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Project LITA' ARAFU
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In The Quran Surat Al Hujurat, verse 13: "We...made you tribes and families that you may know each other; surely the most honorable of you with Allah is the one among you most careful (of his duty)"
Allah's call in the holy Quran for dialogue between cultures (tribes) should always prompt us to be curious and understanding of each other, such that fear of "the other" dissipates and the world as a whole is enriched with well rounded worldly individuals. |
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Prayer Beads
Over two-thirds of the world's population employ prayer beads as part of their religious practices. Prayer beads have a variety of forms and meanings, but the basic purpose is the same: to assist the worshiper in reciting and counting specific prayers or incantations. Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism are the major religions that use prayer beads in important ritualistic roles. For Hindus and Buddhists the beads are called Mala, for Muslims they’re called Subha or Tasbih, and for Catholics they’re called Rosaries.
Beads have long been linked with the act of prayer. The English word bead is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words bidden ("to pray") and bede ("prayer"). The use of beads in prayer appears to have originated with Hindu religious practices in India , possibly around the 8th century B.C.E. Buddhism, which developed from a sect of Hinduism, retained the use of prayer beads as it became established in China, Korea, Japan, and Tibet. It is thought that Islam adopted prayer beads through contact with Buddhism and Hinduism. Prayer beads, in the form of the Catholic rosary, were common throughout Europe by the late Middle Ages.
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The Hamsa / Hand of Fatima
The Hamsa (Khamsa, literally "five" in Arabic and Hebrew) is a symbol used in amulets, charms and jewelry to protect against the "evil eye."
An alternative Islamic name for this charm is the Hand of Fatima or Eye of Fatima, in reference to Fatima Zahra, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). An alternative Jewish name is the Hand of Miriam, in reference to Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron. It is a kind of "protecting hand" or "hand of God". Some associate the significance of the five fingers to the five books of the Torah for Jews, the Five Pillars of Islam for Sunnis, or the five People of the Cloak for Shi’ites. This symbolism may have evolved at a later stage, in view of the fact that archaeological evidence suggests the hamsa predates both religions. In recent years some activists for Middle East peace have chosen to wear the hamsa as a symbol of the similarities of origins and tradition between the Islamic and Jewish faiths. |
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