Download Islam: Beliefs

Islam: Beliefs
General
 6th century Arabia: desert conditions and nomadic life(roam desert in search for
water and food); profession was merchants and traders (Arab = nomad)
 most powerful nomadic tribe was Quraysh who were guardians of the Ka’bah
(cube shrine that housed idols= site of pilgrimage)
 primary religion: polytheism and idolatry
Origins of Islam
 Islam: emerged with Muhammad
 Originating cities for Islam: Makkah and Madinah (Mecca and Medina)
 Islam: Arabic for “submitting to God” or “surrender to God’s will”
 Monotheistic belief after shift from idolatry (polytheism)
 Core to beliefs is to literally “surrender” to the will of Allah
 Believe that Muhammad (pbuh) is the messenger of God
 Central principle is the Sahara (creed of Islam)
Muhammad
 Born in 570 AD Makkah
 Raised by uncle and profession as a merchant or trader (caravans)
 Had contact with Christianity and monotheism
 First revelation came at age of 40 (610AD) where Gabriel told him to “recite”:
this became the first fragment of the Koran
 Viewed as the most important because he was revealed, in true and purest form,
the complete truth of Allah
Koran
 “Koran” means “reciting” or “reading”
 revealed to Muhammad over many readings by Allah
 organized into 114 chapters called SURAS arranged in order of decreasing length
(except for 1st sura)
 1st sura: most fundamental to faith and lays down regulations and end (shorter)
suras deal with nature of Judgement Day
Allah
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God’s proper name is “Allah” who is the one, the master and creator of all
Omnipotent=
Omniscient=
Omnipresent=
Allah is the compassionate guide who will lead to fulfillment and knowledge
5 Articles of Faith
1. Belief in Allah as one true God
2. Belief in angels as instruments of God’s will (ie. Gabriel, Micheal)
3. Belief in Koran
4. Belief in 28 prophets of Allah, with Muhammad is the last (Adam, Noah, Abraham)
5. Belief in a final Day of Judgment
TWO FEATURES
1. Equilibrium between the body and the soul (temporal and spiritual):
-full enjoyment of all good of God’s creation
balanced with
-full commitment to duties to Allah such as worship, fasting, charity
2.Universiality of the Call
-everyone is equal without any distinction of class, race or tongue
-superiority is only granted on greater amount of piety and fear of Allah
Day of Judgment
o believe that every living person has a soul and upon death, will move to an
afterlife
o will be prefaced by signs and announced by a trumpet blast and bodies will rise
from the grave where their deeds and thoughts will be examined and will be sent
to heaven or hell
Sunni
-more domintant in numbers
-more conservative, relying on Koran and
Sunnas
Shiites
-claiming that only Ali and his descendants
had a legitimate right to head the Muslims.
-curse elected caliphs, such asAbu Bakr,
Omar and Uthman
-claim to be more orthodox member of the
Muslim faith
-believe that imams are inspired by Allah
-concept of Mahdi, or divinely guided
ruler, he is the last legitimate caliph and
will return to earth to unite the faithful
under the true religion
*split lies in the question of the successor to the caliph, whether it was hereditary and
restricted to descendent of Muhammad, or whether it could be determine ed by election.
Five Pillars
Way to heaven is based on faith, rituals and actions of these things. The greatest virtue is
complete submission to the will and authority of Allah. Five specific duties, the “five
pillars” are demanded of every Muslim:
1. Recitation of the SHAHADAH: “There is no god but God and Muhammad is the
messenger of God.” “La ilaha illa Allah; Muhammad rasul Allah”
2. Salat: prayer to express gratitude and love to Allah with emphasis on reverence
Salat is performed 5 times daily (morning, noon, mid-afternoon, after sunset and
before sleep). Friday is closest thing to a holy day and Muslims usually attend
mosque (which means place of prostration) at noon on Fridays. Place of prayer must
be clean (ie. before entering a mosque, one must remove footwear, be decently
clothed and have heads covered. All exposed parts of body must be cleansed with
water, sand or dust = this is in order to be clean and pure in sight of Allah.) There are
no statues or pictures or seats in a mosque. A large decorated niche, called a mihrab,
is set on one wall which indicates the directions of the Ka’bah in Mecca. All prayers
must be said while facing in this direction.
3. Zakat: almsgiving (giving to charity). Zakat is compulsory minimum tax of 2.5%
on revenue and holdings of those who had more than enough to meet their basic
needs. These alms used to help support widows, orphans and the poor.
4.
Fasting: fasting takes place in month of Ramadan. The ninth month of the year
where Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual intercourse
each day from before sunrise until after sunset. These sacrifices test the spirit,
discipline and meaning of religious duty as well as act as a reminder for the
hunger of the poor. Ramadan is the month when numerous important events took
place in , such as God’s first revelation to Muhammad in 610, and the historic
flight from Meccca to Medina in 622 and victory in battle at Badr. The end of
Ramadan is celebrated with lavish feasts.
5. Pilgrimage: Hajj: Muslim who are able should make at least one journey to
Mecca during their lifetime. During twelfth and scared month of Dhu’l Jijja. This
experience builds brotherhood in Muslims of all classes as people walk shoulder
to shoulder to holy city and then to Ka’bah. They make seven circuits of the
shrine., stopping each time to kiss the Black Stone, and recite various prayers that
glorify Allah. The most important part of hajj begins on the ninth day, at Araha,
in a valley nine miles from Mecca. The pilgrims gather near a small hill and pray.
This is the spot where Muhammad preached his least sermon. Later the pilgrims
throw stones at pillars that represent the devil and temptation. On return to
Mecca, the pilgrimage is complete by making seven final circuits of the Ka’bah
and running an equal number of times between the two nearby hills. Those who
have completed the hajj are promised special consideration on the Day of
Judgment.