Chapter 8

 The Arabian Peninsula aka the “Empty Quarter”  Most of the area is uninhabitable desert  Some fringe areas exist where nomadic people carved out a living  Collectively known as Bedouins  They were organized into clan based groups who fought over resources

 Started as the largest trading center along the Red Sea by the Umayyad clan of the Quraysh Bedouin tribe.  Also a religious center  Contained (still does) a shrine called the Ka’ba  Holds a sacred rock called the Black Stone  Also held idols representing many gods – including one called Allah  The Quraysh saw Allah as a supreme deity in their polytheistic religion

 Born in 570 C.E.  He was a trader and business manager  He travelled for his job and came into contact with many cultures/religions 40 he has a vision from Allah  He is visited by the Angel Gabriel as the messenger of Allah

 Muhammad gets other visions  These form the basic tenants of the Islamic faith  Monotheistic  Allah is the one true god

 Muhammad shares his revelations with friends and relatives  Soon his following got big enough to cause concern for the leaders of Mecca  Saw this new faith as a threat to Mecca’s status as a pilgrimage destination (the Ka’ba)  The leadership in Mecca attacks Muhammad and his followers  They escape to Medina  Known as the hijrah- the official start date for the Islamic religion

 Basically they go to war with Mecca  He was able to lead his troops and defend his followers = more followers  In 628 they sign a peace treaty  Muslims can now the Ka’ba  In 629 he rolls into Mecca with 10,000 supporters  They smash all of the other idols leaving just the Black Stone to symbolize the acceptance of Allah as the one true God  Wins over most of Mecca before his death in 632

 The Quran is the Sacred word of Allah, not just the sayings of Muhammad  finished in 650 by Abu Bakar  Muslim also read/study the hadith  Collection of stories and sayings of Muhammad  Jesus and Abraham were also prophets sent by God but Muhammad was the LAST one.  “The Seal of the Prophets”

1. The Confession of Faith  “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his Prophet” 2. Prayer  Pray 5 times/day turned towards Mecca 3. Fasting  1 month/year no food or water from sun-up to sundown (Ramadan) 4. Alms  Give a % of your income to help the needy 5. Hajj  Once in a lifetime, each able Muslim must go to Mecca