Download Islam

Aaron Prill
Cole Wiese
The Symbol of Islam
Founders
 Islam was founded on the teachings of the prophet
Muhammad as an expression of surrender to the
will of Allah, the creator and sustainer of the world
 The prophet Muhammad was a religious, political
and military leader from Mecca
 Islam was founded in 622 ce, it originated in the
Arabian Peninsula, Islam currently has 1.5 billion
followers.
 Allah is the Diety, and their sacred text is the
Qur’an/Koran
A depiction of The Prophet
Muhammad
The Five Pillars
 The Five Pillars consist of a ritual profession
of faith (the Shahadah), ritual prayer (Salah),
the zakat (donation of wealth), fasting (sawm)
and the hajj (or pilgrimage to the holy land).
 The Five Pillars are core beliefs that shape
Muslim thought, deed and society. A Muslim
who fulfills The Five Pillars of Islam, remains
in the faith of Islam.
The Five Pillars of Islam
The First Pillar (Shahadah)
The Shahada is the Muslim profession of faith and
the first of the ‘Five Pillars’ of Islam. The
word shahada in Arabic means
‘testimony.’ The shahada is to testify to two things:
(a) Nothing deserves worship except God (Allah).
(b) Muhammad is the Messenger of God (Allah).
A Muslim is simply one who bears witness and
testifies that “nothing deserves worship except God
and Muhammad is the messenger of God.” One
becomes a Muslim by making this simple
declaration.
It must be recited by every Muslim at least once in a
lifetime with a full understanding of its meaning
and with an assent of the heart. Muslims say this
when they wake up in the morning, and before they
go to sleep at night. It is repeated five times in the
call to prayer in every mosque. A person who utters
the shahada as their last words in this life has been
promised Paradise.
The Shahadah in Arabic and
English
The Second Pillar (Salah)
• Salah is the daily ritual prayer enjoined upon all Muslims
as one of the five Pillars of Islam. It is performed five times
a day by all Muslims. Salah is a precise worship, different
from praying on the inspiration of the moment. Muslims
pray or, perhaps more correctly, worship five times
throughout the day:
·
Between first light and sunrise.
·
After the sun has passed the middle of the sky.
·
Between mid-afternoon and sunset.
·
Between sunset and the last light of the day.
•
Between darkness and midnight. Each prayer may take at
least 5 minutes, but it may be lengthened as a person
wishes. Muslims can pray in any clean environment, alone
or together, in a mosque or at home, at work or on the
road, indoors or out. Under special circumstances, such as
illness, journey, or war, certain allowances in the prayers
are given to make their offering easy.
Muslims praying towards Mecca
The Third Pillar (Zakat)
 Charity is not just recommended by Islam, it is required
of every financially stable Muslim. Giving charity to
those who deserve it is part of Muslim character and
one of the Five Pillars of Islamic practice. Zakat is
viewed as “compulsory charity”; it is an obligation for
those who have received their wealth from God to
respond to those members of the community in
need. Devoid of sentiments of universal love, some
people know only to hoard wealth and to add to it by
lending it out on interest. Islam’s teachings are the very
antithesis of this attitude. Islam encourages the
sharing of wealth with others and helps people to stand
on their own and become productive members of the
society.
A painting depicting Zakat
The Third Pillar (continued)
• In Arabic it is known as zakat which literally
means “purification”, because zakat is
considered to purify one’s heart of
greed. Love of wealth is natural and it takes
firm belief in God for a person to part with
some of his wealth. Zakat must be paid on
different categories of property — gold, silver,
money; livestock; agricultural produce; and
business commodities and is payable each
year after one year’s possession. It requires
an annual contribution of 2.5 percent of an
individual’s wealth and assets.
Muslims are required to pay an
annual contribution of 2.5% of their
individual wealth
The Fourth Pillar (Sawm)
•
Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan , is the fourth
pillar of Islam. Ordained in the Holy Qur’an the fast is a deep
act of personal worship in which Muslims seek a richer
perception of God. Fasting is also an exercise in self-control
whereby one’s sensitivity is heightened to the sufferings of
the poor. Ramadan, the month where the Holy Qur’an was
revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, begins with the sighting
of the new moon, after which abstention from eating,
drinking and other sensual pleasures is obligatory from dawn
to sunset. Ramadan is also a joyful month. Muslims break
their fast at sunset with a special meal , iftar, perform
additional nocturnal worship, tarawih, after evening prayer.
The end of Ramadan is observed by three days of celebration
called Eid Al-Fitr, the feast of the breaking of the fast.
The Fifth Pillar (Hajj)
•
The Fifth Pillar of Islam is the Hajj (a pilgrimage to
Mecca the holiest city of Islam)
•
The pilgrimage is made to the Kaaba, found in the
sacred city of Mecca in Saudia, the ‘House of God,’
whose sanctity rests in that the Prophet Abraham
built it for the worship of God. God rewarded him
by attributing the House to himself, in essence
honoring it, and by making it the devotional
epicenter which all Muslims face when offering the
prayers (salah). The rites of pilgrimage are
performed today exactly as did by Abraham, and
after him by Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon
them.
The Fifth Pillar (continued)
•
Pilgrimage is viewed as a particularly meritorious
activity. Pilgrimage serves as a penance - the ultimate
forgiveness for sins, devotion, and intense
spirituality. The pilgrimage to Mecca, the most sacred
city in Islam, is required of all physically and
financially able Muslims once in their life. The
pilgrimage rite begins a few months after Ramadan,
on the 8th day of the last month of the Islamic year of
Dhul-Hijjah, and ends on the 13th day. Mecca is the
center towards which the Muslims converge once a
year, meet and refresh in themselves the faith that all
Muslims are equal and deserve the love and sympathy
of others, irrespective of their race or ethnic origin.
Roles of Women
At a time when female children were buried alive in Arabia and women were
considered transferable property, Islam honored women in society by
elevating them and protecting them with unprecedented rights. Islam gave
women the right to education, to marry someone of their choice, to retain
their identity after marriage, to divorce, to work, to own and sell property, to
seek protection by the law, to vote, and to participate in civic and political
engagement. In Islam, women are not obligated to earn or spend any money
on housing, food, or general expenses. If a woman is married, her husband
must fully support her financially and if she’s not married, that responsibility
belongs to her closest male relative (father, brother, uncle, etc).
Roles of Men
A Muslim man has the privilege to: be respected
and obeyed as the leader of his household and
have the final say on matters such as choosing his
children’s names, spending income etc., Have his
property taken care of by the Women of his
household in his absence, and not have any person
he does no like enter his house in his absence.
A picture showing a typical Muslim
Man
Men’s Dress
•
Modesty in dress is enjoined not just upon women, but also
men for similar reasons. Men must cover themselves from
their navel to their knees. It is preferable for them to also
wear clothing that will cover their shoulders. Shorts that fall
above the knee are not permitted. It is also desirable that
they should cover their head (with a small cap or turban).The
beard is one of the most outward expressions of a Muslim
male and to not have one goes against the practices and
advice of Prophet Muhammad .
What a Muslim man would wear
Men’s Dress (continued)
•
Among one of the most important aspects of a man's
appearance is his beard . The beard should be kept tidy and
clean and the moustache should be trimmed so that it doesn't
go over the lips. A Muslim man is not permitted to wear silk or
gold or clothing that is saffron in color (since such clothing is
customarily worn by certain groups of men who worship other
gods and the Muslim should not imitate such people). A man's
clothing should also not fall below the ankles and drag on the
ground out of too much pride
A Muslim man with proper
trimmed facial hair and proper
dress
Holy Sites
• Mecca (the most sacred place in Islam is the Ka’ba in
Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The Ka’ba is a mosque built around
a black stone, The Prophet Muhammad designated
Mecca as the Holy City of Islam and the direction in which
all Muslims should offer their prayers)
• Medina (the second most holiest site in Islam is Medina. It
was to Medina that Muhammad fled when he was initially
driven out of Mecca and the place where he attracted his
first followers. Medina is the home of The Prophet’s
Mosque)
• Muslim Jerusalem (the third most holy site in Islam,
which was the original direction of the prayer before it
changed to Mecca. In Muslim tradition Muhammad
miraculously traveled to Jerusalem by night and
ascended from there into heaven. Jerusalem is also home
to the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque
The Ka’ba
Holy Sites (continued)
•
Karbala (Karbala is the Holy City of Shia Islam.
Karbala is one of Iraq's wealthiest cities, profiting
both from religious visitors and its agricultural
produce. It is split into two districts, "Old Karbala",
the religious center, and "New Karbala", the
residential district containing Islamic schools and
government buildings. At the center of the old city
is the Mashad al-Husain, the tomb of Husayn bin
Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad by his
daughter Fatima and Ali ibn Abi Talib.)
•
Najaf Najaf is one of the holiest cities in Shi'a Islam
and is the center of Shi'a political power in Iraq.
Najaf is renowned as the site of the tomb of Ali ibn
Abi Talib (also known as Imam Ali), who the Shi'a
consider to be their founder and first Imam (some
believe he is buried at Mazar-e Sharif in
Afghanistan). The city is now a great center of
pilgrimage from throughout the Islamic world. Only
Mecca and Medina receive more Muslim pilgrims)
The tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib
Islamic Holidays
•
Muharram (Islamic New Year, this year it lies on
November 4 th)
•
Mawlid al-Nabi (Muhammad’s Birthday which lies on
January 13 2014)
•
Ramadan (month of fasting which begins on June 28 th
2014)
•
Eid al-Fitr (Ramadan ends on July 28 th 2014)
•
Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice which is on October 4 th
2014)
Indian Muslims praying during Eid alFitr
Symbols
The star and crescent is the best-known symbol used to
represent Islam. It features prominently on the flags of many countries in
the Islamic world, notably Turkey and Pakistan.
Certain words in Arabic script or characters can be
regarded as visually representing Islam, such as "Allah"
Major Beliefs
• Islam is a Monotheistic religion that was founded
on the teachings of the Prophet Mohammad as an
expression of surrender to the will of Allah.
• Essential to Islam is the belief that Allah is the one
true God with no partner or equal.
• Islam has two branches with very much variety in
those branches. The two branches are the Sunni
and the Shia
The Islamic Symbol for Allah, their
God
Major Beliefs (continued)
• The Shia Muslims believe that following the
Prophet Muhammad's death, leadership should
have passed directly to his cousin/son-in-law, Ali
bin Abu Talib.
• The Sunni Muslims agree with the position taken
by many of the Prophet's companions, that the
new leader should be elected from among those
capable of the job.
The Schism
•
The split (or schism between Sunni Islam and Shia
Islam) goes all the way back to the death of the
Prophet Muhammad in the year 632 and it had to do
with succession; that is, who would be the rightful
successor to the Prophet?
•
Essentially, those who became Sunni believed that the
heir to Mohammad should be determined by the
community of elder Muslim clerics. To the contrary,
those who became Shias (a distinct minority), felt
Mohammad’s successor should come from the
Prophet's own family, namely Ali, his son-in-law, since
Mohammad had no sons who survived into adulthood.
•
Schism in Islam between Shia and Sunni began
immediately after the death of the Prophet
Muhammad around 632 as Muslims were divided into
two groups; those who supported Abu Bakr as the first
successor (Caliph) of the Prophet Mohamed and those
who believed that Mohamed’s son-in-law and
immediate cousin, Ali, should be the Caliph.
The Schism (continued)
There was a bloody civil war between the two
communities immediately after Abu Bakr became
the caliph.
The sectarian split and conflict between the two
Muslim communities intensified after bin Umayyad
came to power as Maawiya Ibn Abu Sufyan became
Caliph in 661.
Unlike the Shia, the Sunni communities uniformly
condone all caliphs.
Fundamentalism
• Islamic Fundamentalism is a broad term that
refers to the philosophical or theological
approach of certain groups within the Islamic
tradition who hold that the Qur'an is the
inerrant and literal word of God, and that
Muslims are required to strictly adhere to the
religious practices and moral codes found
there. Most forms of Islamic Fundamentalism
maintain that a true Muslim state and society is
essential for following Islamic religious law, and
hold that there should be no distinction
between religious and political life, a position
that puts them in tension with the modern
democratic principle of the separation of
church and state. However, Fundamentalist
Islamic movements vary greatly regarding
doctrine and social and political positions.
Some fundamentalist movements are markedly
conservative and propound a narrow
understanding of the Islamic tradition, whereas
others employ Marxist and other socialist
strategies and principles.
Influence on Art
Islamic architecture, particularly the shapes of
arches, and of course the minaret, has become
ingrained in Western architecture. Islamic
societies were the birthplace of algebra and
calculus, which are fundamental to the way we
see and interact with the world today, as well as
the birthplace of alchemy, which developed into
modern chemistry. Muslims were great
astronomers, and developed several major
astronomical innovations, this influence greatly
remains in Spain.
Bibliography
Library." Islam Origins, Islam History, Islam Beliefs. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec.
2013.
"The Five Pillars Of Islam." The Five Pillars Of Islam. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec.
2013.
"Islamic Symbols." - ReligionFacts. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2013.
"Islamic Places: The Muslim World." Islamic Sacred Sites and Places. N.p., n.d.
Web. 18 Dec. 2013.
"The Role of Women." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2013.
"Topics." Muslim Men. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2013.
Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2013.
"Islamic Influences on American Architecture." Islamic Influences on
American Architecture. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. " 2013.
"Library." Schisms and Sects. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2013.
Bibliography
"How Did Islamic Culture Influence Spain?" - Ask.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec.
2013.
"Google." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2013.
"Islamic Symbols." - ReligionFacts. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2013.
"The Five Pillars of Islam." The Five Pillars of Islam. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2013.
The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2013.
"Chuck Norris Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 19 Dec.
2013.
"MPAC - Women And Islam." MPAC Young Leaders Summits. N.p., n.d. Web. 19
Dec. 2013.
"Jewish Defence League Canada." Jewish Defence League Canada. N.p., n.d. Web.
19 Dec. 2013.
"Zakat – A Means for Eradicating Poverty | Islam.ru." Zakat – A Means for
Eradicating Poverty | Islam.ru. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2013.