Blog #1: Race, Ethnicity, Culture or Religion

By
In Islam, cats are regarded as clean animals deserving of respect, a belief that significantly shapes how they are treated in many Muslim-majority countries, including Morocco. This perspective is rooted in Islamic tradition, where the Prophet Muhammad's kindness towards cats has become a cultural norm of caring for them. In Morocco, it’s quite common to observe community members actively feeding and safeguarding street cats, allowing these animals to live alongside people without fear of neglect or harm. This behavior reflects the intertwining of religious values and cultural practices that emphasize compassion and hospitality.

The Encyclopaedia Britannica highlights that Islamic teachings promote kindness toward animals and stress the importance of humane treatment of all living creatures (Esposito, 2023). In the images attached to this blog, the street cats in Morocco appear healthy and relaxed, comfortably interacting with humans. This is largely due to the collective effort of locals who provide care and sustenance, showcasing a unique relationship between the communities and these animals. It’s a powerful demonstration of how religion and culture can shape societal behavior in meaningful ways.

Personally, witnessing the street cats during my travels in Morocco was one of the most striking cultural differences I encountered. Compared to the United States, where stray cats tend to be skittish and quick to flee, the cats in Morocco exhibit a remarkable trust in people. In the U.S., it’s common for stray cats to run away, having little exposure to positive human interaction. However, in Morocco, many cats approach people without hesitation and relax in public spaces. Watching entire communities come together to provide food and care for these animals made me reflect on the significant role religion plays in fostering compassion in everyday life. I believe the connection between Islam and the treatment of cats enhances a collective sense of responsibility towards animals, and seeing locals comfortably interact with street cats truly changed my perspective. It underscored the power of cultural and religious beliefs in promoting kindness and compassion that radiates throughout society.







Reference 

Esposito, J. L. (2023). Islam and animal welfare. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Islam/Islamic-attitudes-toward-animals 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Who Am I? Think Again. Exploring Authentic Identities

By
Image
  This video is part of the  TED Talks  series.  TED  (Technology, Entertainment and Design) is a nonprofit devoted to disseminating "ideas worth spreading." I thought the idea of  creating authentic identity through failed imitation  was a great theme to begin the course as well as the blog. My hope is that you will step outside of the  status quo  and use your creative nature to complete the assignments and explore identity in a global context throughout this semester. What are your thoughts about Hetain Patel's presentation?
Read more

Motherhood & Morocco

By
Image
  Motherhood & Morocco All life comes from women. This is a fact we all know and see the evidence of daily, yet it is also a fact we choose to ignore or employ only when it is of convenience to society. Women are the backbone, the lifeblood, the prana, and the chi of all life. As we endure heartbreak, trauma, and illness, we call out for our mothers. As men die on battlefields and in army hospitals, they yearn for a touch of their mother. Across cultures, the mother figure is a respected tenet of the community, and in Morocco’s Argan Cooperative, the motherhood experience is respected and supported.  Though the history of feminism in Morocco is varied and contains times of both celebration and tension, yet the importance of family has remained a central tenet.  At the Argan oil cooperative, women bring the fruit from their argan trees into the cooperative, weigh, process and eventually, sell them for cosmetics and food oils. In this system, women own their own trees a...
Read more

Sexual Orientation or Gender Roles - Markeila Howard

By
  During my time in Morocco, I had the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the identity of Moroccan women. A  perspective very different from my own. What struck me most was the complex and evolving role of women in Moroccan society as they navigate the balance between tradition and modern change. Moroccan women live in a society deeply rooted in Islamic traditions, yet one that is also undergoing significant transformation. According to the World Bank, Morocco has made substantial progress in gender equality, particularly in education and legal rights. Throughout the trip, several people mentioned that women now have more legal protections, especially in the area of divorce. In most of the places we visited, it was predominantly women who were hard at work—doing the tedious jobs like cleaning and sorting out bad fruit—while men handled tasks involving heavy equipment. These women challenged the stereotypes I previously held about what life is like for women in a tra...
Read more