Longer Answer Questions Flashcards
What does Rumi teach about the nature of humans and their relationship to God? Why did God create us? Whom does Rumi urge to “sleep on?”
God created us so that we could know him. Rumi used poetry to attract those people who were/are in a search of spirituality or seeking a closer connection to God.
Rumi believes in Tawhid - seeking oneness with God. Urges people who don’t want Tawhid, don’t want love, don’t want to know God to “sleep on”
What are 3 Qur’anic verses relevant to debates over women’s dress? Provide a general description of each.
Sura 24 Verse 60 - women that have passed the age of child bearing and have no hope for marriage are allowed to remove their outer clothing without sinning
Sura 33 Verse 53 (Hijab verse) - when you ask anything of a woman you should ask them from behind a hajib because it is purer for their and your hearts
Sura 33 Verse 59 - all wives, daughters, and female believers should put their dresses tightly around them so when they are out they may be recognized and not harmed
How does Akbar Ahmad classify the primary religious paths of Muslims communities in contemporary SE Asia? What are some of his observations in each of them?
The 3 models are: Ajmer path, Aligarh Path, Deoband Path.
Ajmer Path - peaceful Sufi mysticism characterized by universalism, music, asceticism; and inner openness to non-Muslims and other forms of spirituality
Aligarh Path - challenges of being Muslim in India
Deoband Path - Hanafi fiqh + Hadith scholarship; gender segregation. Non-fatalistic orthodox Islamic path
How and why did Malcolm X’s message change over the course of his life? What was his major political ambition just prior to his death?
Malcolm X’s message changed as he grew and matured as a person. He initially believed in the hard stance of the Nation of Islam that there should be black separatism and that the white man was the devil. However, after his world tour and personal hajj pilgrimage he came to realize/appreciate that he wanted to support Sunni Muslims and gained a more worldly perspective. Prior to his death he wanted to start working with the black civil rights leaders in America and really start advocating for black civil rights.
