Islamic Religion and Arab Culture(Conflict and Reinforcement)

The Middle East

Muslim Distribution

Muslim World 2000

AllahThe one GodFor believing Muslims this is the name of the one God. For them there is no other.

Allah was originally the name of an astral god worshipped by the pagan Arabs before Islam. The Kaaba in Mecca is survival of this earlier form of religion.

Islam is a most strictly monotheistic faith.

The Muslim ViewThere is but one God. (Allah)Any other belief is pagan.Judaism and Christianity are the result of earlier revelations by the one God.They are Religion 1.0 and Religion 2.0.Islam (Submission is Religion 3.0Islam results from direct revelation to the Prophet Muhammad.

On Discussing ReligionOther peoples views on religion must be respected whether or not one shares them.Religion is about faith, not reason.Debating the truth of religion is for theologians, not soldiers or other government people.Never challenge a Muslim over the value of his religion or yours.Nevertheless, an objective view of the subject is necessary.

Origins of Islam(The Hydraulic Theory)Rainfall in the Arabian Peninsula is both meager and uneven.An irregular cycle of plentiful rainfall and severe drought is unending.Plenty of rain means more food, means more people.Less rain means less food means starve or move.Time of the Islamic revelation and its establishment as a community corresponds to a profound drought.Invasion of Syria, Iraq and Egypt followed.

Mean Rainfall

ME in 6th Century

World War in the 7th Century A.D.Sassanian Persia and Byzantine Rome were the great powers.In the M.E. there were independent Jewish and Christian Arab states.The two great powers fought a ten year war to the death, to exhaustion. (kinetic exhaustion?)Islam expanded into a vacuum.

ME in 6th Century

Early Expansion

Islam and ArianismThe Prophet Muhammad was exposed to many forms of Judaism and Christianity in his travels.Early Christian fathers in the lands captured by the Muslims thought Islam was just another form of Christianity.Arian Christianity was widespread in Arabia. It held that Jesus was a great prophet but not God. This is like Islam.

A World Theocratic StateThe Umma.Islam is a seamless garment. Administered first from Damascus, then from Baghdad.Splintered early into de facto separate regions ruled by mercenary soldiers.Has not been united for a thousand years.

Many forms of Islam - 1Sunni accepts the authority of Quran, and the early example (Sunna) of Islamic community and majority community leaders.Shia Represents the interests of the underclass. Probably developed as a result of Arab discrimination against the conquered. Identity pinned to the rights of the prophets family.

Many Forms of Islam - 2ShiaTwelvers. Prevalent in Iraq and south Lebanon.

Seveners. Exist mainly in India and Pakistan.

Fivers. Only in Yemen. Nearest Shia sect to Sunnis in law. Follow ancient rationalist school of law.

Basic Facts of Sunni and Shia IslamNo ordained clergy. Ulema are scholars and officials, not priests.

No Hierarchy.

No sacraments. No baptism. Affirmation of Islam is substitute. Marriage is a religiously certified contract.

Predominate forms of Islam are law drivenMan is insignificant. God is everything. Mans function is to obey God.Therefore, knowing the will of God as expressed in religious law is all important.Determining accepted law and its application is the principal function of Ulema (clerics)

The Roots of the law -1(Usul Fiqh)Quran The uncreated word of God. It was not written by man (Muslim understanding). It descended from heaven and has existed in this form and words for all eternity.Hadith Various authorized collection of records of the practice of Muhammad and the early Muslim community. The Shia and Sunni have different collections.

The Roots of the law - 2Qiyas analogy from case law.Ijma Because Islam has no chain of command, consensus of Scholars or any group of Muslims effectively determines what law is accepted.Ijtihad individual striving for understanding of Gods will based on Quran, etc. The Shia believe this is still possible but the Sunni have not for a thousand years.

Shia and Sunni beliefs on IjtihadThe Twelver Shia believe that Ijtihad is still possible and that certain great scholars have this ability. They are certified by the Howza. A university of scholars. There are basically two, one in Iran and the other in Iraq. The two are intimately connected.The Sunni think this path to law is now blocked, but recent pressure has caused them to at least reconsider the subject.

Schools of Sunni LawHanbali In use only in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Relies only on Quran and Hadith for making judgments of law. Forms the background of Wahhabism, takfiri jihadism and Al- Qaida.Hanafi This was the official school of law of the Ottoman Empire and for that reason is widely accepted. Shafai The oldest and most widely accepted school.Maliki Prevalent in western north Africa.

Shia LawMore organizationally structured than Sunni law and based on the ijma (consensus) of the great mujtahids of Shia Islam. They are also called ayatollahs.The consensus is formed in the Howza of a great center of learning or in the following of a single man.Such a man is called a marja at-taqliid or reference point for emulation.Such a mans opinions have no authority after his death.

Ijma and Group ConsensusBecause of the lack of hierarchy, group identity within Islam and belief in what Islam is altogether dependent on the groups acceptance of the leader or the groups teaching.Official Islamic authorities do not accept this bit it is effectively the truth.

Levels in IslamLike all great religions Islam exists at different levels of sophistication.At the top, men like Al-Ghazali, great philosophers ranking with Aristotle and Plato.At the bottom, a mass of folk religion and superstition filled with demons, genies and charms.

The Five PillarsWitness There is no God, but God and Muhammad is the messenger of God.Pilgrimage To Mecca at least once in a lifetime during Dhu al-Hajj.Prayer Five times a day, preferably in formation.Alms Zakat Tithing, preferably to the poor.Fasting- in Ramadan unless one is traveling or ill.

The MahdiBoth Shia and Sunni Islam believe in the existence of a Mahdi or savior. This belief is probably based on earlier Jewish and Christian beliefs. In the case of the Shia, the belief is that the Mahdi is the same person as the hidden 12th Imam of the Twelver Shia community. According to their belief this descendant of Muhammad awaits the time of final judgment when he will come with Jesus to judge all.

The Sunni MahdiThe Sunni Mahdi is different. He Is an extraordinary man who has come into the world as a renewer of religion (mujaddidal-din). He may be of any profession,soldier, scholar, etc. There have been manyclaimants to the title.

The Sufis - 1Orthodox Islam is a matter of law and obedience to Gods law.This is a view of mans relationship to God which is not enough for many.In response many Muslims have individually or in groups believed that they could know Gods love personally.They are called Sufis and their mysticism is related to that of Jews and Christians.

The Sufis - 2In the early days of Islam these people were persecuted terribly for what was seen to be blasphemy. Many were burned or crucified for their sin.After a few hundred years, a great scholar (alim) appeared who reconciled mainstream Islam to the Sufis by persuading them to accept the idea that they did not actually see God, but, instead only his image. (Al-Ghazali) This saved them and they are widely accepted today.There are many Sufi orders, the members of which are often professional people.

Popular ReligionThe high culture of Islam is only part of the story.Peoples Religion is the rest of the story.Village religion is filled with belief in saints, love of God as creator and tribal custom as modifying Islam.In Iraq, village religion mixes strongly with Sufi empathic feeling and Sharia law to make a brew that is inherently hostile to Al-Qaidas constipated view of Islam.

CultureNot a softdiscipline, not about cute folkways.The totality of group custom, tradition and informal law.Often expressed informally by local and oral passage.Often in conflict with High Culture.

ME Ethnicity

Alien Social Science ModelsBased on assumptions of causes of human behavior imported from the West.Usually contain an economic determinist (marxist) bias.Inadequate to explain personal behaviors of religious zealots.Inadequate to explain soldiers anywhere.

Emic vs. EticEmic knowledge is that which you learn from what people tell you about themselves or others.Etic knowledge is what you decide is true about the same people after you have evaluated all available data, including the Emic knowledge.Never! Never! Accept what people tell you about themselves at face value.People have many reasons for telling you things that are not accurate.

Mean Rainfall

Culture of Poverty in the M.E.Low Mean Rainfall as previously explained.Up until now this has meant permanently inadequate arable land available.Permeating belief in the limited good. Tendency toward belief that life is transactional and that all deals are zero sum.

Effect of Zero Sum IdeaDifficulty in negotiating with win-win outcome as goal.West (U.S.) typically seeks negotiated outcomes in which both sides win. (Dialectic) Easterners know we expect this and tell us what we want to hear.In the East, negotiations, typically are about graceful surrender of the weaker.

Scarcity Model ApplicabilityInside-Outside identity applies throughout the region. (hua wahid min-na)Tribal, family or other ethnic identity competes with or complements religion.Zero Sum Game mentality is applied in personal life, business, government.Many understand our way, but not ready to accept it inside.

Segmentary Lineage SystemsPeople imagine themselves to be related by blood. (sometimes they are)Necessary to form self-defense alliances among tribes, families, villages, etc.Begins in pastoral situation. Persists for a long time in towns.Layers of: family, extended family, clan, tribe, confederation. Khums.

Custom and CultureUrf. The totality of tribal customary law as conceived and accepted by a particular group. Sometimes accepted by Ulema, sometimes not.Aada. Literally that which is accepted as daily practice by a group,Taqliid. Tradition.

Compromise Not EasySystem biased against it. One who compromises feels like a loser.Instinct is to outplay interlocutor.Still possible even if as last resort.Requires consensus (ijma) of group involved.Went wrong at CD 2.Evolution of compromise better than spectacular.

Their Own Culture is Still StrongColonialists and Others have tried hard to globalize the M.E.So far, not a lot of success, maybe with time.Exposure to world media will make long term changes in attitudes.

Big NewsPeople in the Middle East do not want to be like us. They want a good life.They want the goodies, but not thebaggage of our culture. Typically They value, unity, not individuality. Theyvalue family and tribal loyalty. Not some other set of values. It is not true that insideevery Iraqi there is an American who wants toget out.

Finis(The End)