Muslim/Catholic Trading DBQ Essay
Marissa Linn
4 November 2014
Period 9
DBQ Essay Merchants and traders have been extremely influential carriers of culture all throughout history. Whether or not they approved of it, both Christianity and Islam have been influenced by trade, helping the religions expand and gain more followers and power. Without trade, it is rather likely that the religions would not be as widespread as they are today, possibly never flourishing at all. Despite these facts, Christians and Muslims still had mixed feelings towards traders and merchants.
Although there were definite hostile feelings towards trade, change over time brought about acceptance and allowed trade to flourish within those religions.
After many years, both religions reached common ground on believing that trade was completely acceptable as long as both parties involved were fair. A prime example of this would be a passage from the Muslim Qur’an circa 620 (Doc. 2), which stated that you should not take other people’s property unless you have traded fairly for it and that when a fair transaction occurred, it was blessed. In fact, this passage goes so far as to say that honest Muslim merchants were so honored that they would be among the martyrs of Islam on the day of judgement.
However, seeing as the Qur’an is the teachings of Muhammad, there might be a predisposition for trade, seeing as Muhammad worked as a merchant primarily before founding Islam. (P.o.V.)
There is, of course, a document that shows these thoughts on trade reflected in Christianity.
According to Thomas Aquinas’
Summa Theologica (Doc. 4), Thomas Aquinas, who is a
Christian saint, gives advice on how trade should occur between men. In a passage rather similar to the Qur’an teaching, Thomas Aquinas explains how men should neither
4 November 2014
Period 9
DBQ Essay Merchants and traders have been extremely influential carriers of culture all throughout history. Whether or not they approved of it, both Christianity and Islam have been influenced by trade, helping the religions expand and gain more followers and power. Without trade, it is rather likely that the religions would not be as widespread as they are today, possibly never flourishing at all. Despite these facts, Christians and Muslims still had mixed feelings towards traders and merchants.
Although there were definite hostile feelings towards trade, change over time brought about acceptance and allowed trade to flourish within those religions.
After many years, both religions reached common ground on believing that trade was completely acceptable as long as both parties involved were fair. A prime example of this would be a passage from the Muslim Qur’an circa 620 (Doc. 2), which stated that you should not take other people’s property unless you have traded fairly for it and that when a fair transaction occurred, it was blessed. In fact, this passage goes so far as to say that honest Muslim merchants were so honored that they would be among the martyrs of Islam on the day of judgement.
However, seeing as the Qur’an is the teachings of Muhammad, there might be a predisposition for trade, seeing as Muhammad worked as a merchant primarily before founding Islam. (P.o.V.)
There is, of course, a document that shows these thoughts on trade reflected in Christianity.
According to Thomas Aquinas’
Summa Theologica (Doc. 4), Thomas Aquinas, who is a
Christian saint, gives advice on how trade should occur between men. In a passage rather similar to the Qur’an teaching, Thomas Aquinas explains how men should neither