By Michelle Sherman and Melanie Lopez Islam Religion By Michelle Sherman and Melanie Lopez Modern World History 8:00-9:15 a.m. class

Who, When, and Where was Islam Religion Founded Islam is one of the three major world religions. 22% (1.3 Billion) of the world population practice this religion. Adherents of Islam religion are called Muslims. They are monotheists, which means that they believe in only one god. These followers central teaching is that there is one all-powerful, all-knowing God, and that this god created the Universe. Muhammad, the founder of Islam Religion, introduced Islam in 610 A.D. Islam religion originated in Mecca (Makkah), Saudi Arabia. Islam religion is practiced today in Asia, parts of India, a portion of Africa, and along the borders of China.

Islamic Beliefs There are six major beliefs in Islamic culture. Belief in God Muslims believe in one unique god, whom has no son nor partner, and they no one other than him should be worshipped. God is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, and the All-Knowing. His knowledge encompasses all things, the open and the secret, and the public and the private. He knows what has happened, what will happen, and how it will happen. Belief in Angels Muslims believe in the existence of angels and that they are honored creatures. The angels worship God alone, obey Him, and act only by His command.  Belief in God’s Revealed books Muslims believe that God revealed books to his messengers as proof for mankind and as guidance for them.  Among these books is the Quran (an Islamic sacred book), which God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. God then guaranteed the Quran's protection. Belief in the Prophets and Messengers of God Muslims believe in the Prophets of god, such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Jesus. Muslims believe that Muhammad was the last prophet sent by God. God’s last message was;  ”Muhammad is not the father of any one of your men, but he is the Messenger of God and the last of the prophets...  (Quran, 33:40)” Belief in the Day of Judgment Muslims believe in the Day of Judgment (the Day of Resurrection). This is when all people will be resurrected for God’s judgment according to their beliefs and deeds. Belief in Al-Qadar Muslims believe that God has given human beings freewill.  This means that we can choose right or wrong and that we are responsible for our choices.

The Five Pillars Islam has five primary obligations, or pillars of faith. Each Muslim must fulfill these obligations in his or her lifetime. Shahadah (Faith) This is the first pillar of Islam. Muslims must recite the creed (belief): "There is no God but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God." This statement represents the Muslim's complete acceptance of and total commitment to Islam. Salah (Prayer) This is the second pillar. The Islamic faith is based on the belief that individuals have a direct relationship with God. Muslims must offer five daily prayers at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and evening. They have the choice of where they want to pray, but it is recommended that Muslims perform Salah in a mosque (a place of worship). Zakat (Almsgiving-the practice of giving to the poor) The third pillar is Zakat. Social responsibility is considered a part of one's service to God. The obligation for each Muslim is to give 2.5 percent of their net worth, excluding other obligations and family expenses Sawm (fasting during the holy month of Ramadan) This is the fourth pillar of Islam. The fast is an act of deep personal worship in which Muslims seek a richer perception of God. Fasting is also an exercise in self-control where one's sensitivity is heightened to the sufferings of the poor. Hajj (the pilgrimage to Makkah) Haji is the fifth pillar and is the most significant performance of Islamic faith and unity in the world. Over two million Muslims gather to watch the performance of the Haji. In performing the Haji, a pilgrim follows the order of ritual that the Prophet Muhammad performed during his last pilgrimage. The five pillars of Islam define the basic character of Muslims - their faith, beliefs and practices. They bind together a worldwide community of believers into a fellowship of shared values. .

Where and How do Believers Worship? The most sacred place in Islam is the Ka’ba in Mecca (Makkah), Saudi Arabia. The Ka’ba (House of God) is a mosque (a Muslim’s place of worship) that is built around a black stone. Muslims believe that the Ka’ba is the first place that was created on Earth. The Prophet Muhammad classified Mecca as the holiest city of Islam. This is also the direction in which all Muslims must face when offering their prayers. Mecca is located at the Hijaz region of western Saudi Arabia. Thousands of Muslims from around the world join in a pilgrimage to Mecca. All Muslims, no matter wherever they are on Earth, pray five times a day in the direction of the Ka’ba in Mecca. The Muslims praying position is with their heads and hands on the ground. Ka’ba Muslims Praying

Holiday's and Celebrations Islam has very few holiday’s compared to other religions. Two of the major festivals are ‘Id Al-Fitr (Eid al-Fitr) and ‘Id Al-Adha (Eid al-Adha). These two major events are both involved in the Month of Ramadan. Ramadan is a holy day as well as a holy month for Muslims. It occurs in the ninth month of the Muslim year. It is a time when Muslims across the world will fast during the hours of daylight. Ramadan is the fourth of the five pillars of Islam. ‘Id Al-Fitr (Arabic for “Festival of Braking the Fast”) marks the end of Ramadan. ‘Id Al-Adha (Arabic for “Festival of the Sacrifice”), takes place at the end of Hiji.

Sacred Symbols One sacred symbol is the Star and Crescent. The star and Crescent is the best-known symbol used to represent Islam. This symbol is shown on the flags of many countries in the Islamic world such as Turkey and Pakistan. It is sometimes colored white with a green background. Most sources agree that these ancient celestial symbols were in use by the peoples of Central Asia and Siberia in their worship of sun, moon, and sky gods several thousand years ago. Another symbol is called the Allah. Allah is the Muslim name for God. Allah is a God of justice, who expects righteous behavior and submission to the sacred will (the word Islam means "submission," and a Muslim is literally "one who submits") and punishes unrighteousness.

Sacred Sites and Sects of the Religion The Ka’ba is the most sacred place in Islam. It is in the shape of a black “cube”. The Ka’ba is a mosque (Muslims place of worship) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Muslims are split into two main branches, the Sunnis and Shias. The great majority of Muslims are Sunnis - between 85% and 90%. The word Sunni comes from "Ahl al-Sunna", which means the people of the tradition. The tradition in this case refers to practices based on reports of the actions of the Prophet Muhammad and those close to him. The word Shia comes from "Shiat Ali“, meaning the party of Ali. The Shia claimed the right of Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, and his descendants to lead the Islamic community. Ali was killed as a result of violence and civil wars. These events gave rise the rituals of grieving. Estimates of the number of Shia range from 120 to 170 million (one-tenth of all Muslims). Egypt is home to some Sunni members. Shia street protests.

Unique Features Islam means “surrender or “submission” is Arabic language. It means the surrendering of one's will (without force) to the true will of God in an effort to achieve peace . "Muslim" means anyone or anything that surrenders itself to the true will of God. By this definition, everything in nature (trees, animals, planets, etc.) are “Muslims”. The reason for this is because they are in a state of surrender to God's will. Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in the world. Muslims neither worship Muhammad nor pray through him. Muslims solely worship the Unseen Creator, Allah. Terrorism, unjustified violence and the killing of non-combatant civilians (or even intimidating, threatening or injuring them) are all absolutely forbidden in Islam. Muslim women wear the head-covering (hijab) in fulfillment of God's decree (order) to dress modestly.

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