And the Life of Muhammad Learning Objective: Students will be able to define key terms related to the religion of Islam and describe its geographical location.

ISLAM: A MONOTHEISTIC RELIGION BASED ON THE WORD OF GOD AS REVEALED TO MUHAMMAD DURING THE 7TH CENTURY. Muhammad Receiving the word of God from the angel Gabriel. Muhammad told his followers that he was the messenger of God.

Monotheism: the belief that there is only one God, as found in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Qur’an: the sacred text of Islam, believed by Muslims to Record the revelations of God to Muhammad. Muhammad: The man on whose ideas Islam is based. Sacred: holy or used in religious worship.

White Boards Everyone read the definition of Qur’an. Who is Muhammad? The man on whose ideas Islam is based. What is monotheism? the belief that there is only one God. If something is sacred what is it? Holy or from God.

 The people of the Arabian Peninsula learned how to survive in the desert. They raised sheep, goats, and camels and learned to keep moving in search of food and water. Over time, they also learned to earn a living through trade. These skills proved valuable as merchants came to the Arabian Peninsula from surrounding countries, buying and selling. Trade between Africa and Asia passed through the peninsula, as did trade between Asia and Europe.  The Arabian Peninsula became a major trading hub for all three continents. ARABIA DURING THE 6 TH CENTURY AD

THE ARABIAN PENINSULA, THE CENTER PIECE OF ANCIENT TRADE ROUTES

 Traders carried silk, jewels, cotton, spices, and other goods from one region to another. But more than merchandise passed between merchants and traders. Ideas, knowledge, and beliefs also passed along trade routes.  One belief that spread quickly was the religion of Islam, which began on the Arabian Peninsula and spread outward. Islamic traders from the Arabian Peninsula who traveled to Persian, Egypt, Spain, and elsewhere brought their religion with them.  The followers of Islam also won people to their religion through war and conquest. THE SPREAD OF ISLAM

 By the time that Muhammad was born, Makkah was a prosperous city. Merchant families brought goods into Makkah from faraway places. Merchants grew wealthy through trade with Yemen (southern Arabia), Syria, and kingdoms in Africa.  Makkah was also a religious center. According to the Qur’an, Abraham had built the cube- shaped shrine, the Ka’bah, centuries before, to honor God.  Most Arabs (before Muhammad) followed polytheism, and the Ka’bah housed hundreds of statues of different gods.  polytheism: belief in more than one god. MAKKAH (MECCA)

White Boards What kind of hub was the Arabian Peninsula? A trading hub As you recall Mecca was a prosperous city, what else was it? A religious center Most Arabs (before Muhammad) followed polytheism, what is that? Belief in many gods

THE KA’BAH

 Following custom, Muhammad’s mother sent her baby to live with a family of nomads in the desert. There, the young boy learned about traditional Arab values, such as being kind to strangers and helping orphans, widows, and other needy members of society.  As a boy, Muhammad tended his family’s flocks of sheep and goats. When he was about 12 years old, he accompanied his uncle on a trading journey. They traveled far north to Syria. On this journey, Muhammad gained his first experiences outside Arabia.  As Muhammad grew up, he took on more duties and made more trading journeys. He became a merchant who enjoyed a reputation throughout Makkah for his honesty. People called him al-Amin, which means “the Trustworthy.” MUHAMMAD’S EARLY LIFE

 Muhammad was still a young man when he began managing caravans for a widow named Khadijah, who ran a trading business. Muhammad earned her great profits. Impressed with his abilities and honesty, Khadijah proposed marriage. Muhammad accepted her offer, and when he was about 25, they married.  For the next 15 years, Muhammad made his living as a merchant. Although he enjoyed success in business, he also cared about spiritual matters. Muhammad as a Young man.

White Boards What title did Muhammad earn as a trader? al-Amin, “the Trustworthy’ What does widow mean? A woman whose husband died Who was the widow that Muhammad worked for? Khadijah What did Khadijah ask of Muhammad? If he would marry her

Interesting Fact!  Many of the prophets of the 3 major religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) are the same, such as Abraham.  Muhammad preached that Jews and Christians are also “People of the Book”, acknowledging Islam’s relationship to Christianity and Judaism.

HAJJ PILGRIMS PRAYING TOWARDS THE KA'BA AT THE MASJID AL-HARAM IN MECCA

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