Exploring the Religions

of Our World
Chapter 4 Islam

Chapter 4 Islam
The Basics
Mohammad
Gods final
messenger
Islam
surrender or
submission

Abraham
ancestor to Jews,
Christians,
Muslims

Allah
The God

Chapter 4 Islam

Periods of Islamic History

Page 135

Chapter 4 Islam
History
Islam has always existed, beginning with Adam the
first man
Muhammad:
born in Mecca in about 570 CE
first revelation from the Angel Gabriel who
instructed him to be the messenger of Allah in
610
moved to Medina in 622
died in 632

Chapter 4 Islam
History (continued)
The first four caliphs :
Abu Bakr first to succeed Muhammad
Umar oversaw the expansion of Islam;
appointed a committee of six to choose his
successor
Uthman a member of the Umayyah clan;
was instrumental in the publication and
distribution of the Quran
Ali Muhammads cousin

Chapter 4 Islam
History (continued)
The Sunni Muslims and Shiah Muslims share
fundamental beliefs and practices but are divided
on who is to lead Muslims why?
Chronology of the division:
1. Uthman is assassinated
2. Ali succeeds him as caliph
3. Uthmans cousin Muawiyah is also proclaimed
caliph
4. following a series of battles, an arbitrator rules in
favor of Muawiyah
5. Ali is assassinated

Chapter 4 Islam
Chronology of division: (continued)
6. when Alis son makes a claim to leadership, he and his
family are massacred
7. Shiah Muslims see Husayn as a martyr and remain
loyal to his family
8. The Sunni (the majority) accept the rule of the
Umayyads
9. the Sunni support a caliphate and call their leaders
caliph
10. the Shiah support an imamate and call their leaders
Imam

Chapter 4 Islam
History (continued)
Historical centers of Islam:
Medina, Saudi Arabia
Kufah, Iraq
Damascus, Syria
Baghdad, Iraq

Chapter 4 Islam
History (continued)

Literature
Literature

Philosophy

Medicine
Medicine

Astronomy

Mathematics

Geography

Chemistry

Engineering

Muslim scholarship sought to reconcile reason and faith

which led to advances in:

Chapter 4 Islam
History (continued) The Nation of Islam
W.D. Fard Muhammad African-American who spoke against
Christianity as a white mans religion and called for the
establishment of a separate, African-American homeland
Elijah Muhammad continued Fards message when he succeeded
him, expanding the Nation of Islam to other cities
Malcom X leader in New York who challenged Elijah
Muhammads leadership and message before being
assassinated by rivals in 1965
Warith Din Muhammad Elijah Muhammads son who succeeded
in bringing most of the Nation of Islam into union with Sunni
Islam
Louis Farrakhan led members of the Nation of Islam who
opposed the more integrated ideology of Warith Din
Muhammad

Chapter 4 Islam
Sacred Stories and Sacred Scriptures

Quran
Quran
(Koran)

most sacred book for Muslims

a collection of the revelations
Muhammad received directly from
God
contains Gods infallible words,
uncorrupted by human intervention
literally means recitation
divided into 144 surahs

Chapter 4 Islam
Sacred Stories and Sacred Scriptures (continued)

Sunnah
Quran

second authentic source of authority

for Muslims
contains Muhammads words and
deeds as well as what he approved
and prohibited
it is Muhammads way of life
it goes hand in hand with the
Quran because one needs to fully
understand and live as a Muslim

Chapter 4 Islam
Beliefs and Practices
Belief in one God is the central belief of Muslims

La ilaha ilia Allah

wa Muhammadun rasul Allah
There is no god but God,
Muhammad is the Messenger of God.

Chapter 4 Islam
Beliefs and Practices (continued)
Core Tenets
Free will is an integral
part of being human

Muhammad is the
Messenger of God

God is very involved as a

guide in human affairs
God is the creator
and sustainer
of the universe

God gives life and

takes life away

God
Godisisthe
thejudge
judgeofofall
alland
and
determines
determineswho
whowill
willspend
spend
eternity
eternityininheaven
heavenor
orhell
hell

Divine providence

God is all-: loving,

powerful, knowing,
merciful, present

Chapter 4 Islam
Beliefs and Practices (continued)
Biblical prophets mentioned in the Quran:
Adam
Quran
Quran
Noah
Abraham
Moses
The
The
Aaron
Christian
Christian
Jacob and his sons
Bible
Job
Bible
Jesus

Beliefs and Practices (continued)

The Five Pillars of Islam

to Mecca

Hajj (Pilgrimage)

during Ramadan

Sawn (Fasting)

charity for the needy

Zakah (Almsgiving)

five times daily

Salah (Prayer)

There is no god but God,

Muhammad is the Messenger of God

Shahadah (Witnessing)

Chapter 4 Islam

Chapter 4 Islam
Sacred Times

Eid al-Fitr
(Festival of
Breaking
the Fast)

prayer 5
times each
day

Eid al-Adha
(Festival of
Sacrifice)

Ashura
(recalls
the Exodus
from Egypt)

Chapter 4 Islam
Sacred Places and Sacred Spaces
Mosque (Masjid ) - a place of public worship
Mecca, Saudi Arabia the holiest city in Islam;
birthplace of Muhammad and site of his first
revelations
Medina, Saudi Arabia second holiest city; place to
which Muhammad immigrated
Jerusalem, Israel the place of Muhammads Night
Journey; place he ascended into heaven
Karbala, Iraq the site of the massacre of the Ali and
his companions and family

Chapter 4 Islam
Islam Through a Catholic Lens
Similarities between Muslims and Catholics

The worship of the one God

The understanding of God as: living, subsistent, merciful,
almighty, Creator
The desire to submit to Gods decrees
The veneration of Jesus as a prophet
The invocation of the Virgin Mary
The anticipation of the Day of Judgment
The centrality of Family life
Social concerns: prejudice, poverty, environment

Chapter 4 Islam
Islam Through a Catholic Lens (continued)
Major Differences between Muslims and Catholics
Muslims do not believe in doctrine of the Holy
Trinity
Muslims do not acknowledge Jesus divinity
Muslims do not believe Jesus suffered a
human death by crucifixion

Chapter 4 Islam
Vocabulary

Islam
Muslim
Allah
Kabah
Hijrah
Caliphs
Quran
Imam
Calligraphy

Surahs
hafiz
Hadith
Five pillars
Shahadah
Muezzin
Salah
Wudu

Zakah
Sawm
Ramadan
Hajj
Ulama
Mosque
Adan