ISLAM

EARLY BEGINNINGS

• A prophet named Muhammad was born in 570 A.D.• He was orphaned at age 6 and raised by an uncle

and grandfather• Muhammad’s uncle was a trader and Muhammad

went with him on his travels• Muhammad grew to dislike the traditional worship

of the tribes people• Muhammad met Jews and Christians who

worshipped one God and he grew to respect them and their beliefs

Muhammad the Prophet

• At age 40 Muhammad was meditating on Mt Hira near Mecca

• Muhammad heard a voice say, “ You are the Messenger of God.”

• Muhammad believed that God spoke to him through the angel Gabriel

• He then began preaching that there is only one God named Allah and all other gods must be rejected

MEDINA: CITY OF THE PROPHET

• Some people in Mecca did not like Muhammad speaking against the long held traditions

• They threatened to kill Muhammad• In 622 AD Muhammad moved north to Medina with his

followers• This date marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar• In Medina Muhammad laid the foundation of the Islamic

faith• Islam means “peace through the submission to the will of

God”• A Muslim is one who believes in Islam

RETURN TO MECCA

• In 630 AD Muhammad returned to Mecca• He had 10,000 followers with him• He was able to capture Mecca without much

resistance• Mecca became the center of the Muslim

world

THE KA’ABA

• It is a holy shrine believed to have been built by Abraham and his son Ishmael as an altar to God

• It is located in the center of Mecca• Upon his return, Muhammad reclaimed the shrine• He cleaned it and rededicated it to Allah• It is the center of Islam to this day• It is the place of the annual pilgrimage and

direction of prayer for Muslims from all corners of the globe

MUHAMMAD’S DEATH

• In 632 AD Muhammad lead a pilgrimage to Mecca

• He gave his final speech here• He urged kindness and respect towards

others; especially women• Muhammad died shortly after this speech• He is buried in Medina

SPREAD OF ISLAM

• Between 636 and 639 AD Muslims conquered and converted many countries around them

• These included Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and Mesopotamia

• In less than 50 years the Muslim borders were from Spain to China

• This was half of the known civilized world at that time• Muslims were tolerant of existing religions• Especially monotheistic religions like Judaism and

Christianity• Muslims did not try to force others to convert to Islam

QUR’AN

• The Qur’an is the Muslim holy book• It is a code that tells how to live your life so you can have a

place in heaven• It is believed that Muhammad’s speeches were messages

from God• Muhammad could not write; so at first the messages were

given orally• After Muhammad’s death his followers wrote down his

words in Arabic• This became the first written form of the Qur’an• It has 114 chapters called surahs

BELIEFS

• There is no other God but Allah• Muhammad is his prophet• God is all powerful and all knowing• There is a Judgment Day where one’s soul will

enter heaven or hell depending on how one lived their life

• Muhammad is the last in a line of prophets which include Abraham and Jesus

PRACTICES

Five PillarsThese are the 5 duties all Muslims must perform to demonstrate

their submission to the will of God1. Faith- Believe and say, “There is not God but Allah, and

Muhammad is his prophet”2. Prayer- Pray in Arabic five times a day, at specific times, and

facing Mecca3. Alms-Give to the poor and needy

4. Fasting- Fast during the month of Ramadan each year, avoiding all food and beverages between sunrise and sunset

5. Hajj- If possible, make a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca once during a lifetime

MUSLIM COMMUNITY SPLITS

• The Muslim community splits over how to choose a leader after Muhammad died

• There are two main Sects:• Sunni’s- 90%-believe any Muslim who follows

Muhammad's example may be ruler• Shiites-10%- believe only a descendant of Muhammad

and Ali ( Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law) may be a ruler

• The division between the Sunni and the Shiites continues to cause conflict in the Muslim world today

FACTS

• Islam is the second largest world religion• It is the fastest growing religion• There are 1.2 billion Muslims today• There are 43 countries with Muslim-majority

populations