ISLA 210 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Leila Ahmed, Islamic Culture, Qarmatians

• School: McGill University
• Department: Islamic Studies
• Course: ISLA 210
• Professor: Malek Abisaab

Document Summary

The pre-islamic middle east: 5 pillars of islam esta(cid:271)lished du(cid:396)i(cid:374)g muha(cid:373)(cid:373)ed (cid:271)ut (cid:373)ai(cid:374)l(cid:455) (cid:862)o(cid:271)se(cid:396)(cid:448)ed(cid:863) (cid:271)(cid:455) (cid:373)ost (cid:374)o(cid:374)- fundamental muslims, witness no god but god & muhammed is the prophet. **revolutionary changes for women: infanticide prohibited, right to own property, spiritual equality, no slavery** *note: i(cid:373)a(cid:374) (cid:894)(cid:449)/ (cid:272)apital (cid:862)i(cid:863) (cid:373)ea(cid:374)s des(cid:272)e(cid:374)da(cid:374)t of the di(cid:448)i(cid:374)e(cid:895) Class notes: the pre-islamic middle east and androcentrism. *androcentrism- centered on men: women are born weaker than men biologically/mentally inferior, notions imbedded before islam, ai(cid:373)ed to (cid:272)o(cid:374)t(cid:396)ol (cid:449)o(cid:373)e(cid:374)(cid:859)s se(cid:454)ualit(cid:455) (cid:894)d(cid:396)ess, pu(cid:271)li(cid:272)/p(cid:396)i(cid:448)ate life, # of kids) The military and the temple elite: upper class: big merchants, property owners, making men more domi(cid:374)a(cid:374)t (cid:271)/(cid:272) (cid:449)o(cid:373)e(cid:374) (cid:272)a(cid:374)(cid:859)t o(cid:449)(cid:374) p(cid:396)ope(cid:396)t(cid:455) The harem system: harem (cid:862)wo(cid:373)e(cid:374)(cid:863, common practice, could o(cid:449)(cid:374) la(cid:396)ge #(cid:859)s of (cid:449)i(cid:448)es/(cid:272)o(cid:374)(cid:272)u(cid:271)i(cid:374)es, esta(cid:271)lished (cid:373)a(cid:374)(cid:859)s level of wealth/status/class (function of class, the sassanid (persian descent; 224 ce conquered mesopotamia) Veiling: a symbol of class: post-islam: distinction b/w the respectable & disreputable.