Islamic Literature | EssayIvy.com

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Title: The Idea of Idolatry and the Emergence of Islam: From Polemic to History

Author: G. R. Hawting

Journal: International Journal of Middle East Studies

Reviewer:

Islamic Literature

Summary

In the journal The Idea of Idolatry and the Emergence of Islam: From Polemic to History,

Hawting provides an argument regarding the emergence of Islam and idolatry. He claims that the

emergency of Islam requires more debate as well as argument among the monotheists than point

of view with idolaters. In the article, he claims that the associators also known as mushrikun

issues in the Koran were monotheists in which their concerns were focusing shortly on the

monotheism. Such groups were considered polemically as idolatry. Islam's tradition shows

religion as origination in an isolated part of Arabia that is outside the boundaries of the

monotheistic world because it existed at the commencement of the seventh century. Before that,

according to the tradition, Islam rose as a result of the revelation that was made by God to

Prophet Muhammad and its major target was the religion together with the society that Prophet

Muhammad lived. However, according to the Muslim, Hawting states that Prophet Muhammad

was sent to individuals who were practicing idol worshiping which was ethically desecrated. And

these are the people he terms as Arabs. Furthermore, the author states that the traditional material

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has both the spiritual and environmental aspect. It is not only that Islam is attributed as having

emerged as an attack on the polytheism and adulatory. The polytheism and idolatry concern were

Arabs of the Central and Western Arabia. Islam did not exist in the same way according to the

traditional account. It was not made from any form of disputes among the monotheisms;

however, it was made from a confrontation that involved the idolatry. Whereas, the other

development that took place within the monotheism took place in religions in which the tradition

of religion was resolutely established if not they were completely leading. In the same case,

Islam is traced to have risen from a remote region that can be said to be the prophet of the

monotheistic world. Also in another argument, Hawting states that according to the traditions,

monotheism had been brought to Arabia and then established in the region by Prophet Abraham

in the past. In the same line, he states the prophet had visited the place (Mecca) at least twice.

The first time he visited the place was when he left his wife Hagar and the second time when he

was commanded by God to visit the place.

Additionally, owing to that the origin of Islam requires more debates and cannot be

traced easily, the author states that modern authors have tried to bring in theories that can explain

and provide a more convincing explanation for the emergency of Islam. The theories base their

explanation on the economic, political and cultural factors and at times accepting the traditional

narrations or stories. For these matters, the connection between the Koran and the traditional can

be observed from a complex perspective. Some of the narrations and information in the

traditional texts can be noted as lying on the development side to elaborate the Koranic verse,

while others appear to bring ideas that are contrary; matters that cannot be clearly approached by

both Koran. The author states that the modern scholar has decided to approach both the tradition

and the Koran as a source of information regarding the seventh century where they have believed

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the traditional representation of a society in which an element of monotheism exists in pagan

religion. They have also tried to understand the Koran in their own ways.

I agree with the author's argument concerning the emergency of Islam and idolatry. If the

Koran and the Islam together with their monotheistic faith originated from a pagan Mecca devoid

of the Jewish or Christian presence, it is hard to explain for Islamic idolatry through the divine

revelation. It is because the Koran in pagan inner Arabia could be observed to underlines the

status of exposure.

Moreover, I agree with the author’s point that early scholars failed to understand the

Koranic polemic. This belief is difficult to squire with the ongoing fame of idolatry as argued by

the monotheists and the Muslims. I feel that the traditional Muslim material cannot entirely be

detailed as a result of little information depicted from the Koran material. It appears like it holds

more facts that cannot be elaborated in a mere way and some of which are problematic for the

tradition. That information, however, is incomplete, they lack a real circumstance are reported

with deviation and discrepancy that makes it unfeasible to note their importance for any kind of

general debate regarding Arabians or people from the Middle East before the Islam. An attempt

by the traditional as well as modern scholars to bring together the conflicting elements are not

influential. Also, I find out that whatever the traditional materials have perceived the information

tends to come up with its story of interest.

I also support the author’s point that the image of the Arab idolatry as well as

polytheism. I feel that the tradition carries less relation to the Koranic material attacking the

mushrikun for their connection to the mediators between believes and God, their anticipation for

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the intervention of the angels together with their flawed monotheism. In general, the traditional

material shoes a world of prehistoric idols and the array of other gods.

I chose on this literature work because I wanted to gain more understanding of how the

author perceives the issue of idolatry and how it emerged in Islam. Different people have spoken

about the Islamic region and how they worship God since the seventh century, but I have never

come to find a true history of their worship. Furthermore, the issue of idolatry was prevalent, and

I never know how it emerged or how it got roots to the Islamic religion. The intention of

choosing this work was to get a clear understanding through arguments to trace roots causes of

adultery and how people understand about it.

I found the author’s argument interesting. The author provides different assumptions and

even goes further to explain using theories on how Islam and idolatry linked. It is interesting to

find that some narration can come to be true. According to the author, different approached were

used to figure out idolatry and emergency of Islam. Even though some information could be

perceived negatively, in comparison to the knowledge I had, I can bring a comparison. I now

understand the fact. The point is that every idol from the earlier period was worshipped by

different groups of people. It is clear that the Islamic religion made images or pictures as time

passed; they made images into statues so that their forms could fully be recognized. After all, I

have understood the idolatry and emergency of Islam in details.

The Idea of Idolatry and the Emergence of Islam: From Polemic to History, is a literature

work. Literature work usually talks about the history of a particular thing. Literature is a

communication of thoughts, facts, ideas as well as feelings through a written form. Literature

also talks about the origin and tries to convince things in their forms. Hawting’s work provides

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an idea and also explains how idolatry was introduced to Islam and the groups who practiced it.

Since Hawting conveys an idea, feelings, and facts through different approaches, the work is

classified as Islamic literature work.

In conclusion, the reading has contributed to the awareness of Islamic religion and the

issues of idolatry in the community-based as far as worship is concerned. To Islamic literature,

the reading has brought expressions; the link between the Religion and literature is found to be

structured. An aspect of the theological issue combined with idolatry has been brought out. The

information gotten from the reading is important in teaching. Literature has promoted culture in

learning to contribute to the development and strengthening of the moral understanding of true

worship. Hawting is has convinced the readers that there exist many arguments that attempt to

explain the existence as well as the ways in which Islamic groups came to worship the idol.

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Works Cited

Hawting, G. R. "The Idea of Idolatry and the Emergence of Islam: From Polemic to

History." International Journal of Middle East Studies, 1999,

doi:10.1017/cbo9780511497490.

"Nuh (Noah) - Various Hadith Describing the Origin of Idolatry." Quran Translations & Hadith

| Islamic References & Recitation Online | Alim,

http://www.alim.org/library/biography/stories/content/SOP/3/3/Nuh%20(Noah)/Various

%20Hadith%20Describing%20the%20Origin%20of%20Idolatry

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