam and Christianity are related. In fact these two religions share a huge heritage and they are sometimes described as sister religions. Even if sometimes or more often their adepts disputed, this mainly due to the message they carried to humanity. Actually, both religions saw itself as the bearer of god's final revelation to humankind, which caused a long series of conflicts, beginning with holy wars _ Jihad and crusades then continuing with the ebb and flow of Muslim empire in Europe and of European empires in the lands of Islam. In this cycles of confrontations and wars this two civilizations had conflicts that were caused by their resemblances more than by their differences. This book is concerned with the evolution between the two struggling civilization the Islamic and the European or western one. These studies are grouped according to three main topics: encounters, perceptions and responses. The "encounters" part begins with a historical survey of the interaction in war and peace, in commerce and culture between Europe and its Islamic neighbors to the east and to the south. Then, it continues with a
Muslim Women, throughout the centuries, have habitually been categorised, stereotyped, downsized and even degraded into a 'lower class', compared with the status of Muslim men. Through the personal translations of the Holy Qu'ran, the societal system d...
Muslim Women, throughout the centuries, have habitually been categorised, stereotyped, downsized and even degraded into a 'lower class', compared with the status of Muslim men. Through the personal translations of the Holy Qu'ran, the societal system during the coming of the Prophet Mohammed around 570AD, and general unease, Muslim women have often been denigrated into inequitable and unseen positions (Wiebke W, 1981, pg 8). Their stereotyped duties required them merely to get married (where possible), have children and raise them (again where possible), and look after all household duties. Recently, with globalisation at the forefront of our 'accepting' and 'non-stereotypical' pluralist multi-cultural societies, this notion of the inequality of women has been frequently questioned. Pakistan and Bangladesh are densely Muslim-populated countries with Islamic traditions being vital to their laws and general well-being as differing nation-states. From December 1988 with election of Benazir Bhutto to Prime Minister in Pakistan to the most current election of Begum Khaleda Zia who is still in power, the question must be raised: 'How does the appointment of Muslim women to political positions fit in with women's status in Islam?' (Esposito JL, 1987, pp 69-78). This will seek to give evidence to help answer this question and relate this to the primarily Islamic nation-states of
In what ways are Media representations of Islam a continuation of Orientalism
In what ways are Media representations of Islam a continuation of Orientalism? Discuss with reference to one specific Media event. This essay aims to provide an accurate picture of how today's Western media purposely produce negative, culturally constructed views of Islam and the Muslims around the world. Islam is usually presented as being medieval, 'backwards', uncivilised and irrational as well as an obscure group of people who follow a heretical religion. Using the unfortunate events from September 11 2001 as the main context, the essay will try to demonstrate how these misconceptions in the media are not the result of these events alone, but more importantly history has shown it as part of an ancient myth, created culturally dating back to the enlightenment period. To clarify this assertion, we need to refer to Edward Said's discourse on Orientalism. It illustrates how Islam was studied in the past compared to how it is shown today as the significant other. "In short; Orientalism, a Western style for dominating, restructuring over the Orient (Arab/Muslims in the middle east)" (Said: 1995: p3). In order for us to understand and appreciate what Orientalism is, let us briefly cite Dr. Said in regards to this subject: From at least the end of 18th century until our own day, modern Occidental reactions to Islam have been dominated by radical simplified type of thinking
Evaluate the ways in which emotion might enhance and/or undermine reasoning as a way of knowing.
Evaluate the ways in which emotion might enhance and/or undermine reasoning as a way of knowing. In order to start this essay I must first define the two most significant words as I understand them and afterwards I will explain the question. Emotion and reasoning are the words that have greater importance in the question from my point of view. Emotion is a mental state that happens unexpectedly rather than through conscious effort and is often followed by physiological changes, in this case, a feeling (e.g.: joy, sadness, respect, hate and love. Reasoning can be the use of evidence or arguments used in thinking or argumentation and it can also be the use of reason, especially when used to form conclusions, assumptions, or judgments. As a result reasoning will lead us in the way we react to different situations. The question wants us to evaluate in details, the many different ways in which emotion is able to influence on the way a situation is reasoned, either by making it harder or easier and therefore resulting in a better or worse way of knowing. I significantly believe that emotion can influence on the way most people would reason, either in a positive or in a negative way and therefore I believe it may considerably enhance or undermine reasoning as a way of knowing. In order to evaluate the question, three points of argumentation will be stated, analysed and then
Women In Islam.
Women In Islam In today's society, women have been finally able to achieve their status through hard work, force and education. They have come a long way since 1900's when they were treated with no worth and were dominated by men. Today, in most parts of the world, a woman can do anything and everything that a man can. However, there are also some countries which are still dominating and supressing women using religion as an excuse. One example of this is the religion "Islam" in countries such as Pakistan, Afganistan, Iran, Iraq, Tajiskistan and so on. There are a lot of misconceptions towards the religion islam and the way it treats women. As one might say, every religion teaches one to respect and be kind to each other. God created everyone equally and therefore, both men and women have the same rights and responsibilities, just not identical. It's not the religion Islam which is causing misery to women, in fact it's the men and society's traditional views which are changing norms around and using Islam as a backup to use and abuse their power. Thus, women are not stuggling against the religion "Islam", which has actually helped them, but rather against men, society and traditions which use religion as an excuse to promote their own interests. Firstly, muslim women have been given many rights by the religion Islam. These rights are clearly stated in Hadiths and Quran. For