Blog #10

Q: The tribe has always been an important concept in Arabian and Islamic history, creating divisions among its dwellers and followers. How has this caused problems in the history of Islam?

A: The problem with having many small tribes and then declaring unification under the religion Islam is that tensions between tribes cannot be resolved by a simple declaration of unification under the common ground of religion. Even if every tribe follows Islam, tensions regarding property and such arise. In some cases different views regarding Islam will lead tribes to conflicts. For example when the holy black rock had to be placed back in the Kaaba in Mecca, the four main tribal leaders each wanted to place it themselves. If Muhammad had not intervened and found a solution a major conflict could have started. Another example is, after Muhammad's death tribes began to disagree on matters regarding Muhammad's teaching.

Blog #9: How has the religious history of India influenced India's tradition of non-violence

The way India's religious history has influenced India's tradition of non-violence is because the constant theme of non-violence and peacefulness has run throughout famous and revolutionary Indians. An example of Indian religion that expresses these qualities is Jainism. Jainism teaches the idea of non-violence and I do not think it is a coincidence that Mohandas Gandhi followed Jainism. Religion throughout history, in many cultures has influenced that cultures actions and values. India is a great example of this. One can see India's non-violence tradition influencing its people through Mohandas Gandhi. As said above Gandhi was a Jainist and was one of history's most monumental and influential people. Gandhi defied the British occupation of India by leading a non-violent revolution, a feat unheard of, against the British. Although it led to the deaths of many protestors because they did not fight back when they were attacked by British soldiers and Gandhi almost died from his many hunger strikes, it worked in the end. In conclusion India's religious history has led to Indians such as Mohandas Gandhi who have revolutionized the world by setting examples of living and leading non-violently.