To Understand

Me and Monticello

                I have been taking a class on the history of Islam; it is extremely interesting but equally alien to me.  My training in history has been almost exclusively that of western culture, especially American history.  I am also ethnically Irish-Swedish and an evangelical Christian; not even the culture that I grew into or associate regularly with prepared me for the language and concepts of the Islamic world.  On more than one occasion, during this class, I have tried to compare Islam with Christianity.  Whether it be comparing the difference between Caliphs and Imams to Cardinals and Bishops, or comparing the difference between Sunni and Shiite to be equivalent to the differences between Catholics and Protestants.  There are similarities certainly and comparing them may help me a little to wrap my brain around Islamic concepts; however, what I cannot forget as a history student is that these are two completely different worlds and deserve their own telling.  A Cardinal is not a Caliph and a Shiite is not a Protestant.  As a historian it is important to study and understand each culture on their own terms, to do less is to fail understanding both cultures and thus fail as a historian.

Here are some definitions that may help to understand the Islamic world a little better.

Caliph – An English derivation of the Arabic word Khalifa, which can mean either deputy or successor. Leading members of the Prophet’s companions chose the first few caliphs, who possessed moral, political, and military authority, but not prophetic authority. The caliphate rapidly became dynastic, causing the office to lose much legitimacy in the eyes of many, and then multiplicity of simultaneous caliphates arose, further diluting its authority. Moreover, Shiites have recognized only the fourth caliph, Ali as legitimate, claiming that Ali and his descendants, called Imams, are the only legitimate spiritual and political rulers. The Shiite sect of Islam does not have a Caliph instead they put more emphasis on the Imam.

Imam – An Arabic word that literally means “before” or “in front of.” The term came to be applied to the prayer leader at a mosque within the Sunni tradition of Islam.  Also the recognized leader of Shiite Islam; Shiite sects have defined the characteristics of their Imams in different ways over the centuries, but generally the Imam is understood not to have prophetic status. He does, however provide religious guidance that is indispensable, and he is the rightful head of the entire Muslim community. Some Shiite groups consider their Imam to be in seclusion, awaiting the time to return to lead the world; others have a visible Imam who lives among them.

Egger, Vernon O. A History of the Muslim World Since 1260: The Making of a Global Community. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008.