The Rise of Islam Chapter 6, Section 1

Arabian Geography  In the seventh century BCE Arab tribes began to emerge as a force on the Arabian peninsula  Arabian Peninsula – a desert land lacking in rivers, and lakes  These early tribes were nomads, who moved constantly to find water and food

 These early tribes were ruled by a sheikh  Sheikh were chosen from a group of elders  Primarily these tribes were sheepherders and farmers on the coasts of the Arabian peninsula

Early Religion  Early Arabic peoples were polytheistic  Polytheistic – believing/worshipping many gods  However, Arabs did recognize a supreme god named – Allah (Allah is Arabic for God)

 Arabs trace their ancestry to Abraham and his son Ishmael  Ishmael built a house of worship, the Kaaba, in Makkah (Mecca)  This becomes the center of the Islamic world

Life of Muhammad  Muhammad was a merchant who managed caravans that traversed the desert  Over time he became troubled by the growing problems in Mecca’s society  He started to visit the surrounding hills to meditate and search for answers

 While on one of these trips, Muhammad was visited by the archangel Gabriel  Gabriel brought to Muhammad certain revelations from God (Allah)  These were thought to be the final revelations from God

 These revelations were written down  They are now called the Quran  Quran – holy book of Islam  Islam – peace through submission to the will of Allah

 Muhammad came home after receiving these messages and decided to spread the word  At first only about 30 people followed Muhammad  In 622, Muhammad moved out of Makkah to madinah

 In Madinah he found supporters  These supporters were from the Bedouin tribes  They formed the first groups of Muslims, people who follow Islam

 Eventually Muhammad and his supporters left Madinah  They went back to Makkah and conquered the city  Soon Islam became the primary religion of the Arabian Peninsula

The Teaching of Muhammad  Islam is a monotheistic religion  Monotheism – believing/worshipping only one god  Islam emphasizes salvation and offers the hope of an afterlife, those who desire an afterlife must submit to the will of Allah

 However, unlike Christianity, Muslims do not believe that any of the prophets were divine  Muhammad was simply a messenger as was Moses and Jesus

 Islam is a direct and simple faith  Stresses the need to obey the will of Allah  To do this means practicing acts of worship called the Five Pillars of Islam

Five Pillars of Islam  Belief – Believing there is no deity but the One God, and Muhammad is his messenger  Prayer – Performing the prescribed prayers five times a day  Charity – Giving part of one’s wealth to the poor (giving alms)  Fasting – Refraining from food and drink from dawn to sunset through the month of Ramadan  Pilgrimage – Making a pilgrimage to Makkah once in a lifetime

 Shari’ah – a law code which provides believers with a set of practical laws to regulate their daily lives  Muslims are forbidden to: gamble, eat pork, drink alcohol, engage in dishonest behavior