The sickness, disease, and death of the Plague have all been witnessed by many people. The Black Death devastated the Middle East and Europe around the mid 1300’s. There are three different kinds of the Black Death. They were the bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic; and they were deadly to all those who got it. Some of the symptoms of these plagues were buboes, infection of the respiratory system, chills, high fever, delirium, vomiting, and fast heartbeat (background essay). This pandemic affected both Muslims and Christians. Although the plagues affected both Muslims and Christians, the two religions reacted differently.
In the Middle East the plague devastated many. In document 4, it states that when the Muslims were infected with the Black Death they thought that it was a gift and a blessing from god and that they should accept the gift. They were preached to and taught that it was a test from god and that if they endure it well then they will be blessed and exalted in heaven. The Muslims at first wanted some reasoning of why the plague was upon them. So they started to come up with ideas and explanations concerning the Black Death. In document 5, the author Michael Dols and Philip Ziegler, made a lists of such things. The Muslims thought that warm ovens, too many shooting stars, and sin could all be causes of the pandemic. Because of the plague, the Muslims fasted for three consecutive days. They all meet in the Great mosque and then spent a night there praying (document 9). The Muslims had a lot to deal with, however so did the Christians.
The plague also devastated the Europeans. In document three, it says that there were so many people dying all around them that they didn’t have enough time and people to give the deceased a proper burial. In result of this they had to dig a huge ditch and throw the dead into these ditches. Then when the ditch was filled with corpses they put dirt over them and called it good. In Document 2, it shows how much of a certain group died. The percent of monks and priests that died were 44%. That is almost half of them that died. The cause of this is because the Christians wanted the priests to give the dead their death rights. Because of this they were around the sick a lot so most of them got sick also and died. Then as for the monks, if one of them got sick they were all at risk. Monks live in monasteries where they are in close quarters with the rest of the monks, so you had a great chance of getting sick. The Christians in Europe also got scared and desperate; Document 5 it proves this statement. Michael Dols, the author, writes about some of the causes and preventions that they came up with. The Christians thought that excessive clothing, impure air were causes of the Black Death. They believed that latrine vapors, windows with wax cloth, not sleeping on your back, and building fires were all ways to prevent getting the disease.
Although the plague devastated both Muslims and Christians, they responded differently. Gabrele de Mussis, in Document 4, writes that both Muslims and Christians thought that it was from god. However, the Muslims turned to God and the Christains turned away from god. Muslims thought it was a blessing and a test from God, the Christians thought it was a punishment for their sins and they have to repent to live (Document 9). In document 7, the author write how the Christans thought that it was the Jews fault that the plague was upon them so they started kill them.
These two religious groups got sick with the Black Death, around the same time, and thought it was from god. Nevertheless, Muslims and Christians responded differently. The Muslims embraced the illness, the Christians repelled it. If we ever have such a devastating problem like the Black Death in the future, society should consider the problem closely and not jump to conclusions.
In the Middle East the plague devastated many. In document 4, it states that when the Muslims were infected with the Black Death they thought that it was a gift and a blessing from god and that they should accept the gift. They were preached to and taught that it was a test from god and that if they endure it well then they will be blessed and exalted in heaven. The Muslims at first wanted some reasoning of why the plague was upon them. So they started to come up with ideas and explanations concerning the Black Death. In document 5, the author Michael Dols and Philip Ziegler, made a lists of such things. The Muslims thought that warm ovens, too many shooting stars, and sin could all be causes of the pandemic. Because of the plague, the Muslims fasted for three consecutive days. They all meet in the Great mosque and then spent a night there praying (document 9). The Muslims had a lot to deal with, however so did the Christians.
The plague also devastated the Europeans. In document three, it says that there were so many people dying all around them that they didn’t have enough time and people to give the deceased a proper burial. In result of this they had to dig a huge ditch and throw the dead into these ditches. Then when the ditch was filled with corpses they put dirt over them and called it good. In Document 2, it shows how much of a certain group died. The percent of monks and priests that died were 44%. That is almost half of them that died. The cause of this is because the Christians wanted the priests to give the dead their death rights. Because of this they were around the sick a lot so most of them got sick also and died. Then as for the monks, if one of them got sick they were all at risk. Monks live in monasteries where they are in close quarters with the rest of the monks, so you had a great chance of getting sick. The Christians in Europe also got scared and desperate; Document 5 it proves this statement. Michael Dols, the author, writes about some of the causes and preventions that they came up with. The Christians thought that excessive clothing, impure air were causes of the Black Death. They believed that latrine vapors, windows with wax cloth, not sleeping on your back, and building fires were all ways to prevent getting the disease.
Although the plague devastated both Muslims and Christians, they responded differently. Gabrele de Mussis, in Document 4, writes that both Muslims and Christians thought that it was from god. However, the Muslims turned to God and the Christains turned away from god. Muslims thought it was a blessing and a test from God, the Christians thought it was a punishment for their sins and they have to repent to live (Document 9). In document 7, the author write how the Christans thought that it was the Jews fault that the plague was upon them so they started kill them.
These two religious groups got sick with the Black Death, around the same time, and thought it was from god. Nevertheless, Muslims and Christians responded differently. The Muslims embraced the illness, the Christians repelled it. If we ever have such a devastating problem like the Black Death in the future, society should consider the problem closely and not jump to conclusions.
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