1. Origins of Islam

2. 1. The Arabian Peninsula Bedouins Limited Farming Trading towns
Nomadic Arab people
Limited Farming
Trading towns
Mecca
Both a trading and religious center
Kaaba
Ancient Building considered sacred
Holds what is believed to be a meteorite

4. 2. Muhammad the Messenger
His Life
Born about 570 A.D.
Married at the age of 25
Judaism and Christianity influenced his thinking
610 A.D., had a dream in which he was commanded by an angel to speak messages, or revelations by God (Allah)
Would become both a prophet and political leader

5. b. Revelations Allah was the one and only true and all-powerful God
Began preaching in public 3 years after his dream
Criticized the belief in many gods

6. c. Sharing Revelations 622- Muhammad move to Medina
His journey from Mecca to Medina would become known as the hejyruh or hijra
Built up followers and their faith became known as Islam
Means “achieving peace through submission to God”
Followers became known as Muslim

7. 3. Basic Ideas of Islam
Followers would later write down Muhammad’s revelations
This would form the Qur’an
Sacred text of Islam
5 pillars of Islam
Profession of faith
“There is no god but God (Allah) and Muhammad is the messenger of God”
Signals acceptance of the faith
Denies existence of gods and goddesses
Affirms that Muhammad was a man not a deity

8. ii. Performance of five daily prayers
Worshipers always face Mecca when they pray
iii. Giving of alms, or charity, to the needy and poor
Required to give certain amount of their income to charity
iv. Required to fast
Go without food or water from dawn to dusk during the month of Ramadan

9. v. Journey to Mecca Only if you are financially and physically able
Journey called hajj
Gather and pray around the city’s mosque
Building where Muslims worship

10. d. Guidelines for Behavior
Qur’an provides guidelines for moral behavior
Forbidden to eat pork or drink alcoholic beverages
Must wash themselves before praying to be pure before God
Prohibits murder, lying and stealing

11. ii. Jihad Has several meanings
Can be translated to mean “Struggle for the Faith”
Struggle to defend the Muslim community
Has also been translated as “holy war”

12. e. The Summa and Sharia Summa Means “tradition”
Provides guidance in many areas
Personal relationships
Business dealings
Religious practice

13. ii. Sharia Law Part of the Muslim legal system
Outlines methods of reasoning and arguing legal cases

14. f. The People of the Book
Islam is monotheistic, like Judaism and Christianity
Teach that Allah is the same God in Jewish and Christian traditions
Muhammad saw Abraham, Moses and Jesus as messengers from God, but he was the last prophet

15. iv. See the sacred text from Judaism and Christianity as coming from Allah but Qur’an has the greatest authority v. Told to respect Jews and Christianity as “people of the book”

16. 4. Division in Islam Sunnis Followers of Mu’awiya
Name means “followers of Summa” or “way of the prophet”

17. b. Shia Formed by those who did not support Mu’awiya
Followed Muhammad’s son-in-law, Ali
Believed God had blessed Ali’s descendents because they were Muhammad’s true heirs
Call each of Ali’s successors Iman

18. c. Sufis
Seek a mystical, personal connection with God