I enjoyed reading this week's chapters because it was interesting to learn about the formation of Islam from a historical standpoint. Last semester while studying in Cairo, I took two classes on Middle Eastern history so I learned a good deal the various dynasties and caliphs, but I never actually learned about the ideals of Islam itself. For example, I never knew that Islam (as Karen Armstrong puts it) is more about the "moral imperative" than orthodoxy, or "theological speculation about matters that nobody can prove one way or another." I feel like there are a lot of misconceptions surrounding Islam in the Western world, like Islam being a radical religion full of unjust doctrines that degrade women. However, Islam is more so about surrendering oneself completely and entirely to God, and not placing mundane importance on prophets and laws which only distract from the one true God himself. In my opinion, the lack of women's rights in some Middle Eastern cultures is more so due to specific countries' and governments' laws than from the Qur'an or Islam themselves.
The reappearing concept of "sacred geography" is important to analyze with respect to Islam, since we have already seen the significance it had among early Judaism and Christianity. According to Islam, all space is holy and therefore no particular geographic region is more sacred than another, yet Karen does point out the three places that are central to the Islamic faith: Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem (Bayt al-Maqdis). This seems rather paradoxical: why exactly are these three locations so very important in Islam if all places are "sacred"? Karen explains that every faith needs symbols for its people to focus upon. This also explains why the Muslims began building mosques in Jerusalem, even though they respected and held in high esteem the holy places that were already there.
And finally, I appreciated the description of the formation of and religious importance of the Dome of the Rock. This is a very significant symbol not only of the Islamic faith, but for Judaism and the city of Jerusalem. However, I am still a little confused about the historical significance of the rock itself. I know it is believed to have been the entrance to the Garden of Eden, as well as (I think) the site of Abraham's (almost) sacrifice of his son Isaac, but is there any other historical significance to the rock?
The reappearing concept of "sacred geography" is important to analyze with respect to Islam, since we have already seen the significance it had among early Judaism and Christianity. According to Islam, all space is holy and therefore no particular geographic region is more sacred than another, yet Karen does point out the three places that are central to the Islamic faith: Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem (Bayt al-Maqdis). This seems rather paradoxical: why exactly are these three locations so very important in Islam if all places are "sacred"? Karen explains that every faith needs symbols for its people to focus upon. This also explains why the Muslims began building mosques in Jerusalem, even though they respected and held in high esteem the holy places that were already there.
And finally, I appreciated the description of the formation of and religious importance of the Dome of the Rock. This is a very significant symbol not only of the Islamic faith, but for Judaism and the city of Jerusalem. However, I am still a little confused about the historical significance of the rock itself. I know it is believed to have been the entrance to the Garden of Eden, as well as (I think) the site of Abraham's (almost) sacrifice of his son Isaac, but is there any other historical significance to the rock?
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