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Islam: An Abrahamic Religion
 Judaeo-Christian foundations

Muslims are strict monotheists
They believe in the Judeo-Christian God which
they call Allah. Muhammad is the last prophet

Muslims believe that the Torah and the Bible,
like the Qur’an, is the word of God

Life of Muhammad
Peace be upon him or May Allah bless him and grant him peace
 Born 570CE into a powerful
Meccan family. Orphaned and
raised by relatives.

Khadijah, wife and partner
Muhammad received his first
revelation from the angel Gabriel in
the Cave of Hira in 610

‘Islam’ = Submission to the will of
Allah. Muslim = “one who has
submitted”

Life of Muhammad
Flees Mecca for Medina
(Yathrib) with group of
followers to preach as the
prophet 622CE Hijirah. Marks
the beginning of the Muslim
calendar

Muhammad’s revelations
were compiled into the Qur’an
after his death at age 62

Muslims believe the Qur’an
contains the word of God.
Written in Arabic

Life of Muhammad
Unites conflicting tribes
and conquers Mecca

By the time of his death in
632, most of the Arab
Peninsula had converted to
Islam; and he united the
tribes of Arabia into a single
Muslim religious polity

When name is spoken
Peace be upon him or May
Allah bless him and grant him
peace

The Shahada
 The testimony. The declaration of
faith
There is no god worthy of worship
except God, and Muhammad is His
Messenger [or Prophet]
1
The Salat
 The mandatory prayers
performed 5 times a day
* dawn, noon, afternoon,
sunset, before bed
Wash before praying.
Face Mecca and use a
prayer rug

The call to prayer by the
muezzin in the minaret.
Pray in the mosque on
Friday

2
The Zakat
 Almsgiving (charitable donations)

Belief that all things belong to God
Zakat means both “purification” and
“growth”

 About
2.5% of your income
3
The Sawm
 Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan

Considered a method of self-purification
No eating or drinking from sunrise to
sunset during Ramadan

4
Eid Mubarak
End of the Ramadan holiday
The Hajj
 The pilgrimage to Mecca
Must be done at least once in a Muslim’s
life

Two to three million Muslims make the
pilgrimage every year. Hajji

5
The Ka’aba
The most sacred site in
Islam. The cube-like building
located in Mecca predates
Islam, and, according to
tradition, was partly built by
Abraham and Ishmael

The Masjid al-Haram
mosque is built around it

 All
Muslims around the
world face the Kaaba during
prayer
The Ka’aba
The Hajj requires require
all physically able pilgrims to
walk several times around it
in a counter-clockwise
direction. Called the Tawaf

Mecca
Hajj
The Mosque
 The Muslim place of worship
The Dome of the Rock Mosque in Jerusalem
Mount Moriah Rock where Muhammad ascended
into heaven. Also most holy in Judaism Temple
Other Islamic Religious Practices
Polygamy allowed. Multiple wives allowed at
once


Dietary restrictions - No alcohol or pork

No gambling

Sharia Islamic law that regulates daily living
Three holiest cities in Islam
* Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem.

Why was Islam able to
spread so quickly and
convert so many to the
new religion?
The Spread of Islam

Easy to learn and practice
No priesthood. Every Muslim worships Allah
directly


Teaches equality
Non-Muslims, who were “Peoples of the Book,”
were allowed religious freedom, but paid additional
taxes

Easily “portable” faith  nomads & Arab trade
routes

Jihad (“Holy War”) against pagans and other nonbelievers (“infidels”)
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