Importance of the Koran Forming Contemporary Islamic Culture - Research Paper Example

 Importance of the Koran in Forming Contemporary Islamic Culture INTRODUCTION The Islamic holy book, the Koran, has been debated in regards to authorship for many years. Some members of Islamic society believe that these are the words of Allah (God) that were divinely passed down from prophet to prophet over a period of centuries. This belief gives the Koran direct authorship from Allah as a means to spread His word to all people who hold firmly to the Islamic faith. Some members of society believe the Koran was written by the prophet Muhammad sometime after 610 A.D. and was based directly on a series of divinely-inspired visions that were passed down by Allah. However, it is known that Muhammad was quite illiterate, therefore the theory that Muhammad wrote the holy book suggests it was a miraculous creation, giving this prophet the ability to read and write so that Allah’s word could be spread across the nations. A final theory suggests that Muhammad’s followers simply put together ideas and teachings that came directly from the prophet Muhammad, much like the Holy Bible in Christianity. There really is no clear consensus about who put the Koran together and penned its phrases. The Koran provides a great deal of positive teachings, such as promoting modesty in most social dealings, methods of improving finance by highlighting generosity, and generally to hold true to belief in Allah and to mold Islamic followers against His demands and values. It is most known for being a book with values-based teachings on moral efficiency, truthfulness, and moderation as daily life practices. THE FUNCTIONS OF THE KORAN Using the assumption that the Koran was written by Muhammad’s followers, based on the prophet’s teachings, Muhammad believed that people in Islamic society were falling away from Allah and needed a guidance book to help them restore their humanitarian values. It is estimated that the Koran’s teachings were put together sometime between 570 and 632 A.D., a time period that was marked by ongoing wars and struggles for political and military power. People during this period were being oppressed and the influence of the Catholic Church was growing considerably, attempting to force others in society to adopt Catholic religious values. Islamic people who rejected some of the Catholic teachings found a renewed sense of purpose and community through the Koran, therefore Muhammad believed it necessary as a means to distinguish Islamic identity from other global religions. The Koran provides knowledge that goes back to the time of Abraham, a figure from the Old Testament of the Holy Bible, when God was conducting his work through previous prophetic figures. The basis of the Koran is to remind Islamic society of the good works between God and Abraham and then attempt to apply these to modern society. It also describes the liberation of the Jews from Egyptian rule, when Moses led his people out of bondage and into a new land where they could establish their own rules and social identities. The Koran is widely accepted because it restores faith in the history between Allah and man and helps Islamic society to maintain their strong spiritual connection by remembering the origins of how God has helped to shape modern Islamic culture. The main concept of the Koran is to act as a template for altering social behavior directly in relation to what Allah prefers and values. It teaches women to remain modest in their dress and behaviors, reinforcing traditional values on being a family caretaker and remaining devoted to providing a quality household. It tells women that in order to gain Allah’s favor, they must be efficient, sincere, and accept personal accountability for their failures in relation to meeting God’s values. The Koran has been widely accepted by women in Islamic faith because it acts as a form of bridge between different traditional and progressive Islamic societies that shapes the role of women in society. It essentially gives women a sense of purpose in society so that they can become closer to Allah. Another reason this book is so widely accepted by Islamic followers is because it provides considerable mention about how to properly establish justice while satisfying God’s intentions for men in relation to law. Many Islamic societies have been facing oppression, wars, famine, or military conquest over many centuries, therefore Islamic followers have found their basic psychological needs unfulfilled. As they struggle to find identity against their oppressors, who through history often drove them out of their homelands, it reminds that justice will come from Allah and re-establish Islamic people in their final, divinely-blessed homeland upon His return. Teachings of justice emphasize remaining always peaceful against transgressors, holding firmly to faith in Allah. Much like the Holy Bible, the Koran teaches concepts of essentially turning the other cheek to those who fight against Islamic people and waiting for Allah to elicit justice. These teachings help to promote better character-building, improved faith in God, and offer hope that Allah will one day rectify their social and financial problems. It is so widely accepted because it acts as a tool to find Allah and receive His blessings even when faced with oppression or lack of a stable homeland. The Koran teaches loyalty not only to other Islamic people, but to Allah Himself. “Muslims view the Koran in its original form and language as the literal and unaltered word of God. When Muslims say, ‘God says’ or ‘the Koran says’, they are really just quoting a single source – namely God himself” (Clark, 9). Because they hold firmly to the idea that Allah is the only true source of the guiding principles found within the Koran, to read or recite it strengthens their bonds with not only Allah, but with their people’s history and to reinforce justice through peaceful actions. There is a line in the Koran which states, “Does it not occur to man that there was a time when he was nothing?” (Butler-Bowdon, 93). This is another concept of modesty that is attempting to show Islamic followers that they must remember creationism first and reject man’s concepts of science and philosophy. It is an effort to promote humility which, in turn, is designed to create a better person with the behavioral patterns desired by Allah that can promote and teach peaceful, modest living. During periods where constant struggle for self-identity has plagued Islamic cultures, it is widely accepted because it reinforces human value as divine inspiration rather than through chance or coincidence as often taught by progressive, non-religious doctrines of men. For those that believe in the links between the Koran and the Old Testament of the Holy Bible, the Koran is also accepted positively because it makes mention of improving finance. “The Koran favors profit if they are not obtained by harming others” (Jacques, 60). Unlike the Holy Bible which makes little mention of profitability, which tends to suggest rejecting profit in favor of modest living, the Koran suggests that it is a positive trait to seek finance so long as others in society are not trampled on in its pursuit. This impacts Islamic cultures significantly as it acts as a tool for reinforcing their place in commerce and business, promising abundance if profit-seeking follows Allah’s direct demands and wisdom. CULTURAL IMPACT OF THE KORAN At the cultural level, the Koran simply provides guidance that helps shape the role of men, women and children in society. It teaches first servitude to Allah, in pursuit of the straight path toward enlightenment, with all other desires and pursuits considered secondary. In Islamic cultures, it is not uncommon to find people always talking about Allah, suggesting His greatness and mercy, which has tended to put God above virtually every other human desire or need. Because the Koran teaches having this closeness and connection with Allah, everything from social policy to artistic expression is largely based on God’s influence in the lives of Islamic followers. Various art forms often depict the prophet Muhammad, situations inspired by Abraham and Moses, and generally most art is serene in presentation and highly spiritual in theme. Where other cultures with more secular beliefs have bright, vivid color presentations in their art forms that depict natural environments or abstract designs, Islamic followers who hold true to the Koran’s teachings are much more modest in their artistic designs and presentations. The values provided by the Koran reinforce concepts of community and harmony, therefore Islamic societies, at the cultural level, are more tightly-knit than other societies. People will often congregate in public places with perfect strangers, using their belief in Allah as a means to bridge gaps between different classes of people in society. The Koran provides the cultural basis for improving social relationships, through concepts of brotherhood, forgiveness, and kindness to others. Many traditional Islamic societies still have women wearing modest dress that covers their bodies and faces, with this being an acceptable practice to both men and women as a means of coming closer to God. Culturally, these concepts of modesty and brotherhood help to identify the importance of community which is present in all parts of Islamic societies. CONCLUSION Whether written by followers of Muhammad or by the prophet himself, the Koran helps people to connect with history and have faith in the future in areas of justice and remaining strong to Islamic self-identity. The book’s impact on culture is intense and drives nearly every family structure and community belief found in Islamic nations. Modest and religiously-themed artwork have been inspired by the Koran’s teachings of modest self-expression and will continue to drive this style well into the future. Those who hold firm to its values accept its teachings as a means to, primarily, find their role in society in a method that satisfies Allah so that they can receive His blessings in abundance. Works Cited Butler-Bowden, Tom. Spiritual Classics: Timeless Wisdom from 50 Great Books of Inner Discovery, Enlightenment, and Purpose. Boston: Nicholas Brealey Publishing, 2005, pp.93-94. Clark, Malcolm. “Getting to Know the Koran”, Islam for Dummies. Viewed April 27, 2010 at http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/12/07645558/0764555812.pdf Jacques, Cory. Activist Business Ethics. Norwell, Massachusetts: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2005, p.60. Read More