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Islam

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• Women are highly respected and to be protected by Islamic law. Guidelines regarding treatment of women were advanced in their time even though they may seem "behind the times" from the perspective of today�s Western culture. Status of women was much improved over pre-Muslim Arabia: no infanticide, daughters can inherit property, women have rights as citizens, sex is limited to marriage, a man can only have four wives and must treat all equally, women can instigate divorce. Veiling is a local custom, different from culture to culture, and is not religiously binding.

Poster: How Does Islam Elevate The Status Of Women?

For more details on women and Islam read this essay or visit
this Muslim site.

Here's a student paper on the status of women in Islam

• Israeli - Palestinian (not Jewish - Muslim) hostilities: more a political rather than religiously based dispute.

• Militancy is an over-stereotyping. Islam stresses decent conduct of war:
  Jihad, commonly understood as "holy war", would be equivalent to the "just war" of Catholic canon law: the decent conduct of war for defense or to right a horrendous wrong. Almost all Middle Eastern and all terrorist acts called "Jihad" are seen by many Muslims as illegitimate Jihad. Militant Muslim fundamentalism is a distinct minority, unproportionately publicized in the media, giving Islam a bad image.
  Jihad actually means "struggle" or "strive" and can refer not just to a physical struggle such as war but, more so, to a personal inner struggle between impulses toward good and evil, selfless and selfish causes ("Spiritual warfare").

Poster: What Does Islam Say About War?

• Islamic fundamentalism (e.g., Afghanistan Taliban) a "phase" equivalent to Christianity in the Middle ages (during period of inquisition and Crusades), certainly not the norm and rejected by many more moderate Muslims as distinctly "non-Islamic" (going too far in misapplication of Quranic guidance)

• Race relations: most equitable and interracial. Any so-called Muslim movement (e.g., "Nation of Islam") which focuses on race as an issue is not true to Islamic teachings. Islam is a "universal religion" (like Christianity, unlike Judaism) not an Arabian, Middle Eastern or Black religion. Most Muslims are not Arab and many Arabs are not Muslim (many are Christian).

• Economics: regulations are aimed at equalizing riches. Those with funds are to give charity (zakat); those in need are provided for by the community. Support for widows, orphans and the poor is stressed in Quran.

Poster: How Does Islam Guarantee Human Rights?

• Relations with Christians and Jews: the "People of the Book" are respected and, although given limited rights in Muslim lands, are also not subject to follow all the Muslim laws of those lands. Non-Muslim minority in a Muslim country are taxed because they do not have the religious obligation to give alms.

Poster: Is Islam Respectful Of Other Beliefs?

• Church and State: There is no separation of "church and state" in Islam. From the beginning, Muhammad was a statesman as well as a spiritual leader. The intent of the religion is to create a righteous society. Thus religion should not be separated from social and political agendas. Rather, religion is designed to guide such agendas. 
  Ideally, a Muslim religious community is governed by an Islamic government. Thus sometimes problems arise in Muslim lands where non-Muslims live and in non-Muslim lands where Muslims live. In Iran (late 1970�s), a political leadership (Shah) influenced by non-Muslim Western values was overthrown by the religious leadership (Ayatollah Kohmeni). Shi�ite Islam is especially political in nature (although this has not always been the case).

• Science: Islam does not see science as antithetical to religion. Science explains nature as God created it. Any endeavor to understand the created world (e.g., through science) serves only to better understand the Creator and His purpose. Islam finds much in science to support statements in the Quran. Islam advanced to a great degree scientifically and philosophically while Europe was in the Dark Ages under Church domination. 16^th century European science owes much to the Islamic world. Sciences begun or advanced by Islam in the middle ages include:

• math and physics (Arabic numerals)

• medicine, esp. ophthalmology and gynecology, the role of diet and drugs

• natural history (zoology) and geography

• chemistry

• architecture

• philosophy (Islamic culture saved Aristotle for later reintroduction to Europe)

• incorporated sciences from various cultures

Poster: Where Can You Get More Information About Islam?

This ends the lectures on Islam
Test your knowledge with some practice quizzes