1. Life of Muhammad and Islam

2. The Life of Muhammad:
Muhammad was born in Mecca around the year 570 in the Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
Desert
Nomadic Tribes
Polytheistic
Domestication of the camel
Crossroads of trade and cultures
Religious melting pot
Mecca: sight of pilgrimage and
Ka’aba

3. The Life of Muhammad: Worked as a merchant
Muhammad marries Khadija and have 4 daughters and 2 sons
Meditates often
At 40, hears a voice speaking to him
Voice of the angel Gabriel

4. Beginnings of Islam Message was that the only true god is Allah
Unlike Jesus (who Christians believe was God's son) Muhammad was a mortal
He preached a strong social justice message about equality and poverty
Islam: submission to the will of Allah
Muslim: one who submits to the will of Allah (follower of Islam)

5. The beginnings of Islam
Muhammad begins to attract young and working class followers
The ruling elite feared Muhammad and his followers and began to persecute them
Mohammad leaves Mecca in 622 following an attack on his followers
Moves to Medina (Yathrib)
Becomes a political and military leader in addition to religious one
Begins tradition of uniting religion and politics

6. Return to Mecca Marches on Mecca with 10,000 followers in 630
Mecca’s leaders surrender
Muhammad destroys tribal polytheistic idols in the Ka’aba
Converts many new followers
Join the Umma (Muslim religious community)
Muhammad dies in 632

7. Main Beliefs of Islam

8. Koran (or the Qur'an) Holy Book of Islam
Written account of revelations to Muhammad
Contains ethical guidelines and laws
Many commandments, few stories
Introduced life after death and heaven & hell (divine reckoning)
Written in Arabic
Only Arabic version is considered the true word of Allah

9. Islamic Beliefs
Muslims believe that God had previously revealed Himself to the earlier prophets of the Jews and Christians
Muslims accept the teachings of both the Jewish Torah and the Christian Gospels
They believe that Muhammad was a mere mortal, not divine
They believe that Islam is the perfection of the religion
They do not use clergy to interpret the holy scripture
Moses

10. The Five Pillars

11. The Five Pillars 1-Declaration of Faith (Shahada)
Muslims must state that there is not God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.
2. Daily Prayer (Salaah)
Muslims must pray five times a day facing the Kaaba in Mecca.
Pre Dawn
Noon
Afternoon
Sunset
Evening

12. The Five Pillars 3. Charity (Zakah)
Muslims are supposed to help others and donate part of their income to charity.
4. Fasting-Ramadan (Sawn)
Muslims must fast from sunrise to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan which celebrates the recording of the Quran.

13. The Five Pillars
5. Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) If you are physically and financially able you must travel to Mecca once in your lifetime

14. Timelapse of praying at the Ka’aba

15. Life as a Muslim Shari’ah Law:
a set of laws which regulate many aspects of Muslim life
No separation between church and state
covers family life, business, government, and moral conduct
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.

16. Period after Muhammad
Muhammad dies in 632, but didn’t name a successor
Muhammad’s close friend Abu Bakr becomes the first caliph
Umar, Uthman, and Ali follow after him
Together they are the “rightly guided” caliphs
Worked to expand influence of Islam outside the Arabian peninsula

17. Sunni vs. Shi’a

20. The Islamic Map