 By: Harveen, Jyotroop, Rajvir, Simi

 Islam started in the Middle East, in Arabia. Referred as Saudi Arabia.  There is no exact date but it is dated back to about 600 A.D.  Muhammad was one of the important people in Islam. Muhammad was Allah’s Messenger. He was born about 570 A.D.  He visited a cave called Hira to meditate daily,. When he was in the cave, an angel would come by and in honor of Allah, the angel would teach Muhammad verses.  He taught others what he learned from the angel. As a result, the life of a prophet had started for Muhammad, in 610 A.D. He hardly had any followers as he only talked about one God.  Muhammad’s teaching, a lot of citizens of Mecca were still polytheistic. Muhammad got more followers because he got forced out from the city, he went to a different city.  When he found the Yathrib tribe, he converted them to Islamic, Muhammad left Mecca to Madina to finally live happily where the citizens follow his learning.

 Peace didn’t come in Mecca just before 629 A.D, when Muhammad at last convinced the leaders to be apart of the Islam religion.  Later, he demolished all remains of all the old Gods creating Mecca a monotheistic city.  Muhammad passed away a couple of years later in 632 A.D. Abu Bakr, his successor, called Muhammad the Last Prophet.

 The most important belief in Islam is that there is only one God. The Muslim name for God is Allah.  The main thing in the belief system is to respect your family. Always follow what your parents tell you to do and never talk back to them even if you think they are wrong.  Also Muslims believe in the afterlife  You have to be fair to everyone and give back to them if you borrow  Lying is a big sin in Islamic culture

 The five pillars are also known as the “pillars of faith”  These are religious duties that every Muslim is expected to follow  The five pillars of truth are: 1. Every Muslim must accept that “there no god just Allah and Muhammad his Prophet” 2. Muslims must pray 5 times a day facing Mecca at: dawn, noon, midafternoon, dusk and after dark. 3. Every Muslim must pay a Zagat (a tax on the wealthy to help the poor.) to the government. Every Muslim must give generously! 4. A Muslim has to fast on the month of Ramadan. During that month they cannot eat, drink, smoke or have any sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk 5. A Muslim has to make a trip to Mecca if they have the money or time to do so.

 Sacred Symbols Kalima-e-Shahadah (Creed of Islam) Allah (Name of God in Arabic) Another word for God. Star and Crescent (Ottoman symbol in Islam) National flag of Islam. Rub-el-Hizb (Islamic Architectural Designs) Symbolizes two overlapping squares. In Arabic Rub represent "one's Fourth, quarter”, and Hizb represents a group or party. Green (Colour Symbolism in Islam) Symbolic of Islam, it’s the colour of heaven.

 Texts Qur’an- The most holy text, it is believed to be the actual word for God. Hadith- Is a secondary text that records Muhammad’s sayings and his followers.  Places Mecca - The holiest city, Muslims pray five times a day, in the direction of Mecca. Muslims should once in their lifetime visit Mecca. Medina - The city of the prophet, second holiest place. The Mosque of the Prophet, is built where Muhammad’s house is, and where he is buried. Jerusalem - Third holiest place. It was the first direction you would pray in, but it was changed to Mecca. In the Muslim tradition, Muhammad miraculously travelled to Jerusalem by night and ascended form there in to the heaven. In Jerusalem there are two popular sites which are The Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqusa Mosque.

 Mosques are buildings where Muslims come together to pray. A mosque has to face the city of Mecca. The main mosque is called Jamaca, that is where the Friday prayer takes place.  The other type of mosque is called a Masjid. Masjid is a word that means a place to surrender.  In the first century many churches were changed into mosques over time.  The direction of the mihrab, which is a statue carved into the wall, is facing one direction, which indicates to the city of Mecca. Also, Muslims pray in that one direction.  Both genders are separated by a curtain in the mosque.

Aqiqah  Is a informal birth ceremony. An animal is slaughtered to celebrate the birth, a child’s birth. The goat, sheep, cow, or camel is killed.  Many benefits include to announce the birth of a child, to invite friends, family, and neighbors to celebrate, and the poor get offered meat and other food. Shahada  Marking of a young Muslim’s formal entery into lslam.  Muslims declaration of faith. Marriage Ritual  Witnesses observe the grooms proposal to the bride and the bride accepts.  Also, there is no extra ritual, just a reception.

Funeral and Mourning  They recite the Janazan (prayers)  They do not do cremation and burial of the dead, within twenty-four hours of death.  Official mourning period is forty days for the family and relatives. Ramadan  Takes place on the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.  The Lailat Ul-Qadr- which is the final ten days of Ramadan.  It’s a celebration of Muhammad’s first revelation.

 Id al Fitr is a feast period after a month of Ramadan, it lasts three days.  The Id Al Adha- is two-three months after Ramadan, animals are killed to benefit the poor. The purpose to celebrate is for faithfulness and obedience of Abraham.  Al-Isra Wal Miraj is celebrated on the 27 th of the seventh month on the Islamic calendar.  The day when Muhammad traveled to Mecca.

 Religious Duties: Praying, fasting, zakat, and performing the Hajj.  They get less inheritance than the man in the family.  Qur’an states that both gender are from the same soul.  Men and women have the same rights, it is believed that none are greater than the other.  Both are created for the benefit of each other.  Islam states that both men and women are equal in status and power, nothing makes a difference because they are women.  Women are allowed raise their voice.

Map of where Islam is practice the most:

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 Briefly descried who Muhammad was?  What did they call Muhammad?  Where did Muslims go to worship/pray?  What are the 5 pillars?  What animal(s) were slaughtered during the Aqiqah?  How long did the family mourn for?  Both genders had the same __________?  Which gender gets the less inheritance?