Download 53. The Beginnings of Islam

World History Detective* Book 1
Medieval Civilizations
53. The Beginnings of Islam
A 'Muhammad was born in Makkah (formerly
Mecca in English) in 570. 2He married a wealthy
merchant and prospered in business. 3ln 610,
he retreated to meditate in a cave, and there,
according to Islamic beliefs, he received his first
revelation (communication) from the angel Gabriel.
4
Gabriel told him he was the messenger of God.
B 5Three years later, the prophet (Muhammad)
began sharing the revelations he received. 6He
believed his mission was to restore the worship of
one God, whose name was Allah in Arabic. 7He
called on people to turn from their sins and live
good lives. 8The new religion was called Islam,
which means submission to God. 9lts followers are
called Muslims, meaning one who submits to God.
C 10At the time of Muhammad's revelations, Jews
and Christians also lived in Arabia. 11According to
Muhammad, Allah was the same God who spoke
to Abraham and Jesus, and he (Muhammad) was
God's last great prophet, so Islam was the true
religion.
D 12!n Makkah, Muhammad preached about
believing in Allah, prayer, seeking forgiveness, and
taking care of the needy. "He was persecuted
and mocked and his followers were attacked.
14
Because of this persecution Muhammad left
Makkah for Medina in 622. 15ln Arabic, this journey
is called the Hijra and is designated the first year of
the Islamic calendar.
16
ln Medina, Muhammad built an army of his
ew believers and led raids against Makkah's
caravans. 17He eventually conquered and
converted Makkah to Islam. 18When Muhammad
or an Islamic leader conquered a territory, he
instituted laws that reflected Islamic beliefs. 19One
of the laws dealt with marriage. 20The Koran allows
for men to have up to four wives. 21Muhammad
had eleven wives himself.
F 22The Koran is the Muslim holy book just as the
Bible is the holy book for Christians. 23Muhammad
believed he received revelations from 610-632,
the year of his death. 24The Koran is the central
religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the
word of God. 25Muslims believe that God spoke
the words in the Koran to the angel Gabriel, and
then Gabriel told them word for word to Muhammad
who wrote them directly into the Koran. 26The
other source for Islamic thought and authority is
the Sunnah. 27The Sunnah contains the words and
actions of Muhammad himself, and it is used as a
guide on how to live as a true Muslim and how to
correctly interpret the Koran.
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paradise. 39Once conquered, most Arabs had to
convert. 40Muslims allowed Jews and Christians
to practice their faith privately if they paid ay'/'zya
(special tax).
28
G
To be a good Muslim, you are to follow the
five pillars. Muslims must:
1. 29Profess there is no God but Allah, and
Muhammad is his prophet.
2. 30Pray five times a day.
3. 31Give to the community.
4. 32Fast during the holy month of Ramadan
(the ninth month of the Muslim calendar).
33
Make a pilgrimage to Mecca.
"FT"" 34A little more than 100 years after
Muhammad's death, Islam had spread from the
Arabian Peninsula to parts of Africa and Europe.
35
How did Islam spread so quickly? 36lslam's belief
in one God attracted many followers. "Muslim
warriors believed that spreading Islam was part
of a holy war. 3BWarriors who died were promised
220
I 41Muslims believe that heaven is a reward
for those who do good and that hell is a place
of punishment for evildoers. 42Muslim places of
worship are called mosques. 43lslam has no
hierarchy, like the Catholic Church, but men who
lead the faithful in prayer in mosques are called
imams.
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