Download Islam.

A man named Muhammad brought a new religion to
Arabia. Much of what we know about him comes from
religious writings.
• Muhammad was born in the city of Mecca around
570. As a child, he traveled with his uncle’s caravans.
As an adult, Muhammad managed a caravan business.
• Muhammad was upset that rich people did not help
the poor. He often went to a cave to meditate on this
problem.
• According to Islamic belief, when Muhammad was 40, an angel spoke to
him.
• Muhammad taught that there was only one God, Allah. The belief in one
god was a new idea for many Arabs.
• Before this time, Arabs prayed to many gods at shrines. The most
important shrine was in Mecca. Many people traveled to Mecca every year
on a pilgrimage. Muhammad also taught that the rich should give money
to the poor. But rich merchants in Mecca rejected this idea. Slowly,
Muhammad’s message began to influence people.
• The rulers in Mecca felt threatened by him. Muhammad left and went to
Medina. His house became the first mosque, or building for Muslim
prayer. After years of conflict, the people of Mecca finally gave in and
accepted Islam.
Geography and Timeline of Islam
• Muhammad began to
preach in Mecca. He claimed
that an angel spoke to him
and made him a prophet.
•He taught that there was only
one god and the Arabian people
should stop worshipping idols
and pagan gods and submit to
Allah (God).
• Muhammad, left Mecca and
took his message to Medina,
where he converted many people.
His followers were called Muslims.
• This move to Medina is called
the hegira, or journey.
632
AD
•Muhammad continued to receive
messages from the angel and to
preach in Medina. His home
became the first mosque and the
messages were collected in the
Qur’an.
• Between 622 AD, and the death
of Muhammad in 632 AD, the
Islamic religion had spread to
half of the Arabian Peninsula.
• After Muhammad’s death, many
of his words and deeds were
recorded as a guide to the way
Muslims should live. This was
called the Sunnah.
• The messages from Muhammad form the
basis of a religion called Islam.
• A follower of Islam is called a Muslim. The
messages were written in the Qur´an (kuhRAN), the holy book of Islam.
•
Tenets:
Basic Facts
– is monotheistic
– belief in the Prophet Muhammad and one God
called Allah
– adheres to the Five Pillars of Islam; the Sunnah
guides Muslims’ behavior
•
•
•
Supreme Being: Allah
Sacred Text: The Qur’an
1.5 billion adherents
•
•
Basic Facts
Place of Worship:
Mosque
Holy Land:
–
–
Mecca
Additional pilgrimage sites
include the Al Quds mount
in Jerusalem (The Dome of
the Rock) and the city of
Medina in Saudi Arabia
The Qur’an
•
•
•
•
Final Word of God
Authoritative only in Arabic
Protected from change/corruption
Supercedes previous revelations (such as the
Old and New Testaments)
• Only text Muslims turn to today
• 114 chapters/varying lengths
Dome of the Rock
Dome of the Rock and Western Wall
Directions: As you watch this video, write
down ONE facts that you learn about each of
the 5 Pillars of Islam. After the clip is over, you
will reflect on what you learned by explaining
your feelings about each fact and making a
connection to another religion that you are
familiar with.
Five Pillars of Islam
1. Confession of Faith:
“There is no God
but God;
Muhammad is the
Prophet of God”
2. Ritual Prayer
(5x/day)
Five Pillars of Islam
3. Almsgiving
(2.5% of wealth)
4. Fasting
5. Hajj
Hajj
The Hajj
• Shed evidence of
wealth/poverty
• Dressed in white
• Day One—travel from
Mecca to Medina
• Day Two—Day of
Arafat (forgiveness
and mercy)
Hajj
• Day Three—
– Throwing stones at pillars that represent
seductions of Satan
– Slaughter animal and give meat to poor.
– Seven turns around the Ka’aba
– Trek between to small hills to honor Hajar’s
(Hagar) search for water
Fasting During Ramadan
• 9th month on Islamic calendar (lunar calendar)
• Fasting is from sun up to sun down
• Intended to teach patience, modesty, and
spirituality
• Is ended with the Festival of Eid ul-Fitr (the
Festival of Breaking the Fast)
• With your group open the envelope and make
some PREDICTIONS by placing the event of
Islamic Expansion in the order you think they
should go.
• Once you are done look at the Timeline and
check your answers to make sure your events
are in the correct order.
• Discuss with your groups what you observed.
Separate branches emerged over who should
lead the faith after the Prophet’s death
• Shi’ia (Shi’ite)—Muslim leadership should
stay in Muhammad’s family
– Today, this is 10% of Muslims
• Sunni—most qualified should be selected
to lead
– Today, this 90% of Muslims
Battle of Tours
Muslim Empire had spread across all of
North Africa and into Spain in the west.
Further Muslim conquest was stopped at the
Battle of Tours, in western France.
•
• To the east, the Muslim Empire spread
across the Indus River
and into western India.
732
AD
661
AD
•Between 632 AD, and 661 AD, the Islamic
religion had spread to Egypt, Palestine,
Syria, Mesopotamia, Iran, west to
Tripoli (Libya), north to the Taurus and
Caucasus Mts
(Turkey and Georgia) and east to Pakistan.
• After Muhammad’s death, his successors
were called caliphs. There was
disagreement over who should lead. This
caused a split between the Sunni and
Shiites that continues to the present day.
Expansion Through Trade: Arab merchants took Islamic
beliefs and practices with them to new lands. Coastal
trading cities developed into large Muslim communities.
Muslims generally practiced tolerance, or acceptance.
They did not ban all other religions in their lands. More
people began speaking Arabic and practicing Islam. The
Arabs also took on non- Muslim customs. Cultural
blending changed Islam into a religion of many cultures.
The development of Muslim cities like Baghdad and
Córdoba reflected this blending of cultures.
Expansion Through Conquer: After Muhammad’s
death Abu Bakr (UH-boo BAK-uhr) was the leader of Islam. He
was the first caliph (KAY-luhf). This title was used for the
highest Islamic leader. Abu Bakr unified Arabia. The Arab army
conquered the Persian and Byzantine empires.
Later caliphs conquered lands in Central Asia, northern India,
and North Africa. They controlled eastern Mediterranean trade
routes. After many years of fighting, the Berbers of North Africa
converted to Islam. A combined Arab and Berber army
conquered Spain and ruled for 700 years.
Muslims
• Defeated the Persian
and Byzantine
Empires but allowed
Jews and Christians to
practice their religion.
• Grew into three
separate empires:
Ottoman, Safavid,
and Mughal.
Ottoman Empire
In the 1200s, Muslim Turks known as Ottomans attacked
the Byzantine Empire. They trained janissaries, boys
from conquered towns who were enslaved and
converted to Islam. In 1453 the Ottomans took
Constantinople and renamed it Istanbul. This ended
the Byzantine Empire. By 1566 the Ottomans took
control of the eastern Mediterranean and part of
Europe.
North
Africa
Central
Asia /
Europe
Safavid Empire
The Safavids (sah-FAH-vuhds) gained power in the east. They soon
came into conflict with the Ottomans. The conflict stemmed
from an old disagreement about who should be caliph. In the
mid- 600s, Islam had split into two groups—the Sunni and the
Shia. The Ottomans were Sunni, and the Safavids were Shia.
The Safavid Empire conquered Persia in 1501 and soon grew
wealthy, building glorious mosques in Esfahan, their capital.
Iran
Mughal Empire
East of the Safavid Empire, in India, lay the Mughal
(MOO-guhl) Empire. The Mughals united many diverse
peoples and were known for their architecture—
particularly the Taj Mahal. Under the leader Akbar, the
Mughal Empire was known for its religious tolerance.
But more restrictive policies after his death led to the
end of the empire. Mughal Empire represents presentday Pakistan.
India/
Pakistan
Muslim Populations