Introduction to Islam Awadh A' Binhazim, Ph'D'

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Introduction to IslamAwadh A. Binhazim, Ph.D.

• President
• Olive Tree Education
• An Islamic Outreach and
• Education Group

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NormsWorld of Islam Semites

• ALL lectures will be available on our website
• www.olivetreeeducation.org
• February 24, 2007

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Useful contacts

• www.olivetreeeducation.org
• Class Assistant
• Amar (amar.razali_at_gmail.com)
• Tel [phone]
• Contact for OTE
• Kamel Daouk (kamel.daouk_at_comcast.net)
• Tel [phone]

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Study Islam correct understanding

• Stereotypes lenses?
• Misconceptions
• Assumptions
• Sensational journalism
• World Political Order
• Correct understanding

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Roger Du Pasquier

• A Swiss journalist and author wrote that
• The West, whether Christian or otherwise, has
  never really known Islam.  It has been subjected
  to bizarre distortions

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How to study Islam

• Muslims perspective
• Authentic Sources
• The one who lives inside the house knows the
  house the best

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What norms are we accustomed to?

• What comes to mind when you hear the words 1.
  ISLAM 2.MUSLIM
• What comes to mind when you see these images?

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What about these images?
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Covering Is it purity, chastity, cultural,
oppression, modesty, religious, devotion,
righteousness ?
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Do these women cover for the same reason?
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Why study about Islam

• Largest religion in the world
• Largest religion in Middle East, Africa, Asia
• 2nd largest religion in Europe
• 3rd largest religion in America
• Many in the west information vacuum
• Muslims neighbors, co-workers, citizens
• Intercultural understanding

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The Muslim world
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World of Islam

• GLOBAL!
• Capital and Centers
• Cairo, Damascus, Makkah, Jerusalem
• Dakar, Addis Ababa, Dar-es-Salaam,
• Istanbul, Islamabad, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta
• London, Paris, Marseilles, Bonn
• New York, Detroit, Washington

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What about the Middle East?
Major Religion Islam
P 60 m A 240 m T 66 m I 4 m O Kurds
30 m
Minor religions Judaism, Christians Zoroastrians
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Who is the Middle East Expert?

• Who is this person?
• What language area of expertise are they coming
  into the field?
• So ask them - is you area of expertise
• Arabic Arabs?
• Turkish Turks?
• Farsi Persians?
• Hebrew Israelis?
• Other Perhaps Kurdish?

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What about the American Muslim community?

• Estimated 7 million Muslims in America.
• Made up of people from a wide variety of ethnic
  backgrounds and national origins.
• Almost 2,000 mosques, Islamic schools and Islamic
  centers in America.
• Muslims are active in all walks of life.
• Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in
  this country and around the world.

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Two Arab Americans were
appointed to President George W. Bushs Cabinet
U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham
Salma Hayek
Arab does not mean Muslim!
Tony Shalhoub (actor in TV series Monk)
Arab/Pakistani/Indian, etc Americans taxi
drivers, movie stars, five star generals,
politicians, doctors, engineers, etc.
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Islam, Judaism, Christianity(related religions)

• These are the 3 Abrahamic faiths
• Cradle of these religions is the Semitic Lands,
  (Orient, Near East, Middle East)
• Who are the Semites and
• what did they believe in?

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Who is a Semite?

• Someone descended from Noah
• Arabs
• Aramaeans (Hebrews, Jews)
• Abyssinians (Ethiopians)

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Where did the Semites live?
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SEMITES
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The Great Lineage

• Revealed Books
• Pages, Torah, Psalms, Gospel, Quran
• Prophets

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Your assignment ?

• Find out the word ALLAH and ELAHI in Islam
  Hebrew
• What do they mean?
• Is ALLAH the universal God?