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Islam
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Islam is the third of the three major monotheistic religions. It is
descended from both Judaism and Christianity. People who
practice the religion of Islam are known as Muslims, not Islams.
The term Islam literally means “submission” (to Allah), and
Muslim means “one who submits”. Like many religions, Islam
was not immediately accepted by the local population.
Basic Beliefs
Origins of Islam
•Muslims believe that Abraham is not only
the father of the Jews, but also of ArabMuslims. They trace their descendency
from Abraham’s child Ishmael — the child
he had with Hagar when he thought he
and his wife Sarah could not have children. There is more than a little irony in
the fact that Arabs claim to be the halfbrothers of Jews…
•In 570 CE, Muhammad was born in the
city of Mecca, in the Arabian peninsula. He
grew up and became a successful businessman, but he still questioned his life
and the world around him.
•In 610, at the age of 40, Muhammad went to a cave outside
of Mecca to pray and to meditate. There he received the first
of his revelations from God.
•Muhammad openly taught his revelations
in Mecca, but the people of Mecca did not
accept him as a religious prophet. Muhammad fled to the neighboring city of Medina
in 622.
•In the city of Medina, people accepted his
teachings, and the religion of Islam took
root. Muhammad returned to Mecca in
630 with an army, and the Meccans finally submitted to Islam.
•Muslims are monotheistic, and believe
there is only one God, Allah. Muhammad is
NOT a god, he is the prophet. In fact, Muslims believe Muhammad is the last (and
greatest) in a long line of prophets beginning with Abraham, including Moses and
Jesus.
•Muslims believe Islam to be the
final revelation of Judaism &
Christianity. Jews & Christians
traditionally have been given special consideration in Muslim communities
as “people of the book”.
•Muslims follow the 5 Pillars as the cornerstone of their religion.
-Pillar
Pillar 1: Faith (Shahada) Declaration of
their faith in Allah.
-Pillar
Pillar 2: Prayer (Salat) Pray five times a
day toward Mecca.
-Pillar
Pillar 3: Almsgiving (Zakat) Giving of
alms or charity to the poor and sick.
-Pillar
Pillar 4: Fasting (Sawm) Fasting during
the holy month of Ramadan.
-Pillar
Pillar 5: Pilgrimage (Hajj) Making a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca at least
once in a lifetime.
-Pillar
Pillar 6: Holy War (Jihad) A sometimes
invoked pillar. Holy War must be
proclaimed by a Caliph (religious leader), or
other important leader.
Sacred Symbols & Books
Sects of Islam
•The most widely recognized symbol
of Islam is the crescent moon & star.
It appears on the flags of some Muslim nations, and can be found atop minaret
towers. It is a controversial symbol, since it
is not found anywhere in the Qur’an. Many
feel it symbolizes the understanding offered
by Islam. The waxing crescent increases in
light and the star provides direction.
•The Qur’an (Koran) is the holiest book in Islam. It contains the revelations that Muhammad received from Allah. Because the revelations were received in the language of Arabic, Muslims consider only Arabic copies of
the Qur’an to be official copies. They believe
that something is lost when the language is
translated. So while English copies of the
Qur’an do exist, they are not considered to
be official.
•The Mosque is the Muslim house
of worship. A traditional mosque is
built with a large open area in
which to pray, and is usually
topped with a large dome. Generally mosques have tall slender towers called
minarets on the property. Large mosques
may have 4 minarets — one at each point of
the compass. Each morning the call to worship is chanted by the muezzin from atop
the minaret.
•The Ka’aba is located inside of
the Great Mosque in Mecca, and is
considered the most sacred site in
Islam. The Ka’aba itself is a large
granite cube (43’ high x 36’ x 42’). The
Ka’aba houses the Black Stone — a meteorite
that fell from heaven to show Adam & Eve
where to build an altar for offerings. Abraham later built a ka’aba to house the black
stone, and Muhammad rebuilt it. Pilgrims
march around it seven times.
•Sunni
Sunni Muslims—85%
of the world’s MusMuslims
lims are Sunni. These are considered Orthodox Muslims, and follow the example of
Muhammad. They also do not believe the
caliph (leader of Islam — like a Pope) needs
to be a direct blood descendent of Muhammad, but rather should be chosen
based on their character and example.
•Shi’ite
Shi’ite (Shi’a) Muslims—15%
of the
Muslims
world’s Muslims are Shi’a. This group
believes that the caliph should be a
direct descendent of the prophet. They
also believed the Imams (first 12 leaders of
the Islamic community) were chosen by
God, and were perfect examples for Muslims. The 12th Imam disappeared in the
9th century, and Shi’as believe he will return to judge the faithful at the end of the
world.
•Sufi
Sufi Muslims—Tiny
sect of mystical MusMuslims
lims who believe that prayer & meditation
can draw them closer to Allah in this life.
Impact on Lives
•The Five Pillars all have a direct impact on
Muslims’ lives. Also, most Muslims go to
religious school to learn the Qur’an, which
means, most Muslims learn to read Arabic.
•Muslims, like Jews, also have dietary laws
forbidding the consumption of pork
products and alcohol.
•The Qur’an dictates that Muslim
women dress and behave in a modest manner. Some Muslim nations
take this more seriously than others. In Arab communities of the Middle
East, most women are required to remain
fully covered in loose fitting garb. In some
cases, even the faces of women must be
covered. However in Muslim Indonesia, female dress codes are much different.
Global History
Islam
1. What do the terms “Islam” and “Muslim”
mean?
Name ___________________________________
6. What are Muslim beliefs regarding:
Allah-
Muhammad2. What is the descendency of ArabMuslims?
7. How do Muslims view Judaism and Christianity?
3. Why is it somewhat ironic that Jews &
Arabs are half-brothers?
8. Label & explain the 5 (6) Pillars of Islam.
a.
b.
c.
4. Summarize the early life of Muhammad.
d.
e.
(f).
5. Why did Muhammad go to Medina? What
9. What is a widely recognized symbol of Ishappened there?
lam? What does it symbolize?
10. Describe the holiest book in Islam.
11. What is a mosque & what is it like?
13. Describe the 3 sects of Islam.
a.
b.
c.
12. What is the Ka’aba, where is it located & 14. What are some impacts that Islam has on
what is its significance?
the lives of believers?
Analysis:
15. What are some similarities between Judaism, Christianity and Islam?
16. Why do Muslims consider their religion an extension of Judaism & Christianity?
17. Islam is a religion that proselytizes (attempt to convert followers). What are some other
religions which do this?
Global History
Islam Key
1. What do the terms “Islam” and “Muslim”
mean?
The term Islam literally means
“submission” (to Allah), and Muslim means
“one who submits”.
Name ___________________________________
Muhammad– the last and greatest of
the prophets beginning with Abraham, including Moses and Jesus.
7. How do Muslims view Judaism and Chris2. What is the descendency of Arabtianity?
Muslims?
Muslims believe Islam to be the final revelation of Judaism & Christianity. Jews &
Muslims believe that Abraham is not only
the father of the Jews, but also of ArabChristians traditionally have been given
Muslims. They trace their descendency from special consideration in Muslim communiAbraham’s child Ishmael — the child he had ties as “people of the book”.
with Hagar when he thought he and his
wife Sarah could not have children.
8. Label & explain the 5 (6) Pillars of Islam.
a. Faith (Shahada) Declaration of their
3. Why is it somewhat ironic that Jews &
faith in Allah.
Arabs are half-brothers?
b. Prayer (Salat) Pray five times a day
This answer is not found in the text, but
hopefully students are somewhat aware of toward Mecca.
the friction that is the Arab-Israeli conflict.
If they don’t, this question provides an opc. Almsgiving (Zakat) Giving of alms or
portunity for discussion.
charity to the poor and sick.
4. Summarize the early life of Muhammad.
Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570, and
became a businessman there. In 610 at the
age of 40, Muhammad sought God through
prayer and fasting. He received revelations
from God, and began teaching them.
d. Fasting (Sawm) Fasting during the
holy month of Ramadan.
5. Why did Muhammad go to Medina? What
happened there?
He fled to Medina because the people of
Mecca did not accept his teachings.
(Actually, the people wanted to kill him… so
he fled.) In Medina, people believed his
teachings, and the religion of Islam was established.
(f). Holy War (Jihad) A sometimes
invoked pillar. Holy War must be proclaimed
by a Caliph (religious leader), or other
important leader.
6. What are Muslim beliefs regarding:
Allah– the one and only God
e. Pilgrimage (Hajj) Making a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca at least once
in a lifetime.
9. What is a widely recognized symbol of Islam? What does it symbolize?
The crescent moon & star. Many feel it symbolizes the understanding offered by Islam.
The waxing crescent increases in light and
the star provides direction.
10. Describe the holiest book in Islam.
The Qur’an (Koran) is the holiest book in Islam. It contains the revelations that Muhammad received from Allah. Because the revelations were received in the language of Arabic, Muslims consider only Arabic copies of
the Qur’an to be official copies.
13. Describe the 3 sects of Islam.
a. Sunni — largest sect (85%), Orthodox Muslims follow the example of Muhammad. They do not believe the caliph needs to
be a direct blood descendent of Muhammad
b. Shia — smaller sect (15%), This group
believes that the caliph should be a direct
11. What is a mosque & what is it like?
descendent of the prophet. They also beThe Mosque is the Muslim house of worship. lieved the Imams (first 12 leaders of the IsA traditional mosque is built with a large
lamic community) were chosen by God, and
open area, and is usually topped with a large were perfect examples for Muslims.
dome. Generally mosques have tall slender
towers called minarets on the property.
c. Sufi — Tiny sect of mystical Muslims
who believe that prayer & meditation can
12. What is the Ka’aba, where is it located & draw them closer to Allah in this life.
what is its significance?
The Ka’aba is located inside of the Great
14. What are some impacts that Islam has on
Mosque in Mecca, and is considered the
the lives of believers?
most sacred site in Islam. The Ka’aba houses The Five Pillars all have a direct impact on
the Black Stone — a meteorite that fell from Muslims’ lives. They have dietary laws forheaven to show Adam & Eve where to build bidding the consumption of pork products
an altar for offerings. Abraham later built a and alcohol. In Arab communities of the Midka’aba to house the black stone, and Mudle East, most women are required to remain
hammad rebuilt it.
fully covered in loose fitting garb.
Analysis:
15. What are some similarities between Judaism, Christianity and Islam?
All are monotheistic and really all come from the same root (Judaism), and thus embrace
what Christians would call the Old Testament. Judaism & Islam have strict dietary laws,
(Catholicism also does, but not to the same degree).
16. Why do Muslims consider their religion an extension of Judaism & Christianity?
Even as Christianity is to some degree an extension of Judaism, Islam is seen as an extension of Christianity (and Judaism). Muslims accept all Old and New Testament prophets as
sent from Allah, and believe that the final revelation of Allah came through Muhammad.
17. Islam is a religion that proselytizes (attempt to convert followers). What are some other
religions which do this?
Really, just Christianity. There were times in history when Buddhism was spread by missionaries, but in general, missionary work is not a major component of Buddhism like it is
in Christianity and Islam.
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