19 Introduction to Islam V7 (24 Oct 03).ppt Introduction to Islam OPSGP-DBCTP BATTLE COMMAND TRAINING PROGRAM... Ops Grp Delta Islam In the Name of God

19 Introduction to Islam V7 (24 Oct 03).ppt

Introduction to IslamOPSGP-D BCTP

BATTLE COMMAND TRAINING PROGRAM ... Ops Grp Delta

IslamIslamIn the Name of God

The Most Gracious the Most merciful

MODULE 9MODULE 9


Agenda

• Overview of Islam.

• Five pillars of Islam.

• Religious considerations.

• Islam in relationship to …

• Sunni and Shia sects.


What is Islam?

• Islam means submission. It is an Arabic word derived from the word meaning peace. In a religious context Islam means complete and peaceful submission to will of Almighty God.


Who are Muslims?

• Individuals who completely and peacefully submits to will of God, believes in the Articles of Faith and practices the Five Pillars of Islam.

• Majority of the Muslims are in Asia (Bangladesh, India, Indonesia and Pakistan).

• Arabs represent only 20% of the Muslim population.


Who is God in Islam?

Say: He is God, the One and Only; God, the Eternal, Absolute; He begets not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him.

Qur’an 112 : Verses 1-4


Who is Prophet Muhammad?(peace be upon him)

• Born in Makkah (Mecca) in the year 570 (CE).

• Received his first revelation at the age of forty while engaged in a meditative retreat from God through Angel Gabriel. The revelations continued for twenty-three years, and they are collectively known as the Qur’an.


Qur’an

• The Qur’an is the a record of exact words of God revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in Arabic through Angel Gabriel. This revelation came in phases and continued for twenty-three years.

• Qur’an is the primary source of Islamic guidance.


Sunnah

• Sunnah, the practices, examples and saying of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the explanation, classification and amplification of Qur’an.

• Sunnah is the another source Islamic guidance.

• Illustrates Islamic faith in practice.

• Made up of hundreds of texts known as “Hadiths” (traditions).


Holy Sites in Islam

• Jerusalem - third holiest site from where Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) ascended to heaven to meet God, the Almighty.

• Ka’ba - located in Makkah (Mecca) is the most sacred site in Islam. Muslims prays five times a day facing toward Ka’ba.

• Medina - second holiest site in Islam where Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is buried.


Articles of Faith

• Belief in Oneness of God.

• Belief in Angels created by God.

• Belief in the Revealed Books of God.

• Belief in the Messengers and Prophets.

• Belief in the Day of Judgment.

• Belief in Divine Predestination.


The Five Pillars of Islam

• Islam is built on five pillars, the first of which is a state of faith. The other four are major exercises of faith of which some are daily, some weekly, some monthly, some annually and some are required as a minimum once in a lifetime.

– Witnessing (SHAHADA).

– Prayer (SALAH).

– Obligatory Charity (ZAKAH).

– Fasting (SAWM).

– The Pilgrimage (HAJJ).



• Declaration of Faith (Shahadah):

• “There is no deity worthy of worship but God and Muhammad is His Messenger.”

• An individual becomes Muslim with this declaration and no other rituals are necessary.



• Prayer (Salah): Islamic Prayer.

• Five times a day-as per prayer schedule.

• Purification (ablution or bath).

• Call to prayer – adhan.

• Intention of praying facing Ka’ba.

• Recitation of Qur’anic verses in Arabic.

• Bowing and prostration while praising God.

• Send peace and blessing to Prophet Muhammad, Abraham (pbuh) and their families such as Jews, Christian and Muslims.



• Purification of Wealth (Zakah): Alms giving.

• Obligatory on every financially able Muslim once in every year.

• Two and half percent of savings including jewelry.

• Payable to the needy which may include your own families and spouse.



• Fasting (Sa’wm): Ramadan.

• 29-30 days a year in the ninth month of Lunar calendar.

• Fasting is from dawn (one and half hour before sunrise) until sundown.

• Abstention from food, drink, and sexual relations.

• Religious boot camp for Muslims.

• Qur’an was revealed during Ramadan.



• Pilgrimage (Hajj): • Once in a lifetime for financially and physically able Muslims.

• Ninth day of the last month of the Lunar calendar.

• Performed at Makkah, Mina and Arafat in Saudi Arabia only.

• Usually it is a ten day ritual but takes longer with travel time.

• Tenth day is Feast of Sacrifice - Eid Al-Adha.


Islamic Diet

• Halal - Lawful: Most food and drink are lawful unless specifically forbidden in the Qur’an or Sunnah.

• Haram - Unlawful: Pork and pork products, alcoholic beverages, non-medicinal drug, blood, meat of dead animals/birds (no roadkill).

• Makrooh - Discouraged: Any food, liquid, or smoking substance which is harmful to body--physically, mentally or spiritually such as harmful stimulants and/or depressants, substances which cause drug dependency, and smoking substances.


US Military and Religious Diet

• Several faith groups in the military have special dietary requirements (Buddhist, Hindu, Islam, Judaism, Seventh Day Adventist, etc.).

• Kosher/Halal MREs are available through supply system.

• COMRATS are authorized for those who request in order to maintain their religious dietary obligation (SECNAV INST 1730.8A).


Zanaza - Islamic Mortuary Affairs

• Body-Washing or Ghusl (gender sensitive).

• Wrapping for Burial – Kafan.

• Prayer - Performed standing by male Muslims. • Funeral - Procession in silence by male Muslims.

• Burial - Within 24 hours or as soon as possible.

• No cremation.

• No embalming.

• No autopsy unless required for legal investigation.


Medical Treatment for Muslims

• Saving life takes precedence over everything else.

• Assisted suicide is not permitted.

• Blood transfusions are permitted.

• Avoid medicine with alcohol and pork ingredients unless there is no substitute.

• Be gender sensitive (male-male/female-female).

• Consult family members before treatment under normal circumstances.


Islam and Culture

• Islam as religion transcends cultural boundaries.

• Culture is secondary to the religion of Islam but it is very important geographically.

• There is no nationalism in Islam but patriotism exists.


War in Islam

• Like Christianity and Judaism, Islam permits fighting in self defense, against oppressions and for freedom of religion.

• “Fight in the cause of God against those those who fight you, but do not transgress limits. God does not love transgressors (Qur’an 2:190).”

• “If they seek peace, then you seek peace. And trust in God for He is the One that hears and knows all things (Qur’an 8:61).”


Jihad in Islam

• Jihad is an Arabic word. It literally means “exertion” and/or “struggle”. The term holy war not found anywhere in the Holy Qur’an.

• War = inevitable lesser evil, not holy (Qur’an 2:26).

• Individually: self purification (Qur’an 29:6).

• Socially: charity and sharing truth (Qur’an 49:15).

• Battlefield: defense and liberation (Qur’an 60:8-9).


Christianity, Judaism and Islam

• Christians, Jews and Muslims all trace their religion to the Prophet Abraham. Israelites are the descendant of Isaac and Arabs are the descendant of Ishmael (peace be upon them).

• Say (O Muslims), “We believe in God, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) Prophets from their Lord: we make no difference between one and another of them: and we bow to God in submission (Qur’an 2:136).”

• “Those who believe (in the Qur’an), those who follow the Jewish (scripture), and the Sabians and the Christians, anyone who believe in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve (Qur’an 5:69 @ 2:62).”


Who is who in the Islamic world

• Imam

• Mullah

• Caliphs


The Caliphs

• Were to make all laws in accordance with the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

• Were responsible for creating and maintaining conditions under which it would be easy for Muslims to live according to Islamic principles, and to see that justice was done to all.


Sunni, Shia, Sufi and Wahabbi

• All believe and practice the same five pillars of Islam.

• Sunni and Shia differs on sharing and appointing leadership.

• Sufis practice some mysticism in worshiping God such as poetry, music and occasional dance.

• Wahabbism is a movement and ideology that holds the view of being puritan and traditionalist. Whoever resists their view are considered to be misguided including fellow Muslims.


Belief and DoctrineSunni – Shi’a Similarities

• Foundations of Islam:

– Allah (Qur’an) and Muhammad (Sunnah)

• Holy sites:

– Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem

• Pillars of Islam

– Shahadah (Declaration)

– Salah (Daily Prayer)

– Sawm (Fasting)

– Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca)

– Zakah (Obligatory charity)


Belief and DoctrineSunni – Shi’a Differences

• Sunnis Believe:

– Regard the caliphs, successors of Mohammed, as authorities in the historical past.

– Recognize the first three caliphs.

– Follow ijma, consensus.

– Stress unmediated relations with God.

– Do not mention Ali in the call to prayer.

– Accept the value of public prayers, whatever the character of the prayer-leader.

– Accept prohibition by the second caliph, Umar, of temporary marriage (mut'ah).


Belief and DoctrineSunni – Shi’a Differences

• Shiites believe:

– Honor Imams descended from Ali, Mohammed's son-in-law.

– Reject the first three caliphs; annually mark as a religious event the killing of Ali's son and Mohammed's grandson Husayn (Hussein) at Karbala in 680; blame caliphs for killing subsequent Imams.

– Follow authorities who speak in place of the Hidden Imam.

– Regard Imams as holy intercessors with God.

– Add to the call to prayer: "And Ali is the friend of God.”

– Reject the value of prayers led by an unworthy prayer-leader.

– Recognize temporary marriage.


Compare/Contrast: Sunni & Shiite

SUNNI:– Doctrine of power & achievement.– Habits & religious practices of Muhammad are regarded as

Islamic norm.– Emphasis on one’s direct relationship with Allah.– Jihad: act of piety vs act of worship (Shia).

SHIITE:– Doctrine of opposition.

• Defeated & oppressed.– Revere imams who are direct male descendants of Ali. – Emphasis of the role of individual leaders.

• Evolved provision for a hierarchy of authorities, with one (Marjah) becoming a source of imitation.

– Holy sites: Mashad (Iran), Qom (Iran), Najaf (Iraq), Karbala (Iraq), Baghdad (Iraq).


Shia Holy Sites

• Mashad (Iran)

• Qom (Iran)

• Baghdad (Iraq)

• Karbala (Iraq)

• Najaf (Iraq)


Religion cannot be separated from politics.

Muslims do not consider religion to be a private matter. (al-Suwaidi)

Documents

19 Introduction to Islam V7 (24 Oct 03).ppt Introduction to Islam OPSGP-DBCTP BATTLE COMMAND TRAINING PROGRAM... Ops Grp Delta Islam In the Name of God