القدس

These readings, chapters 11-13, caught my eye due to their relevance to what my major is, and personal historic interest in the 'Golden Ages' of the Islamic Empire.  Which is the time of the Umayyid and Abbasid Dynasties.  The two pictures above are from a mosque built in Islamic Cairo, by the Caliph Hakim.  I remember being struck by the simple beauty and peace within the mosque walls, and the surprise when I learned of the terribly harsh rule this Caliph had.  

Throughout this book we have read how the Jews and Christians, and now the Muslims, have gone through episodes of peace and violence with each other.  However, the inclusive nature of Islam I feel is forgotten by many today.  I remember people wondering how as a Christian, it was for me to live with a Muslim host family in Egypt, but it was amazing.   People back home were also amazed at how Muslims protested along side Christians, after a church in Alexandria prior to the Revolution, was bombed, and at how Christians would stand to protect praying Muslims during Revolution protests.  

As much as there is a history of violence and intense arguments, there is also a long history or cooperation and mutual respect.   While this happened in Egypt, I do not feel like it is impossible to have cooperation and mutual repect once again inside Jerusalem.  

I like how Armstrong writes about the concept of the 'People of the Book' and that there have been moments throughout history when these three religions have coexisted peacefully.  It seems like a lot of the antagonism throughout the Umayyid and Abbasid periods were political in nature and not necessarily religiously based.  Religion was rather a marker of a member's status within the Empire and determined the type of tax and actions one had to make.  

We are now at an important time in history for Palestine.  President Abbas has submitted the request to the Security Council for UN recognition of statehood.  There are two points of view, one being that this is the way to move forward, and the other point of view is that there has to be peace negations worked out before statehood is addressed.