Download Understanding Islam: A Brief Introduction

World Religions
Lesson 10: Islam
Islam Today: Demographics
• There are an estimated 1.2 billion
Muslims worldwide
– Approximately 1/5th of the
world's population
– Growth without missionary
efforts
Islam Today: Demographics
Where Do Muslims Live?
– Only 18% of Muslims live in the
Arab world
– 20% are found in Sub-Saharan
Africa
– 30% in the South Asian region of
Pakistan, India and Bangladesh
– The world's largest single Muslim
community is in Indonesia
• The Top 9: 1) Indonesia, 2)
Pakistan, 3) Bangladesh, 4) India,
5) Turkey, 6) Iran, 7) Egypt, 8)
Nigeria, and 9) China
The Islamic Map
The Islamic Map
Two Main Braches of
Islam
• There are two main branches of Islam today
• Sunni recognize the male heirs of the first 4
elected (according to Muhammad's instruction)
caliphs (or spiritual heads) after Muhammad’s
death
• Shiite recognize the decedents of only the 4th
caliphs—Ali (M’s son-in-law & cousin), the only
true descendent of Muhammad
• In all other ways Sunni and Shiite are very similar
Understanding Muhammad:
His Life and Times
The Life of Muhammad:
The early years
• Muhammad was born in Mecca
around the year 570 (A city of western
Saudi Arabia)
• Mecca was not a kind, friendly culture
• These tribes all worshiped many different gods
(polytheistic)
• Muhammad began working as a merchant and
was known for his trustworthiness
• Muhammad and Khadija (wife) had 4
• daughters and 2 sons
The Life of Muhammad:
The Visions and the Message
• Fifteen years after his marriage, he began to
have visions and hear mysterious voices
• When Muhammad was about 40 years old an
angel appeared to him in the form of a man
• This revelation was soon followed by others
about the one true God
• Unlike Jesus (who Christians believe was God's
son) Muhammad was a mortal, albeit with
extraordinary qualities
• He preached a strong social justice message
about equality and poverty
The Life of Muhammad:
The Trouble
• Muhammad slowly began to attract
some followers, most of them young
and of modest social standing
• The ruling elite feared Muhammad
and his followers and began to
persecute them
The Life of Muhammad:
Conclusion
• Muhammad's life was cut short by
his sudden death on June 8, 632 at
about 60 years old
• Within 100 years, Islam spread
across the world, occupying more
territory than the Roman Empire
Koran (or the Qur'an)
The Qur'an is the sacred book of
Islam and the perfect word of God
for the Muslim. It is claimed that the Qur'an
was dictated in Arabic by the angel Gabriel to
Muhammad and were God's precise words. As
such, it had preexisted from eternity in heaven
with God as the "Mother of the Book" and was
in that form uncreated and coeternal with God.
Islam teaches that it contains the total and
perfect revelation and will of God.
Koran (or the Qur'an)
The Qur'an is about four-fifths the
length of the New Testament and is
divided into 114 "surahs" or chapters. While
Islam respects the Torah, the psalms of David
and the four Gospels, the Qur'an stands alone
in its authority and absoluteness. It is believed
to be most perfectly understood in Arabic and it
is a religious obligation to seek to read and
quote it in the original language.
The Five Pillars
The believer worships God directly
without the intercession of priests or clergy or
saints.
The believer's duties are summed up in five
simple rules, the so-called Five Pillars of Islam:
The Five Pillars
1. The Confession of Faith or Shahada: It is the
declaration that there is no god but Allah and
Muhammad is his prophet. Sincerity in the
voicing of the confession is necessary for it to
be valid. It must be held until death and
repudiation of the Shahada nullifies hope for
salvation.
The Five Pillars
2. Prayer: Five times a day, preceded by
ceremonial washing, the Muslim is required to
pray facing Mecca. Specific formulas, recited
from the Qur'an (in Arabic), along with
prostrations are included. Prayer is, in this
sense, an expression of submission to the will
of Allah. While most of Islam has no
hierarchical priesthood, prayers are led in
mosques by respected lay leaders. The five
times of prayer are before sunrise, noon, midafternoon, sunset, and prior to sleep.
The Five Pillars
3. Almsgiving: The Qur'an teaches the giving of
two and one-half percent of one's capital wealth
to the poor and/or for the propagation of Islam.
By doing so, the Muslims' remaining wealth is
purified.
The Five Pillars
4. The Fast: During the course of the lunar month
of Ramadan, a fast is to be observed by every
Muslim from sunrise to sunset. Nothing is to pass
over the lips during this time, and they should
refrain from sexual relations.
After sunset, feasting and other celebrations
often occur. The daylight hours are set aside for
self-purification. The month is used to remember
the giving of the Qur'an to Muhammad.
The Five Pillars
5. Pilgrimage: All Muslims who are economically
and physically able are required to journey as a
pilgrim to Mecca at least once in their lifetime.
The pilgrim's required simple dress stresses the
notion of equality before God. Another element of
is the mandatory walk of each pilgrim 7 times
Around the shrine of the black rock, the holiest
site of Islam. Muhammad taught that the Kaabah
was the original place of worship for Adam and
later for Abraham.