Abrahamic Religions Judaism Christianity Islam

Historical Context Polytheism and monotheistic religions (Judaism and Christianity) Blood feuds, violence, and immorality Muhammad was a merchant Saudi Arabia

FACES OF ISLAM

Islam: Myths and Reality

Terminology: The religion is called ISLAM(submissiveness). The people are MUSLIMS. 6

Myth #1: Most Muslims are Arabs who live in the Middle East. 3

Reality: Of more than 1 billion Muslims worldwide, only about 1/5 are Arabs. 4

Try to Guess: Which country has more Muslims than any other country in the world? 5

Answer: Indonesia - with over 200 million Muslims. Note: The U.S. has about 5 million Muslims. 6

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Myth #2: Muslims have a strange religion and worship a god called Allah. 8

Reality: Muslims are monotheistic. Muslims believe they are worshipping the same God as Jews and Christians. 9

Note: ‘ Allah’ is the Arabic word for ‘God.’ 10

Myth #3: Muslims believe it is o.k. to kill civilians in a holy war (“jihad”). 11

Reality : Jihad-refers to the internal struggle of right and wrong Only Muslim extremists believe this. 12

Myth #4: Most Muslim women wear veils over their faces and are treated very badly. 13

Reality : Muslim women have many different styles of dress. (Very few cultures require women to cover their faces.) The treatment of women varies from country to country and family to family. Some Muslim countries, like Pakistan, have had female prime ministers. The U.S. has never had a female president. 14

MUSLIM BELIEFS ONE GOD BELIEVE IN THE PROPHETS OF JUDAISM AND BELIEVE JESUS WAS A PROPHET MUHAMMAD IS A PROPHET- MESSENGER OF GOD KORAN- HOLY SCRIPTURES FIVE PILLARS HEAVEN AND HELL

Muslim sacred text: QURAN (or KORAN): Message from God revealed through the Prophet Muhammad Guides Muslims how to live life, morals, values, etc 44

The Quran 45

Main Beliefs of Islam 5 Pillars of Islam 22

Declaration of Faith in God- Shahada: Belief in one God and that Muhammad is His prophet. 23

Salat-Prayer: 5 times a day – facing Mecca 24

Almsgiving-Zakat Giving money to the poor is REQUIRED, not optional 25

Fasting-Sawm During the month of Ramadan, Muslims cannot eat or drink anything during the daylight hours. 26

Pilgrimage-Hajj Once in their lives – IF they can afford it, Muslims make a pilgrimage to Mecca 27

In Mecca during the pilgrimage 28 kabah

Place of Worship MOSQUE: a Muslim place of worship 29

Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia 30

Mohammed Ali mosque, Cairo, Egypt 31

Inside the Mohammed Ali Mosque 32

Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque), Istanbul Turkey 34

Dome of a mosque, Esfahan, Iran 36

Mosque in Djenne, Mali (West Africa) 38

North African mosque 39

Indonesian mosque 40

Islamic architecture in Spain

Muslim mosque and tombstone in Sarajevo, Bosnia 42

Mosque in Tempe, Arizona 43

TWO MUSLIM SECTS Sunni- Orthodox-traditional Elect caliphs, or successors to lead Shia(Shiah)- Imam, or leader must have direct lineage to the Prophet Muhammad 46

Symbols

Muslim Holidays: Ramadan One month of fasting (No food or drink during daylight hours) Humility and submissiveness before God Eid Marks the end of Ramadan Prayer and celebrations Money is given to the poor or a charity Sometimes gifts are exchanged 50

Pakistani dress (left); Saudi Arabian (right) 15

Iranian woman 16

Somali (left); West African (right) 17

Malaysian (left); Indian/ Bangladeshi (right) 18 Hijab

Afghani women wearing burqas 19