Islam in Europe Flashcards
Explain Hijrah
o The Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) migration (622 CE) from Mecca to Medina in order to escape persecution. This date is important for Muslim as it represents the starting point of the Muslim era- Muhammad (PBUH) himself dated his correspondences, treaties, and proclamations after other events of his life.
o Hijrah also applies to the emigrations of the faithful to Ethiopia and of Muhammad’s (PBUH) followers to Medina before the capture of Mecca, Muslims who alter quitted lands under Christian rule were also called Muhajirun (emigrants).
o The most-honoured Muhajirun, considered among those known as the Companions of the Prophet (PBUH), are those who immigrated with Muhammad (PBUH) to Medina. Muhammad (PBUH) presided them for having forsaken their native city and following him and promised that Allah would favour them. They remained a separate and greatly esteemed group in the Muslim community, both in Mecca and Medina, and assumed leadership of the Muslim state, through the Caliphate, after Muhammad’s (PBUH) death.
Explain religious conversion: the concept of Da’wa (mission) in Islam
o Religious conversion is the adoption of a set of beliefs identified with one particular religious denomination to the exclusion of others. Thus ‘religious conversion’ would describe the abandoning of adherence to one denomination and affiliating with another. This might be from one to another denomination and affiliating with another. This might be from one to another denomination within the same religion, for example, from Sunni to Shi’a Islam.
o There are 5 pillars in Islam, but the most important is to believe that there’s only one God and that Muhammad (PBUH) is His final messenger. The time of a person’s conversion is counted from the moment they sincerely make this ‘declaration of faith’ (Shahadah) in front of witnesses.
o Islam teaches us that everyone is a Muslim at birth, but parents or society can cause them to deviate from the straight path. When one accepts Islam, they’re considered to revert it the original condition. In Islam, circumstances is a Sunnah custom not mentioned in the Qur’an. The majority clerical opinion holds that circumstances isn’t a condition for entering Islam. The Shafi’i and Hanbali schools regard it as obligatory, while the Maliki and Hanafi schools regard it as only recommended.
o A Muslim who practices Da’wa, either as a religious worker or in a volunteer community effort, is called Dai. A Dai is thus a person who invites people to understand Islam through dialogue, not unlike the Islamic equivalent of a missionary inviting people to the faith, prayer and manner of Islamic life.
o “O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise and eat therefrom in [ease and] abundance from wherever you will. But do not approach this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers.” (3:25)
In Sur’a 3:25, for example, it denotes the call to the dead to rise on the Day of Judgement. When used in the Qur’an, it refers to Allah’s invitation to live according to live according to His will. Thus, when used in the first centuries of Islam, it usually referred to that message and was sometimes used interchangeably with Shari’a and din.
What is the purpose of da’wa?
In Islam, the purpose of Da’wa is it invite people (Muslims and Non-Muslim) to understand the worship of Allah as expressed in the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet and to inform them about him.
Da’wa as the ‘Call towards Allah’ is the means by which Muhammad (PBUH) began spreading the message of the Qur’an to mankind. After the Prophet, his Ummah assumed responsibility of it and conveyed the message of the Qur’an by providing information on why and how the Qur’an preaches monotheism.
Muhammad (PBUH) saw Islam as the true religion and mission of all earlier Prophets, he believed that their call had been limited to their own people but that his was universal. His mission as the Final Prophet was to repeat to the world this call and invitation (Da’wa) to Allah’s true religion of Islam. Muhammad (PBUH) wrote to various Non-Muslim rulers inviting them to convert.
What is Proselytism?
Proselytism is the act of attempting to convert people to another religion.
The importance of Da’wa has been emphasised many times in the Qur’an:
“And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, “Indeed, I am of the Muslims.”” (41:33)
Meaning- A person’s believing in Allah as his Lord and adopting the right way and standing steadfast on it is indeed a great and fundamental good, but the greatest good is that man should boldly say that he is a Muslim and should invite others towards Allah’s service, fearless of the consequences, and while performing this duty should remain so pure and pious in conduct and character that no one should have a cause to find fault with Islam and with those who uphold it.
What is muslims influence in politics?
Muslims made it a part of their political theory (through relating du’wa to Jihad) and life (using the concept of Du’wa in their political agendas). Taken in general, the intertwining of Du’wa and politics, then, has been a feature throughout the Muslim history though practical implications of this have been different in different ages.
What is hygiene and purification?
In Islam, purification has a spiritual dimension and a physical one. Muslims believe that certain human activities and contact with impure animals and substances cause impurity.
They use water for purification in most circumstances. A Muslim is required to clean themselves with either Wudhu or ghusl before prayer.
What are the consequences of practicing the Shari’a: respecting the ‘law of the land’ and the concept of ‘minority jurisprudence’
Muslims have to adhere to the Islamic teachings and rulings, even in non-religious societies, and to implement the Islamic rulings on himself and on his family, except, where Islamic exceptions apply.
Islam requires for the Muslim to respect his contracts with others and his commitments to them. So, if he moved to a certain non- Muslim country and entered into a contract with it –he should respect his contract and commitments in a way which would not contravene any particular Islamic ruling; for Islam does not allow anyone to agree to a contract or a condition that is prohibited since the Hadith says: “The believers have to abide by the conditions they have agreed on, except a condition that made a prohibition allowable and something allowed prohibited.”
The property of every human being should be respected, whether this human being is a Muslim or not, as long as he is in a state of peace with the Muslims, meaning that he does not (for example) wrong them, or attempt to undermine their religious adherence, or drive them out of their country.
What are the challenges to tolerance and peaceful coexistence between Muslim minorities and the majority non-Muslim population?
A Muslim family living in a Non-Muslim populated area face many problems in their everyday life, either in work, school, or their lifestyle. A Muslim wanting work in Britain may find it difficult to find a job as their religion means they have to pray 5 times a day. This will no doubt affect their work and the company may find a Muslim a burden as an employee.
Muslim teenagers living in Britain will have an incredible amount of difficulty especially in their school lives. Muslim parents believe that their children should be educated in single sex schools as soon as the children reach puberty (single sex secondary schools). Some Muslim parents also believe that girls should not have an academic education. In school P.E for girls is a problem as women are not allowed to show flesh and therefore they will have to wear a tracksuit. Problem lessons in school are R.E is also a problem as Muslims believe the main focus is around religions and not on their own.
Food in Britain is a major problem in a Muslims lifestyle many foods are Haram. An animal has to be killed in the Muslim way (one stroke of a very sharp knife as “Allahu Akbar” – God is great, is said 3 times). This will be increasingly difficult for a Muslim family living in a non- Muslim part of Britain as they have to go to special “halal” butchers and supermarkets.
As Muslim teenagers, they may feel a bit left out as they are not allowed to drink alcohol or be where it is drunk – pub, clubs etc. Muslims do not believe in the consumption of alcohol as it causes hatred, keeps people from Allah and a make a person lose their self-respect.
Explain the impact of 9/11 and its aftermath on perceptions of Islam in Europe
The 9/11 terrorist attacks drastically changed public opinion towards Muslims. Since then, terrorist acts such as the attacks by violent jihadists in London and Madrid, the murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh, and the massacre at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris have increased fear and anxiety. The use of Islam by extremists to justify their terrorist acts has made many Europeans regard Islam as a threat and fear Muslims as an enemy.
Since 2001, some media in Europe have succumbed to reporting based on stereotypes and used the actions of Islamists to stigmatize Muslim populations. There are concerns that stereotypes and generalizations about Muslims are informing counter-terrorism measures in Europe that restrict liberties for all and negatively impact Muslim communities.
Physical or verbal attacks on property, places of worship, and people—especially those who display a visible manifestation of their religious identity such as women wearing the hijab or niqab. Discrimination in education, employment, housing, or access to goods and services. Verbal or online threats of violence, vilification, and abuse.
