February 19, 2010

Warm UP: What was the Bedouin lifestyle like? Processor: create an

advertisement with words and visuals that would

encourage people to visit Makkah. (Include info on

trade and religion?

~Important trade stop and religious center of Arabia~people settled there because of the fresh water well~location of Kaaba (shrine with 300 religious idols)~population very diverse: Arabs, Christians, Jews, etc.

Arab (abhar = to move or pass)~majority of Arabia’s first inhabitants were Bedouins (nomadic Arabs)~origins: Africa or Mesopotamia?Biblical tradition: Arabs are Semites (descendants of Noah’s son)Qur’anic tradition: Arabs are descendants of Abraham’s son Ishmael~valued camels and swords above all else~had no strong central government~practical animistic polytheism (many gods)

~powerful local tribe of Arabs~encouraged tribes to deposit idols in the Kaaba and protected them for a fee

~Born into Hashim family of the powerful Quraysh tribe sometime between A.D. 570 and 580~angels told mother, Amina, to name child Muhammad (highlypraised)~father, Abdallah, died before Muhammad’s birth; Mother Amina, died when he was six~raised by uncle, Abu Talib~As a young man, he worked for a wealthy widow, Khadija~married Khadija; had 7 children (only 1 daughter-Fatima-survived)~had reputation as a seeker of solitude

Major points of Muhammad’s public teaching:1. There was only one God

(Allah) and al should submit to him

2. All believers in God were equal

3. The rich should share with the poor

4. People should live righteously

5. All people would be subjected to a Judgment Day

The Prophet’s companions credited him with miracles:

~passed through the seven levels of heaven in the “Night Journey”

~brought forth a spring in Makkah

~he was able to remain in Makkah because of his powerful an respected family

Muhammad’s preaching angered many of the people of Makkah:~wanted to abolish idolatry, ~critical of wealthy merchants who controlled most of the money and power in Makkah

~Muhammad decided to leave Makkah after death of Khaija and Abu Talib~traveled to oasis city of Yathrib~this journey (hijrah, in Arabic) marks the beginning of Islam and the Muslim calendar

~Muhammad hoped Islam could win new converts~some Jewish leaders did not accept Muhammad as God’s latest prophet~Jews who opposed Muhammad were expelled from Madinah~at first, Muhammad told Muslims to pray in the direction of Jerusalem, but later changed it to the Kaaba in Makkah

~Prophet was welcomed by Jews and Arabs of Yathrib

~both groups hoped Muhammad could prevent a civil war from breaking out~renamed Yathrib Madinaht unNabit, which means “City of the Prophet”~believers in Islam began to call themselves Muslims (“those who submit to God’s will)

More battles were fought in the years that followed the Battle of BadrMakkans laid siege on Madinah in A.D. 627, in the Battle of the TrenchIn A.D. 630, Muhammad and his supporters captured MakkahIdols and other pagan relics were destroyed and the Kaaba was rededicated to AllahIn 632, Muhammad led the hajj, commonly called “the pilgrimage of farewell,” for it was his lastEvery detail of his actions on this event was noted and imitated by his disciplesThe rites and ceremonies of the hajj became standard practice for all Muslims

As more people accepted Islam, the Quraysh became hostile towards the Muslims

Muhammad’s army though tremendously out numbered, won the Battle of Badr

~Muhammad’s companions desired to maintain an Islamic community~recorded his revelations into Qur’an; his personal deeds into the Sunna~Sunna and Qur’an provide guiding rules and principles for all Muslims~the most basic rules of the Sunna and Qur’an are summarized in the five pillars

(profession of faith)

“There is only one God

(Allah) and Muhammad

is his prophet

(daily worship) Five times a

day Guided by a precise set of

rituals

(aimsgiving)2.5% of a Muslim’s

income, or 1/40 of all

possess annually

(fast)From sunrise

to sunset during the

holy time of Ramadan

(pilgrimage to Makkah)

Done once in a lifetime.

Reminder of equality

between all Muslims