1. Islam

2. History Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570 CE Around 610, he began meditating in a cave One night, the Angel Gabriel spoke to him the Word of God (Allah, in Arabic) These revelations continued until Muhammad’s death in 632

3. The Quran The unaltered Word of God Muhammad had secretaries that wrote down his revelations Compiled the revelations into the Quran (means “recitation”) Muslims believe the Quran is closer to God than Jewish and Christian texts because it is the direct Word of God without being edited Often doesn’t make sense or flow

4. Major Beliefs Muslims believe in one God, the God of Abraham –Same God that Jews and Christians accept Muslims accept many Jewish and Christians as prophets –Abraham, Moses, Jesus, etc. View Muhammad as the final prophet and Islam as the culmination of the Judeo- Christian faiths Tie the ancestry to Abraham through his other son Ishmael (Jews through Isaac)

5. The Five Pillars of Islam Declaration of Faith (shahada) –How someone becomes a Muslim Prayer (salat) –Five times a day facing Mecca Charity (zakat) Pilgrimage (hajj) –Pilgrimage to Mecca once in your life Ramadan –Fast for one month during day time hours

7. Sects The split in Islam –After Muhammad died, the umma argued over who should lead –After a series of battles and assassinations, two sects developed Sunnis –Anyone can become the leader of Islam –More popular Shi’ites –Leaders of Islam should be descendants of Muhammad –Celebrate different holidays Sufis –Mystical branch –Try to get closer to God through physical activities

8. Women in Islam Treatment of women in Islam hasn’t always been so harsh –Modern governments have interpreted Shari’a more strictly Women in rural areas worked in fields and took care of animals Urban women expected to cover themselves in public (popular in other empires at the time, too), but could still get educated Better treatment than Jewish and Christian women at the time –Could inherit property and keep it even if married –Could remarry, initiate divorce, and receive payment after divorce –Could testify in court