Social+Teachings+of++Islam-Houston+Smith

[|video]From Houston Smith's //The World Religions//, we have been taking a look at the religion of Islam. "Islamic Law is of enormous scope." So Smith summarizes it in four areas of collective life. i believe in ALLAH "Until bodily needs are met, higher concerns cannot flower...Just as the health of an organism requires that nourishment be fed to its every segment, so too a society's health requires that material goods be widely distributed." Tying in with one of the Pillars-charity- Islam teaches to share your wealth. "The model that animates Muslim economics is the body's circulatory system. Health requires that blood flow freely and vigorously; sluggishness can bring on illness, blood clots occasionj death. It is not different with the body politic, in which wealth takes the place place of blood as the life-giving substance." Islam encourages entrepreneurship, some people even characterize the Koran as a businessman's book.
 * 1. Economics**

//__**2. The Status of woman**__// Some think Islam is bad for women. However, if one looks at the way women were treated before the rise of Islam, in the "days of ignorance," they will see that it is much better. For example, before Islam daughters were often buried alive in their infancy. The Koran has improved this. Although the Koran states that a man can marry up to four wives, the Koran is commonly interpreted in a way that leads many to believe that one wife is the most preferred number. Today multiple wives are seldom found. Also, now women have a choice in who they want to marry, when in the "days of ignorance," she had no choice. Divorce is also now an option, even though it is frowned upon. Women have it better now, but inour Western eyes, we view them as different. We must remember that we are a different culture, and their culture is not bad because it's differtent than ours.

"Islam stresses racial equality and 'has achieved a remarkable degree of interracial coexistence.' the ultimate test in this area is willingness to intermarry, and Muslims see Abraham as modeling this willingness in marrying Hagar, a black woman whom they regarded as his second wife rather than a concubine."
 * 3.** //__Race **Relations**__//

Islam is like any other religion in respect to force. They have used force in the past, but so have Christians and Jews. Muslims say that persuasion and example are used more than force. However, they are often viewed as more forceful, "Muslims report that the standard Western sterotype that they encounter is that of a man marching with sword outstretched, followed by a long train of wives." Muslims point to the example in Spain to show that they are tolerant of other religions, and also to the examples displayed by Muhammad. Also//,// jihad has been taken out of context. It literally means __exertion__, Jihad is battling the enemy within oneSELF.
 * 4. The Use of Force**