The religion is called ISLAM. Islam means: Submission to the Will of God. A contraction of “I” and “salaam” means entering into a condition of peace and security with God as a result of submission to Him. It also comes from the same root as “shalom” (Hebrew for Peace) 2

Muslim  The people are MUSLIMS.  A Muslim is one who submits to God.

Myth #1: Most Muslims are Arabs who live in the Middle East. 3

Reality: Of more than 1 billion Muslims worldwide, only about 1/5 are Arabs. 4

Aim: How does Islam influence the life of its believers? Do Now: Matching

Which country has more Muslims than any other country in the world? 5

Indonesia - with over 200 million Muslims. Note: The U.S. has about 5 million Muslims. 6

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Myth #2: Muslims have a strange religion and worship a god called Allah. 8

Reality:  Muslims are monotheistic and worship the same one God as Christians and Jews.  Allah’ is the Arabic word for God. 9

Muslims believe it is o.k. to kill civilians in a holy war (“jihad”). 11

Only Muslim extremists believe this. (Just like most Christians do NOT believe in bombing or killing.) 12

What is Jihad? Jihad is… “Striving in the way of faith” is a lawful obligation to defend the Islamic faith. It is often called the “Sixth Pillar”, but has been much misunderstood in the West as holy war. Jihad is interpreted in two major ways: as active defense against aggressors (lesser) and as the greater jihad, the continual efforts one makes to purify his/her life and character. If active jihad, its conditions are strictly regulated in the Quran.

ORIGINS: * Mohammed spoke to Angel Gabriel and became a prophet and recorded Gabriel’s messages in the KORAN. * As Mohammed taught in Mecca, few listened to him and he fled Mecca in 622 A.D. for Medina. This is known as the HEGIRA and it is the beginning of the Muslim calendar. * Mohammed returned to Mecca in 630 A.D. as a military, political & religious leader.

Mohammad The Prophet  Born 570 AD in Mecca – Died June 8, 632 Medina  Central figure of Islam  Messenger and prophet of God  Greatest law bearer of all prophets  Brought up by his uncle  Married at age 25 and worked as a merchant  Unhappy with life in Mecca, he went to a cave in the mountains for meditation.  Muslims believe that age 40 in the month of Ramadan, that he received his first revelation from God.  Preaching begins  Unites the tribes, who then conquered Mecca.

SAUDI ARABIA AFRICA IRAN IRAQ MUHAMMED’S BIRTHPLACE: MECCA MOSQUE IN MECCA

*NOTES* FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM WHAT IS A PILLAR???IMPORTANT BELIEFS & VALUES 1. There is no god but ALLAH who spoke through the prophet Mohammed 2. Pray five times a day 3. Give to the poor 4. Fast during the holy month of Ramadan 5. Visit Mecca at least one in your lifetime (HAJJ) MUSLIMS DO NOT GAMBLE, DRINK ALCOHOL OR EAT PORK

Belief in one God and that Muhammad is His prophet. 23

5 times a day – facing Mecca

Giving money to the poor is REQUIRED, not optional! 25

Fasting  During the month of Ramadan (9 th month), Muslims cannot eat or drink anything during the daylight hours. Fasting is intended to teach Muslims about patience, humility, and spirituality. It is a time for Muslims to fast for the sake of God (Arabic: الله ‎, trans: Allah) and to offer more prayer than usual. During Ramadan, Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds.GodArabicAllahprayer 26

Once in their lives – IF they can afford it, Muslims make a pilgrimage to Mecca 27

VISITING MECCA TODAY

In Mecca during the pilgrimage

Teachings from the Prophet  According to Abu Daud these four Sayings of The Prophet contain the summary of Islamic law.  Actions will be judged according to intentions.  The proof of a Muslim's sincerity is that he payeth no heed to that which is not his business.  No man is a true believer unless he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.  That which is lawful is clear, and that which is unlawful likewise, but there are certain doubtful things between the two from which it is well to abstain.

MOSQUE: a Muslim place of worship or of prayer--- literally a prayer hall or a place of prostration for salat is prescribed and obligatory prayer, five times daily. It is performed on Fridays at a local mosque. 29

Mosque  The first mosque was adjacent to the Prophet’s home in Medina and established the patterns for later ones. Mosques usually have one or more minarets, tall towers from which the call to prayer is given and within, a niche or mihrab, which designates the direction of the Ka’aba. The Ka’aba is the holy temple of Islam situated at Mecca. Ka’aba is literally a nearly square building of basalt blocks that serves as the site of Muslim pilgrimage. It is also the focus of daily prayer.

Mosque  Worshippers also receive instruction from the pulpit. Mosques may not be adorned with any representational images, but may be decorated with calligraphic inscriptions of the Quran in Arabic.

Ka’aba  It was established by the prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael when they journeyed to Arabia, following the banishment of Hagar and Ishmael from Canaan by Sarah. Then taken over by the Arabian tribes and they had set up the worshipping of many gods. It was cleansed of its idols and once again, rededicated to the worship of One God. It is only entered during the yearly pilgrimage.

Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia

Mohammed Ali mosque, Cairo, Egypt

Inside the Mohammed Ali Mosque

Dome of the Mohammed Ali mosque 33

Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque), Istanbul Turkey 34

Dome of a mosque, Esfahan, Iran 36

Interior of a mosque in Iran

Mosque in Tempe, Arizona

QURAN (or KORAN): Muslim holy book 44

Qur’an The Muslim holy book, understood as revelation of God to Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel. Muhammad is not given direct credit for the contents of the Book since he was an illiterate caravan trader. The Quran is revealed successively over twenty three years of the prophet’s ministry. The revelation began with the phrase, “Recite, recite, recite (or cry) in the name of thy Lord, the Beneficent, the Merciful, who created man from clots of blood.

Quran It is also called the “recitation” since it was common at the time to recite verses. The Quran was complied by Muhammad’s scribe, Zayd Ibn Thabit, shortly after the prophet’s death and consists of 114 surahs or sections revealed in Mecca and Medina.

The Quran 45

Shariah Muslim law, understood as derived intially from the Quran and illuminated by the Hadith, Sunnah and by scholarly interpretation and practice. Shariah is the systematic organization of Muslim law interpreted by four schools of interpretation and their extentions into the conditions of modern life practice.

Sunni  One of the two major branches of Islam following the principal of an elected caliph or leader of the Muslim community following the death of the Prophet Muhammad. The guidance of the Caliphate began with Abu Bakr’, then Umar, Uthman, and Ali. These four are know as the rightly-guided caiphs. After Ali’s assassination, the two groups split.

Shiah Islam The minority branch of Islam that follows the principles of hereditary succession from the death of the Prophet. Shiites believe Muhammad’s son in law, Ali, was the rightful successor, followed by his sons Hasan and Husayn. Sunni comprise about 85% of all Muslims and the Shiites about 15%.

Conclusions:  Islam is an important religion, which shares many beliefs and practices with Christianity and Judaism.  Muslims live in many different countries. Islam is especially widespread in Africa, Asia, and southeastern Europe (the Balkans).  Islam has had a great impact on world art and culture. 50