Islam & Islamic Culture

This paper discusses the formation of Islam and Islamic culture. The formation of different sects were explained and the culture which developed during the middle ages and the renaissance era was also discussed, with further exploration into the current state of Islam today.

Last week in the reading there was some explanation on the background of the Shi'i sect, which believed that Muslim religious leadership followed through the line of Ali, the son of Fatimah, who was the daughter of Mohammad. Reading about the Shi'i, I got the impression that for them, religion was very much based on worldly values and they seemed invested in the idea that religious authority was based here on earth. This week, however, there was an explanation on the background of Sufi-ism and even some discussion on the "Whirling Dervishes." This sect seemed to be closer to the ascetic "Hanifs" that Muhammad himself first belonged to. Although most Sufi sects still follow the Five Pillars of Islam, they also work on more internal spiritual growth. For example, the Five Pillars of Islam are: to declare that there is no god except God, and his Messenger is Mu

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Category: Philosophy - I