already wrote a draft but was asked to write an additional paragraph to add to the essay. “How can you envision adapting the other pillars of Islam for a widespread secular American audience, to understand better the idea of living with a moral framework in the modern world? Here you suggest emulating sawm with a technology/social media fast. How could the other pillars – shahada, salat, zakat, hajj – be interpreted so that non-Muslims in America experience what it is like to live with these important ordering moral behaviors at the center of their lives?” Please read my draft (which I have uploaded) and accordingly come up with a response to this additional question. The response should flow smoothly with the other information in the essay
REL 171
September 18th 2015
First Blackboard Response
In learning about the five pillars of Islam and in class explorations on orthodoxy and orthopraxy, there have been several facets that have captured my attention. In focusing on what I have gleaned from this material, I found that the practices associated with Islam, which emphasize right action, to be even more interesting, as some religions focus not so much on the right action, but on the right belief.
The five pillars of Islam are considered to be the foundation of faith for Muslims. Unlike other faiths, whose foundation relies on beliefs rather than actions, Muslims emphasize particular actions that reflect orthopraxy, or right action.
I found this emphasis on doing and not only believing to be captivating. I find that the majority of Americans are taught to hold tightly to particular beliefs, rather than particular actions. However, from these beliefs stem the actions. For example, all Christian churches advocate for giving towards the poor or charity both time and money. It is spoken about during sermons and homilies, and often a collection basket is passed around. After church, however, only some may actually demonstrate the beliefs of the church and actively help or volunteer their time and talents to charity. Many do not pursue such actions that are based on the beliefs spoken about during church.
In Islam, the actions Muslims are obligated to do are believed to cultivate meaning and beliefs in a reverse manner. This makes me think of Buddhist practices in which shrines are often constructed to worship certain deities or to give thanks for blessings. Many Buddhists that practice daily often provide food and treats to the deities honored in their shrine, which cultivates feelings and beliefs of gratitude, happiness, and fulfillment. When it comes to instilling belief, humans often gain their convictions and principles from particular actions, such as those shown in the Buddhist faith. Through particular practices and rituals, meanings and beliefs can be gained. By discussing the concept of Kinesthesia in class, I also concluded that the movement of the parts of the body in prayers and similar actions of worship to help individuals feel the purpose of such religious duties.
This is a similar principle in Islam, as shown through the five pillars. As shahadah is the first pillar, and perhaps the most significant, it calls for an expression of belief in God and also submission to God. In this way, individuals ritually recite, “There is none worthy of worship except God and Muhammed is the messenger of God.” This repeated ritual reinforces the belief that humans must give themselves entirely to God. While this is not mandatory to say every day, most Muslims do to cultivate a feeling of oneness with God. For me, it is easy to understand why a ritual such as this would cultivate feelings of oneness or unity with God, as the repetition of such a phrase helps individuals to not only believe this, but also act upon this.
This is also quite similar to Christian faiths, such as Catholicism. Catholic priests often provide individuals with certain prayers to be said following their confession. For example, a child that has confessed to lying may be told to say the “Hail Mary” a dozen times. The point of repeating the same prayer that many times is not to instill feelings of guilt or boredom in the child. Rather, it is meant for the child to actually listen to the words and interpret them, allowing the prayer to provide meaning for the child upon which they can remember when faced with a similar situation, and they are tempted to lie again. In this way, the repetition of such prayers does not directly encourage particular action; however, it does encourage reflection of one’s actions.
The second pillar also emphasizes action over belief. The prayers in this pillar must be recited five times daily: before sunrise, in the afternoon, late afternoon, after sunset, and late evening. Like the first pillar, this pillar is an expression of individual submission to God’s will. Like all Islamic prayers, the ritual and repetition is intended to convince individuals that they are very much subservient. The prayers remind the individual of being meek and humble, and to maintain their faith in God’s will. In Islam the religious texts are one with Muslims lifestyles and practices; they are a segment of every Muslims lived experience.
I find the emphasis on ritual to be comforting, as I think back on the rituals I perform daily that provide me with a degree of consolation. For example, when my father died, my mother put his picture in a sterling silver frame in the family room. Every week she polishes this silver and cleans the glass in the frame, as if she is still taking care of her husband. When I was younger and asked my mom why she did this, she said she did it because it is how she remembers him, and that praying for him honors him even in death. This experience shows me how performing a habit can hold valuable meaning and like my mothers’ habit, can be a representation of commitment. This has helped me see why the rituals in Islam can provide a certain level of comfort and faith. Through such rituals, we can not only cultivate certain beliefs and convictions, but also maintain them.
The last pillar I wish to discuss is sawm. This pillar focuses on the individual self-purifying through the act of fasting. Traditionally, this pillar entailed every Muslim fasting from sunrise to sunset throughout Ramadan. Fasting is not limited to just food, but also drink and sexual relations. While not everyone is required to do this, such as the sick or elderly, it is expected of all other Muslims who are capable of fasting.
Though fasting is encouraged at particular times of the year in other faiths, it is not a common practice anymore. Christianity, for example, focuses upon the belief of purification, or the giving up of particular, negative behaviors, which forces individuals to reflect upon their actions. Islam, on the other hand, cultivates the belief of purity through the action of fasting, which literally encourages purity through the act of giving up food and drink.
Of all the pillars discussed, I believe this pillar is the most significant, as I think sawm, or fasting, would be largely relatable to an American mainstream audience. However, I do not mean fasting in the sense of giving up of food and drink. Instead, I refer to fasting as a removal of distractions from our minds and bodies.
American Catholics are familiar with Lent, a religious observance where people fast and abstain. Conversely, I have noticed that a lot less people from more modernized Western nations practice Lent or similar rituals that were once vital parts of ones spiritual identity.
In both Christianity and Islamic faiths, fasting is seen as a means of removing distractions that would otherwise detract from our experiences with God. In today’s world, we are presented with a plethora of distractions: phones, social media, and the Internet, to name a few. While these are all clearly advantageous tools in our daily lives, they often diminish the importance of other things that should be more in the forefront of our lives, such as relationships with families, with friends, and valuable time spent with others. We allow such tools to become our main priorities, when they should not be.
As an applicable concept to a mainstream American audience, I would recommend this version of fasting to everyone, regardless of what faith they practice (if any). When I learned about this pillar, and through my own experiences, the idea of practicing self-purification by way of removal of distractions, such as phones and social media, rather than through food and drink, resonated with me. I would think that this would be beneficial to anyone, whether they are trying to cultivate a better relationship with God, with their family, or if they are simply trying to remain grounded in their life.
In summary, I found the emphasis on particular rituals in Islam to be particularly fascinating .