Class 8 - September 28th, 2011

Homework Due this Class:  Study for Vocabulary Quiz #2

In this class we focused on learning more about one of the five pillars of Islam, the Hajj.  We begun class with a prayer by Michael McCarthy on taking a stand and taking action against general injustice in the world.  We then took our second Islam Vocabulary Quiz on the following words:

  Qur'an - The sacred scripture of Muslims, regarded as the word of God dictated by Muhummad by God through the archangel Gabriel.  The prophet received and recited the messages over approximately twenty years.
  Shahada - Means witnessing.  The Muslim profession of faith.  There is but one God and Muhummad is his rasul or messenger.
  Tawhid - The Muslim Doctrine of the unity of God.  Islam denies any partners to God such as Christians are believed to have in their trinity.

After the quiz, we read an excerpt from "Islam:  The Straight Path" on the sacred pilgrimage of the hajj.  It explained the hajj in further detail.  It talked about the origin of the hajj, why Muslims travel to the Ka'ba, and its connection with Muhummad himself.  It talks about how the hajj fits into the Muslim calendar and how it is decided when it takes place.  It then explains the practices that occur when one is on his/her hajj.  It really only focused on the technical aspect of the hajj instead of the spiritual significance.

Then we got a more personal supplement by watching a documentary by National Geographic about inside Mecca and it also followed a modern Muslim convert on her hajj with lots of her thoughts and observations.  It gave a different angle to looking at the hajj and why it's important.

Homework Due Next Class:  Study for Vocabulary Quiz #3

This is a picture of Muslims on their hajj at the Ka'ba.  It really emphasizes how serious this experience is and the high the magnitude of people that visit the Ka'ba is.  The photo expresses how humongous and important this pillar of Islam is to their religious experience.





My first connection is an article on the Washington Post about the hajj of 2010, reflecting afterwards.  It has some lovely photos of the religious experience Muslims have on their hajj.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/blog-post/2010/11/as_hajj_ends_eid_al-adha_prepa.html

My second connection is a video of a first person perspective of the hajj.  It is helpful if you wanted to know what it actually looks like in Mecca at the time of the hajj.  It is quite inspiring.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjwZZBDGSHI&feature=related