The World of Islam Chapter 6

From the Hearth of the Eastern Mediterranean Islam – Originated on Arabian Peninsula about 1500 years ago – Beliefs Monotheistic religion Revelations Muhammad received from Allah (Arabic for god) Five Pillars – Sacred text: Qu’ran – Founder: Muhammad

Islam (continued) – Sacred sites Mecca – holy city Medina – city where Muhammad received his 1 st converts. Jerusalem – Dome of the Rock – Divisions: Shortly after Muhammad’s death Sunni Muslims (great majority - 84%) Shiite Muslims (concentrated in Iran – 16%)

Distribution of Shiite and Sunni Muslims

Ka’ba in Mecca Largest Mosque 990 acres

The Life of Muhammad Muhammad was born in Mecca in present-day Saudi Arabia to a merchant family. His parents died when he was young and he ended up living with his uncle who was a merchant and he became a camel trader. Muhammad in Arabic Calligraphy

Muhammad married an older widow named Khadija. Over time, he found the richness and corruption of the merchants and townspeople to be troubling. He decided to visit the hills to meditate. Muslims believe that while he was meditating in the hills he received revelations from god through the Angel Gabriel.

Muhammad’s Revelation Muslims believe the Angel Gabriel told Muhammad to recite what he heard, it was believed that Allah had already revealed himself through Moses and Jesus, but now had a final revelation for man. This final revelation became the religion of Islam, which means submission to the will of god.

The Quran (Koran) The revelations to Muhammad were written down by scribes and became known as The Quran, which is the holy book of Islam. The Quran contains ethical guidelines and laws by which Muslims (followers of Islam) should live their lives.

The Nature of The Quran The Quran is written in Arabic, which was the language of Muhammad. The Quran is considered to only be true when it is written in its original language. Translations are thought to lose the true meaning of the original words which are believed to be a direct revelation from god. The Muslim observance of Ramadan (June 29 – July 29) is to commemorate the recording of the holy text.

The Teachings of Muhammad Islam is Monotheistic, like Judaism and Christianity. Islam teaches a belief in an afterlife, those who hope to achieve this afterlife must submit to the will of Allah. Muslims do not believe the Muhammad was divine, they believe that he was a man. Islam is seen not just as a religion, but as a way of life.

Muslims believe that Islam was god’s final revelation for mankind. Muslims feel that in order to achieve salvation that they must obey the will of Allah, or god. In order to do this they must follow the five major principles of Islam known as the Five Pillars of Islam.

The Five Pillars of Islam 1-Declaration of Faith – Muslims must state that there is no other god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet. 2. Daily Prayer – Muslims must pray five times a day facing Mecca. Pre Dawn Noon Afternoon Sunset Evening

Five Pillars Continued Charity – Muslims are supposed to help others and donate part of their income to charity. 4. Fasting-Ramadan Muslims must fast from sunrise to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan which celebrates the recording of the Quran.

Hajj 5. Pilgrimage: Hajj – The fifth pillar of Islam is the Hajj. – Once in a lifetime, if they are physically and financially able, Muslims are to journey to Mecca in Saudi Arabia and perform the rituals of the Hajj.

Islamic Law Muslims are expected to practice honesty and justice in dealing with others and are forbidden to gamble, eat pork, drink alcohol, or engage in dishonest behavior. Muslim- A follower of Islam Mosque- A Muslim House of Worship

Dome of the Rock Where Muhammad rode his horse into heaven.

Creation of An Arab Empire After the death of Muhammad (high fever), unity was difficult to maintain. The friend and father-in-law of Muhammad, Abu Bakr, was chosen to be the first Caliph, or successor to the prophet. Abu Bakr helped to unify the Muslim world and expanded its boundaries. Under the idea of jihad, or “struggle in the way of god” the early Muslims expanded their territory. The believed that defensive warfare was permitted by the Quran.

After Abu Bakr died there was conflict over who would be the next Caliph. The next two Caliphs were both assassinated. After that Muhammad’s son-in-law Ali was appointed Caliph, but five years later he too was assassinated.

Sunni vs. Shi’a (Shiite) Sunni believe the Caliph does not need to be a direct descendant of Muhammad. Shi’a Muslims supported believe that the Caliph should be a direct descendant of Muhammad through his son-in-law Ali and his grandson.

The Role of Women Originally, the Quran granted women spiritual and social equality with men. Both men and women were to be friends and protectors of one another. Women could earn a living and own and inherit property. They played a prominent role in the rise of Islam. Men and Women had assigned social duties, but most societies in which Islam arose were male dominated.

Women in these societies had to have a male guardian and parents arranged marriages for their children. Men could have up to four wives, but they had to pay a dowry (gift of money or property) to their wives’ families. Women did have the right to divorce and adultery was forbidden for both men and women. After the spread of Islam local traditions began to assert themselves and many of the rights that were initially given to women in Islam were replaced by older traditions which denied women equal rights.

The Veil The veil worn by Muslim women is traditionally called the Hijab. The ideal of women wearing veils was common in many Middle Eastern cultures before the advent of Islam. – In Ancient Mesopotamia a veil was a symbol of status, purity, and moral character. There is some controversy over this use of these veils today. There are different interpretations of this tradition in different parts of the Muslim world. In general, women and men are supposed to dress modestly, the degree of that modesty varies from region to region according to local custom and tradition.

The Hijab covers the head and neck. The Burka is a veil that completely covers the face and body. The covering that women wear varies from country to country.