1. ISLAM:
Submission
to the
Will of Allah

2. Peoples of the Book Qur’an – literal words of God
Torah and Bible also word of God
Peoples of the Book

3. The Qur'an:
God's Last
Revelation

4. The Origins of the Qur’an
Muhammad – first revelation from the angel Gabriel in the Cave of Hira in 610
622  Hijrah  Muhammed flees Mecca for Medina Beginning of the Muslim calendar = 1 A.H.
Qur’an compiled after Muhammad’s death

5. The Qur’an Literally the word of God 114 suras (chapters)
Written in Arabic
Humans have no rights, only duties

6. The
Five Pillars of
Islam

7. 1. The Shahada Testimony and declaration of faith
Act of public witnessing
There is no god but Allah,
And Muhammad is His Prophet. 1

8. 2. The Salat: Worship
Mandatory prayers 5 times a day: * dawn * noon * late afternoon * sunset * before going to bed
Wash before praying
Face Mecca and use a prayer rug 2

9. The call to prayer by the muezzin in the minaret
Pray in the mosque on Friday 2

10. 3. The Zakat: Almsgiving
Religious “tax” – obligation, not charity, it all belongs to God
Zakat means both “purification” and “growth”
Symbolizes total submission
About 2.5% of your income 3

11. 4. The Sawm: Fastmg During the holy month of Ramadan
Considered a method of self- purification
No eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset 4

12. Eid Mubarak: Feast of the Fast-Breaking End of the Ramadan holiday

13. 5. The Hajj: Pilgrimage Pilgrimage to Mecca
Should be done at least once in a Muslim’s lifetime
2-3 million Muslims make the pilgrimage every year 5

14. Those who complete the pilgrimage can add the title hajji to their name.
Everyone wears white for equality 5

15. The Mosque
The Muslim place of worship

16. The Dome of the Rock , Jerusalem oldest Islamic monument
Where Muhammad ascended into heaven.

17. Sharia: Islamic law regulating daily living
Up to four wives allowed at once
No alcohol or pork
No gambling
no division between religious and secular issues

18. The Spread of Islam Easy to learn and practice No priesthood
Teaches equality
Non-Muslim “Peoples of the Book,” allowed religious freedom, but paid additional taxes
Easily “portable”  nomads & trade routes
Jihad (“struggle”) against pagans and other non-believers (“infidels”)

19. Holiest Cities: Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem
Muslims Today
Holiest Cities: Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem

20. Countries with the Largest Muslim Population1.
Indonesia
183,000,000 6.
Iran
62,000,000 2.
Pakistan
134,000,000 7.
Egypt
59,000,000 3.
India
121,000,000 8.
Nigeria
53,000,000 4.
Bangladesh
114,000,000 9.
Algeria
31,000,000 5.
Turkey
66,000,000
10.
Morocco
29,000,000
* Arabs make up only 20% of the total Muslim population of the world.

21. Muslims in America

22. The Islamic Center, New York City
Muslim Culture in NYC
The Islamic Center, New York City

28. Major Misconceptions: “9/11 mindset”
Islam has always been dramatically opposed to Christianity
All Muslims are fanatics
All Muslims are anti-American
Muslims are diverse and “exotic”
ALL THE ABOVE ARE FALSE!!!