Japanese Primary Document from 700-1400 C.E.

The Tale of Genji

The Tale of Genji is about the son of an emperor named Genji. Genji lacks the backing in court so the emperor makes him a commonerand assigns him to the non-royal Genji clan. Then the emperor makes Lady Kokiden's eldest son the crown prince. Genji becomes handsome and gifed and was admired by all except for Lady Kokiden and her family who feared him. He has many amorous exploits with the ladies of the area and eventually marries Aoi who gives birth to  his son. His father then dies and is succeeded by Lady Kokidens son. Genji is involved in a scandal so he is forced to leave the capital and live in Suma where he meets the Akashi Lady. He then returns to the capital and the emperor abdicates in favor of Fujitusbo's son who Genij is secretly the father too. Genji's court position is restored and the Akashi Lady has a baby girl. Genji then settles down with several ladies at his Rokujo Mansion and concerns himself with the advancements of his sons and grandsons in the court. Genji is persuaded to marry the Third Princess, she has a son and becomes a Buddhist nun. Then the story shifts to the area of Uji and the adventures of Genji's "son" and grandson who are friends and rivals in love. The complex plot changes to focus on the daughters of Genji's half brother, The Eighth Prince, and the Ukifune.

   

The Tale of Genji was the first novel ever be written. It is considered to be the single greatest work of Japanese literature. As an 11th century romance novel it gave a window into court life. And showed how court life was filled with poetry and made social and psychological observations. It also showed that women were educated in literature and were in fact encouraged to write.

Chinese Poetry and Painting

Poem:

Question and Answer on the Mountain

Li Bai

You ask for what reason I stay on the green mountain,

I smile, but do not answer, my heart is at leisure.

Peach blossom is carried far off by flowing water,

Apart, I have heaven and earth in the human world.

This poem shows the importance of nature to the Chinese. Nature was where they often found peace and shelter. It would calm and sooth them and bring them peace. Here they could clear their thoughts and escape into a different world. The mountains were magic and gave them a feeling of mystery and wonder. Under the lush green branches of the trees and in the bamboo forests of the green mountain it was probable that Li Bai found peace, solace, and inspiration. The Chinese valued nature not only because it was mystical and awe inspiring. Hear is where they experienced heaven and nirvana but still were grounded and tied to the earth. In other words having heaven and earth in the human world.

Painting:

By Wang Shen

This painting shows the a beautiful mountain waterfall swathed in
clouds and ribbons of fog. Suggesting that this mountain is a higher
place. Isolated from the troubles of the outside world. A special haven
that is treasured. The empty space around it suggests that it is like
an island, or an oasis surrounded by dry hot stressful desert sand. This
painting symbolizes that nature, particular mountainous regions

served as and oasis to the Chinese and their lifestyle.

Connection:

In both of these articles of Chinese art nature was found to provide peace and comfort in the natives lives. It soothed them and gave them an Oasis to where they could escape from their daily lives. It inspired their art and their lives. When they surrounded themselves with nature they often let their soles to fly free in bliss. This made them feel as if they could experience heaven or nirvana while remaining attached and grounded to the earth.

The treatment of Non-muslim people in Africa

In this assignment we were asked to write three paragraphs about the treatment of Non-Muslim people in Africa and the some of the background behind it.

 

    In Africa the distance between Muslim and Non-Muslim people has begun to grow wider.  The relationship between them has begun to grow strained and violence has begun to break out. In Kaduna, Nigeria three years ago 2,000 people were killed in street protests that had to be brought under control by the army.  It is estimated that from 1999-2003 10,000 people in Nigeria were killed in fights between Muslim and Non-Muslim faiths (specifically Christianity). However these were seen as fights provoked by bias politicians who were trying to destabilize the country using cultural differences and misunderstandings.

    Because of the high population of Muslims in Nigeria there have been integrations of the Islamic civil code. All though there are already aspects of this code integrated into the Nigerian law they just integrated a set of harsh Sharia punishments. These punishments include, being stoned to death, amputation of limbs, and floggings. However Non- Muslims do not have to participate in these punishments. Though they do feel that these these additions to the law lead to a increase in Islamization and a decrease in the tolerance of Non-Muslim beliefs. They find it unacceptable that Sharia Law should make converting to Christianity punishable to death.

      There however has not always been such conflict between Muslim and Non-Muslim faiths. Early in its beginning Islam was often very tolerant of other faiths, and it was off the ideas of Christianity and Judaism that Islam was built. But when Islam began to spread it's battle for religious territory with Christianity might have turned the two against each for competitive reasons. Islam began to spread in Northern Africa through conquest and trade in the Post Classical Period. This Area was originally controlled by the Roman Empire, making it's religious beliefs Christian.  Islam then spread through trade to the rest of Africa, but it could not however hard it tried make Christian Ethiopia convert to the Islamic religion. Which probably caused a little angry spot to form in the Muslims heart. Despite the lineage relationship between the two religions they still remain major competitors with major conflicts.

helpful sites?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3155279.stm  

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3155279.stm

http://allafrica.com/religion/

http://www.iqra.net/Dua/prayer.php

DBQ on the relationship between Trade and Religion in the post classical world

Religion and trade connect and unite the world in ways that we can not live with out and in ways we can not imagine. Sometimes they conflict and sometimes they don't. It all depends on who you are, where you are, and what time it is. Trade and religion were often found to conflict during the post classical period, however in some areas they harmonized and existed side by side. To make this a well rounded post classical consensus it would be nice to have articles from all over the world. Which is why it would be nice to have an article on India or Polynesia, because they would bring something new and diverse to the table, and trade and religion played large parts in their histories.

In many regions of the post classical world religion and trade were often found to conflict. Some regions believed that by trading with those who were culturally different and those who had different religious beliefs, they were helping the enemy (Doc #4). They viewed the other religions as inferior but often felt the threat of conversion and conquest, making them defensive. Trading with the enemy was seen as giving the enemy weapons and weapon material, therefore aiding them in the growth of their religion, and adding pressure to the other. Their were also regions that viewed market places as sinful and were completely against trading (Doc # 5). They felt that market places were held where they did not belong and that they too often caused men to miss church. A market place was viewed as a place where lies and deceit were made to gain profit, and place where quarrels and fights often broke out because of it. Which, therefore gave it's popularity a turn for the worse.

There were also regions of the post classical world where trade was found to conflict with religion (Doc#2). They felt that the manors of of the tradesmen were inferior to those of rulers. To buy, sell and seek profit they often used evasiveness and disputation. This lead to a decrease and weakening in moral virtue. They understood that trading was a means of livelihood, but felt that the methods were tricks aimed at profit.

However there also were many regions in the post classical world where religion and trade were not found to conflict. In some it was felt that there was no harm in seeking the bounty of the lord (Doc #1 ). Therefore a transaction where both parties spoke the truth and described the defects and qualities would be blessed. A transaction that involved deceitfulness would lose it's blessing, seeing that it was against the way of the lord. It was also felt that the buyer and the seller had the right to keep or return goods they had received through the trading system.

 

Throughout the post classical world there were also regions of religion that embraced trade (Doc.#3 ) These regions believed that trade was some thing you learned over time. They felt that it was to be built up, meaning that you would start small and work your way up to the big stuff by associating yourself with other merchants and learning from each other. It was believed that trading involved wisdom, and that traders were neither puffed up by good testimony or driven down by the reproach of poverty, and that they were respectful and charitable.
 

It was not only religion that found it self facing off against trade, but philosophical thinking (Confucianism) as well. It was this region in the post classical world that felt that traders were selfish and greedy (Doc #6). There, merchants wore rich elegant clothing and ate fancy food. Their horses were decked out and people attracted to their wealth would often ask to serve them. It was also there that the merchants would boast of their wisdom and ability. They believed that they knew all of the possible transformations in the universe and therefore could calculate all of the changes in the human world, and that the path of the prices was completely under their control. Also that they would not make one mistake out if a hundred of every one of their equations. Their wisdom and ability were insignificant and all they really were was a pile of silk and sushi.

It can be concluded from the documents provided that in the post classical world trade and religion were generally found to conflict. This can be determined by the 4:2 ratio (4 trade and religion conflict, 2 trade and religion do not conflict) found in the data. Trade was generally disliked because it involved deceit and other sinful and morally demeaning objectives. The merchants were generally overconfident and selfish and puffed-up and were known for their slippery tongues.n This resulted in a pro and con relationship because trade was necessary for countrys to survive, but it was often against religious beliefs. It is predictable that an Islamic article for the eighth century would support trade (Doc # 1), simply because of the fact the Muhammad, the founder, was a merchant. And the time suggests that Islam has not yet completely diffused and subjugated itself to the traditional culture of a particular area. It is also predictable that a Chinese article in the sixteenth century would suggest that merchants are not so wise, because merchants and traders never really held a place in the Chinese social structure, and the rulers looked down upon them.

Religion is what held countries together and trade is what connected them, however they did not always unite under the same banner. I believe that it would be helpful to have an article from India or Polynesia. This is simply because of the fact that I believe that different areas of the world will offer more diversities and opinions. I feel that by adding areas that are more diverse and by covering all major parts of the post classical world, it will help to better round the study of the interactions between trade and religion during the post classical period.


Doc #1- From the Hadith (Islamic legal code)8th century C.E.
Doc #2-A Muslim View of the Characheristics of Traders: Ibn Khaldun 1300's C.E.
Doc#3-Depiction of Saint Godric, a British merchant by his Christian biographer, Reginald of Durham 1100's C.E.
Doc#4-Pope Innocent III: License to Venice to trade with the Saracens 1198 C.E.
Doc # 5-Humbert de Romans: An Account of Medieval European fairs and markets 1250 C.E.
Doc # 6- China: Zang Han's Essay on Merchants 1500's C.E.

Aritcle About the Posistion of Women in Islamic Society

http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2008/11/20081118103940850761.html

Muslim woman defies male dominance

By Farah El Alfy in Cairo, Egypt

Amal Soliman, a 32-year-old Egyptian woman, has endured intimidation and ridicule in the year since she applied for a job as the Muslim world's first mazouna, or female marriage registrar, but she says her victory has been worth the fight.

In late September, Soliman, who holds a Masters degree in Islamic Sharia law, broke into what has until now been an exclusively males-only club.

However, the Committee of Egyptian Mazouns, an all-male organisation, challenged Soliman's application saying the job would be inappropriate for a woman and voiced their opinion in a statement issued by the committee.

A marriage officer presides over a wedding (or divorce) ceremony, recites verses from the Quran and signs the official certificates making the union legally binding.

Al Jazeera recently spoke with Soliman shortly after she conducted her first wedding ceremony on October 25.

Al Jazeera: Why did you decide to apply for a position that has traditionally – and for centuries – been a male vocation?

Soliman: In 2007 one of the two marriage officers of my neighbourhood passed away, leaving behind a job opportunity.

For three months everyone wondered who would be able to replace Al Hajj Abou Mesalam and right before the deadline (October 2007) for applying I rushed over to the civil court in Zagazig, the heart of rural Egypt, to give in my application.

I had been interested in pursuing a doctorate degree in Islamic studies but also maintaining a flexible job that would allow me to spend time with my three children.

Legally, there is no reason why a woman can't do the job, and the Mufti (Islamic scholar and interpreter of Islamic law) said it was religiously acceptable as it is only an administrative position.

In October 2007, my husband and I formally submitted an application to the local family court clerk for the post of marriage officer.

Was your application accepted?

Soliman with her husband and children [EPA]

Well, I took my husband with me because I was afraid I would be made fun of, which I was.

When I applied the man at the desk laughed openly at me and said that is was just not possible.

He imagined I would go home and forget about it, but instead I argued and told him that I had studied Sharia Law and I know it is an administrative job.

Though the clerk refused to accept my submission, I turned to Ibrahim Darwish, head of the local magistrate in Zagazig for his opinion.

Darwish was puzzled; he said there was no precedent for this situation so he did not know what to say. I took that as a sign that there was a small window of opportunity.

I then consulted Khaled el-Shalkamy, the head judge of Zagazig's family court.

I told him it was my right to be nominee as I was extremely qualified.

I told him just to accept me and let the other people involved in the selection process do the rest.

Were there no other applicants for the job?

Actually, I was in competition with 10 other candidates, all men, but none of them held post-graduate degrees in Sharia law like I did.

So el-Shalkamy accepted my application.

On February 25, I couldn't hold back my tears as I stood in front of the local court and was appointed as my district's new mazouna.

But the battle was half-won. I would not be able to begin work as a mazouna until Mamdouh Marei, the Egyptian minister of justice, formally signed off and authorised my appointment.

But many males did not accept the idea that a woman could hold what has been a man's job and you were targeted in the media.

The chairman of the Committee of Egyptian Mazouns, Muhammad Abou Ayeeta, said "the Ministry [of Justice] should refuse the appointment, because it is unacceptable that women would work in this occupation."

How did you deal with the backlash?

Well, at first my optimism slowly started to fade as I saw so much opposition. Some
columnists wrote that I was out to destroy tradition, that I was a threat to the religion and should be punished for pursuing the post.

But there were two main reasons for the opposition I faced. Firstly, it is simply rooted in male chauvinism. These people believe the woman's place is firmly in her house.

The other group was comprised of uneducated people who have developed an image of women's role in Islam from television; usually based on the words of a sheikh with a turban on his head.

Arguments made against me claimed that a woman couldn't perform marriages because of menstruation, as religion prevents women from praying or entering a mosque during her monthly cycle.

Others claimed that it was inappropriate for a woman to sit amongst men during the signing of the marriage certificates, which is traditionally predominately a male gathering where the marriage officer sits directly between the groom and his father-in-law.

Did no religious authority or group support you?

Well, four months after contacting the Ministry of Justice and receiving no word, I contacted the National Council for Women for a louder voice and stronger backing.

Both my opponents and proponents were beginning to wonder if I would ever receive the approval of the ministry of justice.

From the first moment that my papers where accepted as a nominee, the national press caught wind of this unusual event.

A journalist in Al Akhbar, one of Egypt's leading newspapers, heard about the situation, and helped launch my cause as a national debate.

Eventually the news went global. I think the media was a catalyst and made my appointment go through faster than it would have.

It made me happy to have so much international coverage … Sometimes when I'm sitting alone I wonder if I'm dreaming. What is going on? Did we really pull this off?

I'm happy not just for me; I had always wanted to show the world Egypt's developments with regards to women rights and gender equality.

But you did not get ministry approval until September 27; why did it take the ministry so long?

Of course I was happy and relieved, but more importantly I regained my confidence when the minister finally signed my appointment. I had slowly started to doubt myself up to that point.

However, I now believe that the minister had to be cautious, as this case was the first of its kind.

But laws are not religion. We can develop them.

On November 14, the United Arab Emirates followed in Egypt's footsteps and appointed Fatima Saeed Obeid Al Awani as a mazouna in the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department.

Link to News Articles with a Christian Point of View

http://198.62.75.4/opt/xampp/custodia/?p=2886

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7683495.stm

  

These links will lead you to articles that are written  with a Christian point of view. The first link will lead you to a Vatican web page that could be considered local news. The second will lead you to the BBC web page  that is considered world news. Enjoy!

POV

US Pesters Iraq Over SOFA
~ The general point of this article is anti American. This is because the Iranians believe that America is trying to force Iraq into siging the SOFA deal, as the article clearly states, " John Negroponte’s surprise visit to Iraq is aimed at forcing Iraqis into signing the SOFA deal." They believe that any us presence in Iraq is very bad, wanting all us troops and officals to leave thier country soon. Even though the US has no intention of doing this soon. Therefore this Iranian news paper Takes the side of the Iraqi's and tries to make the US' Deputies Secretary of State look like a bad foolish liar, instead of trying to make him look good.



http://www.iran-daily.com/1387/3237/html/east.htm#s336156