Felton
Professor
World History 112 Since 1500
Date
Contending for Islam

The rapid spread of secular culture and the intensification of interloping of the west into the Islamic nations in the past prompt hyped debates among affected Muslims. Muslims are in a dilemma on the principals and cultural values to apply and the ones that they should reject. Again, the compatibility of the western culture with the Muslim tradition is also in doubt. Tough questions whose answers remain concealed clouds Muslim traditions over time. The paper gives stout thoughts and ideas of controversies derived from the readings of several authors while supporting various facts using relevant literature sources. It identifies how the authors use history to pass their arguments and the historical context of their appeals. Specifically, the paper will draw its points from the articles titled, Political Islam, Progressive Islam, and Abandoning Islam.
Political Islam The document clearly uses history to deliver his message to his audiences strongly. Ayatollah's article is a typical representation of thoughts that fit in the historical time. The document's message refers to a time when the Islamic revolution had just ended in Iran to create a government that was purely Islamic. The author uses historical issues that foster his points further. His reference to the lifestyle of the western people in the past clearly assists in embedding his message to his Muslim brothers. Strayer claims in the last paragraph that, “Western missionaries, carry out secret plans drawn up centuries ago, have created religious schools of their own within Muslim countries… These missionaries infiltrated our villages and countrysides to turn our children into Christians or atheists" (1122). According to the author, the imperialists strategized early enough in history to further their goals. The author uses history to inform his audience about the ills that constitute the culture of the west. By recalling the evils of the west, he finds it easy to find a solid ground for advocating a pure Islamic state governed by Islamic law. He recalls on the promises made to them by the imperialists and discredits them with rhetorical questions. Strayer questions in the fourth paragraph, “What do you understand of the harmony… Is it the promise of presence in the streets of lusting young women and men with chest, arms and thighs, bared” (1123)? Again, he uses history to justify the gagging of the media through recalling that the radio and T.V stations spread the immoral culture of the West, a practice that should be highly discouraged. Ongiri’s also discourages the act of hindering the freedom of communication (30). The author appeals from a historical context of backwardness, arrogance, and unwillingness to listen to reproof. Muslims did not want to be rational and open to any liberty. Their context is suitable in appealing to pro-imperialists in the Islamic nations to stop their course of politicizing matters of a morality of the Islamic states. Therefore, the message in the document came at a timely moment when the West and the European states wanted to spread their culture into Islamic states.
Progressive Islam The document used history to drive the point that Islamic states were willing to embrace; women's rights, democracy, and freedom of thought but wished to retain their distinctive religious sensibility. In this respect, the Muslims think that their civilization enables them to give room for other religions to flourish. Strayer says in the fourth paragraph that, “Islamic civilization has a long history of encouraging religious tolerance and guaranteeing the rights of religious minorities… the Qur’an explicitly acknowledges that diversity is part of the Divine Plan” (1125). Again, the author uses history to condemn acts of false Muslim jihadists. Woodlock reports that the Muslims brothers often distance themselves from the Muslim suicide bombers (97). The author appeals form a context of religious maturity. Arguably, they claim that they have matured in their actions and clung to the fact that they are civilized in their context. For the first time, the author attests to the fact that there are Muslim reforms that are quite accommodating to diversity. The author argues from a more liberal context and settles on weighing the virtues of the west and those of their states. China supports the context by arguing that Muslims participate in condemning acts of their fellow Muslims who claim to be acting violently due to religious calls (558). The fact that the Quran urges people to use their intelligence crowns the claim by the Muslims that they are a group that adores peaceful co-existence.
Abandoning Islam The use of history in this document is quite catchy because the writer writes from her past encounter with the Muslim fraternity. The author uses history to reveal the true composure and the meaning of being a Muslim from the individual point of view. Strayer claims in the third paragraph that, “They were reared to become submissive robots, who serve in the house as cleaners and robots” (1127). Islamic nations deserve freedom of choice in matters of religion. History truly speaks in this document as it reveals the ignorance of the grandfathers of the author. Those brought up in Muslim religion believed that it was the sole source of help. The author, in this case, appeals in the context of individual experience. She reveals her experiences in a Muslim society. Her context of speaking is more sincere and believable because she is a person who had struggled. Her context is the best among the rest as she has had first-hand experience with the ills that characterizes the Muslim society. In conclusion, the three authors use history articulately in revealing their sharp viewpoints about Muslim. The authors speak from varied contexts, and that seriously affects their perspectives of sharing their ideas. However, the chief position derived from the author’s use of history is that a Muslim is a society that is slowly changing its hard stands in conformance to the western culture that they had initially denounced fiercely.

Works Cited

Chin, R.. "Turkish Women, West German Feminists, and the Gendered Discourse on Muslim Cultural Difference." Public Culture 22.3 (2010): 557-581. Print.
Ongiri, Amy Abugo. "To Be Black And Muslim: Struggling for Freedom." Postmodern Culture 23.1 (2013): 23-45. Print.
Stayer, Robert. Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources. Vol.2. New York: Bedford/St Martin’s, 2013.Print
Woodlock, Rachel. "Muslim women of power: gender, politics and culture in Islam." Islam and Christian“Muslim Relations, 23.1 (2012): 96-97. Print.