Directions This is our opportunity to explore the subject matter, largely (thoug

Directions
This is our opportunity to explore the subject matter, largely (though not exclusively) through the assigned reading.
This Discussion activity is worth a possible 40 points.
Choose a question from the list below. Your response will take 30 minutes to post which gives you time to edit your response. With more students than questions it is expected that some will choose the same question to answer. That is fine as it will enable you to research more and bring out other view points. You will NOT be able to see any posts made to the forum UNTIL 30 minutes after you post your answer to a question.
Posts are expected to be well-written; writing quality and competency is an assessment area in this course.
Posts must be substantive in addressing the chosen question, and of appropriate length for a major discussion activity: approximately 300 words for the main discussion post, and at least 100 words for each responsive post. Students may post as many times as you like, but for grading purposes, the required number of posts must adhere to these standards.
***You must cite the textbook in your answer. This means that you need to provide at least one brief, direct quote from the textbook. Put direct quotes in quotation marks and include an in-text citation to identify the source and page number, e.g., (Molloy, p. 48). You may bring in other quality academic sources (accessed through the online databases of Park University’s library), but you must use in-text citations to identify the source. A Works Cited should be included at the bottom of your post. Failure to properly cite the textbook as instructed will result in a penalty of minus 20 points.
****You are also required to cite at least one academic source in each of your peer responses.
Questions
Tell us about the prophet Muhammad. What kind of person was Muhammad? How was he viewed by his family, by his followers, and by those who opposed him? What are the significant events which shaped this thinking?
Describe the type of belief and worship in Arabia at the time just before Muhammad’s religious reform. What other religions were practiced there as well? Why was the area ripe for change, and particularly change of the kind brought by Islam?
What are some of the elements in Islam that are shared with Judaism? Discuss these in terms of history as well as the present day.
What are some of the elements in Islam that are shared with Christianity? Discuss these in terms of history as well as the present day. Is there a higher regard for Christianity than there is for Judaism? Why or why not?
What are the roles of women in Islam? What kind of variation is there from country to country? What new developments can be expected?
Describe Sufism. How was Sufism initially thought of, and how did attitudes change? How did al-Ghazali change the perception of Sufism?
Sufism has a modern movement which is more-and-less related to the Sufism of traditional Islam. What is this Sufism? Where is it found, who is involved, and what is its relationship to Islam? Is it recognizable as Islam, or is it a modern expression of popular ideas?
What is the Muslim notion of paradise? How does this compare with Jewish and Christian ideas of an afterlife?
How has the Muslim notion of paradise influenced art, architecture, and carpet design? Look at some examples of these, and share them with us if you can, as illustrations for your discussion.
Islam prohibits the making of images of people and animals. Why? How has this influenced the arts of Islam?
Describe and discuss the split between Sunni and Shi’ite Islam.
How is the Qur’an regarded and understood? How does this differ from the regard that Christians and Jews have for their scripture texts? How has this been abused by detractors of Islam?
Describe and discuss the pilgrimage to Mecca. If you know someone who has made this pilgrimage, see if you can talk with them about their preparation, their experience, and what it meant for them to undertake this challenge. If you don’t know someone who has done this, see if you can find a written account to read.
Zoroastrianism is usually identified as dualistic, Judaism is monotheistic, Christianity is monotheistic with its historical expression identifying three ‘persons’ of God. Islam is a contrast with each of these as a radically monotheistic religion, even more so than Judaism. Discuss this, and see if you can address the absolute, radical nature of its proclamation of one God.