Understanding Islam

Why should we study the religion of Islam?

There are over 1 billion Muslims in the world.

Islam Identifications

• Muslim: person who follows Islam

• Ka’aba: Islam’s holiest shrine – located in Mecca – Arabic for cube

• Qu’ran: secret text, holy book of Islam

• Mecca: birth place of Islam, holiest city, Saudi Arabia

• Mosque: Muslim house of worship

• Allah: Arabic for God same as J and C

• Medina: first Islamic community, 2nd Holy city, Muhammad gains political and religious power – City of the Prophet

• Hejira: 622 – Muhammad’s journey from Mecca to Medina; marks first expansion of Islam

• Jerusalem: 3rd Holiest city to Islam – Dome of the Rock

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Five Pillars of Islam

• Islam means: (#2)– to submit/submission

• Five Pillars of Islam: (#3)• Declaration of Faith (Shahada)• Prayers (Salah) • Charity (Zakat)• Fasting (Sawm)• Pilgrimage (Hajj)

The Rise and Spread of

Islam

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Arabia in the 7th Century

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Mecca

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Muhammad (#4)

• Born CE 570• Parents died• Raised by Uncle• Marries Khadija• Merchant/trader• Meditated in desert• Daughter Fatima

married to cousin Ali

• Video 3:29

Muhammad: Founder of Islam

• Muhammad was born in Mecca about 570.

• His parents died when he was very young, but he was sent to live with his uncle, who was a Bedouin tribesman, even before they died.

• Muhammad became a merchant.

• When he was 25, he met a wealthy widow named Khadija, and married her.

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Muhammad (#5)

• Final Prophet/Founder of Islam– Means to

surrender/submit (#2)

• Messages from God compiled in the Qur’an

• Spread the message of one God

The Hejira• Muhammad began to speak

about this new religion to the Arab tribes people around Mecca.

• Some began to follow him. Others did not like his message, and plotted to kill both him and his followers.

• In 622, Muhammad and his followers fled from Mecca to Yathrib, a town to the north.

• This journey was known as the hejira.

• Yathrib was later renamed Medina, which means “City of the Prophet.”

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Medina and Hejira 622 Marks the beginning of expansion of Islam (#10)

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Sacredness of Jerusalem• “Night Journey” from the nearest

mosque to the farthest (“al-Aqsa”) mosque - 619 AD in Jerusalem

• Is believed to be when Muhammad “flew” to Jerusalem and met with the old Prophets: Abraham and Moses

The Night Journey

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Umayyad Culture

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem

Video

Al-Aqsa (“furthest”) mosque, built CE 715

People of the Book (# 6)

• Muhammad’s Term for Jews and Christians– Cause followed Gods teachings

• Old and New Testament were God’s words but had been corrupted over time

• Christianity and Judaism influenced Islam

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Return to Mecca – 628AD

Mecca

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Kaaba• Housed 360 idols• Muhammad Smashed idols and dedicated to

God (360) (#5)• Pilgrimages during holy month Dhul-Hijjah• Kiswah: the cloth that covers the Kaaba

– Embroidered in gold the Muslim Declaration of Faith– At the end of the ḥajj, the new kiswah is put in place,

and the old one is cut into small relics that are sold to pilgrims.

Ka’bah

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Spread of Muslim Rule

Two Main Branches of Islam

Battle of Karbala: 661 A.D.

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Schism• Disagreement over style and qualifications

leader• Bloody massacre• (#11) Split into Sunni and Shi’a during

Umayyad Dynasty – Mid 600’s• over the choosing of caliph – successor to

Muhammad as leader of Islamic community (#11)

• (#12) Sunni – 80% caliph based on merit – anyone

• Shi'ite/Shi’a – caliph descendent of Muhammad

Shrine at Karbala

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7. Hadith and Quran make up the ShariaSharia – sacred law of Islam

Hadith: accounts and sayings of Muhammad8. oneness of God and Muhammad Final Prophet

9. Birth, Marriage, DeathAqiqah Link

10. Hejira (622), Muslim Army united by Jihad (to struggle to be the best Muslim/Holy War) and promise of riches, resentment of foreign rule,

Conversion (equality of believers), tolerance

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11. Umayyad, choosing a caliph12. Shi’a (Shiite) and Sunni

13. HalalIn Arabic, the word halal means permitted or lawful. Halal foods are foods that are allowed under Islamic

dietary guidelinesNo pork or alcohol

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Five Pillars of Islam

• Declaration of Faith (Shahada)• Prayers (Salah) • Charity (Sawm)• Fasting (Zakat)• Pilgrimage (Hajj) Video 2:00

– Another Hajj Video

– And one more

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Ramadan (#14)• 9th month of the Islamic/lunar calendar

• Month that Qur'an to Muhammad

• Fasting from sunup to sundown

• Focus on relationship with God/spiritually

• Night of Power: – last days of the month it is believed that Muhammad first

received the Qur'an.

• Eid ul-Fitr (The Festival of Fast-Breaking):– holiday that marks the end of Ramadan and fasting– Show Wolper Video

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Islam, Christianity, and Judaism Similarities

• Monotheism• Prophethood• Golden Rule • Jerusalem Holy• Judgment Day • Heaven• Prayer

• Charity• Coming of Age• Pilgrimage• Dietary Laws• Ethical world view

Early Islamic Empires

The Spread of Islam

• Within 120 years of the Prophet Muhammad’s death, the religion of Islam had spread from the Arabian Peninsula to include the following areas:

• http://www.explorethemed.com/RiseIslam.asp

Early Caliphates

Umayyad Dynasty(661-750

A.D.)

Umayyad Dynasty(661-750

A.D.)

Capital: Damascus,

Syria

Capital: Damascus,

Syria

Emphasis on Arab Culture &

Language

Emphasis on Arab Culture &

Language

Sunni MuslimSunni Muslim

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Umayyads (661–750)

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Umayyad Culture

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem

Video

Al-Aqsa (“furthest”) mosque, built CE 715

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Shi’ism Today

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Umayyad Decline

• Fragmentation– split

• Non-Arabs• Leadership

problems

Early Caliphates

Abbassid Dynasty (750-1250 AD)

Included People from other cultures

Persians

Turks

Indians

Golden Age of Muslim Civilization

Capital: Baghdad

• Advances in architecture• Control of trade routes• Advances in science,

medicine, mathematics• Poetry and philosophy

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Abbasids (750–1258)First 100 years 1st Golden Age (#15)

Because of economic power, medicine, science, math, and architecture

Islam’s First Golden Age

The Abbassid Caliphate was established in 750 A.D.

The capital of this new Islamic Empire was established in Baghdad, not Damascus. Founded by al-Mansur, the second caliph of the Abbassid Dynasty.

This new caliphate was more inclusive of different people, including Persians, Turks, and Indians, which gave it more appeal.

Islam’s First Golden Age

Commerce and Economics

This new empire controlled the trade routes between the East (India and China) and the Mediterranean, Africa, and Europe.This led to thriving, wealthy cities, such as Baghdad. To help trade prosper, the Abbasids developed many useful business practices.

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Abbasid Culture

• Trade revival• Arabic numerals• Algebra

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Science and Medicine• Astrolabe• Medicine• Ibn Sina (Avicenna)• Muhammad Al-Razi• Muslims used the magnetic needle to produce the mariner’s compass,

as well as the astrolabe.• These inventions would become VERY important during the Age of

Discovery hundreds of years later.

Astrolabe

Medieval Renaissance ManIbn Sina – known also as Avicenna

Wrote more than 100 books on astronomy, music, philosophy, medicine, and poetry

Islam’s First Golden Age

Advances in Learning:Muslim scholars translated ancient Greek works on philosophy, science, and mathematics.Muslims also made advances in the fields of medicine, mathematics, and architectureThey gave us beautiful poetry, such as The Rubaiyat, and A Thousand and One Nights

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Islam’s First Golden Age

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Muhammad al Razi• Muslim doctor who stressed eating a balanced

diet.

• Encouraged high professional standards for doctors, including education and qualifying exams.

• Wrote 50 books on medicine

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Abbasid Decline

Mosque of Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutawakkil

Home Stretch

16. Life long learners/education important

- translated Greek and Sanskrit works on philosophy and science

House of Wisdom – Baghdad – Al Mamun

– preserved ancient learning – diffused to Europe

17. Medicine: Diagnosis/treatment/qualifying examinations

Muhammad al-Razi and Ibn Sina – all influenced the West

Math – algebra

Science

Architecture - minarets

18. Letters of credit – receipts – bills of lading42

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Comparison of Statistics and Basics

 Islam Judaism Christianity

adherents called Muslims Jews Christians

current adherents 1.3 billion 14 million 2 billion

current size rank 2nd largest 12th largest largest

major concentration

Middle East, Southeast Asia

Israel, Europe, USA

Europe, North and South America, rapid

growth in Africa

sacred text Qur'an (Koran) BibleBible (Jewish Bible +

New Testament)

other written authority

HadithTalmud, Midrash,

Responsa

church fathers, church councils, papal decrees

(Catholic only)

religious law Sharia Halakhah Canon Law

clergy imams rabbispriests, ministers, pastors, bishops

house of worship mosque synagoguechurch, chapel,

cathedral

main day of worship

Friday Saturday Sunday

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Comparison of Origins and History

 Islam Judaism Christianity

date founded 622 CE unknown c. 33 CE

place founded Saudi Arabia Palestine (def) Palestine

founder MuhammadMoses or Abraham

Jesus

original language(s)

Arabic Hebrew Aramaic, Greek

early expansion

within 12 years, entire Arabian

peninsula; within 100 years, Muslim world stretched from the Atlantic to China

little expansion; mostly confined

to Palestine

within 60 years, churches in major cities

in Palestine, Turkey, Greece and Rome

(map); entire Roman Empire by end of 4th

cent.

major splits Shia/Sunni, c. 650

CE Reform/Orthodox,

1800s CE

Catholic/Orthodox, 1054 CE; Catholic/Protestant,

1500s CE

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Comparison of Religious Beliefs

 Islam Judaism Christianity

type of theism strict monotheism strict monotheism Trinitarian monotheism

ultimate reality one God one God one God

names of God Allah (Arabic for God) Yahweh, Elohim Yahweh, the Holy Trinity

other spiritual beings angels, demons, jinn angels and demons angels and demons

revered humans prophets, imams

(especially in Shia) prophets saints, church fathers

identity of Jesus true prophet of God, whose

message has been corrupted

not prophet Son of God, God incarnate,

savior of the world

resurrection of Jesus Not part of beliefs Not part of beliefs affirmed

divine revelationthrough Muhammad, recorded in Qur'an

through Prophets, recorded in Bible

through Prophets and Jesus (as God Himself), recorded in

Bible

means of salvation correct belief, good deeds,

Five Pillars belief in God, good

deeds

correct belief, faith, good deeds, sacraments (some

Protestants emphasize faith alone)

good afterlife eternal paradise: heaven views vary: heaven eternal heaven

view of fellow Abrahamic religions

Jews and Christians are respected as "People of the Book," but they have wrong

beliefs and only partial revelation.

Islam and Christianity are false

interpretations and extensions of Judaism.

Judaism is a true religion, but with incomplete revelation.