Download Islam workbook 2011

S3
Islam Workbook
Introduction
Islam is an Arabic word which means
‘submission or surrender’. A follower of
Islam is known as a Muslims which means
‘one who submits’. This is because
Muslims are expected to submit or surrender their lives to God who they call Allah.
When Muslims bow down during prayer it is symbolic of their submission to Allah.
They believe that Allah has spoken to them through the prophet Muhammad. They
believe their sacred book, the Koran (Qur’an) contains the actual word of Allah
which the Angel Jibril (Gabriel) spoke on to Muhammad. This is the same Angel
Gabriel that appears in the stories about Jesus birth. For Islam, the story of God’s
contact with us begins with people important to Christianity and Judaism – people
such as Adam, Abraham, Moses and Jesus, are seen as prophets of Allah.
Muhammad is the last of the prophets sent by Allah to fully reveal the words of God.
Islam is a way of life. The Koran instructs the people of Islam how to live their lives.
The Five Pillars of Islam (which we will study more closely later) give them some
basic elements of their religion. The Shiriah law deals with all areas of life, from
marriage to family, social oppression and lack of equality.
Task 1
1. What do the following words mean?
a) Islam
b) Muslim
2. What is the name of the sacred book of Islam?
3. What angel is believed to have spoken the Qur’an to Muhammad?
4. What people from the Christian faith are important to Muslims?
5. What 3 things help guide a Muslim person’s life?
The Life of Muhammad
Muhammad was born about 570 AD into the Koreish tribe in Mecca. He was always
interested in religion and was familiar with some of the teachings of Judaism and
Christianity. He would listen to preachers in Mecca who spoke about God, the last
judgement and the punishment of sinners in everlasting fire.
By the time he was 18 he had picked up the nickname Al Amin, which means ‘the
faithful’. What he saw in Mecca disappointed him. People were worshipping all sorts
of gods and goddesses. He was unhappy with their drunkenness, adultery and the
injustices the poor suffered. He realised that the religion of the preachers was
corrupt
and
not
having any effect on
the people’s bad
behaviour.
At the age of 25
Muhammad
married a woman
named
Khadijah
and they had six
children. Over the
years Muhammad would often go off to a cave near Mecca to pray. In 610 AD, when
he was on one of his visits to the cave he heard the voice of God telling him that he
was to be the prophet of Allah. This night is known as the night of power and
excellence.
Over the next 10 years Muhammad received more revelations through the Angel
Gabriel which were eventually written down in the Koran.
Muhammad began to preach in Mecca. He told the people that there was only one
God, Allah. He told the people to act justly and to give to give generously to the
poor. He told them not to worship false god, goddesses and idols. This made him
enemies among the merchants who made their living from selling statues and idols
to the people in Mecca. Muhammad was bad for their business and threats to kill
him became frequent.
Pilgrims who had come to Mecca from Medina heard Muhammad preach and were
impressed. In July 622 they invited him to go and live in Medina, a city about 400
kilometres north of Mecca. Muhammad was still receiving death threats and so he
left Mecca and journeyed across the Arabian desert to Medina. This journey is called
the hijra meaning the departure or exodus.
It was in Medina that the Muslim community was born under the leadership of
Muhammad. Here he built the first mosque and became recognised as the rasul or
messenger of Allah. He also became their political and military leader.
Muhammad began trying to convert Mecca from its evil ways and by 630 he had
conquered Mecca. People soon began to convert to Islam and Muhammad became
their prophet-king. He died in 632.
1. Where and when was Muhammad born?
2. What does the nickname ‘Al Amin” mean?
3. What do Muslims call the night when Muhammad received his first vision?
4. Where did Muhammad live and where did he move to in 622 AD?
5. Why was Muhammad displeased with the religion in Mecca?
6. What was Muhammad doing that made the people of Mecca threaten to kill him?
7. Why was Muhammad’s move from Mecca to Medina a turning point for him and
for Islam?
The Five Pillars of Islam
The main practices of Muslims can be summed up in the Five Pillars of
Islam. The Pillars are so called because they support the Muslim way
of life. They outline the most important actions of the followers of
Islam as follows.

Shahadah: Declaration of Faith

Salah: Prayer

Zakah: Giving to People in Need

Sawm: Fasting

Hajj: Pilgrimage
Task:
As you work through the various tasks on the 5 Pillars of Islam you should also build
up an illustration of five pillars of Islam that contains the following elements.
1. 5 columns to represent the 5 pillars
2. The name of pillar in Arabic and English
3. Some key information about each of the five pillars
Shahadah
I
Salat
S
Sawm
L
Zakat
A
Hajj
M
Quick Revision
1. What does the word Islam mean?
2. What is the name of the Muslim holy book?
3. Where was Muhammad born? (city)
4. Where did escape to before starting Islam?
5. What was the name of the angel who spoke to Muhammad?
6. What is the Muslim word for God?
7. Name the 5 pillars of Islam
8. Now give their Arabic names?
The Five Pillars of Islam
When you think about the 5 pillars of Islam you have to imagine them as the
things that support the whole Islamic way of life. They are all very important to
Muslims.
We are now going to look at each of them in a little more detail. 4 of them focus
the attention of a Muslim on their duties towards God.
Shahadah
Salat
Hajj
Sawm
-
the need to believe in Allah
the need to pray to God
the importance of Mecca and the life of Mohammad
fasting reminds them of their dependence on
God’s creation for food
Zakat
-
giving to charity remind them of their duty to look after
those in need.
Very often these activities have complicated routines or rituals attached to them.
These show the importance that they have for the Muslims people. If something
is important, you take your time over it, you do it properly.
Shahadah – Creed
The first pillar is called ‘Shahadah’. This is a declaration of faith. It
outlines what Muslims believe as follows.
There is no God but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.
Allah
This is a very strong statement of belief in one God. The Muslim word
for God is ‘Allah’. There are many names for God to be found in the
Qur’an. These names describe attributes of God, for example ‘AllMerciful’, but Muslims believe in only one God.
Task A
1. What word do Muslims use for God?
2. Why do you think Muslims refer to Muhammad as God’s messenger
or prophet rather than as the leader of Islam?
3. Do you think it possible that there could be lots of gods, or no God at
all? Give reasons for your answer.
The
Shahadah
in Arabic
Salat – Prayer
The second pillar is called ‘Salat’. It refers to the duty of Muslims to
pray at certain times of the day. The prayers are said in Arabic, the
language of the Prophet Muhammad. Muslims pray at five set times
each day, but are encouraged to pray at other times as well.
The prayer can be said anywhere that is clean – and a special mat is
often used. In preparation for prayer Muslims wash; as they pray
Muslims are expected to concentrate their mind on the prayer. The
prayer times are set and have individual names. Below is a chart that
outlines the names and the times for prayer. Muslims also will pray at
special occasions and use various other methods of praying. One is a
litany or lists of names for Allah that can be recited with the help of
prayer beads.
The Call to Prayer
In Muslim countries followers of Islam are called to prayer in a public
way. Each day everyone can hear the call to prayer. The translation of
the Arabic is:
God is Greatest
I bear witness that there is no other object of worship but God.
I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.
Come to prayer.
Come to Success.
God is Greatest.
There is no other object of worship but God.
The Times of Prayer
The following table shows the times of prayer each day.
Prayer
Time
Fajr
Between first light and sunrise
Zuhr
Straight after the sun has passed its highest point
Asr
Between mid-afternoon and sunset
Maghrib
Between sunset and the last light of day
Isha
Between darkness and dawn
Preparing for Prayer
A ritual washing called Wudu, which is both symbolic and a sign of
respect to God, comes before the prayer sessions. In the Mosque
there are separate washing facilities for men and women.
Prayer Rituals
When Muslims pray they must follow a set pattern of movements (or ritual) called
Rak’Ahs. Each movement is connected to a section of prayer. Muslims always turn to
face Mecca when praying. You can see the prayer positions in these pictures.
Task B
1. How often should a Muslim pray each day?
2. In which direction should Muslims face when they pray?
3. Why do Muslims clean themselves before they pray?
4. How many positions are there in the prayer ritual?
5. Imagine you are a young follower of Islam. Write a few paragraphs for
your school magazine entitiled ‘My Daily Prayer Routine’. Use the
information contained above to assist you. Try to imagine and include
any difficulties you might encounter (e.g. when you are taking part in
an all-day event as part of a team).
Zakah – Giving to Charity
The third pillar is called ‘Zakah’. This refers to the fact that Muslims
believe it is very important to care for others, so much so that they set
aside an agreed percentage of their savings to be donated to charities.
Traditionally this is 2½%. This is normally done through the local
Mosque, and in some wealthier Islamic regions these donations will
fund the building of Mosques in poorer areas.
Task D
1. How do Muslims show care for others? Do you know of any examples
of this?
2. What charities does your school support?
3. How important do you think it is that pupils and staff in schools
support charities? Give a reason for your answer.
Sawm – Fasting
The fourth pillar of Islam is called ‘Sawm’. It is the practice of fasting.
For Muslims fasting takes place during the month of Ramadan. All fit
and healthy adults should fast during this month. Fasting begins at
sunrise and finishes at sunset each day. Since Muslims follow the lunar
calendar, the date of Ramadan varies from year to year. The days of
fasting, therefore, can be shorter or longer depending upon the time
of year and the country in which the Muslim community lives. It is
usual for the local Mosque to set the time for the beginning and end
of the fasting period.
During this time they remember God’s gift of the Qur’an or holy book.
For Muslims it is important to use Ramadan as a period of reflection
about their life and an attempt to improve how they behave and act.
At the end of Ramadan Muslims celebrate a major festival called Eidul-Fitr or Festival of Fast Breaking.
Task E
1. How long is the fasting period for Sawm?
2. What is this period called?
3. When does the fast time begin and end each day?
4. Give two reasons why Muslims fast.
5. How do Muslims celebrate the end of Ramadan?
6. What do you think Muslims are saying to God by fasting during
Ramadan?
7. ‘Fasting does a lot of good for my waistline, but not much else’. Do
you think that a Muslim would make this flippant statement?
Why/why not?
8. Can you think of any similar periods of reflection in the Christian
calendar? You should be able to name two periods and the feasts
associated with them.
Pilgrimage to Mecca - Hajj
The sacred place of Islam is Mecca.
Travelling to Mecca on pilgrimage is
the fifth pillar of Islam and is known
as the Hajj. Every Muslim who can
afford to is expected to make the
pilgrimage at least once is his or her
lifetime. During the festival of
Ramadan,
which
is
celebrated
during the ninth month of the
Islamic year, Muslims travel to
The crescent moon over the tented village at the hajj
Mecca.
The Hajj lasts for five days. When they arrive in Mecca, before going into the city, the
male pilgrims change into long white robes. This is a symbolic gesture to remind
them that they should be prepared to give up everything for God and that everyone
is equal in God’s sight.
The Hajj begins when the pilgrims walk seven times round the Ka’bah. The Ka’bah is
a simple cube shaped building which the Muslims believe is built on the site where
Abraham first built
an altar to God. In
one corner of the
Ka’bah there is a
meteorite believed
to have been given
to Abraham by God.
Pilgrims who can get
close enough try to
touch this stone as
they circle the Ka’bah.
Next the pilgrims go to two nearby hills each of which they climbs seven times. They
do this in memory of the time that Abraham’s wife Hagar searched between these to
hills for water for her suffering child, Ishmael. Eventually she found a spring and the
water saved their lives. After climbing the hills the pilgrims drink from the well of
Zam Zam. On the next day the pilgrims walk 23 miles to Mount Arafat. Most of the
day is spent praying to Allah.
The next day they set out for the small village of Mina where they assemble at about
middy round three pillars. Animals – usually sheep, goats or cows are sacrificed. This
reminds the pilgrims that Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son for God, and when
God spared him he sacrificed a ram instead.
The stone pillars mark
the place where Muslims
believe that the devil
tried to make Ishmael
disobey
Abraham.
Ishmael drove the devil
away by throwing stones
at him. Pilgrims throw
stones at the pillars to
show that they reject
evil and want to follow
God. The pilgrims finally
return to Mecca where
they walk round the
Ka’bah one last time to complete the pilgrimage.
Questions about Hajj
1. During which festival do Muslims normally make their hajj (pilgrimage to
Mecca)?
2. How long does the hajj last?
3. What do the white clothes they wear on pilgrimage symbolise?
4. What ritual do Muslims perform to begin their hajj?
5. What do Muslims believe about the black stone on the Ka’bah?
6. What is the story about Abraham’s wife connected with the two hills Muslims
visit while on hajj?
7. What do pilgrims do at the village of Mina and why do they do it?
8. What do pilgrims do at the stone pillars and why?
The Qur’an (Koran)
As we have seen already Muhammad received the word of Allah during a series of
revelations when he went into the mountains to meditate. The first
night he received one of these revelations is called the Night of
Power and Excellence. What Muhammad heard from God was the
The word Qur’an
comes from the
Arabic word for
recite
command to ‘RECITE’. He was told…
“Recite! In the name of the Lord
who created man out of a mere clot of blood.
“Recite! The Lord is most generous,
he who taught by the pen,
taught men that which they knew not.”
Qur’an 96, 1-5
The book is treated with great respect and in
Muslim homes it is often wrapped in cloth to keep it
clean. When read over a period of time it is usually
placed on a stand. Here we see an extract from
ancient copy of the Qur’an, written in Arabic.
Muslim children learn Arabic from a young age so that they can both read the Qur’an
and say their daily prayers. The lessons for this are usually
held in the Mosque as additional classes to the normal
school day. Any person who has memorised the whole
Qur’an is known as ‘Hafiz’. People like this have ensured the
exact words have been handed down from one generation
to the next before the invention of printing.
The Structure of the Qur’an
The Qur’an is divided into chapters called ‘Surahs’.
There are 114 chapters.
The first surah is called the ‘opener’ and has seven verses.
The ‘Openener’ is recited in full or in part at each prayer service
“In the name o f God, the merciful Lord of mercy
Praise be to God, the Lord of all being,
The merciful Lord of mercy,
Master of the Day of Judgement.”
The Mosque
The place of worship for Muslims is called a Mosque (in Arabic ‘Masjid’). The word
‘masjid’ means ‘a place of prostration’. Each purpose-built mosque has the same
features. Each has a dome or curve-shaped roof; and a Minaret or tower from which,
in Islamic countries, the call to prayer is made five times each day. Inside each
Mosque there is a wall marked by an alcove called a Mihrab. This wall faces Makkah
and Muslims face in this direction to pray.
Each Mosque has washing facilities to provide what is
needed for Muslims to prepare for prayer (See section
on Salah). A large hall is set aside for prayer and the floor
is covered by a carpet. In some Mosques lines on the
carpet make it easier for the men to gather for the set
prayers of the day. Women usually pray in the upper
sections of the Mosque, as it is the normal practice to
keep men and women separate.
All mosques are also seen as community gathering places for social
functions and for education so they will normally have other rooms
like community halls, classrooms and games rooms. As you enter a
Mosque you are expected to remove their shoes as a sign of respect.
Task A
1. Describe the main features that can be seen from outside a Mosque.
2. What is the Mihrab and which direction does it indicate? Explain why
Muslims feel that the direction is important.
3. Give three things that the Mosque is used for.
4. What should you do when you enter the Mosque?
5. Why will you find washing facilities in the Mosque?
Festivals - Eid-Ul-Fitr
This festival marks the end of the month of Ramadan. During
Ramadan, Muslims have fasted each day during daylight hours. Now
the fasting is over. It is a time of happiness, celebration and feasting.
The new moon marks the end of the fasting month. Muslims will
bathe and put on their best clothes. They gather to exchange gifts and
Eid Mubarak (‘Happy Eid’) cards. They will normally take part in a
celebration meal with their favourite foods.
There will also be a special morning service in the Mosque. Muslims
also feel that it is important to remember those in need and will give
money to charity. The hope is that it will help the poor also to
celebrate the festival.
Task A
1. What does this festival celebrate?
2. Why would people look forward to this festival? Give two reasons.
Imagine you are a young Muslim.
Prepare a short talk to be given to non-Muslim pupils in your class
saying why Eid-Ul-Fitr is such a happy occasion.
Task B – Extension task
Make or design an Eid card. (Note: it is not permitted in Islam to draw
an image of the Prophet, Muhammad.)
Eid-Ul-Adha
This festival marks the end of the Hajj. Muslims who have not taken
part in the Hajj also take part in the festival as it commemorates the
testing of Ibrahim or Abraham. Muslims respect the Old Testament
prophets and there are close links to the Jewish traditions. The sons of
Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael, are
seen as the founding fathers of
the Jewish and Arab peoples. On
the feast of Eid-Ul-Adha, Muslims
remember
that
Ibrahim
was
asked by God to sacrifice his son.
The story shows Ibrahim’s trust in
God since he was willing to follow
God’s
instruction.
(He
was
stopped in time and an animal
was provided to take the place of his son.) In Muslim countries the
normal practice is to sacrifice an animal. The meat is then used as part
of a meal to celebrate the festival.
Task C
1. In what way was Ibrahim’s trust in God tested?
2. In what ways can people’s trust in God be tested today?
3. Do you think having trust in God is important for members of a
religious faith community? Give a reason for your answer.
Discuss

How important is it for members of religious faith community to
celebrate together?

Can a person be a member of a religious faith community and never
meet with others of the same faith?

What do you think members of a religious faith community gain from
celebrating together?