A common theme in Islam is embodiment. There is a distinct difference between humanity and the Divine. By embodying Divine teachings or sayings, a human can become more divine. Qur’anic recitations and memorization (Hifz al-Qur’an) is designed to embody the words written in the Qur’an. Furthermore, the Hadith allow people to embody the lessons and lifestyle of the Prophet Muhammad.

In Abdullahi Osman El-Tom’s reading entitled “Drinking the Koran,” the author profiles a tradition performed by the Berti people in Darfur. For the Berti, there is an incredible focus on actually internalizing the words of the Qur’an. In fact, certain verses of the Qur’an are prescribed by a faki (people who have committed the Qur’an to memory) for various reasons, ranging from curing diseases to safe traveling to inflicting leprosy on another. The faki meets with clients and discusses certain issues, then chooses an applicable verse from the Qur’an. The faki uses a dawai to write the text, then washes it with water before the client drinks it. This Berti tradition reflects their interpretation of the general theme embodiment in Islamic teachings.

For this week’s response, I decided to inscribe the words “love God” in Arabic onto an Oreo cookie. With inspiration from the Berti tradition, perhaps this could be prescribed by a faki for an individual who is struggling to love God. Loving God is a common theme in Islamic framework. In the Qur’an, it is written that “If ye love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins” (3:31). Furthermore, we see loving relationship of people and God in Urdu ghazals, love poems usually addressed (ambiguously) to often erotic love with God. For people who sin frequently or have lost their submission to God, perhaps the reminder – the physical embodiment – of the words “love God” can help allow them to follow God and receive God’s everlasting love in return.

A difference in identity has long been a significant contribution to perpetuating hatred. The “us vs. them” mentality establishes a schism between people rather than uniting them. Growing up in America – a post-9/11 America at that – I have been exposed to the media’s portrayal of Islam as an incredibly violent religion. However, with a true understanding of Islam and its motivations, one gains an entirely different perspective to Islam as a religion – and Muslims as humans just like you and me.

In chapter 1 of his book entitled Infidel of Love, Professor Asani presents the distinction between being a Muslim and being a muslim. There is no capitalization in Arabic, so these two words mean the same; however, Asani explains how everyone who believes in devotion to God is a muslim. A Muslim is used as a “marker of socio-religious identity” for those who follow the religion of Islam (p. 22). In contrast, a muslim literally means “one who submits” to God (p. 28). Jews, Christians and Muslims are all muslims – we are united by our submission to one God.

For this week’s response, I chose to create a cartoon of a symbolically brief conversation between a child and his father. I used www.toondoo.com to create the animation. Children are incredibly immature, and they mature as they are conditioned to learn based on their exposure to different life experiences. I chose to make the boy and the father white to reflect my experience growing up. For a white Christian child growing up in America, Muslims appeared to be radically different. However, when I was exposed to the Qur’an, I understood the unity of Islam with Christianity and Judaism.

Chapter 3 verses 113 and 114 of the Qur’an, which symbolically frame the cartoon, explains the concept of the ahl al-kitab, “People of the Book.” The notion that all of these 3 major religions have received their inspiration from the umm al-kitab, “the mother of scripture.” While the Qur’an is different from the Old and New Testament, their inspirations are Divinely linked to the same God. The power and beauty of this unity helps destroy the boundaries between religious identities, because at the end of the day – we are all God’s creations.