1. Welcome to the Religion in Religion Philosophy & Ethics
This year you will study Islam looking at the following areas:
Sources of Wisdom & Authority (Pre-Islamic Arabia, the Life of the Prophet Muhammad, Hadith & Sunnah, Interpretation of the Qur’an, Shari’ah Law….)
Religious Beliefs Values & Teaching (The Six Beliefs, The nature of Allah, differences between Sunni & Shi’a Islam…)
Practices that Shape & Express Religious Identity (The Five Pillars of Islam, The Ummah…)
The reading material is vital for each lesson and you will be required to read in advance, make notes and highlight areas that will be useful for a future lesson. You must bring this with you each lesson alongside your exercise book.

2. Read the first article in your reading material.
PRE-ISLAMIC ARABIAN THOUGHT by Shaikh Inayatullah
Highlight the parts that interest you and teach you something about what life was like in Arabia before the time of the Prophet Muhammad.
Write annotations that could be in the form of questions you have about what you are reading or a quick summary in a few words of what is being said.
This will give you a feel for how to use the reading material for the rest of this year independently.

3. Tribes of the Jahiliyyah.
To express an understanding of Jahiliyyah.
To explore the tribes of these times.
To evaluate the need for morality.
Do now: From your reading what is your understanding of the term Jahiliyyah?
Jahiliyyah means ‘age of ignorance’ and is used to describe Arabia before the coming of the prophet Muhammad. This is because the people were living devoid of any knowledge of Allah.

4. Activation 1: From your reading and knowledge of what Arabia was like in the time of Jahiliyyah list the different reasons why the land was dominated by tribes rather than organised into cities.
EXT: Did the tribes have any shared/communal practices?
Arid land
Few Oases, you needed to travel to get to them.
Merchants had to travel to trade
Lack of grass for grazing sheep/goats/camels.
Different religions.
Fear of Jinn.

5. Activation 2: Mindmap all the problems associated with having a wholly tribal society.
Conflict
Little security
Lack of help for the poor in some tribes. (If you became poor sometimes your only option was to commit suicide rather than be forced out your tribe).
Lack of laws.
Different religions.
Lack of respect for women – some were forced to be prostitutes whereas other tribes killed female babies.
Corruption
Incest
Problems with Tribes

6. Demonstration: In your own words write what life was like for the people in the tribes of Arabia. Include the following: • The reasons behind why the land is Tribal. • The different features of tribal life e.g. polytheism and idols. • Any shared practices or visions. E.g. pilgrimage.

7. Consolidation: From what you know already (this lesson and reading) why might this time be referred to as Jahiliyyah?

8. Pre-Reading: Read Qur’anic Attitudes to Pre-Islamic Society and Customs by Muhammad Jinani