YKTMX
6th September 2006, 14:45
I found this this (http://www.andromeda.rutgers.edu/~rtavakol/engineer/6.htm) very interesting. Goes into great detail about Islamic liberation theology, the life of the Prophet Muhammad, the political situation at the time etc.
Politically the situation was less dismal. Arabs were fiercely independent people and jealously guarded their independence. No attempt to subjugate them ever succeeded whether at the hands of Romans or the Sassanids. They thus lived independently in Arabian peninsula. However, as pointed out earlier, there was no unity among the Arabs divided as they were among various tribes fiercely fighting against each other. Moreover, there was no concept of unity beyond ones own tribe. Such a unity was considered blasphemous, to say at least. Only few tribes in Mecca tried to form inter-tribal corporations for commercial purposes. The commercial caravans were oftenly owned by individuals belonging to different tribes.
Muhammad (PBUH) appears on the social scene on Mecca in such despicable conditions. He had no schooling as neither was encouraged (as pointed out earlier) nor it had any functional value (except for commercial contracts, a need which was newly emergent and was met with the help of a few literates in Mecca). He was orphaned at an early age, led life of penury and was steeled through struggles of life. He married a rich widow at the age of 25 and began to lead a life of a recluse in the cave of Hira where he spent time brooding over the social, religious, political and economic situation around him. He than literally burst over the Meccan scene at the age of 40 to liberate his people as well as the whole humanity.
Liberate from what? whom? and why?. Liberation from ignorance, superstition, oppression, slavery and injustice. Liberation to give dignity and freedom of thought and action. These are the noble ideals which not only provide inspiration to live but also encourage creativity and purposeful action. Also, Muhammad worked for the liberation of the oppressed, the poor and the needy and the ignorant. He was, in this project of liberation, not only a teacher and philosopher, but also an activist, participant and fighter. Under his inspiration the Arabs not only liberated themselves but also sought to liberate others by shattering the two greatest oppressive empires of the world then i.e. the Roman and thee Sassaniid. Their stormy victories were ensured as they were scene by the oppressed of these mighty empires as liberators.
Politically the situation was less dismal. Arabs were fiercely independent people and jealously guarded their independence. No attempt to subjugate them ever succeeded whether at the hands of Romans or the Sassanids. They thus lived independently in Arabian peninsula. However, as pointed out earlier, there was no unity among the Arabs divided as they were among various tribes fiercely fighting against each other. Moreover, there was no concept of unity beyond ones own tribe. Such a unity was considered blasphemous, to say at least. Only few tribes in Mecca tried to form inter-tribal corporations for commercial purposes. The commercial caravans were oftenly owned by individuals belonging to different tribes.
Muhammad (PBUH) appears on the social scene on Mecca in such despicable conditions. He had no schooling as neither was encouraged (as pointed out earlier) nor it had any functional value (except for commercial contracts, a need which was newly emergent and was met with the help of a few literates in Mecca). He was orphaned at an early age, led life of penury and was steeled through struggles of life. He married a rich widow at the age of 25 and began to lead a life of a recluse in the cave of Hira where he spent time brooding over the social, religious, political and economic situation around him. He than literally burst over the Meccan scene at the age of 40 to liberate his people as well as the whole humanity.
Liberate from what? whom? and why?. Liberation from ignorance, superstition, oppression, slavery and injustice. Liberation to give dignity and freedom of thought and action. These are the noble ideals which not only provide inspiration to live but also encourage creativity and purposeful action. Also, Muhammad worked for the liberation of the oppressed, the poor and the needy and the ignorant. He was, in this project of liberation, not only a teacher and philosopher, but also an activist, participant and fighter. Under his inspiration the Arabs not only liberated themselves but also sought to liberate others by shattering the two greatest oppressive empires of the world then i.e. the Roman and thee Sassaniid. Their stormy victories were ensured as they were scene by the oppressed of these mighty empires as liberators.