Download Islam-Submission to Allah

Origins of the Faith
A. Mohammed 570-632
1. Visions: 610
a. Corrections to other faiths
b. Social Justice for the Poor
c. Uma
2. Hijrah: 622
3. Battle with enemies
IslamAn Abrahamic
Religion
 Muslims are strict monotheists.

They believe in the JudeoChristian God, which they call
Allah.

Muslims believe that the Torah
and the Bible, like the Qur’an,
is the word of God.
Peoples of the Book
Abraham’s Genealogy
HAGAR
ABRAHAM
Ishmael
12 Arabian
Tribes
SARAH
Isaac
Jacob
12 Tribes of
Israel
Esau
The Prophetic Tradition
Adam
Noah
Abraham
Moses
Jesus
Muhammad
The Origins of the Qur’an
 Muhammad received his first
revelation from the angel
Gabriel in the Cave of Hira in 610.

622  Hijrah  Muhammed
flees Mecca for Medina.
* The beginning of the
Muslim calendar (1 A.H.)

Muhammad’s revelations were
compiled into the Qur’an after
his death.
The Qur’an
 Muslims believe it contains the
word of God.

114 suras (chapters).
In the name of Allah,
the compassionate,
the merciful.


Written
in Arabic.
1. The Shahada
 The testimony.

The declaration of faith:
There is no god worthy of
worship except God, and
Muhammad is His
Messenger [or Prophet].
1
2. The Salat
 The mandatory prayers
performed 5 times a day:
* dawn
* noon
* late afternoon
* sunset
* before going to bed

Wash before praying.

Face Mecca and use a prayer rug.
2
2. The Salat
 The call to prayer by the
muezzin in the minaret.

Pray in the mosque on Friday.
2
3. The Zakat
 Almsgiving (charitable
donations).

Muslims believe that all things
belong to God.
Zakat means both
“purification”
and “growth.”


About 2.5% of your income.
3
4. The Sawm
 Fasting during the holy month
of Ramadan.


Considered a method of selfpurification.
No eating or drinking from
sunrise to sunset during
Ramadan.
4
Eid Mubarak
End of the Ramadan holiday.
5. The Hajj
 The pilgrimage to Mecca.

Must be done at least once in a
Muslim’s lifetime.

2-3 million Muslims make the
pilgrimage
every
year.
5
Why is Mecca the Holy City?
• The Ka'ba is a mosque (built by Abraham
according to Muslim tradition) 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. The Ka'ba is
believed to be the first place that was created on
earth {2} and the place at which heavenly bliss and
power touches the earth directly. {3} Mecca is
located in the Hijaz region of western Saudi Arabia.
5. The Hajj
 Those who complete the
pilgrimage can add the title
hajji to their name.
5
5 Pillars of Islam Summarized
•
•
•
•
•
1) No other God but Allah
2) Pray 5 times/day
3) Fasting
4) Giving to the poor
5) Pilgrimage to Mecca
The Mosque
 The Muslim place of worship.
The Dome of the Rock
Mosque in Jerusalem
Mount Moriah Rock
where Muhammad ascended into heaven.
After Muhammad Dies
• Islam splits into two groups:
– Sunni (followers of Muhammad’s customs)
– Shiites or Shi’a (supporters)
• The differences between the Sunni and Shiite Islamic
sects are rooted in disagreements over the succession
to the Prophet Muhammad, who died in 632 AD, and
over the nature of leadership in the Muslim community.
The historic debate centered on whether to award
leadership to a qualified, pious individual who would
follow the customs of the Prophet or to transmit
leadership exclusively through the Prophet’s bloodline.
The question was settled initially when community
leaders elected a companion of the Prophet’s named
Abu Bakr to become the first Caliph (Arabic for
“successor”). Although most Muslims accepted this
decision, some supported the candidacy of Ali ibn Abi
Talib, the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, husband of
the Prophet’s daughter Fatima. Ali had played a
prominent role during the Prophet’s lifetime, but he
lacked seniority within the Arabian tribal system and
was bypassed.
Sunni
• Movement can be identified in differences with the Shi'a
• Dominating continuously since 661CE
• Sunni Islam claims to be continuation of revelations passed
to Muhammad
• Believe Caliphs did not have to be from the Prophet’s
family
• Believe Prophet did not designate a successor and his
sunna were based on mandated elections, which they
wanted to abide to
• Believe that any good Muslim can be a leader
• Leaders come from agreements of consensus and do not
recognize special sacred wisdom in their leaders
• Believe that ‘Ali is not a “divine light” from the Prophet
• Importance of Sunna (meaning “customs” included in
Hadiths)
• Shari’a: Islamic law was established
Sunni
Shi'a
• Believe in Muhammad’s teachings and religious guidance of his
family, which is referred to Ahl al-Bayt
• Bloodline continues through daughter, Fatima, and Son-inlaw/cousin, ‘Ali
• Believe descendants are Imams fathered by ‘Ali
• First three rulings of Sunni Caliphs is seen as an occurrence in
history and not something that is connected to faith
• Muhammad directed ‘Ali as successor on many occasions; he is the
rightful leader of Muslim faith
• ‘Ali is seen as a divinely appointed imam
• ‘Ali has power to add to Hadith and continue newly found beliefs
of Islam
• Shi'a believe in holy books after the Quran, including the Mushaf
Fatima (Book of Fatima), Al-Jamia, and Al-Jafr (The Parchment)
• Branches in Shi'a: Twelvers: Twelve rightful Imams and Alawites:
believe ‘Ali is the incarnation of God
Shi'a
Summary
• Differences came about immediately after
Muhammad’s death
• Differences in Shi'a and Sunni beliefs have
led to separation and difference in praying
• Differences have led to violence today, which
have led many to die especially in the Middle
East
• Division is not unique to Islam but has also
been a reality in both the Jewish and
Christian faiths
Other Islamic Religious
Practices
 Up to four wives allowed at once.

No alcohol or pork.

No gambling.

Sharia  body of Islamic law to
regulate daily living.

Three holiest cities in Islam:
* Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem.
Essential Question:
Why was Islam
able to spread so
quickly and convert
so many to the
new religion?
The Spread of Islam: The
Empires
• Umayyad Caliphate—661-750
– Conquered Arabian Peninsula and parts of
the Middle East
– Discouraged conversion at first—Afraid of
delusion
– Eventually built Mosques and Schools
(Madrassa) and became the center of
learning
– Wealthy people wanted to convert and it
spread to lower classes
The Umayyad Caliphate
The expansion of the caliphate under the Umayyads.
Expansion under Muhammad, 622–632
Expansion during the Rashidun Caliphate, 632–661
Expansion during the Umayyad Caliphate, 661–750
Umayyad Caliphate
The Abbasid Caliphate: 7501258
• Islamic not Arab Empire—made it more
attractive to be Muslim
• Required government officials to be
Muslim
• Conversion expanded
• Major advances in learning: University,
Algebra, Classical Philosophy, Medicine
• Literature: Arabian Nights, Inspiration for
many European Works
The Spread of Islam

Easy to learn and practice.

No priesthood.

Teaches equality.

Non-Muslims, who were “Peoples of
the Book,” were allowed religious
freedom, but paid additional taxes.

Easily “portable”  nomads & trade
routes.

Jihad—Sacred Struggle.
Muslims in the World
Today
Countries with the
Largest Muslim
Population
1. Indonesia
183,000,000
6. Iran
62,000,000
2. Pakistan
134,000,000
7. Egypt
59,000,000
3. India
121,000,000
8. Nigeria
53,000,000
4. Bangladesh
114,000,000
9. Algeria
31,000,000
10. Morocco
29,000,000
5. Turkey
66,000,000
* Arabs make up only 20% of the total
Muslim population of the world.