Islam:

The Call of PeaceThrough Submission

To God

Adhan (Call to Prayer)•Adhan 1 •Adhan 2 (w/ English subtitles)•Adhan 3 (w/ scenes from Hajj in

Mecca)

Surat al-FatihaIn the name of God,

The Compassionate, The MercifulAll praise belongs to God,

Lord of all the World,The Compassionate, the Merciful,Master of the Day of Judgement.

You alone do we worship,and from You alone do we seek help.

Surat al-FatihaGuide us on the straight path,

The path of those whom You have blessed,

Not of those on whom is Your anger,Nor of those who have gone astray.

Amen.

Assignments• (due ., /) Spontaneously write 5

images that you associate w/ “Islam”/ “muslim”; read “Muslim Life”, p. 262

• (due Thurs., 4/23) Type a 1-1½ pg. reflection paper on DVD “The Muslim Americans”

• (due Fri., 4/24) Read pp. 247-251(top); write 1 pgrph on your impressions of Muhammad

Assignments• (due Mon., 4/27) 1 paragraph

“reaction” to anything in DVD Muhammad: Legacy

• (due Tues., 4/28) Read handout on Qur’an; write 1 paragraph reflection on one or several passages for discussion

• (due Thurs., 4/30) Read pp. 251-253

Assignments• (due Tues., 5/5) Read pp. 254-

256(top) on 5 pillars; do 256 G• (due Weds., 5/6) Read pp. 256-260

(top); write 1-2 pghs opinion on any controversial issues in Islam

• (due Thurs., 5/7) Read pp. 260-263• (due Fri., 5/8) 3 Questions for

guest speakers (Muslim Hopkins students)

Assignments• (Fri., 5/15) TEST on Islam• (due on or before last review day)

Project• (due ) 1-2 pg. relfection on:

– What you have learned from your study of other religions

– What your Faith is, and why you believe it

The Foundations of Islam

What IS Islam?

What is Islam?• ISLAM…

•MUSLIMS…

• ISLAMIC…

What is Islam?• Islam means “peace”

– Salam (Arabic)/ Shalom (Hebrew)

•More literally, = “surrender” or “submission”

• Implication…•Peace comes through

submission to God (Allah)

The Foundations of Islam

The Life and MessageOf

Muhammed

Life of Muhammed

• Born c. 570 A.D. in Mecca• Meccan society:

– Tribal– Mercantile– Polytheistic

• Part of powerful clan, the Quresh

• Orphaned early on; raised by uncle, Abu Taleb

Life of Muhammed

• M. becomes caravan guide– Exposed to

cultures/religions, esp. monotheism of Judaism & Christianity

– Meets Khadija> marries

• M. repulsed by Meccans’ hypocrisy re: religion & care for poor

• M. retreats more & more to pray, reflect

Life of Muhammed

•610 A.D. “Night of Power and Excellence”– Angel Gabriel appears

during prayer– Commands M.: “Recite”!– M. protests; he knows not

how to recite– Gabriel tells M what to

recite… beginning of dictation of Qur’an

The Foundations of Islam:

The Qur’an:Islam’s Sacred Presence

The Qur’an

•Center of Islamic faith on earth

•Size: about 4/5 size of New Testament

•Structured in 114 chapters or surahs

•Originally written in Arabic

The Qur’an

•Qur’an means, literally, “reading” or “recitation”

•From Angel Gabriel’s command: “Recite!”

The Qur’an

• Believed to have been revealed miraculously by God

• ALLAH > MUHAMMED> EARLY DISCIPLES (written form)

• Revealed & written in Arabic

• Governs every aspect of life

The Qur’anExpress 7 basic beliefs about:• Allah

– He is One– All predestined by Him

• Revelation through– Angels– Human messengers(prophets)– Books(Jewish, Christian, Qur’an)

• Human Destiny– Afterlife– Judgement

The Qur’anDiscuss Qur’an’s attitude toward:•Unbelievers •Violence toward enemies• Image of God

How do these attitudes compare with those of other faiths?

The Foundations of Islam

The Life and MessageOf

Muhammed

Life of Muhammed

•622 A.D. The Hijra – M.’s migration from Mecca to Yathrib– Importance: basis for all dates in

Muslim calendar (Anno Hegirae, “in the year of the Hijra”)

Message of Muhammed

•M referred to as the “Seal of the Prophets”– Prophets= link betw Allah and

humankind– Some “lesser” or prior prophets: eg.

Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus– M = “seal”, ie. the final prophet– M reveals fully, precisely and for all

time the will of Allah

Message of Muhammed

•Sunna of the Prophet:– Means “custom”– =M’s actions and his own sayings or

“hadith”– Second most important authority in

Islam

5 Pillars of Islam

Shahada Shahada The Confession of FaithThe Confession of Faith• “La ilaha illa’Llah.

Muhammadur rasulu’Llah” (“There is no god except God. Muhammad is the messenger of God.”)

•Core:– Oneness of God

(Monotheism)– Uniqueness of Muhammad

SalatSalatRitual Prayer

•5 times a day:– Dawn – Noon– Mid-afternoon– Sunset– Night

•At home or in masjid (mosque)

SalatSalatRitual Prayer

•Friday Service (Jummah) in mosque:– Sermon

(khutbah)– Noon prayer

SawmSawmFasting during

Ramadan•Entire month,

from sunrise to sunset

•Abstinence from food, drink, sex, smoking

•Ramadan shifts– lunar calendar

ZakatZakatSharing of Wealth with

Poor• 2.5 % of value of possessions (vs. income alone)

• The Poor are exempt• Zakat is a form of

worship• Fosters habits of

generosity

HajjHajjPilgrimage to Mecca

• Journey in imitation of prophet

• Umma clearly felt/experienced

• Obligatory for all who can make the trip

Features of the Hajj

•Ritual white clothing for men (= equality/ purity)

Islam: Practices & Teachings

The Umma:The Community of Muslims

The Community of Muslims•The community or Umma =all

Muslims•Shari’ah = divine law (from

Qur’an) that unites all Muslims•Governments of some countries

(eg. Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan) based on Shari’a

The Varieties of Islam

Sects & Movements in Islam

Are there “sects” in Islam?Qur’anQur’an

HadithHadith

(Sayings of Prophet)(Sayings of Prophet)

(Mahtaphs)(Mahtaphs)

Various Schools of ThoughtVarious Schools of Thought

(Opinions of Legal Scholars)(Opinions of Legal Scholars)

Sunni & Shi’a• Islam divided into 2 Islam divided into 2

major “sects”:major “sects”:

Sunni Shi’iteSunni Shi’ite

Muslims MuslimsMuslims Muslims

Sunni Muslims• = a little less than 90% of = a little less than 90% of

MuslimsMuslims• SunniSunni, from those who , from those who

follow follow sunna sunna or “custom” or “custom” of the prophetof the prophet

• Leadership: Caliph Leadership: Caliph elected from tribe of elected from tribe of MuhammedMuhammed

• Dominant in Saudi Arabia, Dominant in Saudi Arabia, Syria, Indonesia, most Syria, Indonesia, most African countriesAfrican countries

Shi’ite Muslims• = about 10% of Muslims• shi’i from “shi’at Ali” or

partisans of Ali, the son-in-law of M.

• Leadership: Imam(vs. caliph) as direct descendent of Ali

• Dominant in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Pakistan

Sufism

• Not a separate sect of Islam, but a special brotherhood

• Sufi from suf, = “wool”• Sufis = “woolwearers”,

from their special robes

• Focus on inner, mystical experience of Allah