1. What is Islam? What are the origins of Islam?
Introduction to Islam
What is Islam?
What are the origins of Islam?
© Karen Devine 2008

2. Introduction to Islam
Today nearly 1 billion people are Muslims and most live outside the Arab world.
The largest Islamic country is Indonesia.
Islam emerged in the 7th Century CE and it is a monotheistic faith.
It was preached by its prophet Muhammad who received revelation from God.

3. What is Islam? Islam shares its roots with Judaism and Christianity.
Islam is a spiritual path and contains law, ethics and theology.
It speaks of surrender to God and the peace, health and well-being that submission brings.

4. Foundations of Islamic Belief
The foundation of Islamic belief is the Qur’an.
It is believed to be the revealed word of God.
Second to the Qur’an in importance are the sayings and deeds of the prophet Muhammad.
Islam has 2 main aspects of belief:
a) There is no god but Allah.
b) Muhammad is the messenger of God.
These aspects of belief should be first heard by a newborn and last heard before death.

5. What are the origins of Islam?
Arabia in the 7th century CE was largely desert area with oasis towns.
The social organization was tribal and most Arabs were nomadic.
A tribe consisted of many families and was led by a shaykh (chief) who was elected by the heads of clans.
Makka (Mecca) was a prominent trade centre and Bedouins flocked there.

6. What are the origins of Islam?
At the time of the birth of Muhammad, Makka had become a large commercial centre with socio-economic divisions.
The society placed great emphasis on the protection and preservation of the family and tribe.
There was a focus on the here and now, not the afterlife.

7. Religious conditions before Islam?
Also, on the Arabian peninsula there were 3 other established religions:
Judaism in Palestine
Christianity in the Roman Empire
Zoroastrianism in the Persian Empire.
All these faiths were monotheistic and politically aligned so that they eventually became state religions.

8. Religious conditions before Islam
Society was polytheistic and the Gods and Goddesses protected the tribes. Although Allah was the highest God.
The spirits of the Gods were associated with sacred objects, often found in nature.
Makka had the central shrine to the Gods and the Ka’ba housed 360 idols of the Quraysh tribe’s patron Gods and was the site of an annual pilgrimage.

9. Question Time
Research the conditions in Arabia which led to the emergence of Islam?