How Muhammad Established Islam As A Major Political And Religious Force In The World Essay Example for Free

How Muhammad Established Islam As A Major Political And Religious Force In The World Essay While Muhammad was living with his wife Khadija, he often went to a cave outside Makkah called Hira, where he would reflect and pray. During one night in 610CE, when Muhammad was 40, he was in a cave on Mount Hira. God revealed himself to Muhammad. This was called the night of power, and it relates in Surah 95 of the Quran, which is entitled The Blood Clot. When Muhammad returned home, Khadija became his first believer. Then his cousin Ali, a freed slave called Zayd, and one of his closest friends, Abu Bakr, all became followers. There started one of the great religions of the world. Muhammad had a strong belief that there was only one God, the creator. He believed that all humans should be equal in their relationship with this creator. This undermined the tribes of Makkah who, especially the Quarish, rose up against Muhammad and his followers. All through his life, Muhammad fought to establish Islam, to gather followers, and to create a substantial political force. In the 22 years after the first revelation, until Muhammad died in 632CE, God delivered the Quran to Muhammad, his messenger. By the time that God had finished revealing the Quran, Muhammad had moved to Madinah. Hence we get Makkan and Medinan verses. The Makkan verses are usually shorter, more judgemental, and are found towards the end of the Quran. After the second revelation, the night journey, Muhammad migrated to Yathrib, 40 miles north of Makkah, to settle disputes with the pilgrims from that town. He went there with family and followers in 622CE. When he arrived, he built a house, which was later to become the first mosque. He then renamed the town Madinah. This is where the central community was established. After Muhammad died, no one knew if he had named a successor. Usually, it would pass to his eldest son. In the end the leader was chosen by the Muslim community as a person of great personal integrity. This is the belief of the Sunni branch of Islam, who did not want a government, but they wanted to rely on an authoritative ruler. The Shia branch believes that the early history was biased against Ali, Muhammads cousin. When Ali did become the leader, those who believed Ali to be the true successor formed the separate Party of Ali. The Shia branch wanted a leader from the family of Muhammad. Islam was greatly diversified by the achievements of the first four caliph successors to Muhammad. Here is who they are and what they achieved in their rule: * Abu Bakr (632-634 CE) He and his armies conquered Arab tribes, and they went as far as the Byzantine Empires borders. Abu Bakr had more than a personal belief of Islam and he had a belief of political ideology. * Umar (634-644 CE) He continued after Abu Bakr and captured Jerusalem and North Africa. * Uthman (644-656 CE) After Ali turned down the caliphate, Uthman was chosen and he expanded the empire through North Africa and Eastwards to India and China. * Ali (656-661 CE) He made Muawiya co-caliph, a disastrous move. Two parties were formed, one supporting Ali, the other supporting Muawiya. Islam today is the second largest religion in the world and it is growing fast. It is significant in the modern politics. It also contributes to art, music, architecture and philosophy. The religion has grown to have over 2 billion followers. However recently Islamophobia has stepped in. Islam has been treated very cruelly by the western media in the last few years. However Islam means to surrender, or submit, and it is linked closely to another Arabic word meaning peace. Indeed a Muslim is one who surrenders.

Mending Wall Essay -- essays research papers

In â€Å"Mending Wall†, Robert Frost made us aware that something doesn’t love the wall in the beginning of the poem, the wall that symbolizes boundary and obstacle between people. Although this restrictive wall gives protection and a feeling of safety for the people who are inside it, it also creates a huge barrier to the people who are on the outside. The only difference between a physical wall and an imaginary barrier is that a physical wall will eventually fall apart as time goes by, but the emotional one on the other hand will only get bigger. Does Frost agree with his neighbor on the perspective of relationship between people, or do they each hold a different idea?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the poem, Frost and his neighbor had a relatively short conversation. We can see that there is a sense of separation between them. Frost rarely talks to his neighbor, and the only time they ever have a chance to communicate is when they are repairing the fences. This lack of communication and understanding gradually builds up an invisible barrier between them. This invisible barrier that stands between keeps them separate. Even when they are working together fixing the wall, they are staying one on a side of the wall. It seems that Frost enjoys working with his neighbor separately when he says â€Å"Oh, just another kind of outdoor game, one on a side†. However Frost also gives us a feeling that there is other meaning to it. A game very often symbolizes a competition, or a fight. We c...

Nazca Lines

Earth scientists have been preoccupied with demystifying the secret behind the Nazca lines discovered in South Americas earth in the 1920’s. These precisely straight lines, still unfaded by over 3,000 years of rains, floods, winds, and dust appear to be impossible for any mortal to create. More than that, how they were drawn and why they were drawn is a challenge for the most intelligent minds to come up with any clues. The Nazca lines are as mysterious as the earth’s pyramids. The lines are forms of humans, birds, monkeys, and many other animals.From the information provided, all images drawn into the earth are some form of animals, or humans. Images can only be made out from an aerial view from the sky, such as an airplane or helicopter. These earth drawings are far to large to identify from the ground. â€Å"From ground level, earth drawings or geoglyphs as they are called, seem like a confused mass of lines. It’s only when viewed from the air, that one sees how the lines and figures convey a sense of purpose, of organization† (Stouse, 2007).Since the discovery of these lines, there has been studies and studies of these Nazca lines, intriguing people to find out more. http://www. timstouse. com/EarthHistory/nazcalines. htm Lines, Lines, Lines Without technology, even rulers and other measuring devices did not exist at this time, how can these drawings be so accurate and precise? Not only are they so accurately and precise, they are habitually accurate and perfectly straight over thousands of miles, cover several hundred feet of Peru. The lines are complicated, interweaving in and out one another, but consistently perfect.To the Incas, pottery was always a big part of their art. Their pottery contained intricate details engrained in the carvings. Scientists studying this always seem to mention their pottery art. Apparently, some significant connection has been related. One of the factors they are studying is the dry land these draw ings were sketched. Still they cannot figure out how it was done. http://www. timstouse. com/EarthHistory/nazcalines. htm No one has the right information required to unsolve the mystery. Scientists are extremely intelligent, which is a mystique in itself.They still do not have the right information to discover the hidden secrets behind the Nazca lines. Peruvians lifestyles or education from the time they were born would have to be studied. Maybe through their traditions while learning survival they acquired the ability to draw perfect lines and measurements. A twenty five year old does not wake up one day with the ability to draw so precisely. Drawing precise lines are a result of years accumulated by daily living habits beginning at a very young age.Since the images are so large, a group of people had to be involved in etching one drawing. The drawings had to be broken down into segments. Each person was assigned a section of the drawing. Another intriguing mystery about the earth ’s sketches, is these sketches are here to stay. They are not faded away, washed away, and are not desolved. If the sketches have been here for 3,000 years, they are going to be here 3,000 more. Even tombstones built of solid material to survive the earths conditions, corrode and break down after so many years.How are these drawings surviving? Once again, no one today has the right information to figure it out. The Peruvians must have had a way to draw all moisture out of the earth, to seal it off completely preventing anything to seep into the grains before they started the drawings. Water is natures most damaging resource. Water will put out and destroy fire. The sea has enormous strength and power. Almost nothing can stand up to damaging water hazards. Ancient Peruvians knew much more about the earth than what is known today. http://www.timstouse. com/EarthHistory/nazcalines. htm Reasons why the Peruvians were so motivated to create such drawings is another unsolved myster y. Their religion may provide clues to why they would take enormous amounts of time to do there drawings. Peruvians believed in sun gods and sun goddesses. Nothing is absolute certainty why they drew these sketches. One explanation, was to honor or please the gods, or the sun. Because the sketches can only be identified by an aerial view, these drawings probably were to send messages to something in the air.Studying the artists who are influenced by Peru’s culture can provide some leads to figure out how these drawings were etched into the ground. Some of the best artists have came from Peru. The artists influenced by Peru specialized in detailed measurements. (Wilepedia). An Inca artists, Joaquin Torres-Garcia, derive much of his art from Inca and Nazca Pottery. â€Å"Torres-Garcia’s style is based on grid patterns derived from the aesthetics of the golden section, a geometric proportion and surrealism†(encyclopedia article, http://encarta. msn. com/encyclopedi a_762507279/Joaquin_Torres-Garcia. html). Golden section is using straight lines and exact measurements. If art work inspired by Incas have a history of placing importance on such mathematical precision, then that has to be connected to their earth drawings. Geometrical figures, lines are somehow embedded into their culture. Conclusion: The Nazca lines today remain a mystery. They will probably remain a mystery forever. Sure enough, as soon as one scientists discovers something, another finds evidence that disproves it.But that is the process of learning or studying. Even when a theory is proven false, it reveals information. The Nazca lines can only be viewed from an Ariel view. And they did worship sun gods. These drawings probably had a very sacred meaning in honor of the sun. Notes: No author, no date Joaquin Torres-Garcia http://encarta. msn. com/encyclopedia_762507279/Joaquin_Torres-Garcia. html No Author, no date; Discovery Channel http://exn. ca/mysticplaces/Nazcalines. asp Stouse, Tim 2003, modified 2007 Nazca lines http://www. timstouse. com/EarthHistory/nazcalines. htm

Edmundo Ortega. Mrs. Buentello. English Iii Ap. 28 February

Edmundo Ortega Mrs. Buentello English III AP 28 February 2017 The Cask of Amontillado Yielding a work richly saturated with remarkable literary integrity, Edgar Allen Poe is intrinsically capable of exquisitely manipulating symbolic, literal, and figurative language to unravel the horrid, morbid tale of Montresor’s vile revenge upon Fortunato that is the short story of â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†. There are two characters in Edgar’s short story; Montresor, and Fortunato. Montresor is the narrator and from the beginning of the story, he does not shy away from expressing his hatred for Fortunato, without revealing the several ways Fortunato has done harm to him prior. Montresor seeks revenge on Fortunato, and uses Fortunato s love of wine†¦show more content†¦This solidifies Montresor’s principle of being stringent with Fortunato’s fate for Montresor possesses carte blanche over Fortunato for whatever crimes against Montresor he once committed. Montresor will forever seek revenge upon Fortunato and w ill refuse rest while he is in impunity. Montresor is not only attempting to create an equilibrium of suffrage to fore Fortunato to endure, but is amplifying conditions and circumstances from what the reader can conclude . Because the audience is left ignorant of the crimes committed by Fortunato against Montresor , we are left to believe that Fortunato did nothing more than speak badly of Montresor from the few context clues left ridden in the beginning of the story. Upon reaching the end of the short story the audience is left to ponder within confusion while Montresor leaves behind Fortunato, for the severity of the crimes committed by Fortunato is not made aware and therefore can not be identified as fowl enough to deserve such a punishment Montresor provides Fortunato. Edgar’s short story is plagued with different types of irony, the type that takes precedence above all others being verbal irony, as is seems to be the main focus of the story. A more than evident example is the name itself given to the victim of the story: Fortunato. Fortunato, belonging to a latin origin, yields the meaning and or stigma of luck, blessings and fortune.