Three Muslim men enter a mosque. These men don’t know each other, have never seen each other before and don’t have the intentions of befriending one another. Yet these men are all bound to one another, a little bit like a group. These men have one similarity that they share that unites them, as a body. It is their belief that ties them all together, their faith in leaders and holy teachings that puts them in the same category. Across the road is a church and it’s the same story there, whether or not the people there know each other is of no importance as they are all linked to one another by their religion.
Instruments of religion such as leaders and holy texts are there to present humans with this special bond provided by the similarity of their beliefs as well as an understanding of the morals of that specific religion.
Prior to the creation of the concept of God, one could only count on him/herself. Nobody else was indebted to help one another and man had nothing for support. Therefore it would have been hard for man to survive without any ethical guidance or societal structure.Religion originates from the Latin verb L. ligare which means, to tie or to bind. Faith in a religious leaders unites humans to believe and creates a bond where followers feel emotional and physical support and assistance. Leaders through texts have issued rules for everyone to comply with and guidelines to achieve a spiritual target. Therefore both Holy texts and religious leaders were instrumental in tying people to religion along with its guidelines and values. Certain religions such as Christianity and Islam used religious leaders and holy texts to introduce a more honorable and peaceful way of life. But mostly, those spiritual "commanders" and holy books gave humans a feeling of togetherness; a grasp of the connection shared with one another.
In Christianity, as in Islam, there are religious leaders, some of whom are the same. There are different criterias in which to place those leaders, there are the historical leaders and the contemporary leaders. In the section of historical leaders, Islam has mostly Prophets while Christianity has prophets and saints alike. The main prophets and saints of the Christian religion are Jesus and Moses. Islam’s historical religious leaders are Prophet Muhammad, Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), Prophet Isaac, Musa (Moses) and Isa (Jesus). (1)
They were here to give their people and followers a sense of direction and to install basic values within them. Also, it is a fact that all ancient religious leaders are credited with beginning social structure within the religion. By creating the belief itself, these leaders have gathered believers and installed sense of community in those people, which was later passed on down generations.
The contemporary leaders of today are the pope and the priests for Christianity and in Islam, its the same thing, in the sense that the contemporary leader is the leader of the mosque, the Imam. Contemporary leaders are more widespread, as the Pope is replaced when he passes away and there is one Imam per Mosque and one priest per Church.
The Pope’s mission is to supervise all significant decisions made by the Catholic Church, to defend the learning of Catholic values and faith and to seek that the Church's purpose on earth is being achieved. In all other aspects he is a human and in no way immortal or godly. The pope is just as prone to wrongdoing and will be in the same ignominy should he fail in his duties. The pope also validates the blessing of bishops and archbishops. When there is a canonization of a saint to be done, that too falls under the duties of the pope (1). Most of all though, we know the pope as the ruler of the Vatican and of the Catholic church.
There is one priest for every church, some call him the vicar or the priest, it depends. His function is to serve the Church (like performing the sacraments), carrying out of Mass and teaching the values and ways of the Lord.He often gives out speeches and blesses believers in the church and is present when children participate in their first communion.(4)
In the case of Islam, there is no figure to symbolize a “pope”, there is one Imam per Mosque and apart from that, believers of Islam pray to Allah and worship him.To be Imam, does give a leadership position, often, not only to be the leader of a mosque but also as leader of the community. The Imam is the one who leads the prayer during the gatherings at the mosque. More often, the community turns to the imam if they have a question relating to Islam. Another religious leader in Islam is the Mullah, this man has studied Islamic holy books and texts and is the expert on anything relating to the Qur’an or the Hadith. (1)
The Mullah is considered to be the trustworthiest person in matters associated with understanding the teachings of the Qur’an and/or the Hadith.
Every single one of these people have held teachings and instructions ready to be given about how to live a good life, according to each religion. They all play a role in placing the rules to life, and binding certain ethics and values onto their believers.
To understand how and why these original leaders/founders gave people an understanding of social structure and moral guidance, it is important to comprehend exactly what they did and who they were. Jesus taught his followers to love their enemies and to do good to even those who expressed hatred towards them. He told his disciples not to judge people and that the accumulation of wealth was morally wrong and that it should be donated to the impoverished. (6) Another one of Jesus’s essential teachings is that everyone deserves a second chance and that one should always learn to forgive another. (6) All of his teachings were present to install basic instructions so as to ascend to heaven when the Day of Judgment came. Reconcile your differences, care for all people, give to the poor, do not injure or offend anyone, constantly seek to pardon and do not preoccupy yourself with trivial issues such as garments and appearance (6).
Moses was a prophet, it was he who helped the slaves flee from Egypt and who was believed to have received the Ten Commandments from God.(7)
In Islam there are mostly prophets. Jesus is considered a prophet too, his name though, being Isa.
In Islam, Moses is contemplated as one of God’s messengers who had been sent to lead the people of Israel with a new set of sacred writings, the Injīl(1). The Qur’an states that Jesus was born to Maryam (Mary). (1) According to Islamic texts, Jesus was not crucified; instead, he ascended to heaven, alive. Islamic traditions say that he will return to Earth near the Day of Judgment to reinstate justice (1).
Like all prophets in Islam, Jesus is considered to have been a Muslim and is believed to have preached for people to espouse the direct path in acquiescence to God's will. Islam states that he was a mortal who, like other prophets, had been divinely chosen to spread God's message. Jesus was not the Son of God; he was, but a mere tool to disperse God’s words. Islam’s most renowned prophets are prophet Ibrahim and prophet Muhammad. Allah commanded Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) to build the House of God, also known as the Holy Kaaba. (5) With the help of his son Ishmael, Ibrahim built the Kaaba and it still stands to this day.(1)
Prophet Muhammad was the founder of the religion Islam and is believed by Muslims to be a messenger of Allah. He was an orphan and was brought up by his uncle.(2) Muhammad had the routine of meditating, unaccompanied, in a cave on Mount Hira, near Mecca. (5) This brought him serenity while he was also able to consider and reflect upon the fundamentals of this world and ruminate over unanswered questions of his existence. He resiliently opposed the revering of idols and believed that doing so was futile(2). It was said that one day; during his meditation sessions, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and demanded that he recite a series of sacred verses.(1)
According to certain stories, Muhammad was distraught by this revelation and contemplated suicide. Apparently, the angel informed him that he had been selected as God’s messenger. Some though, trust a different rendering of this tale, in which Muhammad was somewhat already expecting Gabriel and by no means contemplated self-destruction of any sort. (2)
Books and Holy texts are also a very important part of creating sets of values that will bring believers together to unite in living a certain way with certain beliefs and values. Monotheism, respect for god, honesty , compassion , prohibitions against anti-social behavior are the core messages of Ten Commandments.(7)
The Bible is a collection of books created by different authors and not just a single manuscript. Christians accept both the Old and New testament, as there is no form of favoritism regarding the two versions. All stories in the bible have a lesson behind them, a moral at the end. These are present to tell man what he should and shouldn’t do and to teach him the consequences of his actions and to show him where different ways of being will take him.(7)
The Qur'an is the equivalent of the Bible in Islam. The Qur’an contains the fundamental sacred texts of Islam. The Qur’an is thought to be a sacred book, providing all Muslims with guidance and direction.
It is said that the Qur’an was transmitted from Allah to Muhammad through angel Gabriel. It is regarded as a manuscript of assistance in spiritual direction. At times the Qur’an will bring up specific events in history and will often explain and draw attention to the ethical meaning and importance of each event.(9)
The Qur’an is abundant with teachings on how one should live and act. Some have simplified, translated and distorted those lessons to correspond with personal advantages or a different path of belief. There are those who have decided to accept the teachings of the Qur’an as straight, undemanding rules that one should strive to comply with. Others may use the Qur’an as a way to educate people about the Muslim way of life and of course, there are those who chose to apply only some of the Qur’an’s teachings, adjusting them for personal benefits and comfort. All of those things are different ways some use this book of holy teachings. (9)The majorities of Muslims consider the Qur’an a divine book of great importance and will be found, applying the rules of the Qur’an, to their daily lives. Some even memorize the Qur’an by heart, and may then receive the title of Hafiz.
Some of the basic teachings of the Qur’an are that one should respect all human beings, that one should never shout and always speak the truth. The Qur’an strongly emphasizes that no individual should brag, spy or insult another and always refrain from being contemptuous or condescending. (9)(5)
The Hadith are lessons and teachings stemming from the sayings and achievements of Muhammad. There are approximately 100,000 hadith to learn before becoming a Hafiz.(1)The majority of Muslims believe that the hadith are fundamental explanations of the rules of the Qur'an.(5) The hadith were appraised and assembled into selections, predominantly during the reign of caliph Umar during the 8th and 9th centuries. (1)
Moral guidance: the word moral originates from L. moralis (8), which translates into "proper behavior of a person in society". Guidance stems from O.Fr. guider (8)(ghee -day) which means "to guide, lead or conduct." Moral guidance is the leading into the right path where one knows how to act in a proper and ethical manner towards themselves and others. Some seek moral guidance to face their hardships or even to reconstruct their lives. Moral guidance provides stability and some form of spirituality and is looked for in various forms. Holy books and texts as well as spiritual and religious leaders provide great moral guidance. Not only that but they also support every individual with a sense of social structure.
Social, originates from L. socialis, which means “united, living with others," and structure comes from L. structura, which means, "fitting together, building." Structura though, was formed based on its initial Latin verb L. struere which means, "to pile, build or assemble" (8)
Social structure is the ways in which people within a society are organized into smaller groups, this is usually caused by a distinguishing pattern within the members of this society, such as religion or beliefs. The word “structure” in this term refers to the organization and build of this grouping of people. Groups may sound as if it is referring to a small quantity of people, but in reality, this “social organization” encompasses hundreds of millions of individuals and is really more of an international structure.
One way that holy texts and leaders supply moral guidance and social structure is by educating people how to live their lives in an honorable and harmonious way, according to the religion and belief system. Of course, everything is made in the intention of achieving something. Living a respectable life while following the rules instilled by texts and leaders will give moral guidance in order to achieve a spiritual “aspiration”. For Christians, the religious “goal” is set on the Day of Judgment. According to the New Testament, the Day of Judgment is a day at the end of time when God will determine the fates of all human beings so as to decide whether they should enter heaven or hell, all of which is based on the person’s actions in life, comprising of their good deeds and bad deeds.(1)
It is believed that upon passing away, the soul is subjected to a ruling, and depending upon the purity and goodness of deeds of this person, the soul ascends to heaven or descends into the pits of hell. There is such thing as purgatory on the Day of Judgment.
Roman Catholics believe that on The Day of Judgment, there are three paths in which the soul may go: heaven, hell or purgatory. Purgatory is the “procedure" of purification (redeeming the soul) in a state that may involve transitory punishment. Souls of those who depart this life are made ready for Heaven in purgatory. So purgatory would come to mean any place or state of temporary suffering, which would result in the purification of one’s soul.
Islam also holds a Day of Judgment. In Islam, the Day of Judgment represents the ultimate evaluation of humankind by God. The time at which this Day of Judgment will occur is not known, however, there are signs that are supposed to ensue before the happening, which, according to Islam, arise near the time of Doomsday.(1)
Values and principles are yet another gift presented by sacred texts and religious leaders. Having certain morals in life gives human beings a sense of social structure, as, according to their ethical resemblance, they can associate with one another. Having an acquired set of principles also provides moral guidance as ethics taught by religion act as an unvarying guide. Prophet Muhammad is largely recognized as being an essential part of passing on these ethics and values to his fellow believers. He did so by reciting prayers, talking to his followers and explaining the numerous rules and why they should be applied and taken into account. The fundamental morals established by prophet Muhammad were that one should always speak in truth and honesty, that no man should purposely insult or harm another, not to mention the importance of humanity and benevolence. The Qur’an holds countless paragraphs indicating basic ethics, principles and moral codes that a Muslim should permanently apply to his/her daily lives.
Much like Prophet Mohammad: Jesus educated his Christian followers the importance of sympathy, kindheartedness, sincerity, passivity and respect. The Bible and its stories all have morals to them so as to teach man what kind of behavior he should have and what the lack of these ethics will lead him to. (4) The word ethics originates from the Latin word L.ethica.(8)Ethics are the standards of someone and their ability chose between right or wrong based on what they believe. Principles are rules of individual comportment. People have to live and operate in a way that is coherent with their principles.
But more significantly, these texts and leaders, by sharing with us this sense of ethical direction and social organization, allows us to share our beliefs with others and continuously develop our societal “framework”, by teaching people around us about what we have faith in.
The expression ‘social structure’ is more commonly used in the study of society, also known as sociology (1) This “term” alludes to the evident “connection” between certain groups of people. Now this can be a group of any size, from small communities to whole societies. It is not a literal cluster, with certain people hanging out with each other regularly: its more of a light emotional bond that people have, knowing that there’s something in common between them. Once we have learned all of those things about principles and morals and we know where we fit in these particular structures, we have the capability to share our faith and understanding of faith with the world around us. And so, this allows for us to let others join the groups in this “structure” and broadens the bonding made in this “group” (more people.) We can then, use texts and leaders to build other’s societal structures too. The Holy texts are used to tecah people about the religion, about the guidelines. The stories in both religious texts offer moral tales and allegories as well as examples of what an honorable and peaceful life entails.
What would society be like today without these holy texts and spiritual “entrepreneurs”? As much as leaders and scriptures have played an important role in the evolution of our morals and how we build our social “groups”, I would say that there are always alternatives. One can always get moral guidance from simple prayers to God or asking for advice from other people. Social structure can come from talking to people around you and observing spiritual similarities. Nonetheless, important historical figures like Jesus, Prophet Muhammad, Moses and Prophet Ibrahim have played immense roles in giving us support and ethical guidance as well as a feeling of togetherness acquired by religion. The Bible and the Qur’an are some of the most fascinating books ever written, with pure and good-hearted instructions, they are a vital part of who a lot of us are today. I wrote this from the point of view of recently become Unitarian Universalist. Frankly, I have always rejected the prospect of God and his existence. It is only lately that I have begun to trust in some form of unknown power as when I was in need of guidance and social “togetherness”, I found myself empty handed. I explored Unitarian Universalism a couple of months ago and found that its ethics and beliefs respected and incorporated everything I believed in. U.U welcomes all forms of beliefs, ranging from Christians to Muslim, Buddhists etc. And does not reject the belief that God doesn't exist. I find it so much easier, writing about religion from this point of view because it is so much simpler to welcome all possibilities of religion than to find myself discarding all religious ideas. Prophets, priests, Imams and holy texts all play a part in providing human beings with moral guidance and social structure. I like the idea of it because it makes me think of integrity as, no matter who you are, you have these things to turn to, in order to provide and guide you. When you need direction in life and it seems like you can’t fit in with anything, it may after all, be a good idea to turn to these leaders and texts and, really look at your life from a different point of view and who knows, you may find that these ideas aren't so crazy after all.
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