Islam

1
Islam
2
Defining the Basics

• Islam means submission to God
• Followers of Islam are called Muslim which means
  one who submits to Allah
• Allah is the Arabic name for God
• Umma-the larger Muslim community

3
Origins of Islam

• Trace origins back to Abraham, father of Ishmael
• Hagar and Ishmael in the desert, Hagar prays for
  water and it appeared where Ishmaels heels
  touched the ground
• This became the famous well Zamzam, where the
  city of Mecca was born

4
Origins Continued

• Abraham travels back to Mecca to visit Ishmael,
  where God tells him to build a holy sanctuary at
  Zamzam
• This is the cite of what is called the Kaaba
  meaning cube
• Kaaba is about 40 ft. in height, width and length
• God instructed Abraham to tell worshippers to
  make a pilgrimage to the Kaaba

5
Importance of Mecca

• Thus Mecca becomes a key place, both spiritually
  and economically
• It is at the crossroads of many trade routes, has
  water and is a spiritual center for pilgrims

6
The Kaaba During the Hajj
7
The Prophet Muhammad

• Founder of the Islam
• Born 570 in Mecca as Muhammad ibn Abd Allah
• Orphaned by the time he was 6
• Adopted by his uncle Abu Talib, and worked as a
  camel driver
• Traveled throughout the Arabian Peninsula and had
  contact with Jews and Christians

8
Prophets Life Continued

• Married an older widow named Khadijah
• Sought solitude in a cave near Mecca
• Muslims believe the Angel Gabriel took hold of
  Muhammad and asked him to recite
• Muhammad started to preach in Mecca
• He believed he was from the lineage of other
  prophets

9
Birth of Islam

• Muhammad called upon the people of Mecca to
  reject their idols and worship one God
• This angered the leaders of Mecca
• Muhammad and his followers were forced to flee
  Mecca in 619 CE
• That same year his wife and uncle die

10
From Jerusalem to Medina

• In 619 Muhammad is believed to have journeyed to
  heavenwith the Angel Gabriel from a Rock in
  Jerusalem
• In 620 CE pilgrims from Medina travel to Mecca
  and are moved by Muhammads teachings
• Medina is violent and they want his help in
  solving the problems there

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Dome of the Rock-Jerusalem
12
Yathrib - Medina

• Muhammad Abu
• Bakr fled to Medina 622
• This journey is
• known as the Hijrah
• This marks the
• beginning of the
• Islamic Calendar

13
Power Grows Returns to Mecca

• Muhammad returned to Mecca in 629
• Smashed the idols in the Kaaba
• Spoke of the oneness of God and proclaimed
  himself a prophet
• By 630 Islam is the dominant religion in
  MeccaMuhammad seeks to conquer the rest of the
  Arabian Peninsula
• Died in 632 CE in Medina

14
Islam After Muhammad

• Abu-Bakr becomes the first caliph or successor
• Along with Umar, Uthman and Ali these four people
  are known as the Rightly Guided Caliphs
• Islam expands due in part to a unified religion
  and weak Empires to the north and east Byzantine
  and Sassanid

15
Split in Islam

• In 656 Uthman was murdered creating a power
  struggle
• Ali-Muhammads son-n-law was next in line to rule
• Muawiya-governor of Syria challenged this right
  to rule
• 661 Ali was assassinated
• Umayyads take over power and move capital to Syria

16
Sunni-Shia Split

• Majority of Muslimes accepted Umayyad rule
• Minority resisted (Shia) thought caliph needed to
  be a descendant of the Prophet
• Shia means party of Ali
• Those who did not resist are called
  Sunnis-followers of Muhammads example

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Key Texts

• Quran which means recitation
• Quran is divided into suras which means chapters
• Muslims believe the Quran follows the Torah and
  the Gospels in a series of holy books
• Hadith consists of the life and teachings of
  Muhammad

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Basic Beliefs

• Strict Monotheistic faith
• GodAllah the same God revealed in the Jewish and
  Christian texts
• Born pure but imperfect, capable of doing good
  and seeking Allah
• Purpose of life Submit to Allah and achieve
  paradise
• Live life according to the Quran, Hadith and
  follow the Five Pillars

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The Five Pillars of Islam

• Shahada Declaration of Faith there is no god
  but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of
  Allah
• Salat Prayer 5 times a day (face Mecca)
• Zakat Alms, Give to the poor and sick
• Sawm Fasting during Ramadan
• Hajj Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once

20
Beliefs Regarding an Afterlife

• Muslims believe in a Day of Judgment
• All actions are taken into account on this day
  before Allah
• Rewards of Paradise await those who follow Allah
• Hell awaits those who turn away
• Quran is very descriptive about Paradise and Hell

21
Basic Differences Between Sunnis and Shias

• Sunnis Shias
• Believe the 4 caliphs Believe Ali should
• Rightly Guided have succeed the
• Prophet
• Muslim rulers follow Rulers descendents
• Muhammads example of Prophet
• Shias Distort Quran Sunnis distort Quran
• The differences translate into different
  practices and doctrine today

22
A Way of Life

• Muslims live life based on the 5 pillars
• Sharia is a body of law that regulates family
  life, moral conduct and business and community
  life
• In many Muslim societies the Sharia is the law of
  the land no separation of Mosque and State

23
Lifecycle Events

• Birth and Childhood Aqiqa is when a Muslim baby
  is given a Muslim name, circumcision is also
  observed by Muslims
• Marriage a union between 2 families polygamy is
  accepted in Muslim societies
• Death Passages from the Quran are recited as
  death nears. Corpse is washed and prepared for
  burial in a simple white sheet. Head of deceased
  points in the direction of Mecca

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Holidays

• Ramadan occurs in the 9th month of the Islamic
  calendar. A time of reflection and
  purificationfast from sunup to sundown
• Lailat ul-Qadr occurs ten days before the end of
  Ramadan-Muhammads first experience with
  revelation
• Id-al-Fitr feast that follows the conclusion of
  Ramadan

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Holidays cont

• Al-Isra Wal Miraj Marks Muhammads journey from
  Mecca
• Id-ul-Adha ritual slaughtering of animals to
  feed the needy.
• Maulid al-Nabi Celebrates the birth of the
  Prophet Muhammad

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Understanding Jihad

• The word means struggle
• According to Religious Tolerance there are 3
  types of Jihad
• Personal Jihad is an inner struggle against
  evil inclinations
• Verbal Jihad Strive for justice through
  non-violence and words
• Physical Jihad Defend Islam through the use of
  force
• Often used today to invoke the concept of a holy
  war against non-believers

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Islam Today

• 1.3 Billion followers mainly in the Middle East
  and North Africa
• Indonesia has the highest percentage of Muslims
• Religious professional Iman in Shia tradition,
  Sheikh in Sunni tradition

28
Works Cited

• Molloy, Michael. Experiencing the Worlds
  Religions. Boston McGraw Hill, 2005
• Smith, Huston. World Religions A Guide to our
  Wisdom and Traditions. United Kingdom Labyrinth
  Publishing Ltd. 1994.
• Toropov, Brandon and Buckles, Luke. World
  Religions. New York Alpha Books, 2004.
• Roger, Beck B., Black Linda, Krieger S. Larry,
  Phillip C. Naylor, and Shabaka I. Dahia. World
  History Patterns of Interaction. McDougal
  Littell, 2007.
• "Islam." Religion Facts. 25 Nov. 2006
  lthttp//www.religionfacts.com/islam/index.htmgt.
• "THE CONCEPT OF JIHAD ("STRUGGLE') IN ISLAM."
  Religious Tolerance. 25 Nov. 2006
  lthttp//www.religioustolerance.org/gt.