Download Introduction to Islam

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Islam is the third in succession of the three great
monotheistic faiths born in the Middle East
 Judaism, Christianity, Islam
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Islam is the second largest religion in world
 1.2 billion adherents
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There is an estimated 1,060,000 Muslims living in
Canada
 Over 3.5% of population
 2nd largest religion after Christianity
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Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world
Islam: an Arabic word that means “submitting to
God” and “peace”
 Muslim: a person who follows the teachings of Islam
and “submits to God and finds peace in Him”
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 All creation is Muslim
Shahada: “There is no god but God and Muhammad is
the Messenger of God”
 Allah: Arabic name for God
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 Preferred over other names because it has no
gender affiliation and does not have plurality
1.
Belief in only One God
 He is defined as Eternal, Absolute, Infinite, Compassionate and
Merciful, the sole Creator and Provider
2.
Engage only in Righteous Actions
 In all areas: spiritual, intellectual and physical activity
3.
All God’s creation is “Muslim”
 Only humans are given CHOICE to submit (be Muslim) or reject
submission to God’s will
4.
All children are born without sin and are Muslim
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5.
As they grow older, they make their religious CHOICE
God created human beings with a body and soul
 The body is a temporal host for this life, whereas the soul is
eternal
 The soul survives beyond death
6.
Universality of the call
 All Muslims are brothers and equals without any distinction of
class, race or tongue
 Superiority is only based on the greater fear of God and greater
piety
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Shahada
 Profession of faith
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Salat
 Pray 5 times a day
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Zakah
 Annual fee given to poor and needy
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Sawm
 Fast during month of Ramadan
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Hajj
 Pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca)
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Islamic Creed/Testimony
“There is no god but God and Muhammad is
the Messenger of God”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqtakH
ks9Rk
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Prayer draws people closer
to Allah, promotes discipline
and purity
Prayers in mosque at midday
Friday
Prayers are always said
facing the holy city of
Makkah
 Prayer mats have an arch
pointing to Makkah
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Salat begins with washing
 Wudu
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Form of alms-giving and religious tax
Religious obligation for all Muslims
2.5% of a Muslim's income and savings after
they have taken care of their families
 Rich pay more than those with less money and
very poor people pay nothing at all
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Month of Ramadan
Purpose: to test the spirit, discipline the will
and remind of the hungry and poor
Numerous important events took place
during Ramadan
 First revelation in 610 CE
 Flight to Mecca in 622 CE
 Victory in 624 CE
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Ramadan ends with Eid al-Fitr
 Period of spiritual and moral renewal
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Means "to intend a journey"
Annual Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah
Mandatory religious duty to be carried out at
least once in their lifetime by all
adult Muslims who are
physically and financially
capable of undertaking
the journey
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Outline the steps of the pilgrimage
 Where does each take place?
 What is the significance of each?
Abraham was born approximately
2500 years before Muhammad
 In the Hebrew Bible and the
Qur’an, Abraham had more than
one son
 Makkah was founded at the site
of a miraculous well that sprung
up at the heels of Ishmael
 The Ka’bah was built or rebuilt by
Abraham - a house for the one
God
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 The Black Stone is believed to have
been sent by God as white, but was
blackened by Adam’s sin
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Ka’bah- cube shaped building that was built
by Abraham to honour God
Viewed as Adam’s original place of worship
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Filled with idols as people in
Arabia followed polytheism
 Muhammad received revelations
that led to Islam and monotheism
and removal of idols
Site of hajj- pilgrimage to
Mecca
 Muslims always face the Ka’bah
in Mecca whenever they pray
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 Qibla
The circumambulation seven times around
the Ka’bah in a counter-clockwise direction
 Significance: Muslims lives revolve around God; God is
the center of our lives
 The Ka’bah is metaphorically called the house of God
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGukAoiGhZU
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Muslim place of worship
Gather for prayers at midday on Friday
(Muslim Holy Day)
Holy book of Islam which means
“recitation”
 Principle source of Muslim faith
and practice
 Records the revealed word of God
that came through Angel Gabriel to
Muhammad over 23 years
 Muhammad dictated revelations to
scribes and companions who
memorized passages
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 Divided into 114 suras (chapters);
approximately 78,000 words in length
“In the name of Allah, Most Gracious Most
Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher
and Sustainer of the Worlds. Most
Gracious, Most Merciful. Master of the
Day of Judgment. Thee do we worship
and Thine aid we seek: Show us the
straight way. The way of those on whom
Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those
whose portion is not wrath and who go
not astray.”
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Arabia was undeveloped, poor and violent
Polytheistic
The Ka’bah became a house of idols, draped
in the pelts of sacrificial animals
Nomads travelled to Mecca both as religious
pilgrimage, but also to get water from the
well
Lack of gov’t led people to take the law into
their own hands; revenge was typical
Women had few rights in tribal culture
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570 CE: Born in Makkah
Viewed his country as corrupt
610 CE: Revelation from God through the
angel Gabriel
 The Night of Power = 1st revelation
 Praying at the Ka’bah when Gabriel appeared to
him with the Buraq – winged horse
 Toured heaven and hell with Gabriel and met all
the previous prophets
▪ Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus
 Ascended to heaven from the Dome of the Rock
in Jerusalem (connect to Judaism and
Christianity)
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These words were written down as the
Qur’an
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Preached against polytheism
and immorality
 Gave the Pillars of Islam that
were revealed by God
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Gained many enemies in
Makkah
 Those who profited from
travelers
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622 CE: fled to the city of
Medina – this event marks
the beginning of Islamic
history (hijra)
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628 CE: Assembled an army of supporters,
who marched on Makkah
 Believed religion and state should be combined
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Makkah accepted Islam and Muhammad
reclaimed the Ka’bah for the one God
Before his death, Muhammad instituted the
hajj (pilgrimage) and emphasized Muslim
equality
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Note significant events and places in
Muhammad’s life
What is his legacy?
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Seal of the Prophets
 Muhammad last in a line of 28 prophets who all
preached the religion of Islam
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Prophets are regarded as most significant:
 Muhammad, Moses, Abraham and Noah
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Jesus is highly respected and considered as a
great prophet by Muslims
 Qur’an re-affirms the miraculous birth and
abilities of Jesus
 Muslims believe in the Second Coming of Jesus
before the end of time
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All humans will be bodily resurrected and
assembled for final accounting of deeds
Soul will move on to afterlife
Upon the Final Judgment = world will end
and we will stand before God to confront our
own life and actions
Desire for purified soul= heaven
 eternal abode of beauty and majesty
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Disbelievers and impure soul= hell
 abode of great torment and anguish
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After Muhammad’s death, Islam spread quickly
– for 2 main reasons:
 The message was simple and easy to teach
 At times, it was spread through conquest
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In the first 100 years, Islam spread as far east as
India and west to Gibraltar
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People could not agree on who should spread
Islam (descendants of Muhammad?)
This led to the development of 2 groups
Similarities
Size/Distribution
Beliefs
Practices
Leadership
Other Interesting
Facts
Differences
Sunni Muslims make up the vast majority of Muslims in
the world (almost 90%)
 Shi’ite Muslims believe that the leaders should be blood
relatives of Muhammad
 Today the main differences between the two groups are:
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 Sunnis believe that individuals have a direct relationship
with God (no need for a leader or mediator)
 Shi’ites put a much greater emphasis on human leadership
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Polygamy
Jihad vs. Holy War
Hijab : liberation or suppression
Muhammad Cartoons: freedom of speech vs
freedom of religion
Appeal of Suicide Bombers
Afghanistan's Taliban
War on Islam
Jihad does not mean “holy war”
Literally, jihad means to strive, struggle and
exert effort
 Concept includes struggle against evil
inclinations within oneself, struggle to improve
quality of life in society, struggle in the
battlefield for self defense or fighting against
tyranny or oppression
 There is no such thing as “holy war” in Islam,
but it is the frequent repetition in the West that
many people accept it as if it were a fact
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Like Christianity, Islam permits fighting in self
defense, in defense of religion, or on the part of those
who have been expelled forcibly from their homes
 Strict rules for combat, which includes prohibitions
against harming civilians and against destroying
crops, trees and livestock
 Qur’an Passages:
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 “Fight in the cause of God against those who fight you, but
do not transgress limits. God does not love transgressors”
(Qur’an 2:190)
 “And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion
is for God. But if they desist, then let there be no hostility
except against wrongdoers” (Qur’an 2:193)
According to Qur’an, men and women are equal
before God
 Under Islamic law, women have the right to own
property, receive an education and take part in
community life
 Islamic rules for simple, modest and dignified
dress applies to women and men equally
 In many Muslim countries there are cultural
practices that are inconsistent and contrary to
the authentic teachings of Islam
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