Ottoman Arabic Calligraphy From the Himalayas to the

Ottoman (Arabic) Calligraphy

From the Himalayas to the Pyrenees in 100 years

"Six Articles of Faith. " to be a Muslim one must believe in: n n n One God; The angels of God; The books of God, especially the Qur'an; The prophets of God, especially Muhammad; The Day of Judgment (or the afterlife); and The supremacy of God's will (or predestination).

Sources of Belief The Qur'an is the Moslem Bible, next in importance is the Hadith, which refers to collections of traditions about what Muhammad said, what he taught, and what he did. These collections are also called Sunna or "tradition"; hence the term Sunni Muslims, or "traditional" Muslims.

In the ninth century a number of Islamic scholars undertook the task of sifting the genuine traditions from the spurious and of gathering the former in written collections. In Sunni Islam six of these collections in particular are considered sahih ("reliable"). Hadith

MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS OF ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS LAW Key developers of Hadith in Sunni law: Al-Bakhari (810870); Abu Dawud (817 -888); Al-Tirmidhi (824 -222); An. Nasa’i (830 -915), Ibn Majah (824 -886) Shi’a legal scholars: al-Kulayni (died 940); Shaykh Saduq (923 -991); al-Tusi-Ali (995 -1067) Many scholars declared that in the 9 th century doors of Ijtihad closed and scholars had spoken

The Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) himself said: n n n Attack in the name of God, but do not revert to treachery do not kill a child, neither kill a woman do not wish to confront the enemy

Rules of Jihad were codified by the first Caliph, Abu. Bakr, considered authoritative for all Sunnis n n n n do not carry grudges do not deceive do not mutilate do not kill children do not kill the elderly do not kill women do not cut down fruit-bearing trees You will come upon monks (Christian), leave them to what they have dedicated their lives

Moslem Conquest of Europe Beginning in 711 AD and Ending in 1492 AD

The End of an Era Andalucía late 1300’s and finally the fall of Granada in 1492.

Tarifa, Granada, Cordoba and Malaga

16 th Century Islamic Empires

This long period of Western colonization left many areas of the Middle East more secularized than any point in its history (especially with secular Western “puppet” leaders imposed on Egypt & Iran), setting the stage for a major resurgence of Islamic theocracy in the 1970 s. During the 1980 s, Soviet Russia took over the central Asian Muslim nations (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, & Kyrgyzstan) & drew arbitrary/artificial borders around them, creating civil unrest between Muslims. The U. S. backed the Afghan Mujahedeen against Russia in the 1980 s; supplied arms to both Iraq and Iran in their 1980 s war; invaded Iraq in the 1990 s & again in 2001; ousted the Iraqi government in 2002 & set up secular Western political & economic prototype systems.

Declaration of the World Islamic Front for Jihad against the Jews the Crusaders n n n 1. For more than seven years the US is Islam’s holiest territories, humiliating its people and using its bases to fight against Islamic peoples 2. In Iraq destruction has been inflicted at the hands of the Crusader-Jewish alliance. . humiliating their neighbors 3. While the US has economic and religious purposes, they also serve the petty sate of the Jews, by diverting attention away from their occupation and killing of Moslems There is no better proof than the eagerness to destroy Iraq, and dismember Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Sudan into petty states, to ensure the survival of Israel Fatwa: “to kill Americans and their allies, both civil and military, is and individual duty of every Moslem who is able, in any country……. ”

Enter “The Terrorist” former Mujahadeen n n Bin Laden is a salafi fundamentalist, with an adherence to religious dogma that is influenced by Sheikh Tayamiyya which is anti-Western and “infidel”. Bin Laden was expelled from Saudi Arabia in 1991 because of his antigovernment activities. He eventually wound up in The Sudan, where he worked with Egyptian radical groups in exile.

What are al-Qaeda’s origins? Al-Qaeda grew out of the originally CIA sponsored Services Office, a clearinghouse for the international Muslim brigade opposed to the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In the 1980 s, the Services Office—run by bin Laden and the Palestinian religious scholar Abdullah Azzam, recruited, trained, and financed thousands of foreign mujahadeen, or holy warriors, from more than fifty countries. Bin Laden wanted these fighters to continue the "holy war" beyond Afghanistan. He formed al-Qaeda around 1988.

Muslim religious & military leaders are currently split over the issue of whether martyr by suicide is an acceptable tactic of jihad. “Those Muslim scholars who have given a justification for these acts have argued that they are a legitimate form of warfare specifically against the overwhelming military superiority of what they see as the oppressors. A strong majority opinion among scholars on this question has been achieved only in the case of Palestinian attacks on Israel. ”

Sheikh Ibn Taymiyya n n n n Born in what is now Syria 1263 Followed strictest Hanbali code of Shariah Proclaimed Mujtahid to “break the shackles” of Taqlid Condemed Sufi: Ibn al-Arabi, a heretic and polytheist Proclaimed in true Islam the amir must govern w/ imam Revived the literalist view of Jihad: declared the hadith of the prophet’s division of Jihad to be inauthentic_ by contradicting the Quran 2: 193 and 8: 39 Defined Jihad as unrelenting struggle against all who stood in the way of Islam’s destiny.

Ibn Taymiyya: worldview of Four Types n n Infidels: with some rights e. g. Christians Infidel “Moslems”: those who had reverted to infidel habits (Judaism)– to be fought and if they refused to return to the fold killed Declared “Moslems” who did not follow Islamic rituals – killed without mercy. Heretics ‘Moslems” who rejected Islam while claiming to belong to it – killed no mrcy under any circumstances

Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab n n n n Founder of Wahabism Influenced by ideas of salafi Sheikh Taymiyya Called new theology: Ad Dawa lil Tawhid “ The Call to Unity” Main Work: Kitab al-tawhid: “The book of Unity” There is but one interpretation of the Quran - his: all else is bidat One course for true believer: 1) swear absolute loyalty to their religious leader 2) follow his teaching in every aspect 3) hate and join in the armed jihad against apostates and infidels. 1740 fled the judiciary in Huraylmila and went to Uyainah where he was asked to leave, then in 1744 won suppor tof local chief: Muhammad ibn Saud

Boko Haram The full Arabic name refers to adherents of holy war. Members are committed to enforcing an Islamic state or caliphate in Nigeria. In line with strict sharia, their leader, Abubakar Shekau, asserted: "In Islam, it is allowed to take infidel women as slaves. " Most of the girls abducted from their boarding school in Chibok village, Borno State, were Christian. They were forcibly allegedly converted to Islam and made to wear hijabs that cover the whole body. Shekau has offered to trade the hostages, some only nine-years-old, for Islamists currently in prison.

Al-Ustadh Mahmoud Mohamed Taha “The age-old dream of the human caravan is not to send astronauts in their orbit into outer space. . it is to send its individuals - every single individual in his (or her) orbit of self-realization. It is high time that this dream be thus reinterpreted. It is also the sacred duty of every man and woman to help intelligently reorientate human endeavor towards the culmination of this pilgrimage. ”

General Quranic Verses n n Holy Quran: (2: 256). There is no compulsion in religion Holy Quran: (5: 48). If God had so willed, he would have made you a single People, but (his plan is) to test you in what He hath given you [i. e. , specific revelation] Holy

Quran in Medina n n Quran: (9: 73; 66: 9). O Prophet! Strive hard (jahid) against the Unbelievers and the Hypocrites, and be firm against them; Their abode is Hell; an evil refuge indeed Quran: (9: 73; 66: 9). Quran: (9: 5). But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever [you] find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war)

Al Ustadh Mahmoud Al-Ustaz and other intellectuals who agreed with his criticism formed the Republican Party in October of 1945. Their first publication and subsequent pamphlets and leaflets reflected a strong modernist Islamic orientation which, at the time, was not yet fully developed. The party’s policy of direct and open confrontation with the colonial authorities led to the arrest and subsequent imprisonment of Al-Ustaz Mahmoud in 1946.

The Women’s Section Mahmoud M. Taha: The Woman’s Opening, Al-Jamhoriya Newspaper: Jan. 15, 1954 n “This is the Woman’s Section, through which readers should sense the need to bow down for it deals with the most critical issue on earth. The woman on earth is like the heart in the body; if good then all the body is good and if bad, all is bad. A woman in a true civilized society deserves higher priority than a man, if it was possible to prioritize the two. That is because she influences him more than he affects her, though his arrogance may lead him to think otherwise. “

“My work is my daughters”

The superior state can only be reached through a two-fold approach: n n The good society and a scientific methodology adopted by individuals in order to liberate themselves from fear; the former is based on three equalities: Economic – known as socialism today – or the sharing of wealth Political- known as democracy today- or sharing in political decisions that affect one’s daily life Social- to some extent resulting from socialism and democracy – characterized by a lack of social classes and discrimination based on color, faith, race, or sex. - fundamental criterion is that marriage is possible between any man and any woman.

Poor non-Moslem amputee

Eternally Evolving Monotheism n “The meaning that we receive through monotheism in collaboration with language is that the revelation of the Quran has been completed … between the two covers of the Holy Book, has been completed on earth. Heaven was joined with earth for all time. There have been, since the time of Adam, descending portions of the Quran which were in accordance with the levels of the nations and the levels of the Prophets and Apostles. You can even say that the Torah is a phase of the Quran revealed to Moses, the Bible is a phase of the Quran revealed to Jesus, and the Quran has been revealed to Muhammad. . We said that the explanation of the Quran is from God—this explanation is eternal and does not end…”

Cross amputee

Shiites Believe n n Ali, a cousin of the prophet, was his first true successor. There own version of the Sunna (traditional law of Islam), with only minor differences; the clergy are empowered to intervene between God and humans, whereas among the Sunni, the relationship with God is direct and the clergy serve as advisers. the historic imams were spiritually unique because they were descendants of Ali and, therefore, of Muhammad prominent in Iran, the Lebanon, and Indo-Pakistan, and are also found in Iraq and Bahrain.

Is martyrdom by suicide an acceptable tactic of jihad. n Muslim scholars who have given a justification for these acts have argued that they are a legitimate form of warfare specifically against the overwhelming military superiority of the oppressors. A strong majority opinion among scholars has been achieved only in the case of Palestinian attacks on Israel.

Al Hambra at Granada

Oklahoma City Bombing

Justice is a primary Islamic Virtue There is great emphasis in the Koran on justice in all social and political matters and it uses three words for justice - 'adl, qist and hakama. These three words occur 244 times in the Koran. The Quran: "The indictment shall be upon those who oppress people, and those who commit injustice and wrongdoing on earth shall be severely punished. " (Ash-shuura, 42: 42)

Imitation of the Prophet the Path to Renew Self and Islam n Since language conveys meanings, this means it conveys knowledge. The supreme knowledge is what is received from God, or what is called God -given knowledge. The key to God-given knowledge is worship; for us, Moslems, it is the conscious imitation of the Prophet. This is because the life of the Prophet has been made available through the Quran. This practice differs in levels, starting from the knowledge of God to the knowledge of worldly things, although knowledge of worldly things is not considered by God as true knowledge—it is not holistic

Women in Leadership

Ottoman Arts

Granada and Ronda Fortress

Al-Ustadh Mahamoud. M Taha n Al Ustaz and his daughter Asma Mahmoud during zikr shortly after I arrived in 1977