Chapters 11-13

Chapter 11, "Bayt Al-Maqdis," was the first chapter in this book where I felt completely engaged when reading. This was the first chapter when I did not lose focus and had to spend 10 extra minutes rereading whatever I spaced out on. The content of this chapter is my favorite, I am fascinated with Islam and its history. I really enjoyed this reading, and I feel like this book is really starting to become interesting to me now that all three religions are present in Jerusalem.

I realize more and more everyday that I love Islam. I think that Islam is a fascinating religion and way of life. The impact that it has on people is overwhelming to me, which is why I am so attracted to it. I felt that Armstrong did a great job in explaining the religion in Chapter 11. She gave accurate and understandable definitions of the faith and gave a great summary of its establishment. In my opinion, Islam is a very misunderstood religion that receives a lot of criticism and overall bad reviews. Many claims that Islam is a hostile religion that encourages violence. Others claim that it is meant for isolation and it is unable to mix with the Western world. Chapter 11 helps clarify the misinterpretations of Islam by learning the history of the faith from the very beginning.

"By retuning to the original faith of Abraham, Muslims would make God, not a religious establishment, the goal of their lives" (221).

I think the biggest physical contribution to Jerusalem by the Muslims was the Dome of the Rock. This history behind this building is also fascinating, and it will play a huge role in Jerusalem from then on. "Islam had not great monuments and in Jerusalem, a city filled with magnificent churches, the Muslims felt at disadvantage" (327). Armstrong explains that the Dome of the Rock was actually built to challenge the Dome of the Anastasis on the Western Hill.  Armstrong then explains the rock that the Dome was built to honor. I had a negative reaction to Armstrong's explanation. I felt that she was fairly insensitive to Islam when she described the Rock. I probably have a personal bias because I am very interested in the religion, but I could not help but feel
 uncomfortable and defensive when I read this text.

"Why choose to honor this rock, which is not mentioned in either the Bible or the Qur'an? Later Mulsims would believe that Muhammad has ascended to heaven from the Rock after his Night Journey and that he had prayed tin the small cave beneath..." (237)

Another idea that I enjoyed reading was that the Dome of the Rock, which is initially a religious monument, was also used as a political threat. Armstrong explains, "the Dome of the Rock..was a dramatic assertion that Islam had arrived and was here to stay. It issued an imperious call the the Christians to revise their beliefs and return to the pure monotheism of Abraham" (239). It was not only a threat to the Christians, but also to the Jews:

"It occupied the site of their Temple, which had itself been uilt on the place where Abraham had sacrificed his son...The Jews were not the only children of Abraham and should remember that he had been neither a Jew nor a Christian but a muslim" (240).

This furthers my belief that religion has been taken advantage of as a political tool.

The last idea that really struck me was found in Chapter 12. Armstrong speak of Caliph al-Hakim, "a pious, austere man who was passionately committed to the Shii ideal of social justice. Yet he was of a troubled disposition, given to the outbursts of fanatical rage and cruelty. His mother had been a Christian, and it is likely that many of the caliph's problems sprang from a conflicted identity" (258). This I found very interesting because it reminds me of myself in many ways. Not that I had fanatical rage, but having parents of different religious beliefs and how this leads to identity crisis. My mom is Christian and my dad is Muslim, so I too have felt this "identity crisis" that Armstrong metions. But I did not turn out violent like the Caliph. I am just wondering if this assumption was more of a myth, or if there was evidence that he was crazy because of his family background. This is just an interesting thought I had.