Download Islam - University of Mount Union

Peace Be Unto You . . .
Wa
'Alaikum Salam
And Also Unto You, Peace
Islam
Submission to the Will of Allah
Meanings

Allah is God
Islam means submission
Muslim is one who submits
The Qur’an is the Sacred Text
Descendents

Descendents of
Abraham

Ishmael was to
be sacrificed

People of Allah
Beginning


Arabia.
7th CE in the city of
Mecca.
 There was an
important trade route.
 There were various
tribes in the area.
 Meccans were know
as traders.
 The Ka’bah is
located in the city.
 It is the symbol of
divine power.
 The keepers
were members of
the Quraysh tribe.
One of Many


Muhammad is
one of many
prophets.
Moses, Isaiah,
Elijah, Jesus,
etc.
Muhammad





The prophet who
spread Islam.
Was born in 570 CE
in Mecca.
His father died when
he was very young
and his mother died
soon after.
He went to live with
his grandfather who
died two years later.
He then lived with
his uncle Abu Talib.

The Life of Muhammad


He worked as a
caravan driver
for a widow
whom he later
married.
Influenced by
Judaism and
Christianity.

Revelations
While meditating in a cave on
Mt. Hira about 610 BCE the
angel Gabriel appeared to him
with a message from Allah.


Gabriel told him
to receive the
message from
Allah.
He runs and
tells his wife
Khadijah who
talks to her
cousin who is a
hanif, a
monotheist.



It was determined that Muhammad had
a genuine religious experience; he was
not going crazy.
Once he understood this he continued
with his recitations of Allah’s
messages.
His first convert, outside of his
household was Abu Bakr, a man of
wealth and influence.
Muhammad’s influence



In 620 Muhammad is contacted by
some people from Yathrib to be an
arbiter and a leader.
Muhammad accepts on the condition
that the inhabitants embrace Islam.
Some agreed to practice monotheism
and Muhammad sent a teacher with
them when they returned to the city.
Muhammad’s Escape




Muhammad’s enemies
wanted the prophet
dead and planned in
secret to kill him.
However, he and a
companion escaped and
hid out in cave outside
of Mecca.
Yathrib (renamed
Medina) became the
new home of the
prophet.
The migration of 622
called the Hijrah is the
beginning year of the
Muslim calendar.
To Lead or Not to Lead
The Factions
Passing of the Torch

Muhammad
 1st successor (caliph) - Abu Bakr
 2nd successor - Umar (he was murdered)
 3rd successor – Uthman (he was
murdered)
Two Main Groups

Sunnis

Make up about 85 percent of the
Muslim community.
 Accepted Mu’awiyah as the 4th
leader.
 Traditional.
 The word sunni comes from the
word sunna which means
“tradition”, “example.”
 Accepted the legitimacy of
orthodox caliphates (leaders).
 Partly in response to the
Shi’ites, the Sunnis developed a
religious, political, legal, and
cultural system consistent with
their beliefs.


Shi’ites
Make up about 15 percent of
the Muslim community.
 Accepted Ali Bakr as the
4th leader.
 Their successors are
called imams and Ali is
the first imam.
 Ali was assassinated.
 Mu’awiyah was 5th
leader.
 The word shi’ite comes
from the word shia which
means faction.


The Geographic Breakdown


Sunnis
Light green
Shi’ites
Dark green
Sunnis

Their system includes
 The successor is chosen by
the consensus of the
community.
 Caliphs are leaders who rule
in the name of Allah.
 Qur’an and hadiths express
the will of Allah.
Sunnis



The caliph is the head of the religious
community under which the
government exists.
An imam is one who merely leads in
the services in the Mosque.
Schools and scholars debate which
help to interpret the hadiths and Qur’an
and apply to everyday life.
Shi’ites


Zaydis
Ismalis
 separated from the
main group
 known as the Twelvers
or Imamis.
 Have continued the
successions of imams
to the twelfth imam,
Muhammad al-Mahdi
al-Hujja
Sufis
The Mystics of Islam
Sufism




It is Islamic mysticism.
It is a devotional
movement where inner
spiritual life is cultivated.
Sufism is thought to
derive from the word suf
which means wool.
Sufism highlights
genuine Islam and
therefore emotions are
important.
Sufi Beliefs

Mysticism is at the core of it; it
contends that the highest
experience one can have is a
direct encounter with God.
Two Mighty Sources

The Qur’an is
the sacred text
for Muslims

The Sunna
contains
traditions of the
prophet
The Qur’an


Muhammad did not write the
messages he received nor did he seek
them but the messages came to him
The Qur’an:
 Its “valid” copy is in Arabic and all
other translation are not approved
for recitation
 It is beautifully written
 Its authenticity is not doubted
 It is a compilation
The Qur’an





It is made up of 114 suras
(chapters) and each one has a
name.
It contains teachings about life
and regulations about many
things.
It has affected Islamic art.
Some handwritten copies of
the Qur’an are artwork
themselves.
Passages from the Qur’an
can be found on buildings.
The Sunna


It is the guide of Muhammad’s
words and practice.
These hadiths or traditions of
the prophet were guides to “the
practice of Islam along with the
Quran and comprise the literary
form of the Sunna.”
The Practice
The Qur’an along with the Sunna
form the basis of the beliefs and
practices of the faith community.
Governance
What leads the community
Shari’a


The Shari’a is the law that governs all
life in Muslim countries
It is comprised of several elements
 Quran (most important)
 The Sunna
 Ijma’ (consensus of the community
 Qiyas (analogy)
 Ra’y is sometimes consulted by the
Hanifite school. “Considered
opinion of Muslims leaders acting
for public good.” WR-Matthews
Islam

Worldview
 The Absolute
 The World
 Humans
 The
Problems for
Humans
 The
Solutions for
Humans




Community
and Ethics
Rituals and
Symbols
Life After
Death
Islam and
Other
Religions
Worldview

The Absolute
 Islam is a
monotheistic
religion
 They affirm the
absolute
sovereignty of God
 God
communicates with
humans through
the Quran,
prophets, prayers
and the direction of
peoples lives.



Some Muslims
believe in
predestination and
others believe that
Allah has given
humans great
freedom.
They denounce
anything that may
even appear to be
idolatrous.
Angels are
messengers of
God.
Worldview

The World
 God created the world good
but the world is not eternal.
 The world was made for
humans to enjoy.
 Food,
drink, marriage, sex,
clothing, shelter, property,
wealth all good.
Humans

Humans
 Adam and Eve
were the first
humans
created by
God.
 Humans are
above other
creatures.
 People are to
live together
and those who
submit to God
are brothers
and sisters

Women in the
Community

Islam improved the
status of women and
therefore does not
tolerate abuse of
women. Women are to
be cared for, can inherit
property but are
dependent on men.
There roles are not
separated from men but
are supportive of men.
Problems

The Problems for Humans
 Although Adam and Eve
sinned the effects of sin did
not extend to all humans.
 “Sin is refusal to submit to the
will of God revealed through
his prophets, especially his
final one, Muhammad.”
Solution

The Solution for Humans
 Salvation comes when a person
acknowledges that there is no God
but Allah and Muhammad is his
prophet.



One needs to say the Shahada
wholeheartedly with no
reservations and live according
to the Quran to be saved.
One performs the Five Pillars
as obligations.
When one does one’s religious
duties and “refrains from the
prohibitions God will judge in
their favor.
Community and Ethics

Community and Ethics
 A Muslim community is
called ummah.
 Muslim cities are built
around the Mosque.
 Everyone is connected to
a family.
 One gives alms to beggars
and community treasury.
 There are provisions for
more than one wife.

One avoids certain
prohibitions

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gambling
drinking alcohol
lying
stealing
pork eating
usury
One is non aggressive but
vengeance is required for
injustice.
Rituals

Rituals and Symbols
 Children are a blessing


Marriages are arranged




Male child is circumcised
It is contractual
A man can divorce/remarry up to 3
times
Funeral
The Mosque is a place of prayer
although there are pulpits in some.
http://www.addconsults.com/store/images/ruler.gif
Art



Islam has adhere strictly to the
belief of not creating idols. Much
of their art work is centered on
objects. They use a straight edge
and a compass.
Dr. Ann Richey has done some
research on Islamic art and
presented at a faculty forum in
2001.
http://raider.muc.edu/%7Eritcheam
/Islamicart/sld001.htm
http://www.iit.edu/~smart/sheajan1/Compass.gif
The Role of Women

Female roles  Females
have different but
complementary roles. Girls are
prepared for traditional female
roles, such as wife and mother.
 In some Islamic countries
women work as nurses, doctors
and teachers.
Worldview

Life After Death
 When one dies one will
eventually have to face
judgment from Allah.
 One’s deeds are examined
and based on this
examination one either enters
paradise or hell.
Worldview

Islam and Other Religions
 Muslims believe that everyone should be a Muslim.
 Ignorance is the basis of unbelief.
 The
infidel just needs to know
 The Christian and Jew have incomplete knowledge.
 Although Muslims acknowledge the miraculous birth and
the miracles of Jesus he was in no way divine.

Muslims have been known to cooperate with other
religions in areas of mutual concerns
Sources


An interesting site:
http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/cib/200102/02cib07.htm#intolerance
Sources
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Slide 1 – http://www.msa-natl.org/images/Islam.jpg
Slide 2 – http://www.mymuslim.com/greeting/v2/create.php?f=salaam/salaam3.jpg&temp
late=
http://www.quraan.com/Muslim/026.asp#002_b26
Slide 4
http://havcamwiltrav.tripod.com/oldsite/allah.jpg
Slide 5 –
http://www.pluralism.org/resources/slideshow/jacobs/islam~1b_m
ed.jpg
Slide 6 –
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1570000/images/_1573897_01100
2islam300c.jpg
Slide 7 –
http://www.ackland.org/art/exhibitions/islam/images/96.4.1.jpg
Sources
Slide 8 – http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/cgibin/imagebase/carousel?state=cycle&info=on&startno=5&name=hsa40&s
ortfield=F01&search=
 Slide 9 – http://www.bible.ca/islam/islam-aksum-map-0-700ad.jpg
 Slide 11 – http://rashedsheikh.20m.com/images/mecca.jpg
 Slide 12 – http://www.noumenal.com/marc/dadd/caravan.jpg
 Slide 15 – http://hemsidor.torget.se/users/h/Helper/bilder/islam/Gabriel.jpg
 Slide 16 – http://www.hotelvallina.com/_borders/medina.gif
 Slide 17 – http://www.eidmubarak.com/graphics/hijrah/hijrah3_im.jpg
 Slide 19 –
http://www.lapraik.com/cordeaux/images/quranstandcotton.cover.jpg
http://www.thesaurus-islamicus.li/sunna-small3.gif
 Slide 20 – http://home.t-online.de/home/henkaipan/qur-001.jpg
 Slide 21 – http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/cib/2001-02/02CIB07-2.jpg
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Sources
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Slide 26 –
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/765000/images/_769914_lead
er150.jpg
Slide 28 – http://www.irc.nl/manage/img/imam.jpg
Slide 29 – http://www.adhamonline.com/images/news/sufi.jpg
http://www.riflessioni.it/images/danza_sufi.gif
Slide 32 – http://www.centrum-universel.com/maulana.jpg