LITR 5737: Literary & Historical Utopias
Historical Presentation 2007

Thursday, 14 June: Amy Braselton

Islamic Utopias

I. Background

- Islam is an Arabic word meaning “acceptance”, “surrender”, “submission”, or “commitment”.

- In 610 C.E. Muhammad ibn Abdallah received the revelations of the Quran from the angel Gabriel and then began preaching two years later.

- Nomadic tribes began uniting under Muhammad’s teachings, causing tensions within the city of Mecca. This results in the hijrah, or flight, to Medina.

- Muhammad dies in 632 and is followed by several caliphates (leaders) who spread Islam throughout much of Asia and Africa, and even into Europe (Spain).

- The Quran was not actually written down until several years after Muhammad’s death.

- Allah was one of the deities worshipped by the Bedouin Arabs, but had a vague function. This name was applied to Muhammad’s concept of a singular deity.

- Jewish and Christian communities were already established near Mecca which helped to influence the rise and development of Islam.

- Islamic followers, known as Muslims, follow several fundamentals of their faith. This includes prophecy, the collection of Muhammad’s teachings known as the Quran (“recitation”) which is composed of chapters known as “surahs”.

- Social justice was another important component; Muslims were commanded to build a community characterized by practical compassion, in which there was a fair distribution of wealth.

- Muslims follow the Five Pillars of Islam, which are duties performed as a part of their Ibadat, or obligations toward God: 1) Shahadah - confession of faith (“There is no God but the one God, and Mohammed is His prophet”) 2) Salat - ritual prayer (usually done 5 times daily facing Mecca) 3) Zakat - alms paid for the sake of the needy 4) Sawm - fasting during Ramadan 5) Hajji - pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Mecca

II. Objectives

3c. What literary, cultural, and historical prototypes exist for utopia? Is the utopian impulse universal, or is it unique to western civilization, esp. in its modern phase?

- Idea of religion is utopian in itself - religion seeks a “perfect world” in return for worship and praise for a particular, or in some cases for multiple, god(s).

- Christianity preaches that God will reward his followers in the kingdom of Heaven for their obedience; Heaven is a world free of pain, suffering, hunger, and war - the ultimate Utopia?

 - Islam also has the same concept of a utopian reward - “Those who pray humbly, who shun idle talk, who pay the prescribed alms, who guard their chastity…who are faithful to their trusts and pledges and who keep up their prayers, will rightly be given Paradise as their own, there to remain” (Chapter 23, Verse 1-11)

- Islamic paradise - “They will dwell amid thornless lote trees and clustered acacia with spreading shade, constantly flowing water, abundant fruits, unfailing, unforbidden, with incomparable companions We have specially created - virginal, loving, of matching age - for those on the Right…” (Chapter 56, Verse 28-38)

3f. What social structures, units, or identities does utopia expose or frustrate? What changes result in child-rearing, feeding, marriage, aging, sexuality, etc?

- When presented with Islam, tribes tended to unite - created greater fighting power, tended to social needs. Before Islam, tribes were scattered, self-supporting, and usually at war with one another. As Islam grew as a religion, it spread quickly and gained supporters at a very fast rate - the unification of these tribes helped to spread it.

- Why the importance of sex (in particular, the concept of Heaven includes a lot of sexual rewards)?

3g. What is utopia’s relation to time and history? Does a utopia stop time, as with the millennial rapture or an idea of perfection? Or can utopias change, evolve, and adapt to the changes of history?

- Though the interpretations and teachings of major religions such as Islam and Christianity have changed throughout time and have adjusted for change in the social structures, it is interesting to note that the concept of Heaven has not - both religions still view a “Utopian” Paradise as a reward in the afterlife.