Islam & The Muslim World

Unit Five

Religions of the World

The Middle EastBased on the map to the right, why would the Middle East be a central location for cultures and ideas to spread?

The Arabian Peninsula

Which countries make up the Arabian Peninsula?

The Bedouins● People who lived on the Arabian Peninsula● Organized into clans (tribes)

○ Provided security and a way of life in the harsh desert● Believed in courage, loyalty to family, and having defensive

skills

Mecca● Holiest city in Islam● Home of an ancient shrine

○ Ka’aba● At first, Ka’aba was associated with

Abraham○ Review! Which religion is Abraham

associated with?

Allah● In Arabic, refers to God in Abrahamic religions● In English, refers to the Islamic God

Islam & Muslim● Islam- “submission to the will of Allah”● Muslim- “one who has submitted”

The Prophet Muhammad

What is a prophet?A person who speaks for God or a deity

Muhammad the Prophet● Very religious man

○ Often meditated and prayed● The angel Gabriel spoke to Muhammad in a cave in Mecca

○ Gabriel was the messenger of Allah

The Hijrah● Many people were upset with Muhammad’s teachings

○ Neglect of traditional Arabic gods○ What religion does the remind you of?

● After several attacks, M. and his followers left Mecca and traveled to Medina○ This journey is known as the Hijrah

The Hijrah

Return to Mecca● 8 years later, M. & 10,000 followers returned to Mecca

○ Most Meccans joined umma (the Muslim community)

Result: Most of the Arabian Peninsula was united under Islam

ProphetsWhat other prophets, who we have learned about, could we compare Muhammad to?

Beliefs & Practices of Islam

The Five Pillars1. Faith2. Prayer3. Alms4. Fasting5. Pilgrimage

Pillar One: Faith● Testify and live by the following statement:

“There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

Pillar Two: Prayer● Pray 5X per day facing Mecca

○ Muslims may pray at a mosque, or the Muslim house of worship

Mosques & Prayer

Pillar Three: Alms● Remember, M. believed is helping those less fortunate.

○ Muslims give alms (money for the poor) through a special religious tax

Pillar Four: Fasting● During Ramadan (the Islamic holy month) Muslims fast

between dawn and sunset○ Reinforces that spiritual needs are more important than

physical ones

Ramadan● An Islamic holiday, which celebrates the first revelation of

the Koran to Muhammad○ The 9th month of the Islamic calendar

Pillar Five: Pilgrimage● The Hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca

○ A pilgrimage is a religious journey● Those who are physically and financially able to travel to

Mecca must do so at least once.

Mecca

Other Islamic Customs & Laws● No pork● No alcohol

Friday afternoons for communal worship

Islamic Sources of Authority

Relationship to Allah● Muslims are expected to worship Allah directly, not through

another authority such as a priest

Source of Authority● Allah is the original source of authority

○ Muhammad’s followers memorized the revelations Gabriel revealed to him

● After he died, they composed the Koran (Qur’an)○ The Islamic holy book

Language● Arabic is the language of the Koran

○ Only Arabic used in worship● As Islam spread, so did Arabic

○ Used to unite conquered peoples

*Today, Arabic is the 5th most spoken language in the world.

Comparisons to Christianity & JudaismSimilarities:

● Allah is the same God who is worshipped in C & J● Heaven, hell, and judgement day● Trace their ancestry to Abraham

Differences:

● Jesus is a prophet, not God’s son● Muhammad is the final prophet & the Koran is the final

perfected version of God’s word