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ISLAM
An Introduction to Islam
Osama bin Laden’s Fatwa

What is the role of Islam in this piece
 How does reading this piece explain the
thesis” America’s national security
depends, at least in part, upon what we
know or do not know about Islam.”
What does Islam mean?
In Arabic,
Salaam =
Peace
ISLAM = “Willful Surrender” “Willful Submission”
MUSLIM = “One who submits to Allah”
Abraham

Abraham: Patriarch of the
BIG THREE: J, C, I!
 Recognizes only one god:
monotheism
 God makes covenant with
Abraham
– Promises great things to A’s
descendants, including Land
of Canaan
Abraham’s two sons

Sarah
– Originally “barren”

Hagar—Egyptian slave
– Son=Ishmael

Miracle!
– Sarah pregnant!
– Son is Isaac

Which son? Who gets Canaan?
– OT says it’s Isaac-claimed by Jews
– Qur’an says it is Ishmael (claimed by Muslims)
Prophet Muhammad
 Descendant of Ishmael, the first son of
Abraham.
 Born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, 570 AD
 Received first revelation at the age 40
through angel Gabriel.
 Died in the year 632 AD, after preaching
Islam for 23 years.
Qur’an ‫القرآن‬
The Holy Book
“The Recitation”
Islam maintains the
integrity of original
language (Arabic)
Muslims of all language
backgrounds recite
Islamic verses in Arabic
Original message is intact, as given by the
Prophet in Arabic
 23 Years of Revelations (610 - 632 C.E.)
 114 Chapters (Suras)

– Each begins with the phrase:
“In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the
Merciful.”
‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬
Prophets and Scriptures
 SOME PROPHETS: Adam, Noah, Abraham,
Ishmael, Ishaq, Jacob (Israel), Joseph, Benjamin,
Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Zakareya, John,
Jesus, Muhammad
 DIVINE BOOKS: Torah, Zabur (Psalms), Injeel
(Gospel), Qur’an
 Belief in ALL prophets of God
 Source of All Books is God
 Main Message of all Prophets: Islam
What Muslims believe about Jesus
 Muslims respect , love and honor Jesus
 Jesus is considered a great messenger/
prophet
 Jesus was born from the ‘virgin’ Mary
 Jesus is a ‘word’ from God
 Jesus is mentioned in 25 places in the Qur’an
with names of respect and honor
 However, Muslims do not consider Jesus to
be of divine nature
What the Qur’an says about Jesus
“We believe in Allah (God) and that
which was revealed to us, and that
which was revealed to Abraham,
Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the tribes
and that which was given to Moses,
Jesus and to the Prophets from their
Lord; We make NO distinction
between any of them, and to Him
(God) we submit.” (Qur’an, 3:83)
Declaration of Faith
(Shahadah)
To say, believe and testify that…
‫ال إله إال هللا‬
“La ilaha illa Allah”
“There is no true deity, but Allah (God).”
<Denial of other gods—affirmation of the one true God>
Sects within Islam
 There are divisions within Islam
– just as in Christianity, Judaism,
Hinduism and Buddhism
 Two primary sects: Sunni & Shi’a
– Sunni: ~85-90%
– Shi’a: ~10-15%
 including parts of Iran, Iraq, Bahrain,
Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan
 Third (Minor) sect: Sufism
– Mystical order
– May include Sunni and Shi'a followers
Sects within Islam
Sunni & Shi’a Muslims share the most
fundamental Islamic beliefs and
articles of faith.
Nature of the two divisions:

1)Political
• Succession of the Prophet
(Political Leadership)

2)Spiritual
• Veneration/worship of Imams
(Spiritual Leadership)
Sects within Islam
“Sunni” (“Sunnah” root): “one who follows the
traditions of the Prophet” -- “well-trodden
path” -- “tradition”
1) Successor to the Prophet should have
been the most capable leader, NOT based
upon bloodlines.
 This is what occurred.
2) Spiritual leadership is NOT a birthright,
born of community trust and respect
Approximately 85-90% of Muslims are from
the Sunni branch
Sects within Islam
Shi’a is from: “Shi’a-t-Ali” -- “partisans”
– “Party of Ali”
 1) Successor to the Prophet should
have been through bloodlines:
– First, Ali (son-in-law and cousin of
Muhammad)
– Then, through Fatima’s (Ali’s wife and
Muhammad’s daughter) children.
 2) Spiritual leadership is anointed
directly from Allah (God).
– Imam is sinless and infallible by nature.
Sects within Islam
•Sunni and Shi’a also differ in lesser ways:
•Sunni believe the al-Mahdi (vice-regent of
Allah) will arrive at/on Judgment Day
•Shi’a believe al-Mahdi is on earth, “Hidden”
and will emerge at/on Judgment Day
•Subgroups/”schools” of Sunni:
•Maliki, Shafi’i, Hanafi, Hanbali
•Subgroups/”schools” of Shi’a:
•Ithna ‘Ashariyah, Isma'iliyah and Zaydiyah