World Religions

Introduction to World Religions Study Guide

©2018 Achieve Page 80 of 96 There are legal rights and obligations of family members. The father is financially responsible for the family and must cater to their well-being. The Qur’an states the division of inheritance, most of which is passed on to the immediate family, while a portion is set aside for the bequests and payment of debts. The woman’s share of inheritance is usually half of that of a man who has the same rights of succession. Marriage is a civil contract in Islam and starts with an offer and acceptance between two qualified parties in the presence of two witnesses. The groom is required to pay a mahr (bridal gift) to the bride, as stipulated in the contract. A man may have up to four wives and must believe he can treat them equally. A woman can have only one husband. The process of divorce, known as talaq , is traditionally initiated by the husband who pronounces the word “divorce”. The traditional practices of veiling and seclusions (purdah) have changed over the years. In the 20 th century, Muslim women attempted to either break the tradition or combine an active life with the tradition of modesty. There is a lot of debate between how modest Muslim women need to behave and what is acceptable. Some argue the veil is traditional and must be kept, while others argue for a more modern approach. The Taliban has sought to keep women’s laws traditional. 8.4 Jurists The “jurist” is an educated class of Muslim legal scholars that is engaged in several different fields of Islamic studies. The term ulema is used to describe the body of Muslim clergy. The clergy is required to have completed several years of training and study of Islamic sciences. There are schools of jurisprudence and they are referred to as a madhab. There are four Sunni schools: Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’I, Hanbali, and sometimes the Zahiri. There are two schools in Shi’a, Ja’fari and Zaidi. Each uses a different methodology called Usul al-figh. 8.5 Islamic Lifestyle Etiquette and Diet Islamic etiquette is adab. This etiquette includes how to greet others with “ as-salamu alaykum” or “peace be unto you”. Before meals, Muslims say bismillah (“in the name of God) and use only the right hand to eat and drink. Personal hygiene, cleanliness, and health are very important. Circumcision of males is also practiced in Islam. The funeral prayer is Salat al-Janazah . The body is bathed, enshrouded, and buried in a grave. The diet is restricted. Muslims are prohibited from eating pork products, blood, carrion, and alcohol. All meat must come from an herbivorous animal that is slaughtered in the name of God by a Muslim, Jew, or Christian. The exception is game the Muslim has hunted and killed for himself. Food that is permissible is called halal food. Family Life