Narn G'Quon and Islam Qur'an

[Major Eazy]

I want to make it clear: While I do not believe in any form of religion or gods, I have respect for other people who believes in their own religion, including Christians and Muslims. I also want to make it clear, I am not interested in the matters involving with mixed views of Islam and terrorism. I want to make it clear I am talking about the relationship between the Narns and the Muslims only.

When I watched B5, I had basic understanding of Islam, and now that because of what is happening in the Islam world, decided to read some more about Islam, to see what it is all about. Having read about how Muslims treat their holy book called The Qur'an, I come to notice something about it.

The Muslims must treat their book with respect, to put it on a top shelf, to wrap it in some cloth, to wash hands before reading, and so on.

I recall that G'Kar lean his book of G'Quon to Michael Garibaldi and encouraged him to read it while G'Kar stays in jail. I remember when Garibaldi had found out something in the book of G'Quon, the answers that would help in the war against the Shadows, I recall Garibaldi saying something about it was all in that book, and was hitting the book as if to drive home the point, I remember G'Kar saying something about it being disrespectful to 'thump' the book.

Then it clicked to me!!

There is so similarly between how you handle or write the book of G'Quon (in the B5 world) and the Qur'an (in the real world). Even the way they use words and names.

So I'm wondering, are the Narns loosely based on the Muslims? Is the Narn religion loosely based on the Islam?

If so, then what other religions were the other races (ie: Minbari, Centauri, etc., etc.,) based on?

 

[Major Eazy]

Oh by the way, I recall reading that the Islam book of Qur'an had to be copied by hand, same words for words, just like the Bible had been done, so in B5, I liked it when Dr Franklin asked G'Kar why there seems to be what looked like a ring on the same page number in every copies, and G'Kar explained that copies of new books must be copied word for word and illustration for illustration from the original, and that it was Garibaldi who placed a mug of coffee on the book, leaving a coffee strain on a page, which was then copied by hand to every other copies.

 

[Brian G Turner]

being disrespectful to 'thump' the book

I took this literally as an allusion to saying that "Bible thumpers" are disrespectful people.

However, I did long ago notice that the Islamic equivalent of a pulpit in a mosque, is called a Minbar...

 

[Major Eazy]

I took this literally as an allusion to saying that "Bible thumpers" are disrespectful people.

However, I did long ago notice that the Islamic equivalent of a pulpit in a mosque, is called a Minbar...

Well, as far as I know, the Bible had been handled in all forms of manners, even including being shaken and waved in the air, being thrown on a table, poking a finger at some pages when trying to drive home a point. So if you there to thump the Bible, as far as I know, nobody really mind.

But when it comes to Islam, it was considered a mark of respect to handle their holy book with greater care, never to shake it, never to throw it on a table, to wrap it in a cloth, and was considered disrespectful if you slap the book of Qur'an.

I noticed in B5, G'Kar told Garibaldi off for hitting the book of G'Quon, when Garibaldi was pointing out that there are answers in that book that could be useful in the war against the Shadows.

Looking back on the B5 world, I wonder if I am the only one to notice the Narns seems to be a sci-fi version of Islam.

But looking back on B5, the Minbari do not seems to follow any Islamic equivalent, maybe apart from your mention of the fact that a pulpit in a mosque is called a Minbar.

 

[Ice fyre]

Islam and Narn, I think the Narn are to some degree based on the Islamic culture. There are hints of other cultures a little Japanese there a little bit of Christian theology no doubt in the mix. I loved the scene you describe, G'kar wincing as Garbaldi throws his sacred book about. The thing is with the Mimbari is they dont really follow a religon, they are more inclined to be philosphers. I suspect they were ancestor worshipers in their younger days. Spoken Narn made me think of Japanese myself.