Islam

Origins

Muhammad was the prophet of IslamMuhammad received his first revelation in a

cave, it was given by the angel Gabriel and it is when he began to write the Qur’an

Muhammad became the leading figure in Islam

Strongly Emphasized that he was only a messenger

As he obtained more revelations he wrote the Qur’an in its entirety

Ultimate Goal and Five Pillars

Ultimate Goal: To enjoy the paradise of heaven with Allah by submitting yourself to the five pillars and sharia law

Iman: Confession that there is only one god and Muhammad is his messenger

Salah: Prayer five times a daySawm: Fasting during the lunar month of

RamadanZakah: Donations to the poorHajj: Making the pilgrimage to Mecca at least

once during one’s lifetime

Religious texts

The Qur'an is described as the “word of Allah”

Qur'an is Allah’s word written through Muhammad

It is the center of every Muslim's faithHadiths are writings on Muhammad's life Some writings on the Hadith are essential to

the religion while others are badly sourced The complete text of the Qur'an is essential

to Islam while only some Hadiths are important

Major Beliefs

There is one GodAllah has angelsThe books of Allah, especially the Qur’anThe prophets of Allah, especially MuhammadThe afterlife or Day of JudgmentThe supremacy of Allah’s will

Misconceptions

“All Muslims are terrorists”- This shows a negative notion of the faith of Islam

“Islam oppresses women”Allah is not a specific name for their god it is

just how they say GodWhen male Muslims die they are not actually

rewarded with 72 virgins which is written in a badly sourced Hadith

All Muslims are Arab

Geography and Location

Mecca=Birthplace of Muhammad on 570 C.E. and where his first revelation of Allah occurred.

Prayers of Muslims are directed towards Mecca during Salah

Medina=Tomb and mosque of Muhammad who died in 632 C.E.

Medina became the center of the Islamic community after persecution out of Mecca in 622 C.E.

Islam then spread through trade and conquest to include northern Africa, southwest Asia, and the Philippines

Islam under Muhammad

The Spread of Islam

Cosmology

Islamic Cosmology is similar to biblical stories

Allah created the earth in 6 days Muslims also believe in the story of

Abraham/Ibrahim, the father of all, and the story of Babylon as their beginnings

Rituals

Hands, arms, face, neck, and feet are washed before prayer if water is available

Once in their lifetime they complete the Hajj pillar where they go to Mecca and pray for their sins and others

Before serving, meat must be butchered and blessed

Eid al-Fitr is the festival of fast breaking which celebrates the completion of the month of Ramaddan

Daily life

Salah is essential to Muslim daily lifeThe Ritual of salah where one must pray five

times a dayFollow the sharia lawThe sharia law is the Muslim legal system by

which crimes are explained and punishments are distributed accordingly

Culture

Non-converted urban women never leave their homes

There are arranged marriages, no dating or marrying for love

Polygamy is forbidden yet in some Muslim communities it is allowed

Cannot drink alcohol or eat porkMen carry the financial responsibilities and

protectionMen and women are chaste until marriage

Community

The Muslim community is called “Uhmma”The Islamic leader was the Caliphate Through disputes over Caliphate succession

after Muhammad's death emerged two groups

Shiite-Only prevalent in Iran Believed the Caliphate should be Abu Akbar,

Muhammad’s close companionSunni-Orthodox majority

Believed the Caliphate should be Ali ibn, Muhammad's cousin and son in law. Also first convert

Works Cited

Alkouatli, Claire. Islam. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2007. Print.

"Common Misconceptions about Muslims." Discover God's Heart for Muslims. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 May 2014.

"The Cosmology of the Quran." The Cosmology of the Quran. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 May 2014.

The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Web Sites: Caliphate (Islamic History)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 08 May 2014.

Works Cited

Gordon, Mattew S. World Relions: Islam. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 07 May 2014."Sharia Law." SHARIA LAW. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May

2014."Six Articles of Faith." Six Articles of

the Islamic Faith. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2014."The Story of Jesus and His Mission." The Story

of Jesus and His Mission. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2014.

"Sunnis and Shiites." Sunnis and Shiites. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 May 2014.