Podcast Reflection #2: Islam Podcast
After listening to the podcast, I began to think about the unique relationship between Sunni and Shia, as well as the complex relations between different Muslim schools of thought. In another course recently, I read a novel by Nafisa Haji, a Muslim author, called The Sweetness of Tears. The novel highlights the complex relationship between Sunni and Shia, and outlines a few Shia practices that can be viewed as controversial. Prior to reading the novel, I had not considered the differences between Sunni and Shia, or how even within the same school of thought, there can be disagreements on interpretations. These types of conflicting interpretations are not only seen in Islam, but with many religions. With this in mind, interpretations can be vastly different between religions, but also within the same school of thought.
The main controversial practice that takes place in the …show more content…
Practicing Muslims, for example, have used the Quran as a peaceful guide on how to live, but extremist groups have also used the Quran to justify violent and harmful actions. How can one text be interpreted so differently? I believe that there are many factors that guide interpretation. Firstly, language and translation play a large role, as Arabic is a very complex language that can lose meaning if it is translated out of its original language. The same words can also have different meanings, so if one word is interpreted differently it can alter one’s understanding of an entire sentence/ thought. Secondly, depending what lens one tries to read a text through, there can be manipulation of meaning by focusing on, and omitting, crucial aspects. Overall there are many possible reasons why interpretation can vary so vastly between schools and individuals, but the overarching separation and potential conflict that differing interpretations can have is still
After listening to the podcast, I began to think about the unique relationship between Sunni and Shia, as well as the complex relations between different Muslim schools of thought. In another course recently, I read a novel by Nafisa Haji, a Muslim author, called The Sweetness of Tears. The novel highlights the complex relationship between Sunni and Shia, and outlines a few Shia practices that can be viewed as controversial. Prior to reading the novel, I had not considered the differences between Sunni and Shia, or how even within the same school of thought, there can be disagreements on interpretations. These types of conflicting interpretations are not only seen in Islam, but with many religions. With this in mind, interpretations can be vastly different between religions, but also within the same school of thought.
The main controversial practice that takes place in the …show more content…
Practicing Muslims, for example, have used the Quran as a peaceful guide on how to live, but extremist groups have also used the Quran to justify violent and harmful actions. How can one text be interpreted so differently? I believe that there are many factors that guide interpretation. Firstly, language and translation play a large role, as Arabic is a very complex language that can lose meaning if it is translated out of its original language. The same words can also have different meanings, so if one word is interpreted differently it can alter one’s understanding of an entire sentence/ thought. Secondly, depending what lens one tries to read a text through, there can be manipulation of meaning by focusing on, and omitting, crucial aspects. Overall there are many possible reasons why interpretation can vary so vastly between schools and individuals, but the overarching separation and potential conflict that differing interpretations can have is still