Download Islam Handout

Name:
Islam Handout
We now enter into our final religion, and the last of our Abrahamic faiths; Islam. Islam is the
newest of the three monotheistic religions we've studied, but it is still 1500 years old. It
sprang from the Middle East, and is the second largest faith in the world, with almost 1.6
billion followers.
Mecca is a holy city, to Muslims. Situated along major trade routes, in western Arabia, it
brought people from all over the world, to worship at the Ka'aba, the temple to God (called
Allah). Each Muslim, if they are healthy and able, are asked to make a pilgrimage to Mecca,
at some time in their lives.
The prophet, Muhammad, was born in 570 AD. Born to a powerful Meccan family,
Muhammad became an orphan early in life. When he was 25, he married a wealthy
businesswoman, and he did very well as a merchant.
At 40, Muhammad’s life changed forever. While praying he felt the angel Gabriel speaking to
him. From that point on, he preached that there was only one God (Allah), and only he should
be prayed to. First, he had little luck, and in fact, the people of Mecca persecuted him, and
other Muslims. They fled to Medina (City of the Prophet). Eventually, Muhammad returned
to Mecca with 10,000 Muslim soldiers. Mecca surrendered, and Muhammad went to the
Ka'aba, and dedicated it to Allah.
Muhammad was a political and military leader. Over the course of his life, he united the tribes
of Arabia, and sent Islam all over the Middle East.
The Muslim holy book is the Quran, which teaches that there is only one God, Allah, and that
God revealed his word through the angel Gabriel, who then passed them to Muhammad.
These words were organized into the scriptures of the Quran. Muslims combine the Quran,
with the words and teachings of Muhammad, in the Sunnah. The Sunnah is considered to be
a guide for living. Later on, law-makers organized the Quran and Sunnah into a system with
which to decide legal matters, and with which to make law.
Muslims place their personal, and religious lives together. They live by following the "Five
Pillars of Islam." These are:
1. Faith - Believe, and say, "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet."
2. Prayer - Pray, in Arabic, five times a day, at specific times, and while facing Mecca.
3. Alms - Always give to the poor, and those in need.
4. Fasting - During Ramadan, avoid all food and beverages between sunrise and sunset.
5. Pilgrimage - If possible, make the pilgrimage to Mecca, once in a lifetime.
Muslims are forbidden to eat pork, or drink alcohol, and they're required to gather at the
mosque.
Like Judaism, and Christianity, Muslims begin their religion with Abraham. They too, believe
he was a prophet of God (Allah). Muslims call both Christians, and Jews, the "People of the
Book," because they're so close in teaching, to Islam. They too, believe in Heaven, Hell, and
Judgment Day. However, Muslims believe that Jesus was merely a prophet, and not the son of
God. They believe that Muhammad is the final prophet, and that his book, the Quran, is the
final word of God.
Muslim law states tolerism of other religions, although they have restricted rights, and must
pay higher taxes than Muslims.
After Muhammad's death, there was no successor named. Followers named his father-in-law,
Abu Bakr, as the first caliph. Over time, and through successive caliphs, the Muslim Empire
expanded to many times the size it was in Muhammad's lifetime.
Islam has brought us many advances in art, literature, medicine, mathematics, and astronomy.
They developed calligraphy, and improved ancient numbers systems. They developed
Algebra, and worked in Geometry, eventually developing an accurate calendar.
In medicine, they set up hospitals, and treated the poor, who couldn't pay. Islam was moving
forward, even as Europe was stuck in the Middle Ages.
Vocabulary
Caliph - Political/Religious leaders that rule in accordance with Islamic Law.
Tolerism - Being tolerant of other religions, and allowing them a place.
Mosque - The Muslim house of worship. A holy building.
Ramadan - The Muslim holy month, when fasting takes place.
Sunnah - Teachings and practices of Muhammad, and a guide for living life.
Quran - The Muslim holy book.
Medina - City to which Muhammad fled, to avoid persecution from Mecca.
Muhammad - The leader, and founder of Islam, and the Muslim community.
Pilgrimage - A journey to a sacred place, or a shrine.
Allah – God
Islam - The monotheistic/Abrahamic religion that follows the teachings of Muhammad.
Mecca - The holy city, to which Muslims pilgrimage.
Muslim - Literal meaning is, "One who submits to God." Follower of Islam.
Ka'aba - The holy shrine, in Mecca. No matter where Muslims are, anywhere in the world,
they are to face this shrine, and pray.