ISLAM AND

ZOROASTRIANISM

GROUP 1

Fabon, Renzo

Llorador, Sofia

Trinidad, Analyn Joy

Matuguina, Regine

Pastor, Henelie

Garcia, Jamila

Calangsangan, Michelle

THE HISTORY OF ISLAM CONCERNS THE RELIGION OF ISLAM AND ITS ADHERENTS,

MUSLIMS. "MUSLIM" IS AN ARABIC WORD MEANING "ONE WHO SUBMITS TO GOD".

MUSLIMS AND THEIR RELIGION HAVE GREATLY IMPACTED THE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC,

AND MILITARY HISTORY OF THE OLD WORLD, ESPECIALLY THE MIDDLE EAST, WHERE ITS

ROOTS LIE. THOUGH IT IS BELIEVED BY NON-MUSLIMS TO HAVE ORIGINATED IN MECCA

AND MEDINA, MUSLIMS BELIEVE THAT THE RELIGION OF ISLAM HAS BEEN PRESENT

SINCE THE TIME OF THE PROPHET ADAM. MUSLIMS BELIEVE THAT PROPHETS NOAH,

ABRAHAM, MOSES, JESUS, AMONG OTHERS, WERE ALL ISLAMIC PROPHETS, AND THEY

HAVE EQUAL VENERATION IN THE QUR'AN. THE ISLAMIC WORLD EXPANDED TO

INCLUDE PEOPLE OF THE ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION, INCLUSIVE OF NON-MUSLIMS LIVING

IN THAT CIVILIZATION.

HISTORY OF ISLAM

IMAN IS GENERALLY OUTLINED USING THE SIX ARTICLES OF FAITH:

BELIEF IN ALLAH

BELIEF IN THE ANGELS

BELIEF IN DIVINE BOOKS

BELIEF IN THE PROPHETS

BELIEF IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT

BELIEF IN ALLAH'S PREDESTINATION

OF THESE, THE FIRST FIVE ARE MENTIONED TOGETHER IN THE QUR'AN AND BY

MUHAMMAD, WHILE INCLUDING A COROLLARY OF BELIEF IN ALLAH – THE GOOD AND

EVIL OF FATE ORDAINED BY GOD – HAS REFERRED TO ALL SIX TOGETHER IN THE

FOLLOWING MANNER IN THE HADITH OF GABRIEL:

"IMAN IS THAT YOU BELIEVE IN GOD AND HIS ANGELS AND HIS BOOKS AND HIS

MESSENGERS AND THE HEREAFTER AND THE GOOD AND EVIL FATE (ORDAINED BY

YOUR GOD).

The Six articles of Islamic faith

THEY MAKE UP MUSLIM LIFE, PRAYER, CONCERN FOR THE NEEDY, SELF PURIFICATION

AND THE PILGRIMAGE. THEY ARE:

SHAHADAH: DECLARING THERE IS NO GOD EXCEPT GOD, AND MUHAMMAD IS GOD'S MESSENGER

SALAT: RITUAL PRAYER FIVE TIMES A DAY

ZAKAT: GIVING 2.5% OF ONE’S SAVINGS TO THE POOR AND NEEDY

SAWM: FASTING AND SELF-CONTROL DURING THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN

HAJJ: PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA AT LEAST ONCE IN A LIFETIME IF ONE IS ABLE

THE SHIA AND SUNNI BOTH AGREE ON THE ESSENTIAL DETAILS FOR THE PERFORMANCE

AND PRACTICE OF THESE ACTS,[8][9] BUT THE SHIA DO NOT REFER TO THEM BY THE

SAME NAME (SEE ANCILLARIES OF THE FAITH, FOR THE TWELVERS, AND SEVEN PILLARS

OF ISMAILISM).

Five Pillars of Islam

ZAKĀT

ZAKĀT OR ALMS-GIVING IS THE PRACTICE OF CHARITABLE GIVING BASED ON

ACCUMULATED WEALTH. THE WORD ZAKĀT CAN BE DEFINED AS PURIFICATION AND

GROWTH BECAUSE IT ALLOWS AN INDIVIDUAL TO ACHIEVE BALANCE AND

ENCOURAGES NEW GROWTH. THE PRINCIPLE OF KNOWING THAT ALL THINGS BELONG

TO GOD IS ESSENTIAL TO PURIFICATION AND GROWTH.

Shahada: Faith

Shahada is a declaration of faith and trust that professes that there is only one God (Allah) and that Muhammad is God's messenger.

Salat: Prayer

Afghan politicians and foreign diplomats praying (making salat) at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Salat (ṣalāh) is the Islamic prayer. Salat consists of five daily prayers according to the Sunna; the names are according to the prayer times: Fajr(dawn), Dhuhr (noon), ʿAṣr (afternoon), Maghrib (evening), and ʿIshāʾ(night). The Fajr prayer is performed before sunrise, Dhuhr is performed in the midday after the sun has surpassed its highest point, Asr is the evening prayer before sunset, Maghrib is the evening prayer after sunset and Isha is the night prayer

SAWM: FASTING

MUSLIMS TRADITIONALLY BREAK THEIR FASTS IN THE MONTH OF RAMADAN WITH DATES

(LIKE THOSE OFFERED BY THIS DATE SELLER IN KUWAIT CITY), AS WAS THE RECORDED

PRACTICE (SUNNAH) OF MUHAMMAD.

THREE TYPES OF FASTING (SIYAM) ARE RECOGNIZED BY THE QURAN: RITUAL FASTING,

FASTING AS COMPENSATION FOR REPENTANCE (BOTH FROM SURA AL-BAQARA), AND

ASCETIC FASTING (FROM AL-AHZAB)

There are five principles that should be followed when giving the zakāt:

The giver must declare to God his intention to give the zakāt.

The zakāt must be paid on the day that it is due.

After the offering, the payer must not exaggerate on spending his money more than usual means.

Payment must be in kind. This means if one is wealthy then he or she needs to pay a portion of their income. If a person does not have much money, then they should compensate for it in different ways, such as good deeds and good behavior toward others.

The zakāt must be distributed in the community from which it was taken.

HAJJ: PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA

THE HAJJ IS A PILGRIMAGE THAT OCCURS DURING THE ISLAMIC MONTH OF DHU AL-

HIJJAH TO THE HOLY CITY OF MECCA. EVERY ABLE-BODIED MUSLIM IS OBLIGED TO

MAKE THE PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA AT LEAST ONCE IN THEIR LIFE. WHEN THE PILGRIM IS

AROUND 10 KM (6.2 MI) FROM MECCA, HE/SHE MUST DRESS IN IHRAM CLOTHING,

WHICH CONSISTS OF TWO WHITE SHEETS. BOTH MEN AND WOMEN ARE REQUIRED TO

MAKE THE PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA. AFTER A MUSLIM MAKES THE TRIP TO MECCA,

HE/SHE IS KNOWN AS A HAJJ/HAJJA (ONE WHO MADE THE PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA).

THE MAIN RITUALS OF THE HAJJ INCLUDE WALKING SEVEN TIMES AROUND THE KAABA

TERMED TAWAF, TOUCHING THE BLACK STONE TERMED ISTILAM, TRAVELING SEVEN

TIMES BETWEEN MOUNT SAFA AND MOUNT MARWAH TERMED SA'YEE, AND

SYMBOLICALLY STONING THE DEVIL IN MINA TERMED RAMEE.

Ritual fasting is an obligatory act during the month of Ramadan. Muslims must abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk during this month, and are to be especially mindful of other sins. Fasting is necessary for every Muslim that has reached puberty (unless he/she suffers from a medical condition which prevents him/her from doing so).

MOSQUE

THERE ARE STRICT AND DETAILED REQUIREMENTS IN SUNNI FIQH

FOR A PLACE OF WORSHIP TO BE CONSIDERED A MOSQUE,

WITH PLACES THAT DO NOT MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS

REGARDED AS MUSALLAS. THERE ARE STRINGENT RESTRICTIONS

ON THE USES OF THE AREA FORMALLY DEMARCATED AS THE

MOSQUE (WHICH IS OFTEN A SMALL PORTION OF THE LARGER

COMPLEX), AND, IN THE ISLAMIC SHARIA LAW, AFTER AN AREA

IS FORMALLY DESIGNATED AS A MOSQUE, IT REMAINS SO UNTIL

THE LAST DAY.

MANY MOSQUES HAVE ELABORATE DOMES, MINARETS, AND

PRAYER HALLS, IN VARYING STYLES OF ARCHITECTURE.

MOSQUES ORIGINATED ON THE ARABIAN PENINSULA, BUT ARE

NOW FOUND IN ALL INHABITED CONTINENTS. THE MOSQUE

SERVES AS A PLACE WHERE MUSLIMS CAN COME TOGETHER

FOR SALAT صل) MEANING "PRAYER") AS WELL AS A CENTER FOR INFORMATION, EDUCATION, AND DISPUTE SETTLEMENT. THE

IMAM LEADS THE CONGREGATION IN PRAYER.

ISLAM HOLY BOOK:

THE QUR'AN (KORAN) IS ISLAM'S HOLY BOOK, WHICH MUSLIMS

BELIEVE WAS REVEALED BY GOD TO THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD

OVER 23 YEARS. QUR'ANIC REVELATIONS ARE REGARDED BY

MUSLIMS AS THE SACRED WORD OF GOD, INTENDED TO

CORRECT ANY ERRORS IN PREVIOUS HOLY BOOKS SUCH AS THE

OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS.

Islam prophet(Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa)

Prophets as Messengers of Allah The prophet’s task is to convey

the message of Allah and provide a living example for people to follow; they are not responsible for converting people or

compelling them in any way. Ultimately, Allah will only hold them

responsible for conveying the message. “And obey Allah and

obey the Messenger”

SOME OF THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTIONS THAT MANY NON-MUSLIMS

HAVE ABOUT ISLAM HAVE TO DO WITH THE WORD “ALLAH.” FOR

VARIOUS REASONS, MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME TO BELIEVE THAT

MUSLIMS WORSHIP A DIFFERENT GOD THAN CHRISTIANS AND JEWS.

THIS IS TOTALLY FALSE, SINCE “ALLAH” IS SIMPLY THE ARABIC WORD

FOR “GOD” - AND THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD. LET THERE BE NO

DOUBT - MUSLIMS WORSHIP THE GOD OF NOAH, ABRAHAM, MOSES,

DAVID AND JESUS - PEACE BE UPON THEM ALL.

Who is Allah ???

Zoroastrianism is one of the world's oldest monotheistic religions. It was founded by the Prophet Zoroaster in ancient Iran approximately 3500 years ago.

Zoroastrianism also called Zarathustraism, Mazdaism and Magianism, is an ancient monotheistic Iranian religion and a religious philosophy. It was once the state religion of the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sasanian empires. Estimates of the current number of Zoroastrians worldwide vary between approximately 145,000 circa 2000 and 2.6 million in more recent estimates. The change over the last decade is attributed to a greater level of reporting and open self-identification more so than to an actual increase in population; however, precise numbers remain difficult to obtain in part due to high levels of historic persecution in Middle Eastern regions

Zoroastrian Sacred Text:

The Zorastrian holy book is called the Avesta. This includes the original words of

their founder Zarathushtra, preserved in a series of five hymns, called the Gathas.

The latter represent the basic source of the religion. The Gathas are abstract

sacred poetry, directed towards the worship of the One God, understanding of

righteousness and cosmic order, promotion of social justice and individual choice

between good and evil. The Gathas have a general and even universal vision.

At some later date (most scholars say many centuries after the death of

Zarathustra), the remaining parts of the Avestas were written. These deal with laws

of ritual and practice, with the traditions of the faith. The Zoroastrian community is

sharply divided between those who would follow mostly (or exclusively) the

teachings of the original Gathas, and those who believe that the later traditions

are important and equally divinely inspired.

Zoroastrian Beliefs:

A single god Ahura Mazda who is supreme. Communication between Himself

and humans is by a number of Attributes, called Amesha Spentas or Bounteous

Immortals. Within the Gathas, the original Zoroastrian sacred text, these Immortals

are sometimes described as concepts, and are sometimes personified.

An all powerful God Ahura Mazda who is the only deity worthy of being

worshipped, and

An evil spirit of violence and death, Angra Mainyu, who opposes Ahura Mazda.

The resulting cosmic conflict involves the entire universe, including humanity who

is required to choose which to follow. Evil, and the Spirit of Evil, will be completely

destroyed at the end of time. Dualism will come to an end and Goodness will be

all in all.

After death, a person's urvan (soul) is allowed three days to meditate on his/her

past life. The soul is then judged by a troika consisting of Mithra, Sraosha and

Rashnu. If the good thoughts, words and deeds outweigh the bad, then the soul is

taken into Heaven. Otherwise, the soul is led to Hell.

A Saoshyant (savior) An evil spirit of violence and death. This is a theme that is

seen in many world religions.

Zoroastrian Practices:

Their worship includes prayers and symbolic ceremonies.

Members are dedicated to a three-fold path, as shown in their motto: "Good

thoughts, good words, good deeds.“

Members can pray at home instead of going to a temple if they wish.

Zoroastrians use three calendars: Shenshai, Qadimi and Fasli. On 1992-MAR-21, the

spring equinox and first day of the Zoroastrian year, all three calendars coincided.

This is an event that only occurs only once every 120 years. Many Zoroastrian

organizations recommended that the membership switch to the Fasli Calendar on

that day. This has been reasonably successful.

Zoroastrians do not generally accept converts.

Many Zoroastrians actively discourage and do not recognize inter-faith marriages

They do not proselytize.

ZOROASTRIAN BELIEFS ABOUT GOD

ONE GOD

ZOROASTRIANS BELIEVE IN ONE GOD, CALLED AHURA MAZDA (MEANING 'WISE

LORD'). HE IS COMPASSIONATE, JUST, AND IS THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE.

AHURA MAZDA IS:

OMNISCIENT (KNOWS EVERYTHING)

OMNIPOTENT (ALL POWERFUL)

OMNIPRESENT (IS EVERYWHERE)

IMPOSSIBLE FOR HUMANS TO CONCEIVE

UNCHANGING

THE CREATOR OF LIFE

THE SOURCE OF ALL GOODNESS AND HAPPINESS

ZOROASTRAINISM GOD

ZOROASTER AND GOD

ZOROASTRIANS BELIEVE THAT ZOROASTER IS THE PROPHET OF GOD.

ZOROASTER HIMSELF IS NOT WORSHIPPED, BUT THROUGH HIS TEACHINGS

MAN CAN BECOME CLOSE TO GOD BY FOLLOWING THE PATH OF TRUTH

AND RIGHTEOUSNESS (ASHA).

God is worshiped as supreme. Zoroastrians believe that everything he created is pure and should be treated with love

and respect. This includes the natural environment, so

Zoroastrians traditionally do not pollute the rivers, land or

atmosphere. This has caused some to call Zoroastrianism 'the first

ecological religion'.

AMESHA SPENTAS, WHO ARE THEY?

AMESHA SPENTAS TRANSLATES AS 'HOLY IMMORTALS'. JUST AS LIGHT RAYS ARE EMANATED FROM THE SUN BUT ARE NOT THE SUN, SO THE AMESHA SPENTAS ARE EMANATED BY GOD BUT ARE NOT GOD. THESE EMANATIONS ARE SEEN AS THE DIVINE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. THEY HELPED GOD FASHION THE WORLD AND EACH IS ASSOCIATED WITH A PARTICULAR ASPECT OF CREATION.

WESTERN SCHOLARS HAVE LIKENED THE AMESHA SPENTAS TO THE ARCHANGELS IN CHRISTIANITY. THIS IS NOT STRICTLY CORRECT AS THEY ALSO REPRESENT SPIRITUAL ATTAINMENTS. ZOROASTRIANS BELIEVE THAT MAN CAN KNOW GOD THROUGH HIS DIVINE ATTRIBUTES.

Zoroaster's Vision

At the age of thirty, Zoroaster had a divine vision whilst bathing in

a river during a pagan purification rite. On the bank of the river

he saw a 'Shining Being' made of light who revealed himself as

Vohu Manah ('Good Mind').

The six Amesha Spentas are:

Vohu Manah - Good mind and good purpose.

Asha Vahishta - Truth and righteousness.

Spenta Ameraiti - Holy devotion, serenity and loving kindness.

Khashathra Vairya - Power and just rule.

Hauravatat - Wholeness and health.

Ameretat - Long life and immortality.

THANK YOU