In the 6th century a prophet was born in the
Arabian city of Mecca. Through the
revelations he received from God (Allah) and
his example, he influenced a nation of people
united by their devoted submission ("Islam")
to the will of God and to the observance of
the Five Sacred Pillars of their faith.
Today more than a billion Muslims from the
Ivory Coast to the islands of Indonesia pray
daily in the direction of Mecca, observe
Ramadan and make the required pilgrimage to
the Ka'aba while the religion continues to
conjure up images of death and terror in the
West.
In
this presentation Amanda Roraback dispels
misconceptions about Islam by identifying the
central tenets of the religion, explaining the
development of the Islam and by examining
significant passages in its holy book,
the Qur'an.
SOME TOPICS:
Terrorism and
"Jihad:" Does Islam promote
terror?
Women in Islam:
The politics of the veil.
Islam and the Bible:
Muhammed and the Jews (why Muslims
originally prayed toward Jerusalem).
Was Abraham a
"Muslim"?
The Five Sacred
Pillars
Heaven and Hell:
Martyrdom and black-eyed virgins.
