ISLAM, part 3

The Diversity of Views within Islam

IMO, anchoring one end of the spectrum of the views of Americans on the Islamic world is the ultimate myopic, divisive and misguided proclamation of Robert Spencer, the chief 'watcher’ of 'Jihad Watch:' "Islam is a totalitarian ideology that aims to control the religious, social and political life of all mankind in all its aspects…and I mean Islam. I do not accept some spurious distinction between Islam and Islamic Fundamentalism or Islamic terrorism."

And speaking of myopic, divisive and misguided, here’s a doozy of a percpective from an Islamic State cleric, one Sheikh Hussein bin Mahmoud, who wrote a vehement defense following the beheading of American journalist James Foley in 2014:

"Those who pervert Islam are not those who cut off the heads of disbelievers and terrorize them, but those who want (Islam) to be like Mandela or Gandhi, with no killing, no fighting, no blood or striking necks. Islam is the religion of battle, of cutting heads, of shedding blood."

Shut-o-fick, that’s gnarly!

Then, representing a more moderate viewpoint, there is the worldview-within-a-timeline assessment, from Samuel Huntington, who delivers a compelling history of humanity, (in ‘Clashes of Civilization’) defining civilization roughly as 'the broadest group of people sharing some combination of religion, culture, language, customs and institutions.’

These clashes include anything from Rome v. the barbarians, to communism v. capitalism, to intra and inter-religious conflicts, with a handful of 'would-be-conquerors-of-the-world v. the world’ sprinkled in.

He has said of the current state of Islam, 'the upswing in Islamic religiosity has given Muslims renewed confidence in the superiority of their culture over that of the west. The west’s simultaneous efforts to universalize its values and institutions, to maintain its military and economic superiority, and to intervene in the Muslin world, generate intense resentment among Muslims.’

IMO, it is the clash of Islam v. Islamism that we non-Muslims need to examine and study - warily, perhaps, but with an open mind; to search our hearts and minds for what we truly feel about what Islam is and what it could be, and harness our collective energies and resources toward achieving a productive end.

Clearly, Judaism, Christianity and Islam have had clashes over the centuries, (their three-part collaboration made the Crusades such a hoot) as have so many major religions, nations and cultures, while also having periods where their peoples and countries have lived side by side with mutual respect and cross-cultural interaction. As we observe past history and the current state of human 'civilization’, all we can say objectively is that 'we are where we are meant to be at this time.’ Musing metaphysically, though, none of this matters much for those of us who are thoroughly dissatisfied with the status quo and with the number and severity of roadblocks placed on humankind by fundies, hate groups, tcwms etc., in every arena of the 'civilized' world.

Keeping in mind that all the religions proclaim freedom to worship without fear or compulsion, and the Constitutions of almost all nations proclaim they are forged in the fire of freedoms we in the west hold so dear; and then centuries of persecution, hatred, intolerance and war has been the norm, this is where we need to re-examine the 'fundamentals’ of humanity, while using a different word, of course.

Noteworthy Muslims

Since Islam has been hijacked by tribalism and authoritarianism, the question has been asked: from the time rationalism and pluralist creativity had its inventive outburst in the several centuries after Muhammad’s death, to the present, have there been Muslims in any field of endeavor, besides (mostly) negatively forceful politicians and the ticwm plague, that have made an impact on the world?

I thought about it, cheated only a little…and came up with five. These five strongly incorporated inclusiveness and spirituality into their Islamic beliefs, and offer some welcome relief for today’s world:

The first, chronologically, is the towering Ibn Sina, whom we call Avicenna, (980-1037), the pre-eminent figure in the waning years of the Golden Age of Islam.

From the 'New World Encyclopedia’ article ".…Persian physician, philosopher, and scientist.…had a profound impact on Islamic philosophy and on medieval European scholasticism. Avicenna integrated the ideas and methodologies of Aristotle, Neoplatonism, and other Greek philosophy with the monotheistic tradition of Islam.”

With hundreds of quotes available on a dazzling array of topics, I stick to two in our genre:

“The world is divided into men who have wit and no religion and men who have religion and no wit.” (Perhaps reborn in the 20th c. as Oscar Wilde?)

“God, the supreme being, is neither circumscribed by space, nor touched by time; He cannot be found in a particular direction, and his essence cannot change. The secret conversation is thus entirely spiritual; it is a direct encounter between God and the soul, abstracted from all material constraints.”

Then comes the revered 11th c. poet/philosopher/scientist Omar Khayamm and (Abu Hamid) al Ghazali, the influential Islamic interpreter of the Qu’ran, from about the same time period. Finally, Rumi and Hafiz, the sublime 13th and 14th c. Persian Sufi poets and mystics.

I love that these lines come out so beautifully (interpreted) in English:

From Omar Khayyam:

“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line, Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.”

“A book of verses underneath the bough A jug of wine, a loaf of bread and thou Beside me singing in the wilderness And wilderness is paradise now.”

Al Ghazali was prolific and solemn in furiously defending and interpreting Islam. Beyond this, however, there are insightful observations that transcend religion to encompass our psyches and our Spirituality:

“All of a man’s happiness is in his being master of his ego, while all his suffering is in his ego being his master.”

“Declare your jihad on thirteen enemies you cannot see - Egoism, Arrogance, Conceit, Selfishness, Greed, Lust, Intolerance, Anger, Lying, Cheating, Gossiping and Slandering. If you can master and destroy them, then will you be ready to fight the enemy you can see.”

“You possess only whatever will not be lost in a ship wreck.”

Rumi, a man who, like Jesus, teaches truths with lovingkindness, touching us powerfully and shining God’s light right down to the depths of our souls. And, we’re certain that the sayings we have from Rumi are all Rumi’s:

“When the lips are silent, the heart has a hundred tongues.”

“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”

“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.”

“My soul is from elsewhere; I'm sure of that, and I intend to end up there.”

“Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion.”

Wondrously, Hafiz, a century or so later, likewise tugs at the hearts and souls of humankind as he drinks deeply in the light of GodSpirit:

“What is the difference

Between your experience of existence

And that of a Saint?

The Saint knows

That the Spiritual path

Is a sublime chess game with God

And that the Beloved

Has just made such a fantastic move

That the Saint is now continually

Tripping over Joy

And bursting out in Laughter

And saying “I surrender!”

Whereas, my dear,

I’m afraid you still think

You have a thousand serious moves.”

“The great religions are the ships, Poets the lifeboats. Every sane person I know has jumped overboard.”

“Learn to recognize the counterfeit coins that may buy you just a moment of pleasure, But then drag you for days like a broken man behind a farting camel.”

“Remember for just one minute of the day, it would be best to try looking upon yourself more as God does, for She knows your true royal nature.”

“The Beloved sometimes wants

To do us a great favor: Hold us upside down And shake all the nonsense out.”

So beautiful and moving.

Assorted Qu’ran quotes and facts, and observations of modern-day Islam:

He that works evil will not be requited but by the like itself: and he that works a righteous deed – whether man or woman – and is a believer – such will enter the garden of Bliss. S40:40

(wherever the Qu’ran says ‘man’ it means man or woman)

Allah, speaking to Moses and Aaron, “make your dwellings into places of worship, and establish regular prayers.” S10:87

(same message he gives Muslims – and all true believers.)

Decades ago, when I first read the Qu’ran, one was admonished to read or listen to it in Arabic, as its perfection and beauty would be lost in other languages. And I do find it more appealing hearing it chanted in Arabic than reading it translated dryly into English. However, that 'perfect Arabic’ Qu’ran, spoken entirely by God, modern experts tell us, contains over 200 foreign words and 100+ mistakes in grammar, syntax and awkward passages.

Many verses are thought by some to have been spoken by Muhammad, not God. Also many variant verses. And then, the unbearably contradictory verses. The same quandaries as the Bible., methinks.

Also, the same types of flawed science in the Qu’ran as in the Bible: the sun moves across the earth, followed by the moon, which is at the same or greater distance from earth as the stars. Embryo from sperm uniting with a clot of menstrual blood, (erroneous copy of Aristotle's bad guess.) Development of embryo in four stages, (copied from Galen and completely false.) A canopy (roof) of heavens, including the sky. Muhammad 90th generation descendant of Adam, means the earth is somewhat younger than the 4.5 billion years estimated by science. Etc. But, like the Bible, all the inerrant word of God, given to us for our enlightenment.

The ‘wet’ countries of the Middle East (where alcohol can be purchased by all): Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and Bahrain.

Some cool uses of technology in the Islamic world: cell phone apps that signal prayer 5 times a day, auto silence during prayer time, compass for direction of Mecca.

Then, there’s the whole wine thing, served up in four courses:

“And of the fruit of the palm and the grapes you obtain an inebriating liquor and good nourishment. Lo! Therein is indeed a portent for people of good sense.” S16:67

“Do not approach prayers while you are drunk, until you know what you are saying…” S4:43

(Then later, allegedly chronologically, but probably after drunkenness had interfered with prayer, etc, came these:)

“They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, in them is great sin and yet, some benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit.” S2:219

”O true believers, surely wine and gambling…are an abomination, the works of Satan. Therefore avoid them that you may prosper.” S5:90

And these, which appear to be talking about Heaven, further obfuscate the subject matter:

“Then there will come a period in which the people will have abundant water, and in which they will press wine and oil.” S12:49

“Truly the righteous will be in Bliss…Their thirst will be slaked with pure wine sealed.” S83:22

I know that serious students of ‘the Book’ and the Qu’ran have seen that wine was used as a sacrament in Jewish holidays for thousands of years, and that Jesus, beloved in the Qu’ran, was seen to turn water into wine, and to drink wine at a friend’s wedding. And wondered why that freedom was taken from Muslims. (Especially considering that the Bible, despite honoring wine as both a pleasurable drink and a sacrament, shows equal disdain for actual drunkenness, especially during Temple proceedings.)

It seems like one more huge contradiction to hear that wine is the work of Satan on earth (for Muslims only) but a blessing from God for everyone else, and then a blessing from God for everyone, including Muslims, in the hereafter. And that Allah changed His mind several times on the issue.

The understanding is that 'later’ surahs supersede earlier ones, despite the fact that, for the overwhelming majority of Muslims, there is no chronology in the Qu’ran, as the surahs, (without any good reason I’ve ever heard) simply travel (roughly) from longest to shortest. Therefore, I don’t see how most Muslims determine how God’s waffling on the wine thing should be incorporated into their belief and action.

Just as the chronology of ‘wine’ ayats (according to modern experts, some of whom have offered Qu’rans listing the surahs by approximate chronological order) shows increasing concern for the sobriety of believers, the same chronology seems to show anger toward Jews and Christians for not converting to Islam, with later surahs turning against them, whereas the earlier surahs proclaim that the adherents of 'the Book’ were the blessed predecessors of Muslims.

By my personal assessment, Muhammad/the Qu’ran raised women’s rights by several notches, but just in a few areas:

The Qu’ran gave women the rights to divorce, child custody, alimony and inheritance loooong before western societies adopted them.

Still, it’s tough to get past “Your women are your fields – go then into your fields as you please." S2:223: (Literally treating women like dirt!) (And 'sowing your seed’ wherever and whenever you choose.)

The good ol’ boys of pre-Islamic Arabia always wanted as much control over their women as they could possibly have, and the Qu’ran and Hadith didn’t disappoint. So here’s what women get, then and now: one husband, usually by arrangement and rarely by love, no disobeying him, no premarital sex, no touching or being alone with any non-familial men in any circumstance, covering their entire bodies except at home, (cuz Muslim men have such trouble corralling their lust,) and generally, little control of their travel or their affairs.

And men? They can have up to four wives, various mistresses, pay for prostitutes, etc. Cuz men have them urges, ya dig? Order their women around like slaves and strike them with impunity, dress as casually as they want, travel freely and continue the barbaric traditions of their tribal ancestors.

And one more way in which ticwms prove themselves to be extremely un-Islamic: lying to themselves about suicide bombings:

"....do not kill yourselves, for truly Allah has been to you Most Merciful. If any do that in rancor and injustice, soon shall We cast him into the Fire..." S4:29-30

We recognize that in the context of Islam/Muslims/Arabs there are a myriad of variables, and many customs that could seem strange and unusual in the west; but, like anything else, where it doesn’t hurt anybody, it probably shouldn’t be our concern. The moderate, modern Islam that most of us would like to see embraces all its peaceful customs, but also welcomes the 21st century, and recognizes Universal truths about the proper way for us all to live, free from awful laws and practices. Because 'moderate' Islam, as described above, is not the rule in any ‘Muslim country,’ our individual and collective feelings about it are only hopes; nevertheless, we must still support it everywhere.

However, as will be discussed at greater length in the next several posts, we must never confuse our belief that moderate Islam belongs in the world’s panoply of religions, with condoning the barbaric aspects of Islam that continue to haunt the world today. And even more, that we never allow Muslims anywhere, anytime, to believe that we condone them, as this diminishes our humanity and our integrity and sends exactly the wrong message to the brave reformers and would-be reformers in the Islamic community.

Lastly, here is God telling the nascent Muslim community, learning from the Qu’ran, more about His own history with humankind:

"...To each among you (Jews, Christians and Muslims), we have prescribed a law and a clear way. If Allah had willed, he would have made you one nation...so compete in good deeds. The return of you (all) is to Allah; then He will inform you about that in which you used to differ." S5:48

So, full circle to the compelling truth that once we get (back) to Heaven, Spirit will be loving to all Her children.

SALAAM, SHALOM, NAMASTE, y’all.