Download Before Muhammad

Bell Work
• List 5 things that you
know (or think you know)
about the religion of
Islam, Islamic culture and
history.
Arab? Islam? Muslim?
Islamic?
• Arab – someone who speaks Arabic
• Islam – the faith founded by
Muhammad
• Muslim – someone who practices the
religion of Islam
• Islamic – describing an object (ie.
Islamic country, Islamic calendar,
Islamic law)
The Arab World
Muhammad and his
teachings/revelations from
Allah
Means “submission” –people must
throw themselves upon the mercy of
God (submit) in order to be saved
“Muslim” – people who practice the
religion of Islam
Arabia Before Muhammad
• Bedouin tribes – nomadic
animal herders
o Worshipped pagan gods
o Constantly at war (scarcity
of water, resources)
• Mecca
o Popular because location of
the Kaaba (alter of
Abraham)
o Prosperous – Kaaba made it
a center of trade
Muhammad
• born in Mecca 570
A.D.
• “revelation” from God
in a cave
• preached
MONOTHEISM (one
God)
Why didn’t Arabs like
Muhammad's message?
• Threatened their gods/way of
life
o monotheism, non-violence
• Threatened their power and
wealth
o Kaaba brought trade and
prosperity
o Rich had to give to poor
622-The Hijra
• Muhammad forced out of
Mecca and went to Medina
(city of the prophet)
• began the religion of Islam
• Year 1 on Muslim calendar
Prophet’s Mosque-Medina
630 Muhammad returns to
Mecca
• captures the
city
• Died in 632
Kaaba
Before Muhammad: After Muhammad:
“black stone”
worshipped,
along with
pagan gods
• re-dedicated to one God
(Allah)
• 1st mosque (Muslim house
of worship)
• Sight of the hajj
Why does Islam spread?
• Social justice message
– non-violence, equality
• Strength of
Muhammad’s forces
o
o
New power in Arabia
People converted to Islam
Muhammad’s Teachings
• Allah was the one and only God and all
should submit and be thankful to Him
• All believers in Allah were equal under
Him
• Christians and
Jews “people of
the book”
• required to treat
them with
tolerance
How have religions spread??
Five Pillars of Islam
• Faith
• Daily prayer
• Almsgiving
• Fast
• Pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj)
Testament of Faith
• There is
ONE God,
Allah, and
Muhammad
is his
prophet
Daily Prayer
• Pray five
times a day
• facing Mecca
• In Arabic
Almsgiving
• Charity to
the poor and
aged
• 2.5% of
possessions
Fast
• during the month of
Ramadan
• NO food – sunrise to sunset
• Refrain from violence, harsh
language, gossip, etc.
Dates – used to break fasts by
many Muslims (Kuwait)
Haji
• “pilgrimage” to Mecca
• All Muslims who are able must
make the journey
The Koran
• Sacred book
• Muhammad’s miracle
• God’s final message to his
people
• Final authority for Muslims, on:
religion, politics, law,
economic, and social life
• Islamic Law – Sharia
Islam: After Muhammad's
Death
• AD 632 – Muhammad dies
• Abu Bakr takes over as caliph
(successor to the prophet; political
leader of Islam)
• AD 661 – Ali, the 4th caliph (relative of
Muhammad) is murdered
• Dispute over who will be the next
successor erupts!!!
Sunnis/Shiites: SIMILARITIES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Monotheistic (believe in one God = Allah)
Muhammad = prophet
Koran – unchanging EXACT word of God
Hadith/Sunnah
Sharia (Islamic law)
Worship in mosques
Mecca = holy city
5 Pillars = responsibilities as Muslims
Islam Splits
SUNNISM
• Traditional Islam
• Any devout Muslim can
be caliph
• Emphasis on Koran,
Hadith and Sunnah
• Scholars interpret Koran
• Don’t recognize
imams/ayatollahs
• No clergymen
• 85-90%
SHIISM
• “Ali’s Party”
• Caliph must be direct
descendant of Muhammad
• Believe Muhammad chose
first imam (Ali)
• Imam – leader – interprets
Koran/Hadith
• Ayatollahs issue decrees on
Islamic law
• 10-15%
Pre Class
Which difference between
Sunnis and Shiites do you
believe is the most significant?
Why?
Islam’s Zenith
Expansion of Islam
• Spread beliefs and gain riches
• Arab armies launched Jihad (holy war)
o To defend Islam
o “Struggle within”
• 732 Arabs conquer empire from Indus
river, to Atlantic Ocean
• Tolerance/ taxes on non-believers