Islam

Now, I am glad to present a study on how Spain toted colors to the Philippines in various aspects in the forms of politics, economics, and social and cultural, education and religion. Political problem shared first degree of nuisance to the Philippines right after Spain took over. But come to think of It, It’s actually the first political scale our nation had felt. A nuisance. An inconvenience. Definitely, our country favored for the informality of power spreading over than what the Spanish men had to offer. Established as a One Central Government,” independent Barings vanished.

Spain ruled us with the said structure. As far as my data gathered could reach, I have three different versions of how Spain governed the Philippines chronologically applied. Since the Spanish nation was located southwest of Europe and the parameterization of his own country was his mission. The King simply cannot travel back and forth to our Islands, considering the means of conveyance to be very finite. Denominated as Viceroy of Mexico, this person is the one who presided over the Islands of the Philippines, taking orders from the King.

When Mexico regained independence two hundred years after, Viceroy of Mexico became obsolete, superseded by a Governor General. Doing the same task Viceroys were told to do, a Governor General became Just played second fiddle to the greater Colonial Government, succeeding the King of Spain. As years went by, further growth was accustomed dividing governments into two – the National Government and the Local Government. At this point, I could safely state that this evolution of politics within the Spanish colonization was the blueprint behind our government today, showing resemblance to the other. The National

Government was the one In charge of maintaining peace and order, collecting taxes and building schools and other public works to the benefit of the people. On the other hand, the Local Government was supplementary diverged into two, namely Alkaloid, which was led by and Laced Mayor, and Correction, ruled out by a Corridor. Again, similarities to the present time proclaimed. The duties of the Laced Mayors and Corridors were not as challenging as what the National Government had. Laced Mayors managed the day-to-day operations of the provincial government and supervised the collection of taxes.

Differently, the Spanish people. Moving on, provinces were divided into smaller towns or pueblos; each led by an officer hailed as Gubernatorial. The officer shouldered efficient governance and tax collection. As I said earlier, if I’m not mistaken, this might be the mother template of our current government. A formality granted to our freedom political wall five centuries ago. You cannot deny the similitude they convey, and you cannot deny the fact that we did reaped benefits from what they did to our national regime. Economy during the Spanish Colonial Period was something not to be skipped about.

Vibrant events leading free trade was something to be proud about. Although not formed mainly by Spain alone, the zigzag ventures the country went through definitely upped the sleeping trade industry of the Philippine Islands. Centered around “Manila Galleons,” sailed from Acapulco on the west coast of Mexico with shipments of goods, the trade kicked off booming. No straight trading was made by Spain and exploitations of natural resources were minimal. Basically, they focused on Galleon Trade. But as the trade industry prospered, another unwelcome element as introduced – sojourning Chinese entrepreneurs and service providers.

In the course of the Seven Years’ War, forces approaching from British East India Company captured Manila. Even though Manila was restored under the Spaniards, a great rebellion streak was fired. Different races residing on our Islands sided with the British people, but soon enough, everything was put back to place. Everything was back the way it was. The restoration of the Spanish rule brought reforms aimed at advancing the economic development of the Islands and making them independent of subsidies from New Spain.

The galleon trade ceased, and from that moment onward the Royal Company of the Philippines, which had been chartered in 1785, promoted direct and tariff-free trade between the Islands and Spain. Cash crops were cultivated for trade with Europe and Latin America, but profits diminished after Spain’s Latin American colonies became independent in the early nineteenth century. Two decades later or so, free trade was formally recognized, getting rid of the Royal Company of the Philippines for good. Manila became an open port to Asian, European and North American traders because of its excellent port.

Half a century followed, more ports were unfastened to foreign commerce. Concurrent, three crops – tobacco, abaca and sugar – dominated Philippine exports. Lasting for more than three hundred years, you cannot simply say we were not influenced by Spain. Prominently showing, our social and cultural aspects exhibit the ever-rich Hipic race, a reality you cannot repudiate. As I skimmed through references, I can conclude that language, culture and religion were three factors that had been influenced greatly by the Spaniards, greater than anything else.

It is worth mentioning that the Spaniards enriched the Filipino languages through lexicographic studies produced by the friars back in their colonization. Many Spanish words found into the phonetic patterns of the Filipino languages. These Spanish words like “mesa” (table), “adobe” (marinated cooked food), and others are commonly used today in the daily practical transactions of the Filipinos with each other. The influences from Spain have become permanently embedded in Filipino culture too. The Filipino people themselves have internalized them and definitely, they cannot be disregarded anymore.

For good or bad, they have catapulted the Filipinos into the world of Spanish culture, into the world of Spanish civilization and its products. Nevertheless, it must be said that we, Filipinos did not receive the cultural influences from Spain sitting down. They responded in a way that demonstrated their capacity to master the new and to balance the new against the old, in a way that called for their capacity to bring values and principles to bear with a critical and informed Judgment, and in a way that called for them to be able to sift what is essential from what is trivial.

Thus they responded selectively to the novelties the Spaniards brought with them to the Philippine Islands. The Filipinos accepted only those that fitted their temperament, such as the “fiesta” that has become one of the most endearing aspects of life in our Islands, and made them blend with their indigenous lifestyle to produce a precious Philippine cultural heritage. Like it or not, our Filipino cultural heritage cannot be refused that it is substantially authorized by the Spaniards. The way we speak, the way we run things, the way we do things. It’s inevitable.

And it’s somehow nothing to be frowned about. Deep cultural, religious and linguistic transformations were felt by the Philippines during the Spanish Colonization and that was made more eminent with education. They played a big role in the transformation the Islands of the Philippines went through. The oldest universities, colleges, vocational schools and the first modern public education system in Asia were created during the Spanish colonial period. By the time Spain was replaced by the United States as the colonial power, Filipinos were among the most educated subjects in all of Asia.

A great effect Spain had granted to us. Education during the colonization of Spaniards was mostly centered to religion and the Roman Catholic Church controls it. The main aim of the Spanish people was to convert our indigenous populations to the Catholic Faith. However, the authorities mandated the Spaniards to educate the natives, to teach them how to read and write and to learn the Spanish language. The Spanish missionaries established schools immediately on reaching the islands and wherever they penetrated, church and school went together.

There was no Christian village without its school and all young people attended. As a result of increasing the number of educated Filipinos a new social class raised, that came to be known as the Illustrates. Furthermore, with the opening of Suez Canal in 1869 travel to Spain become quicker, easier and more affordable, and many mostly in Madrid and Barcelona. This new-enlightened class of Filipinos would later lead the Philippine independence movement, using the Spanish language as their main communication method.

The most prominent of the Illustrates was Joss Racial, who inspired the desire for independence with his novels written in Spanish. Other Filipino intellectuals, such as Grecian Lopez Jean, Marcelo H. Del Pillar, Marino Pence or Antonio Ulna, who had also studied in Spain, began contributing to the cause for Filipino self-government and independence. The Philippines proudly boasts to be the only Christian nation in Asia. More than 86 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, 6 percent belong to various nationalized Christian cults, and another 2 percent belong to well over 100 Protestant denominations.

In addition to the Christian majority, there is a vigorous 4 percent Muslim minority, concentrated on the southern islands of Mindanao, Sulk, and Palatal. Scattered in isolated mountainous regions, the remaining 2 percent follow non-western, indigenous beliefs and practices. The Chinese minority, although statistically insignificant, has been culturally influential in coloring Filipino Catholicism with many of the beliefs and practices of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.

The pre-Hipic belief system of Filipinos consisted of a pantheon of gods, spirits, creatures, and men that guarded the streams, fields, trees, mountains, forests, and houses. Bathmat, who created earth and man, was superior to these other gods and spirits. Regular sacrifices and prayers were offered to placate these deities and spirits–some of which were benevolent, some malevolent. Wood and metal images represented ancestral spirits, and no distinction was made between the spirits and their physical symbol. Reward or punishment after death was dependent upon behavior in this life.

Upon this indigenous religious base two foreign religions were introduced Islam and Christianity and a process of cultural adaptation and synthesis began that is still evolving. Spain introduced Christianity to the Philippines in 1565 with the arrival of Miguel Lopez De Legal’s. Earlier, beginning in 1350, Islam had been spreading northward from Indonesia into the Philippine archipelago. By the time the Spanish arrived in the 16th century, Islam was firmly established on Mindanao and Sulk and had outposts on Zebu and Luzon.

At the time of the Spanish arrival, the Muslim areas had the highest and most politically integrated culture on the islands and, given more time, would probably have unified the entire archipelago. Carrying on their historical tradition of expelling the Jews and Moors [Moors] from Spain (a commitment to eliminating any non-Christians), Legal’s quickly dispersed he Muslims from Luzon and the Visalia islands and began the process of Christianization. Dominance over the Muslims on Mindanao and Sulk, however, was never achieved during three centuries of Spanish rule.

Opulent culture spreading across seven thousand islands, colorful fiestas celebrated every single day, there’s no opposition of the Spanish genes within the thick blood of our country. As I write this ending remark for my essay, I wish that the reader, in whichever side you are agreeing to, would think of the Spanish regime more of a blessing than a nasty colonizing disaster. There’s no way you could help it, we are just made our splendid culture more vigorous and more vibrant – a rich development we procured for almost a hundred years.

As with most religions studied all around the world both Islamic and Christian faith are viewed as powerful and life changing lifestyle in a religious aspect. Although, they are both unique in their own way both religions have helped to shape the people in which they are practiced by. In the essay below you will encounter the differences and similarities which make these religions what they are to the people who practice them. Although, no one religion is greater than the other they are only as great as the people who vow to live them daily.

Christian and Muslim faith have both help to develop the country, America as two of the most widely practiced religions, and although they are different they both have made positive impact in the development of the country. With a place like America, considering the freedom of the people, the views and morals and values of the people, who inhabit this beautiful country it is not hard to figure out why they call it the “melting pot. ” Depending on who is describing its beauty, to most it would be known as the American dream, mostly to those who do no live here and want to come here.

When people speak of America they speak of freedom, freedom to live as they want, freedom to say what they want, freedom to do as they want and the freedom to dream as they want. All of these things and more make up what America is known for. However, although, living freely is something that is precious to those who come here, one of the most important aspects to living freely as they would like is the fact that they are welcomed here no matter what religion. With religion being such a big part in most people’s lives it is not uncommon to see people engaging in it everyday.

Although there are many different religions, in America two of the most common religion happens to be Christianity and the Islamic religion, Muslim. Although, these two religions differ, they also have their similarities, both religions believe that there is only one true God that sends down a messenger to observe the people, they both believe in a better reward in the after life if they live their lives well and according to the commands of their God. Both religions rely on a books in which they use to guide them through life.

They both praise and worship their Gods, although in different ways and they both practice certain commands of their God to show their appreciation for life given to them by the Gods they serve. However, to accurately pick apart these two religions, and translate their full value, would probably be impossible, because neither religion nor how it’s practiced is fully understood by the people who practice it. However, both do have their own views as to how things came about, how things should be done, and the consequences of not doing as their God would have them to do.

To know the difference between the two, to understand that aspect, it is first important to understand what each religion is, and how they came about. Practicing Christianity means to practice a religion based on the belief in Jesus Christ. They believe that Jesus, by dying and rising from the dead, made up for the sin of Adam and thus redeemed the world, allowing all who believe in him to enter heaven. Christians rely on the Bible as the inspired word of God.

The Bible is their book of direction, written by the disciples and followers of God and translated to them from Him so that the people will follow these directions for their daily lives. To them the word was breathed by God. It is even fair to say that one of the biggest differences between the two is that Christianity is more about the relationship with God rather than the religious practice. The Christian population believe that in order to truly worship God, one must get close to him and develop a relationship with him, with that, the closer you are to him, the more you will become like him.

It is believed that God allows each and every Christian to develop and grow their own relationship with God so as to get to a place of love shared between the two. In a sense, if the love you have for God grows outside of a religious sense it is still acceptable by God, and the more the love grows the more you are accepted by him. Although, religious practices go hand in hand with worshiping him so the more love you have for God the more you will do at his command because you know it will show the love you have for him.

Other big differences are the belief that God exist as one in three persons which includes The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit. In the Muslim religion there is one God, or better known as Allah. Period. Its beliefs are different from the teaching of the Christian faith. To Muslims, there is but one God, and Jesus, is merely a prophet, just as Muhammad was, for the people, born a virgin, but created just as Adam and all mankind was. However, Muhammad is who was chosen by God. The people of Muslim faith do not believe in Jesus dying on the cross, because they do not believe that

God would allow such a torturous death to one of his followers, with that though Christians believe the death was needed in order to show salvations for all the sins of the people. For the Muslim, the Qu’ran is their book of direction; however it was not created until after the bible. As the Christians believe that the Bible is the only holy word direct from God, Muslims believe the Qu’ran has just the same importance. Christians believe their bible to be the only word, and that nothing can be added or taken away from it which is exactly what the Islamic people did by erecting the Qu’ran.

Because of these essential differences and contradictions, Islam and Christianity cannot both be true. The Bible and Qur’an cannot both be God’s Word. The truth has eternal consequences. As stated above both believe in an eternal reward for good deeds, but the way in which you receive them differ as well. In the Christian religion, Jesus died for all sins and as long as his existence is believed and people repent of their sins they can be forgiven, only by God’s grace and granted access to a heavenly existence after earthly existence is finished.

As far the Islamic religion is concerned paradise is only earned by keeping the five pillars, which include: The testimony of faith. This means, “There is no deity but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. ” A person can convert to Islam by stating this creed. The shahada shows that a Muslim believes in Allah alone as deity and believes that Muhammad reveals Allah. Prayer, Five ritual prayers must be performed every day. Giving, this almsgiving is a certain percentage given once a year. Fasting. Muslims fast during Ramadan in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

They must not eat or drink from dawn until sunset. Pilgrimage. If physically and financially possible, a Muslim must make the pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia at least once. This is performed in the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar. These five pillars, are what Muslim followers believe if lived by will assist them in obtaining eternal life with the God in which they serve. When comparing these two religions, the contrast is also apparent in their way of life as well. Education and marriage are also two things common in both religions and cultures but very different.

One thing is certain when analyzing the union of marriage or the importance and significance of education in the Muslim faith, religion goes hand in hand with each of these subjects because faith and religious growth is what determines the lifestyle of Muslims in every aspect. The Qur’an lays out clear guidelines for marriage. One of the main traits you should look for in a potential spouse is a similarity in religious outlook. For the sake of compatibility, and the upbringing of future children, it is most recommended for a Muslim to marry another Muslim.

However, in some circumstances it is permissible for a Muslim to marry a non-Muslim. The engagement is the biggest part of the wedding. Once the father has found a groom for his daughter, the wedding plans start rolling. The father than receives a bag of money as a thank you from the man who is about to marry his daughter. These are the oldest form of arraigned marriages and dowry is still a very important part of the proceedings. This is a token of his gratitude and loyalty to his daughter. Muslim beliefs are very strict when it comes to their marriages and the relationships within them.

The man in the relationship is just that. He runs the household and everything that needs to be taken care of. In a Muslim relationship, the woman is meant to reproduce and take care of the home while her husband is at work. As the wife you are required to give your husband the utmost respect in absolutely every way. You are also required to accept and deal with any punishment that he feels you require. These are the beliefs of a Muslim marriage. However, these punishments and disciplines are not handed out the way that the media would have you believe.

While a modern woman in America would have no part of this type of marriage, Muslim women have been taught no other teachings, and the faith is to be respected. While both religions look to their religion to lead their marriage, the Islamic faith is more likely to follow theirs to the letter. Christians also believe in the sanction of marriage and believe the same principles such as not cheating and staying true to the spouse. But, Christians are less likely to follow every step in the process. The penalties in one religion are nothing compared to the penalties in another.

If you are a Muslim woman you cannot divorce your husband, he can only divorce you, adultery is punishable with death by stoning and there are almost no second chances, because the faith of the Islamic people are so strong this is excepted. However, Christianity is quite different; a woman may divorce her husband. Both men and women are equal in marriage and one does not rule the other. However the woman should submit to the man in order to help their marriage to be successful. To be educated is also something that has noted differences between the two religions Education is the birth right of every Muslim and Muslimah.

Islam puts considerable emphasis on its followers to acquire knowledge. Investment in education is the best investment one can make, because it eventually leads to intellectual property. Intellectual property is the intangible property, which no one can steal or destroy. This is the property on which no Government can levy a tax. In the Western World the purpose of education is to provide for the economic prosperity of a nation. At a personal level the purpose of education is to acquire academic and professional skills that enable one to earn a respectable living with riches and fame, and also a luxurious and comfortable life.

For a Muslim providing economic prosperity of a nation does not contradict his /her Islamic belief, however focusing the goals of education solely for the purpose of money making is unpalatable. Muslims want to impart Islamic education. Women are educated differently than men as well.

Misconception of gender roles occur in everyday aspect of life and religion is no exception to this case. Especially in the religion of Islam, current debates occur over gender roles. Although this monotheistic religion has been around for centuries, It wasn’t long ago that it became so prevalent in main stream media; especially since the occurrence of 9/11. As much as this religion Is celebrated, it Is also highly scrutinized for the preconception of the role of man and woman.

This Is all based upon the interpretations by Non-Muslims and Muslims alike, due to the fact that ultra biases conflict with actual teachings of Islam. Negative connotations have been made In regards to how women do not receive equal treatment and how men are treated like kings. Though many claim that Islam has monolinguals view points, this religion In fact has high Importance of women. It’s the truth that has to be reexamined to get Americans to reconsider their perception of Muslim women and their Important roles In Islam.

To understand this debate over women’s role In Islam, one has to understand the religion Itself. The actual meaning of the word “Islam” according to Encyclopedia Britannica is an Arabic word that means submission to God. Specifically it is the act of compliance to one single God, which is why it is a monotheistic religion. This religion is carried out by their holy book called the “Curran”. The main objective of this religion is to live a full life through the teachings of Curran, rid one’s self of negative attributes such as Ego that pollutes the mind.

This religion is meant to be practiced on a continual basis and that is why it incorporates domestic issues such as, how to dress, personal hygiene, what to eat, and civil issues such as marriage and divorce. Islam has survived through many centuries and remains to be the fastest growing religion in America to date. According to Time Magazine, by 2030 the global population is set to reach over 8 billion and 26. 4% of that population will be Muslim. One of the main problems in understanding Islam is due to the language barrier. Most of the important teachings are written in Arabic.

Majority of the world does not speak this language. Therefore, it is up to the translation to decipher the teachings. Through translation meaning gets lost and is up to interpretation to understand what topics are presented. Interpretations are based off of opinions and are subjected too bias that develops with the interpreter. As a result, it is challenging to get an objective viewpoint to understand Islam. In addition, Immoral practices are administered within the religion of Islam because of cultural standards conflicting with the actual teachings.

This makes it difficult for Muslims already part of the religion to understand the religion further, let alone the Non-Muslims who absolutely have no knowledge about the religion, that are basing their understanding off of bad sources. Such misconceptions result In people developing their criticisms of a religion that Is so far from the actual truth. In the religion Islam, both women and men are spiritually equal because they encompass a soul. The basic meaning behind that Is both partners have the same sense of hearing, speaking, breathing, touching, and assisting.

They also have the ability to choose between what Is right or wrong. What separates a woman from a man is women’s capability to procreate. This is purely who do not follow a religion. There is nothing in the Curran verses that implement that men are superior to women. It is purely society’s misinterpretation of Islamic teachings that otherwise state the equality between a man and woman. It is social, economic, and biological aspects that differentiate the role of each gender, and thus a role of women should be civil to that of a man.

The Judaism, Christian, and Islamic religions have its own approach to art and architecture. These religions distinctive styles were influenced by political and spiritual upheavals In society, the environs, and the consciousness of the Inhabitants. Their expression of Inner feelings and beliefs lead to the creation of sacred monumental structures and beautiful art In which people can reflect and gain inspiration from the delve. The Judaism, Charlatanry, and Islam diverse traditions and theologies offer an illuminating insight into their notions of the sacker and profanes. Jewish

Jewish art and its development is acutely intertwined with Christian art due to its profound connections to each other. Although Judaism and Christianity are similar and different in many respects, the Jewish religion is a far older faith. In referring to the Jewish theological notion of sacker and profanes, they believe that God is non- figurative, they worship in synagogues, and their religious text is the five books of Moses the Torah, and the Ten Commandments are the foundation of their laws. The synagogues equates to the Temple of Jerusalem, as religious houses where the Jews reactive their faith.

Their cultural, social, and religious belief continues through their art and architecture. According to Soles, “Jewish art Is an art of symbols to convey a relationship to the sacker- (Soles, L 10). The Durra-Europe (c. 239 AD. ) synagogue artwork is significant because they are the most all-encompassing and extensive figural representation of early Jewish art history to survive. Representations of God do not appear in the Jewish context due to the Second Commandment; however, the use of symbols in their depictions exemplifies their faith as they illustrated episodes room the Hebrew Bible.

The Durra-Europe western wall mural paintings depict tremendous figurative imagery. Soles indicated that there Is an emphasis on the themes of redemption and salvation connotative in the area above the Torah niche. The central Image is a schematic representation of the front doors of the Temple of Jerusalem that In the future will be rebuilt, to the right Is Abraham about to sacrifice Isaac, but In the end Is saved, and to the left are the seven-branch candelabra (Soles, L 10).

The Image of the seven-branch candelabra depicted throughout Jewish art story is a symbol of salvation and redemption due to the conviction that the world was created in seven days and the law of keeping the seventh day a holy day. The number seven is important because it represents “completion and perfection” (Soles, L 10). Another image on the wall of Durra-Europe is a continuous narration depicting the Life of Moses. There are two large representations of Moses in the center, one is turning to part the Red Sea that destroys the Egyptians, and the other is of him leading the Israelites to the sea.

These mural scenes emphasizes the Jewish people’s event with God and sends a message that they are the chosen people of Israel. In the middle ages, there was a change in attitude towards the Jewish community in various parts of the world. There were not able to profess their religion architecturally with outward displays that denote their religious affiliation Like the Christians and the Muslims could, so they glorified and sanctified their faith Inside the synagogues. Soles stated that the Jewish community were not interested in religious houses (L 14).

The Gothic style Latten Synagogue in Prague built in between he 12th and the 13th century displays its artistic and cultural distinction from other religions. Inside there is a pair of columns sustaining the roof with the central element the bimbo, which is a raised platform where the reading of the Torah occurs. The seating arrangement goes around the bimbo facing forward towards the Aaron (holy arch) in a semi horseshoe. Both the bimbo and the Aaron are raised above the Jewish congregating implying their close relationship with God (Soles, L 14).

On the ceiling there are five ribs installed to avoid having a cruciform, to not emulate Christianity. Another feature in synagogues is the parakeet (Torah curtain). The early 17th Coupled-column Ottoman parakeet is a blending of Jewish symbolizes with Islamic influences. There is a pair of columns alluding to the Temple of Jerusalem and a Miramar opening. The central image is the goblet with nine lamps hanging from it. In Judaism, the number nine is associated with perfection and the cycles of birth and rebirth as this number mirrors the relationship between God and humanity (soles, ALL).

Christian As the Western Empire declined and finally collapse in 476, cultural and political dervish shifted to the Eastern Empire. The development of Byzantine art was the result of religious and diplomatic strife between the east and west. Justinian I (c. 482-565) was the ruler of the east and under his governance, Constantinople became the artistic capital of the Empire. The Haggis Sophia (532-37 A. D) is the earliest example on an epic scale of the basic feature of Byzantine architecture as a surviving monument in Justinian reign.

The interior of the church has an aesthetic quality that is magnificent in appearance and reinforces the theme of redemption and lavational along with sacker and profanes in a new reality (Soles, Al 1). The central feature of the Church of Holy Wisdom is the nave that is crowned by the dome. The dome rests on four arches and has an array of windows, which acts as the eyes. According to Soles, the numerous windows act as windows to the soul that connects the Empire to the heavens (Soles, Al 1). The arches are broken up into smaller arches, with semicircular apses, and arcades with ornamental details in the molding and the capitals.

Furthermore, the lighting in this church played a key role attributed to he rows of windows that gives the illusion that the dome is floating. The Haggis Sophia represented God on a grand scale that left the people feeling exulted and in awe. In the 1 lath and the 12th century, there is a continuation of sacker and profanes demonstrated in the constructions of churches in Western Europe. Piety was on the rise and a lot of the populace went on religious pilgrimages to express their devotion of the Roman Catholic faith. This period was also the birth of Romanesque architecture.

Architects utilized Roman antiquity to develop their churches with Christian themes. The SST. Sermon De Toulouse church in Toulouse, France, marks a geographical point for a religious pilgrimage. The architectural shape is that of a cruciform that invokes the crucifixion of Christ as well as the Chi-RYO is symbolizing the victory over death. In the middle of the 12th century, a new architectural style replaced the Romanesque design known as Gothic. In France, Abbot Surer and state. Because of this, Gothic style religious houses became the dominant public worship site in the early medieval period.

The Nave of Chartres Cathedral is the epitome of Gothic style. There is a greater sense of light and openness compared to Romanesque. In the interior, the arches come together at points called gives giving the entire cathedral a “sense of heaven-forwardness” (Soles, Al 2). Gothic churches have many large windows and flying buttresses on the outside of the church, connecting to the main structure. The South transept rose window from the Chartres Cathedral has a central stained glass depiction of Jesus surrounded by twelve apostles.

This culls, also has below its five images representing the five wounds of Christ with the images of the four Hebrew biblical prophets. The Gothic architectural style and the stained glass illustrations convey a message of spirituality and majesty between humanity and divinity. Islam In the 7th century, the religion known as Islam took root in the Middle East by its founder and prophet, Muhammad. In the course of his lifetime and 30 years after his death in 632 A. D. , this religion spread to Africa, Spain, and Asia. It also converted many places of worship into mosques like the Haggis Sophia in 1453.

The practitioners f this faith became Muslim which means “submitter” or “committee” to the will of God or in Arabic, Allah. The Curran became the secular textural foundation for the Islamic religion. With their faith basis, Muslims continued the sacker and profanes in their architecture and art. In Jerusalem, the Dome of the Rock (c. 687-691) monument is the earliest Islamic building to survive. According to legend, Muhammad was taken by the angel Gabriel on a mi ‘raja (spiritual Journey) to experience both heaven and hell, which made it a sacred site (Soles, Al 3).

The golden dome itself is one highest mint in Jerusalem as it rests on an octagonal structure, which rest on a square base. The dome symbolizes heaven and it mirrors the one on the Haggis Sophia. The squared platform echoes the four directions of profane and profanes, between an earthbound and the spiritual reality. The octagonal, a combination of a square and a circle represents the eight-pointed star, which also reinforces the ideal of heaven and earth is Joined in abstract terms (Soles, L 13). Outside this structure, there is a dynamic contrast between geometric, rectilinear, and curvilinear elements in a series f abstractions and colors.

The colorful beauty with its detailed abstract designs, motifs, religious significance, and the distinctive structural design became the foundation of Islamic art and architecture for Muslims throughout the world. Another feature in Islamic architecture is the Miramar (niche) in the cabala wall to indicate the direction of Mecca. According to the Curran, Muslims must kneel and pray before Allah five times a day towards the holy land therefore, this Miramar served as geographical orientation. Muslims usually have mass prayer in all parts of the oral; therefore, in Islam everyone is equal in their faith.

This equality is reinforced on an architectural and a spiritual level because both the Christian and Jewish religions have an ecclesiastical court, Muslims pray directly to Allah without any clergy, thus in a way are more self-conscious with their relationship to God. There is a great deal of borrowing, emulation, and transformation in the Jewish, relationship with God through art and architecture. The constant sacker and profanes theme in all the religions, rested on the conviction of salvation and the hope of eternal life in paradise.

This paper will look at the manner in which state-funded religion schools came into being in the United Kingdom. It will reason that authorities educational policy and its in-migration and integrating policies play a cardinal function in finding the demand for the proviso of province religion schools.

The province support of religion schools has a long history in the United Kingdom. The National Society of the Church of England founded 17,000 schools to offer instruction to the hapless between 1811 and1860. ( DfES, p.2 ) The province support of these schools began in 1870 when Church and other voluntary establishments began to have financess to supplement and help them in their educational proviso. ( Cush, p.435 )

As at January 2008, of the 20,587 maintained primary and secondary schools in the UK, 6,827 have a spiritual character and of these nine are Muslim. ( Bolton, 2009, Table 1 ) There are three types of schools with spiritual character in the UK – maintained, academies and independent schools – with the province providing support for the first two. Maintained schools are either: volunteer controlled which means the Local Education Authority provides all the support in return for control largely over spiritual instruction and administration ( most Church of England schools are voluntary controlled ) ; and voluntary aided where the province provides 90 % of the support for more control over spiritual instruction and administration ( most other denominations fall into this class, particularly Roman Catholic schools ) . ( Cush p. 435-436 ) . Christian and Judaic religion schools were the lone religion schools having province support until 1998 when the Islamia Schools Trust, after a conflict of 12 old ages, was awarded voluntary aided position for its schools. Whilst there are merely nine province funded Muslim schools, there are over 100 Muslim schools in Britain. These independent schools tend to organize their attempts through the Association of Muslim Schools.

On November 11th, 2007 during Prime Minister ‘s Questions, the authorities stated that sing instruction it “ is committed to a diverse system of schools driven by parental demands and aspirations ; that the Government does non hold marks for faith schools but remains committed to back uping the constitution of new schools by a scope of suppliers. ” ( Bolton, 2009, p.14 ) Reaffirming the Government ‘s place on religion schools, Ed Balls, the so Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families said on January 9th, 2008: “ It is non the policy of the Government or my Department to advance more faith schools. We have no policy to spread out their Numberss. That should be a affair for local communities. ” ( Bolton, 2009, p.16 )

The thrust for some members of the Muslim community towards their ain religion schools needs to be understood in visible radiation of the background of Muslim migration into the UK, their subsequent integrating and recent universe events. The first Muslims geting from South Asia in the 1950s were semi-skilled or unskilled laborers. They had a inclination to remain insulated from the wider community – this being every bit much a map of their ain pick as a response to the racism and societal exclusion they were sing. ( Hefner, p.227 ) Subsequent unfastened in-migration policies of the 1970s allowed their households to follow and now 75 % of all Muslims in the UK are from South Asia. Harmonizing to the 2001 nose count, the about 1.6 million British Moslems make up approximately 3 % of the population. ( Hefner, p. 227 ) In the UK, “ Muslim ” has become synonymous with “ Pakistani ” .

Third coevals British-born Muslim households no longer believe of themselves as immigrants, although what it means to be a British Muslim is still a construct being negotiated. Our individualities are defined as much by our ain apprehension of our histories as by how we think others perceive us. In recent old ages, the individuality of Muslims has been tied up with universe events and striking representations in the media. Since September 11th, 2001, Muslims have been bombarded by an overpoweringly hostile media and a authorities seemingly captive on encroaching on the autonomies and human rights of its Muslim citizens. Salma Hafejee described an event that evoked non uncommon feelings in her 21 twelvemonth old boy. Talking on a movie for “ Our Lifes ” , a undertaking which explored the penetrations and experiences of Muslim adult females in Bradford, she told the narrative of a weekend visit her boy took to Barcelona. Coincidently, on the weekend of his trip there had been a series of apprehensions made in Barcelona in connexion with what had been described as terrorist activities. On his return place, her boy was met by constabularies and questioned for several hours. She said he had ever felt British and believed that his British passport would protect him, but for the first clip he felt an foreigner in his ain place. ( Speak-it, 2009 ) One can good conceive of that this experience and the changeless bombardment of negative images associating to his religion in the media must hold been perplexing. Naturally surrounded by such ill will and “ other ” ised in this manner, a community would hold a inclination to shut ranks and look inward for comfort, protection and security.

This state of affairs can be seen as some justification for why the Muslim community turned to Muslim schools to continue their communal individuality and Muslim patterns. The Education Reform Act 1988 provinces that schools should “ advance the religious, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of students at the school and in society… ” Some Muslims were get downing to oppugn whether a non-Muslim schooling environment would be able to adequately carry through that demand for their kids. The Education Act of 1944 made faith the lone topic it was mandatory to learn in school, but the instruction of faith is comparatively superficial, intending that from the position of those for whom a spiritual ethos is of import, mainstream schools are unable to supply the religious and spiritual dimension adequately.

How authoritiess deal with the proviso of faith does look to hold some bearing on the educational picks of parents. An scrutiny of Belgium and The Netherlands shows that when the authorities proviso of spiritual instruction is high, the demand for spiritual schools is muted. In Belgium, 4 % of the population is Muslim – chiefly of Turkish or Moroccan descent. Since 1975, it has been the jurisprudence to supply Islamic direction in province schools on the same footing as other faiths are taught. The first, and merely, province funded Islamic primary school opened in 1989 and seems to be linked to the inability of two municipalities to name officially recognized instructors and thereby their refusal to supply Islamic direction. In The Netherlands, 6 % of the population is Muslim and besides chiefly of Turkish or Moroccan descent. The province does non hold a policy for the specific proviso of Islamic direction and there are 45 Islamic schools in The Netherlands. ( Merry, 2005 )

In the UK, the deficiency of equal proviso of spiritual instruction in mainstream province schools, the ill will of the media, the authorities and the populace to their religion and community, and the recorded underachievement of Pakistanis in mainstream schools combine to organize a powerful incentive for Muslim parents to take over control of the instruction of their kid.

Given the UK authorities ‘s expansive rhetoric about advancing and back uping Britain to be a multi-cultural society, and its declared committedness to a diverse system of schools driven by parental demands and aspirations, the support of Muslim province funded schools is an easy stretch.

But an in agreement definition of a multicultural society seems deplorably missing. The authorities has a ‘policy of advancing multiculturalism ‘ but if it is unable to specify what a multicultural society could look like, how does it cognize that the policies it is advancing are effectual to run intoing this terminal? Today ‘s multicultural Britain has many faces dependent mostly on ethnicity, geographics and societal category, which in bend is one of the determiners of educational accomplishment. Is multicultural merely the recognition of diverseness in our society or is it an battle with that diverseness to make a society that is pluralistic? Does it intend that we are all free to populate in our ain sub-worlds without interface with the wider community or does it intend that we are encouraged to prosecute with each other? Where is the yarn that binds us as citizens if we live wholly culturally independent lives?

This was a inquiry that was raised by Ray Honeyford more than twenty old ages ago and it is still a inquiry that warrants turn toing thoughtfully today. In 1982 Bradford Council issued guidelines for its purpose in instruction. These included: preparing kids for a life in a multicultural society ; countering racism and the inequalities of favoritism ; developing the strengths of cultural and lingual diverseness ; and reacting to the demands of minority groups.

Ray Honeyford was a headteacher in a Bradford in-between school and he was concerned that the educational policies he was expected to implement were impracticable. He argued that the 20 % of Bradford ‘s Islamic immigrant population had purposes to stay in Britain. For their interest and for the interest of others, they should take part to the full in British life, and that in order to make so efficaciously their instruction needed to emphasize the primacy of the English linguistic communication, and British civilization, history and traditions. ( Dalrymple, 2002 ) In 1984, Honeyford wrote an article that was rejected by The Times Educational Supplement before being published by the far right Salisbury Review. The fact that it was this publication that was the first method of transmittal connoted a batch to its readers and no uncertainty would hold influenced the subsequent reading of the article itself. In “ Education and Race – an Alternate position ” Honeyford ( 2006 ) suggested that the perversion of linguistic communication ( he had a Masters in linguistics ) around race and cultural issues had made it impossible to talk candidly about the concerns and worlds that our progressively diverse society was throwing up. He highlighted that chunking together all non-whites into one class that was “ black ” created a duality of anti-white solidarity. What we, today, name “ other ” -ing. His primary concern was the impact of an imposed multicultural mentality on the instruction of his pupils. British jurisprudence obliges a parent to guarantee that his or her kid is registered and attends school on a regular basis. He argued that the inclination for Asiatic households to take their kids out of school and direct them to the sub-continent for months at a clip was non merely illegal but had obvious negative educational effects. The Department of Education and Science turned a unsighted oculus go forthing headteachers, like Honeyford, to follow with an attending policy based on the parent ‘s state of beginning. He found this untenable and cast it as an “ officially canonic policy of racial favoritism. ” ( Honeyford, 2006 ) Honeyford farther highlighted that the absence of English as a primary linguistic communication of direction at the school left the “ cultural white ” minority pupils in his schools educationally disadvantaged. His broader concern was how the operation of interior metropoliss with its production of cultural ghettos, and multi-racial educational policies could bring forth an integrated and harmonious society. He concluded: “ I suspect that these elements, far from assisting to bring forth harmoniousness, are, in world, runing to bring forth a sense of atomization and strife. And I am no longer convinced that the British mastermind for via media, for puddling though, and for good natured tolerance will be sufficient to decide the inevitable tensenesss. ” ( Honeyford, 2006 )

Post-publication, Honeyford endured a drawn-out and acrimonious run against him taking to his eventual early retirement. The acerb response to his averments for better and more integrative instruction did non raise the authorities action. Issues raised by the “ Honeyford Affair ” continue to be debated more than two decennaries subsequently. Honeyford ‘s tough and brave inquiring of issues that the authorities was excessively uncomfortable to raise and seek and work through have left a permanent vacuity on integrating and the harmonious and “ multicultural ” universe we reasonably aspire to.

In visible radiation of these personal businesss, the argument on religion schools – which preponderantly relates to keep schools – leads us foremost to inquire what the purpose and intent of instruction is. Is instruction intended to supply us with accomplishments for employment, in which instance it is driven by a practical measurable end product? Or is in intended for, as Aristotle called it, human booming? And are these two needfully reciprocally sole? If instruction is deemed a human right, so what function does the kid drama in finding the instruction that he receives? These inquiries do n’t look to hold been straight touched upon by those debating the desirableness of religion schools.

Given the faith school argument touches on countries of instruction, political relations and faith it is improbable to be a cold-eyed 1. Most of the argument is opinion- instead than evidence-based ( Cush p.440 ) and authors on the issue repeatedly bemoan the deficiency of empirical grounds to confirm claims from either side. As Moslems are going acutely cognizant of their minority position, the thrust towards Islamic schools is every bit much a response to the onslaught on their individuality as it is about the ethos of instruction. Harmonizing to Heffner and Zaman ( 2007, p. 228 ) “ In recent old ages, the issue of Islamic instruction has been a critical portion of the argument about what it means to be a British Muslim today and an of import terrain in the dialogue of individuality, citizenship and co-existence. ”

Mainstream instruction tends to see the universe though an Anglo-saxon lens and accomplishments are Europeanised. The survey of the parts made by Muslim bookmans over the centuries in many capable countries is a encouragement to self-esteem and those naming for Muslim schools are looking for a alteration in the manner the universe is viewed. The mission statement of the Islamia Trust Schools states that it “ strive [ s ] to supply the best instruction in a secure Islamic environment through the cognition and application of the Qur’an and Sunnah. ” ( Islamia ) What this requires is a reconception of the manner in which any topic can be taught, negociating as it must through the Qur’an and the Sunnah. The statement being made is that Muslim kids are going de-Islamised ( Khan-Cheema, p.83 ) and that mainstream schools are neglecting to supply an ethos in which all, non merely secular, facets of a kid ‘s life are catered for. Concern for the deficiency of individual sex proviso in the mainstream for miss is besides voiced as a concern and a ground for necessitating the proviso of Muslim schools. The academic underachievement of Pakistanis in mainstream schools is good recognised, but their accomplishment in religion schools is good above norm ( Bolton, 2009 ) . The direct connexion associating improved academic consequences and faith schools should be made carefully as academic accomplishment is besides liked to the economic and societal category of the household.

The instance against Muslim religion schools is a obliging one. Those contending this place say that these schools are a genteelness land for fundamentalist and intolerant spiritual positions that are non inclusive of the bulk. They propagate segregation and voluntary apartheid and create ghettos which exclude other races and religions, therefore making societal division. With Islam about universally cast as a menace to universe order this raises inquiries associating to citizenship and trueness. Those in this cantonment may pull some of their inspiration from the place Honeyford took on the demand to incorporate instead than segregate more than 2 decennaries ago.

Why would, and how could, an immigrant who lands in the UK who is able to make for himself an environment that reflects – culturally, socially, and educationally – the one which he left, have any chance to construct trueness to his host state. Clearly the authorities ‘s place on what a multicultural Britain would look like demands to be debated much more openly – if merely so we can seek and understand how we will acquire at that place. A individualistic each-to-his ain policy can non certainly supply the manner frontward. The inquiries Honeyford asked more than 20 old ages ago, unsavory as they were, are inquiries we might necessitate to inquire once more today.

Mentions

• Bolton, Paul & A ; Gillie, Christine ( 2009 ) . Faith schools: admittances and public presentation. House of Commons Library Standard Note SN/SG/4405
• Cush, Denise ( 2005 ) . Reappraisal: The Faith Schools Debate. British Journal of Sociology and Education, Vol.26, No.3 ( Jul.,2005 ) , pp. 435-442
• Department for Children, Schools and Families ( DfES ) . Faith in the System: The function of schools with a spiritual character in English instruction and society.
• Hefner, Robert W. & A ; Zaman, Muhammad Q. ( 2007 ) Schooling Muslimism: The civilization and political relations of Modern Muslim Education. Princeton University Press.
• Hewer, Chris ( 2001 ) . Schools for Muslims. Oxford Review of Education, Vol. 27, No. 4, The State, Schools and Religion ( Dec. , ) 2001 ) , pp.515-527
• Hewitt, Ibrahim ( 1996 ) . The Case for Muslim Schools in Issues in Islamic Education. The Muslim Educational Trust, London.
• Hussain, Imitiaz, A. ( 2003 ) , Migration and Settlement: A Historical Perspective of Loyalty and Belonging in British Moslems: Loyalty and Belonging, ed Mohammad Siddique Seddon, Dilwar Hussain, Nadeem Malik. The Islamic Foundation, Leicestershire.
• Khan-Cheema, Muhammad, A. ( 1996 ) . British Muslims in State Schools: a positive manner frontward in Issues in Islamic Education. The Muslim Educational Trust, London.
• Lawson, Ibrahim ( 2005 ) . Leading Muslim Schools in the UK: A challenge for us all. National College for School Leadership.
• Merry, Michael S. & A ; Driessen, Geert ( 2005 ) . Muslim Schooling in Three Western States: Policy and Procedure. Comparative Education, Vol. 41, No. 4 ( Nov. , 2005 ) , pp. 411-432
• Parker, Stephen ( 2005/2006 ) . Reappraisal: In Good Religion: Schools, Religion and Public Funding. Journal of Law and Religion, Vol. 21, No. 1 ( 2005/2006 ) , pp. 217-219
• Speak-it Productions ( 2009 ) . Film – Our Lifes Project hypertext transfer protocol: //www.youtube.com/ourlivesproject # p/u/4/lFnuhPijzXM