1. On a new page, miss the top two lines and list…
As many different facts about Islam as you can.
Watch the clip- can you work out anything about Islam from the information and pictures. Note down any ideas.

2. The Background to Islam
Why do we study Islam
To know where, when and how Islam originated
To understand what Makkah was like before Islam

3. World Religions Numbers
Christian - 2,038,905, % (dropping) Roman Catholics - 1,076,951,000 Protestants - 349,792,000 Orthodox - 217,522,000 Anglicans - 81,663,000 Other - 537,135,000 Muslims - 1,226,403, % (growing) Hindus - 828,130, % (stable) Chinese folk religionists - 389,543, % Buddhists - 364,014, % (stable) Sikhs - 23,821,000 - < 1% Jews - 14,535,000 - < 1%

4. Why Study Islam

5. Why Study Islam
There are 1.3 Billion Muslims in the world today. 1 in five people on earth are Muslim.
Islam is the world’s second biggest religion.
It is the world fastest growing religion.
It is always in the news and people misunderstand it.

6. Where
Islam originated in Makkah in Saudi Arabia.

7. Where was Muhammad from?
Edit map

8. Copy the map and mark Saudi Arabia and Makkah.

9. When
It is difficult to put a date on the start of Islam. Muhammad, the most important prophet of Islam dictated the Qur'an 1500 years ago.
Because Islam in its current form originated with Muhammad, most people consider Islam to be 1500 years old. Muhammad lived from around AD 570 to AD 632
Muslims themselves would consider it to be far older as they believe that Muhammad was the final prophet of Islam and that the God that Adam and Eve, and their descendents, followed was the Muslim God.

10. Saudi Arabia before Islam
The Arabian Peninsula was barren and volcanic, making agriculture difficult except near oases or springs. So the Arabian landscape was dotted with towns and cities near those oases. The two main ones were Makkah and Madina. Makkah was the financial centre and Madina the agricultural one.
Communal life was essential for survival in desert conditions, so the people formed tribes to help each other survive. ] People of Arabia were either nomadic, they travelled around or sedentary, they settled an area and farmed it.
The survival of nomads (or bedouins) often relied upon raiding caravans or oases. They did not see this as a crime as it was necessary for survival
Before Muhammad each tribe had a number of gods that they worshipped. These were often gods of trees, spings , wells etc… There was an important shrine in Makkah (now called the Kaaba) which had 360 statues of these gods inside.
Arabs also believed in one a supreme god called Allah (literally "the god") but they did not really worship him or think about him much.
As well as people who worshipped idols, there were also a number of Christians and Jews passing through and trading with the tribes and city people.
There was a lot of trouble with alcohol and gambling in the area.

11. Abrahamic Religions
Islam is a religion that links back to Abraham, just like Christianity and Judaism.
Muslims believe that Judaism and Christianity have some truths within them but that Islam is the whole truth.
They believe that Abraham, Moses, Jesus and many others were prophets of Islam but their messages have become corrupted in Christianity and Judaism. Muhammad is the final and most important prophet and his message has not been corrupted. It is in the Qu’ran.
Muslims believe that Jesus was a prophet and that he was crucified but that he went straight to heaven from the cross. He was not the son of God and did not resurrect. They call him Isa.

12. Abrahamic Religions

13. Questions Why do we study Islam?
What was Saudi Arabia like in the time of Muhammad?
When did Islam begin?
Who was the founder of Islam?
Which other religions is Islam related to? Explain
List as many other facts about Islam that you have learned this lesson as you can.