Download 4. Year 5 The Prophet Muhammad

R.E.
TITLE OF UNIT:
The prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
KEY THEME:
Teaching and authority
KEY CONCEPT:
Prophet / revelation
Y5 Spring 1
STRANDS/
FIELDS OF ENQUIRY: AT1: Beliefs, Teaching and Sources
AT2: Questions of meaning, purpose and truth
AT 1 (See Local Agreed Syllabus)
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AT 2
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Learning outcomes
Explain why Muhammad is important for Muslims today.
Explain the significance of Muhammad’s visit from an angel.
Expectations – levels of attainment (See Local Agreed Syllabus)
Nearly all can:- (LEVEL 2)
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Many can:- (LEVEL 2/3)
Some children have progressed further and can:- (LEVEL 3)
Skills
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Reflection
Communication
Empathy
Interpretation
Reasoning
Evaluation
Key attitudes and values
 Respect
 Open mindedness / Sensitivity for all
 Appreciation, Awe and Wonder
Opportunities for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
(See Local Agreed Syllabus)
e.g.
 The Muslim world today.
 War & Peace.
 The use of spices.
 Art work without drawing people.
 Islamic art.
 Reflect on the words ‘peace, submission and justice’.
 Standing up for your beliefs.
 Valuing the words of those who may not be able to read or write.
Every child matters
Cross curricular links
Being Healthy
Maths
Enjoy and Achieve
Geography
Making a Positive Contribution
Art
Staying Safe
Social cohesion
Make links with members of your
local Muslim community. Invite
them into school to talk about
Muhammad and his importance to
Economic Well being
Prior learning
Awareness that many faiths share similarities.
Year 4: Abraham
Muslims
Key vocabulary
Muhammad (PBUH)
Muslim
Islam
Angel Jibril (Gabriel)
Prophecy
Prophets
Qur’an
Mecca (Makkah)
Submission
Scribe
Laylat-ul-Qadr – the powerful night of Ramadan
Key questions for enquiry
Possible teaching activities
Write an account of the life of Muhammad to help Christians understand his importance in Islam.
Summarise the key teachings in his revelations.
The Story of Muhammad
Look closely at the image. It is a modern image of the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
Muhammad was born in Mecca in about 571 CE. For most of his life he was an orphan. His father died before
he was born and his mother died when he was 6. He lived with his grandparents for a while and then with his
uncle – A man named Abu Talib. For much of his early life he worked as a shepherd.
Mecca was a very busy place and lots of wealthy merchants travelled through the city each day. When
Muhammad was old enough he too became a merchant and he travelled with his uncle to buy and sell goods.
He was known to be very honest and trustworthy. Not all of the merchants were honest and many worshipped
idols which they kept in shrines.
Look carefully at the image of Mecca. In the centre of the image you will see what looks like a dot. It is
actually one of the most Holy sites for Muslims. The Ka’aba.
. The Ka’aba was once an important place for shrines. You can see it is a cube shaped building.
One day a widow named Khadija asked Muhammad to take control over her business affairs. Soon they fell in
love and married. They had 6 children.
Although Muhammad was happily married with 6 children he felt very sad that many traders were dishonest,
selfish and greedy. He spent many hours thinking about this and what he could do to help. Often he went out
into the hills around Mecca to think and reflect. Sometimes he stayed out several days.
One evening he was alone in a cave when the Angel Gabriel appeared to him ( Jibrael – in Arabic )
Muhammad was very scared. Muhammad could not read or write but the angel gave him some words and told
him to ‘RECITE’ them. This message is written in the Qur’an.
‘ In the name of your Lord
who created all humanity from
a single drop of blood
speak these words aloud!
Your Lord is the Most Generous OneHe who has shown the Pen,
Who reveals directly
Things from beyond human knowledge’ ( Surah96:1-5 )
Muslims call this first meeting of Muhammad and the Angel the Night of Power. It was not the only time this
happened however. Each time he returned to the cave the angel gave him some more words to remember.
Muhammad soon realised that the angel was giving him words from Allah – the Muslim word for God
He was told to learn these messages and take them back to the people of Mecca.
Muhammad spent more and more time praying and teaching the people of Mecca. For over 20 years he
received the messages, memorised them and preached to the people about them.
Find a simple book about the life of Muhammad.
He tried to persuade the people to be honest, truthful and caring. He taught that helping the poor, orphans,
widows, the old and the sick was more valuable than money. He taught that there was only one God, Allah. He
encouraged the people to look for signs of Allah in nature. In water, plants and new born babies. Allah was to
be seen in all things.
Some people listened to Muhammad but some felt angry that he was attaching their lives. He soon had many
enemies and had to leave Mecca.
He went to live in a town called Medina and established the first Muslim community.
After many battles between the Muslims and the people of Mecca, Muhammad finally returned in triumph in
630. The people there accepted Islam as their religion and the old idols that were worshipped were taken from
the Ka’aba and destroyed. The Ka’aba then became a place for the worship of Allah and a holy place for
Muslims.
http://www.reonline.org.uk/ks1/tt_nframe.php?topiclist.php&6120&http://www.bbc.co.uk/apps/ifl/learningzone
Today all Muslims turn to face Mecca when they pray to Allah. It is covered with a black cloth and has verses
from the Qur’an written on it in gold thread.
Explain how Muslims believe that the words that were given to Muhammad were recited and written down in
the Muslim Holy Book called the Qur’an. They believe that the Qur’an is not a translation like the Bible but
the direct word of God from the Angel Gabriel’ It is the final revelations by God to humankind to put right any
errors in previous Holy books and must therefore remain unaltered.
Muhammad is not worshipped but regarded as a prophet in Islam. The words ‘Peace be upon him’ (PBUH) are
always said by Muslims after the name Muhammad. Muslims believe that Muhammad was the man through
whom God chose to speak. Some of the Qur’an was written down during Muhammad’s life the remainder was
written down, by those who learnt his words by heart, following his death in 632CE
Muslims also believe that the Qur’an which was revealed in Arabic should remain in Arabic and not be
translated as to translate it could change the meaning. Muslims therefore learn the Qur’an in Arabic.
NB In recent years however the Qur’an is sometimes translated for study purposes and to help people to see the
similarities rather than the differences between Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Tradition says that Muhammad died on the 8th June 632 CE at the age of 63. Throughout his life Muhammad
was said to have lived an exemplary life. He became a perfect example for all Muslims to follow
Today both Mecca and Medina are the world’s most holy sites for Muslims. The wish of all Muslims is to be
able to perform Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina which they see as God’s Holy city. It has links back to
Adam and Eve, Abraham and Muhammad. Pilgrims visit Muhammad’s home and his tomb.
Assessment opportunity
Imagine that you were a Muslim teacher. Write a story book about Muhammad’s first visit from the Angel
Gabriel. Consider how you might use art work and drawings but you can not draw Muhammad or human and
animal form.
Resources
www.islamtoday.com – This web site explains what can and cannot be drawn in Islam
Islam4children.com
Goodnight Stories from the life of the prophet Muhammad
Themes in World Religions Islam by Alan Brine
My Muslim Faith Khadijah Knight (also in big book)
A Gift to the Child
The Story of God’s Words to Muhammad
Islam - Alan Brine - Longmans
Examining Religions - Islam - Rosalyn Kendrick
Inspire-to-learn.co.uk
POINTS TO NOTE
Muslims do not draw pictures of Muhammad or God. Praying or worshipping a picture or an image is idolatry
and Muslims believe it to be wrong.
Muslims believe that Angels were created by Allah. They are seldom seen but can appear if the will of Allah
requires it.
Allah has sent prophets to remind people that there is no God but Allah and that all prophets are human and
taught the will of Allah. Muhammad was Allah’s last and most important prophet.
Allah sent books of Guidance through some of the prophets:
The Torah – Moses
The Psalms – David
The Gospels – Jesus
The Qur’an – Muhammad -Only the Qur’an exists in its original form and it was not created by humans. It is
the direct word of God.