An overview of Muslim Religion and History of Kabul

What do I need to know to understand

The Swallows of Kabul ?

Information from BBC and CNN

The Islamic World •  The word “Islam” means both 'peace' and

'submission'. •  The number one religion in the world with 1.5

billion followers. •  Muslims believe that there is only One God. •  The Arabic word for God is Allah. •  According to Muslims, God sent a number of

prophets to mankind to teach them how to live according to His law. Like, Jesus, Moses, and Abraham are respected as prophets of God.

•  The final Prophet was Muhammad and the one they believe in.

The Prophet Muhammad •  Born in Mecca in Saudi Arabia in 570. •  One night in 610, he was meditating in a cave when

he was visited by the angel Jibreel who ordered him to recite words, the words of God, which is known as their holy book, the Qur'an.

•  So he would preach what God had revealed to him - that only one God, Allah, and that life should be lived in complete submission to the will of Allah.

•  Muhammad became popular and took his followers on a journey from Mecca to Medina in 622, known as the Hijrah (migration); 622 is the year in which the Islamic calendar begins.

•  Muhammad continued to lead his community both spiritually and in earthly matters until his death in 632.

Pillars of Islam •  The most important Muslim practices. •  Five obligations that every Muslim must satisfy in order to

live a good and responsible life according to Islam since it is pointless to live life without putting faith into action and practice. There is no cheating to Allah!

•  The Five Pillars consist of: 1) Shahadah: sincerely reciting the Muslim profession of faith 2) Salat: performing ritual prayers in the proper way five times

each day 3) Zakat: paying an alms (or charity) tax to benefit the poor

and the needy 4) Sawm: fasting during the month of Ramadan 5) Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca

Mosque – place of worship •  Outside every mosque, or just inside the

entrance, worshippers must wash and remove their shoes.

•  No furniture •  No image of Allah, who is wholly spirit. •  Everyone sits on the floor and everywhere in the

mosque is equal in status. •  A niche in one of the walls, called a mihrab,

shows the direction that the worshippers should face in order to face Mecca.

•  Women can attend the mosque and when they do they sit separately from the men. This is out of modesty and to prevent any distraction. It is more usual for women to pray at home.

The Taliban •  “Taliban” means “religious students” in Arabic •  By 1996, the Taliban took over Afghanistan

since there was no government, and it was composed of a small group of people

•  The Taliban emerged as a reformist force -- honest, fierce and devoutly Islamic.

•  Founded by Mullah Mohammaed Omar

The Taliban’s Laws Under strict Islamic rule, men must remain bearded.

Young girls must be partially

covered.

(Hijab)

Women must completely cover themselves. (Burqua)

The self-proclaimed

holy fighters in action.

Laws for Women •  Women have been stripped of their visibility,

voice, and mobility. •  Girls and women are prohibited from attending

schools and universities. •  Women can not leave the confines of their

homes unless accompanied by a close male relative.

•  Homes with women must have their windows painted opaque to hide the women from view.

•  Death for women is by stoning. So if a woman is a prostitute, an adulterer, this is the punishment she receives.

Author Yasmina Khadra •  Real name is Mohammed Moulesshoul

who had books published before this one – The Swallows of Kabul

•  He uses this name, a woman’s name. •  Why do you think he has a female pen

name? •  What you think this novel will be about?

Film Osama •  We will start the film on Thursday •  It is NOT the same story as the novel,

but both take place in Kabul, Afghanistan under the Taliban

•  Goal is for you to know what life was and is like under the Taliban – focus question now is: What influences affect our decisions we make in life? How do they? Why do they?

Keeping this information in mind, let’s take a look at the film and novel to discover what life

was really like under the Taliban.