Intra-Faith Divisions and the Dangers of Othering

By:  Heather Abraham aka Religion Nerd                                                                                  

Several weeks ago, my husband and I attended a dinner party at a friend’s home.   As always, she was the perfect hostess, bringing together an interesting mix of people and serving a fabulous meal.  After dinner, we gathered in the den for coffee and of course coffee talk.  The conversation was lively and covered many topics throughout the evening.  One specific conversation caught my attention and I wandered away from my group to listen more intently as two Muslim women were discussing the differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims.  Not surprisingly, the two Sunni Muslim women soon determined that Shiites weren’t “really” Muslim and that they were in reality practicing another religion entirely.  Terms like us/them and we/they were peppered throughout the exchange.   

This conversation reminded me of an encounter I had with a neighborhood acquaintance soon after she and her husband returned from 

If only humans could be so open and serene!

vacationing in Italy.  While showing pictures of her vacation, she mentioned that they had stayed in the home of a Christian missionary while visiting Florence.  Curious, I asked if the missionary used Italy as a home base and inquired where she performed her missions.  I was quickly informed that the missionary worked exclusively in Italy.   Since the vast majority of Italians are Christians I found this curious and inquired as to whom she was ministering.   Well, you would have thought I had opened Pandora’s Box! Obviously agitated, the neighbor informed me that most “Italians are Catholics and Catholics don’t teach the truth about Jesus, they aren’t really Christians at all—they worship the Pope and saints.”  She then admonished me for not “knowing” this as I study religion.  Hmm, I don’t know how I missed that important bit of information.  

Although I often write about the importance of interfaith dialogue, these two examples give us an opportunity to explore the phenomena of intra-faith divisions and discuss the dangers inherent in the process of othering.  

In the above examples, it is apparent that each party questioned the validity of a group within their own religious tradition and found them lacking in authenticity.  By extension of this conclusion, the adherents of the branch in question were relegated to the position of the other.  What does it mean to categorize a person or group as the other?  In The Origins of Satan, Elaine Pagels writes of this common yet problematic worldview. 

The social and cultural practice of defining certain people as “others” in relation to one’s own group maybe, of course, as old as humanity itself.  The anthropologist Robert Redfield has argued that the worldview of many peoples consists essentially of two pairs of binary opposition:  human/non-human and we/they.  These two are often correlated, as Jonathan Z. Smith observes, so that “we” equals “human” and “they” equals “nonhuman.”   

Thus when we otherize a group of people, we are in actuality assigning them an identity that is, to one degree or another, inferior to that of our own.  One only has to reflect on the horrors of WWII, Rwanda, or Darfur, to understand the consequences of perceiving the other as less than human.  

This attitude may seem harmless when it is promoted by attractive women at a dinner party or a retired neighborhood grandmother but when embraced and promoted by a religious organization or when it becomes political policy; intra-faith discord, enhanced by the process of othering, can become a powerful and destructive weapon.  Christian, Muslim, and Judaic history are littered with prolonged bloody wars which evolved out of intra-faith conflict and sadly the 21^st century appears to be walking the same bloody path—deeply embedded in this never ending tragedy.  

Binary opposition is also alive and thriving in America’s political system.   One need only to look at the debacle on Capitol Hill to witness the consequences of this limited way of thinking.  Members of Congress, so deeply invested in defeating the other, have lost sight of their primary purpose of constructive governing.  Each side rigid with disdain for what is perceived as the other’s dangerously misinformed ideals and values.  No conflict resolution or compromise in sight, only the same repetitive childish infighting.  Seeing everything in terms of black/white, right/wrong, good/evil, or us/them is not only unproductive and destructive but is also tragically uninspiring. 

This brings me to the questions of the day:  Is it possible to admit theological or political differences without becoming adversarial?  And, why are we so invested in rejecting the validity of any tradition beyond our own?

Is The Virgin Mary A Bridge Between Christianity and Islam?

By:  Heather Abraham aka Religion Nerd

With the passing of the first decade of the 21^st century, the world is confronted with an ever increasing atmosphere of tension and discord between Christian and Muslim worlds.  Turn on the nightly news or pop into your favorite internet web-news site and you will be confronted with the news of yet another terrorist bombing, another radical Muslim cleric calling for the destruction of America, another ill informed Christian spouting hatred against “Islamicists,” or another report on the most recent casualties of our “war on terror.”  We are living in an era of confusion and misinformation where the mere mention of Islam or Muslim often elicits comments founded on half-truths, anxiety, and fear.  

In this atmosphere of tension, it may be prudent to attempt to find common ground between these two clashing Abrahamic traditions.  Christianity and Islam are in some ways, intimately connected; sharing many sacred stories, devotion to one god, ethical standards, and scriptural figures.  Illuminating commonalities between these two mega religions, whose adherents make up almost fifty percent of the world’s population, may be the first step in building an understanding and hopefully, a bridge between the two. 

Mary In Islam

Although it is a common practice to begin this discussion with the familiar patriarchs whose stories are told in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Qur’an, this article will focus not on Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, or Jesus,  but instead, illuminate the role of a lesser known common figure as embodied in the Virgin Mary.  Many may be surprised to learn that Mary is a significant  and highly revered figure in Islam.  Although Mary plays an important but not extensive role in the New Testament, she has a much more prominent position in the sacred text of Islam.  Mary is mentioned no fewer than thirty-four times in the Quran, and she is the only woman in the Quran to have her own chapter or sura.  Mary, the title of the nineteenth sura of the Quran, includes detail about Mary’s life before, during, and after the Annunciation.  

Many of the Quranic stories concerning Mary and Jesus are foreign to Christian ears and sensibilities.  Even though there are many differing accounts, the Quran and New Testament also share similar stories about Mary.  In the following Annunciation accounts from Sura 19:14-21 and Luke 1:30-34, Mary’s reactions to the heavenly messenger are strikingly similar.  

And when she saw him she said: ‘May the Merciful defend me from you! If you fear the Lord, leave me and go your way.’  ‘I am the messenger of your Lord,’ he replied, ‘and have come to give you a holy son.’  ‘How shall I bear a child,’ she answered, ‘when I am a virgin, untouched by man?’ ‘Such is the will of your lord,’ he replied. ‘That is no difficult thing for Him. He shall be a sign to mankind,’ says the Lord, ‘and a blessing from Ourself. This is Our decree.’ 

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And now you shall conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.  He will be great and be called the son of the Most High and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.”  Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin.”   

Although Mary has no salvific powers in Islam, she is one of the most revered women in the Islamic faith.  In  various hadiths, Mary is discussed as being one of the four ‘Perfect Women’ in history.  Mary belongs in an exclusive group of women who are considered ‘Perfect’ because of their strength of faith and submission to God.   In Mary the Blessed Mother of Islam, Aliah Schleifer argues that, unlike the traditional Orthodox Christian understanding of Mary, the Mary of Islam is an important figure in her own right.  

Mary, in traditional Sunni Islam is an important figure in herself. Her position is not just that of the most exalted category of women, but she is ranked in the highest category of all human beings. In fact, from the perspective of those scholars who consider Mary to be a prophetess, she is considered equal to this aspect of her son Jesus. And to those who focus on Mary’s outstanding spiritual achievements, she is seen to have been blessed with stages of spiritual development that approach those of the Prophet Muhammad. In no case is Mary seen solely as the mother of Jesus. (95) 

For Muslims, Mary is a paradigmatic servant of God and an example for all humanity to emulate.   

Although there are many theological differences between Christianity and Islam, Mary’s shared importance in both religions can be understood as an opportunity for interfaith dialogue.  The easing of political and religious tension between the Christian and Islamic worlds is an enormous undertaking yet because religious differences are often used to justify anger and distrust, maybe, just maybe, religious similarities may lessen the divide.   This brings me to the question of the day:  Why are the media (Western and Eastern) and religious clerics (Christian and Muslim) not focusing on the commonalities and unifying aspects of these two Abrahamic cousins? 

To Veil or Not to Veil?

By:  Heather Abraham aka Religion Nerd

This posting was inspired by a Religion Nerd subscriber who posed the following question: Approximately what percentage of Muslims wear the full burka? In attempting to answer this challenging and complex question I will first give a brief historical overview on the practice of hijab or “veiling” in Islam. 

Contrary to popular belief, the Quran does not prescribe the covering or “veiling” of women. It does however direct Muslim women to act and dress with modesty. The veiling of Muslim women began during the early years of Islam when Muslims came into contact with the peoples and cultures of Byzantine lands. Although Christian, Byzantium practiced the veiling of high ranking urban women; a practice associated with wealth and status. Thus, early Islamic veiling was an imitation of an Eastern Christian cultural practice. 

Although veiling became fashionable within some Muslim societies, it was never a universal practice within Islam. Throughout the centuries the practice of veiling waxed and waned depending on the cultural norms of the era, economics, and geographic location. Today’s Western understanding of the veil as a control mechanism, intended to suppress women, has its roots in the 19th century colonialism. 

According to religion historian, Karen Armstrong, the veil experienced resurgence in popularity in reaction to the colonial insistence that the veil be outlawed in Egypt. In Battle for God, Armstrong traces the discord which raged between British colonialist who saw the veil as symptomatic of an inferior culture and the Muslim intelligentsia of Egypt. Armstrong writes, 

“Arab writers refused to accept this [colonialist] estimate of their society, and in the course of this heated debate the veil turned into a symbol of resistance to colonialism. And so it has remained. Many Muslims consider the veil de rigueur for all women, and a sign of true Islam. By using feminist arguments for which most [British] had little or no sympathy, as part of their propaganda, the colonialists tainted the cause of feminism in the Muslim world, and helped to distort the faith by introducing an imbalance that had not existed before”(166) 

Thus, in attempting to remake the “other” in their image, European colonialists succeeded in raising the veil from a relatively benign cultural symbol to an iconic symbol of Islam. Symbols, like myths, can be reinterpreted or manipulated and unfortunately, some societies have radicalized veiling; taking the symbol out of context and using it in a destructive manner. 

Having said that, I must stress that veiling is not a universal Islamic practice.  In fact, the majority of Muslim women do not practice veiling. Let’s take a look at the diversity in veiling and the countries that prescribe veiling by law. 

• The Burka (Burqa) is veiling in the extreme. This garment covers women completely allowing them to see only through a mesh like cloth which covers the face. Under the Taliban rule, women in Afghanistan were required to wear the Burqa in public. 
  

  Fashionable Muslim Woman

• The Abaya is an over-garment worn by women in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait which covers all but the face, hands, and feet.
• The Chador is a cloak like outer garment often worn by women in Iran.  
• Scarves are used to cover the hair only and are more often than not a fashion statement.
• The Niqab is a face covering or veil usually worn with an abaya.

Now, let’s take a look at various Islamic countries and their stand on veiling. You may be surprised to find that most Islamic countries do not mandate veiling by law.      

Muslim Countries that require the wearing of hijab or veiling 

• In Afghanistan the Burqa was/is compulsory under Taliban rule.
• Iran – requires women to wear a loose fitting garment and cover their hair in public. Most Iranian women wear either a chador or overcoat accompanied by a head scarf to cover their hair.
• Kuwait mandates the wearing of the abaya and niqab.
• Saudi Arabia mandates and enforces the wearing of the abaya and niqab.

Muslim Countries that do not practice wearing of hijab or veiling 

• Egypt does not mandate the wearing of any type of outer-wear but colorful head scarves and traditional over-wear are fast becoming fashionable in Egypt even though the government discourages such practices.
• Indonesia, which boasts the largest population of Muslims in the world, does not mandate veiling.
• Jordan – does not mandate the wearing of hijab     (Click The Red Button to Read More)

What Do Americans Really Know About Islam?

By:  Heather Abraham aka Religion Nerd

At a recent gathering of intelligent and progressive women I was reminded how little Americans know about Islam.  The atmosphere of the meeting was creative and the conversation clever until the word Islam was uttered—floating like a poison balloon above our heads.  Immediately, a women sitting to my right grimaced and said “I don’t like how Arabs treat their wives.”  Islam=Arab=misogynism?  Although I often encounter this type of reflexive response on the topic of Islam, I was startled.  I did not expect such an uninformed statement coming from this group.   

For the thousandth time, I asked myself–how much do Americans really know about Islam?  Let’s face it; Americans know more about Tiger Woods’ sex life than they do about Islam.  Unfortunately, most Americans learn about Islam primarily through various media outlets which have miserably failed to provide a balanced view of the world’s second largest religion.  Islam is here to stay and Americans need to begin to question the media’s agenda and they need to take initiative and do some investigation on their own.  

I have several problems with the above statement but for brevity’s sake, I will take on Islam=Arab and save the rest for a later blog.  At the mere mention of Islam, many Americans conjure up images of Bedouin Arab men with numerous unfortunate, anonymous, and powerless wives or they imagine the feared dark haired-crazy eyed Islamist (whatever that means) mentioned so incessantly on Fox News and CBN.  In reality, ethnic Arabs comprise a relatively small group within Islam’s 1.57 billion adherents. 

World Distribution of Muslim Population - Pew Center

 If Arabs do not make up the majority of Muslims—who does?  According to the Pew Research Center’s informative report, Mapping the Muslim World, “more than 60% of the global Muslim population is in Asia and about 20% in the Middle East and Northern Africa.”  The ten largest Muslim populations by country are as follows:   

1. Indonesia 202 million
2. Pakistan 174 million
3. India 160 million
4. Bangladesh 145 million
5. Egypt 78.5 million
6. Nigeria 78 million
7. Iran 74 million
8. Turkey 73 million
9. Algeria 34 million
10. Morocco 32 million

  

It is interesting to note that none of the top ten countries are ethnically Arab.  Muslims, like Christians, cannot be confined to one continent or people.  Islam is not a monolithic religion but is, in actuality, fantastically diverse. It may further surprise you to find that “China has more Muslims than Syria; Russia is home to more Muslims than Jordan and Libya combined; and Germany has more Muslims than Lebanon.”   

What does all this mean?  It means that most Americans wouldn’t know a Muslim if one dropped on their head.  Like Christians, Muslims are an extraordinarily diverse people who are unified by their religion.  So the next time you think you have identified a Muslim because they looked like an “Arab”—keep in mind that you probably missed a couple dozen who didn’t.      

For a complete look at the Pew Research Center’s Mapping the Muslim World click here:  http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1370/mapping-size-distribution-worlds-muslim-population