Muslim Civilization Objective: Describe the life of Muhammad, fundamental teachings of Islam,and the connections of Islam to Judaism and Christianity.

Objective: Trace the extent and consequences of Islam’s spread in Asia andthe Mediterranean region, including North Africa and Europe’sIberian Peninsula.

Observation/InferenceWhat are these people doing, and why?

Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet Work with your group to complete the vocabulary

worksheet to see what you already know about Islam. We will go over the worksheet as a class and discuss important concepts and stereotypes that we have about this religion.

This movie is about the life of Muhammad and what that means to Muslims. For each historical segment, there is an American Muslim explaining their faith.

Muhammad lived from 570 to 620 CE. Because he lived later in history than other religious leaders, there is more historical documentation about his life.

As you watch the movie, take Cornell notes about what you learn. After the movie, you will be asked to work with your group to create a timeline of Muhammad’s life.

Later, we will add other historical events around the world that occurred in this time period. What was happening in China? In India? In Africa? In Europe? In the Americas?

An Introduction to Islam What does Islam mean?

◦ Arabic root words are consonants only. The root for the word peace is S-L-M.

◦ ISLAM means to achieve peace through submission to God.

◦ MUSLIM means one who has achieved peace through submission to God.

◦ SHALOM is also the Hebrew word for peace!

How does one become Muslim? ◦ One becomes Muslim be reciting the

shahada, or Islamic Creed. “I affirm that there is no god but God, and Muhammad is a prophet of God.”

◦ There is no excommunication in Islam; anyone who recites the creed must be accepted as a Muslim.

What are the sources of teachings in Islam? ◦ The Qur’an is the revelation that

Muhammad received from God by the Angel Gabriel over a 23 year period of time. It is an oral recitation (like poetry) that was later written down, and it is only authentic when spoken in Arabic.

◦ The Hadith is a collection of stories about Muhammad. Followers can learn about the prophets words and deeds.

How is Islam related to Judaism and Christianity? ◦ Who was the first prophet of Islam?

Adam, the first human being, was the prophet to receive the word of God.

◦ Why is Abraham important to Muslims? Abraham was a great prophet who is celebrated for his obedience to God. Abraham’s lineage produced other great prophets, including Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.

◦ Do Muslims believe in Jesus? Muslim believe that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, that he performed many miracles on earth, and that he will come again at the end of time. They believe he was one of the highest prophets, but they do not believe that God can have sons or take a human form.

◦ Do Muslims believe in Jewish and Christian scriptures? Yes. They consider both the Torah and the Bible a holy book and embrace all “people of the book” as followers of other prophets.

◦ Do Muslims have to follow the Ten Commandments? They follow 9 out of 10. They do not keep the Sabbath. Muslims usually go to mosque on Fridays.

Islamic Worship and Beliefs What are the five pillars of Islam? Shahada/Islamic Creed

◦ Islam is a monotheistic faith in the same tradition as Judaism and Christianity.

◦ Allah means God in Arabic. ◦ Arabic speaking Christians worship Allah

—in the same way that Spanish speaking Christians worship Dios and German speaking Christians worship Gott.

Salat/Daily Prayer◦ The Call to Worship can be often be heard

from the mosque for the daily call to prayer. Muslims are supposed to pray five times a day!

◦ A mosque is an Islamic house of prayer; it is a rectangular room with no furniture. There is a raised platform called a minbar where a sermon is given on Fridays. It is also common for Islamic centers to be built on the same property as the mosque.

Zakat/Charity Siyam/Ramadam The Hajj/Pilgrimage

What is Sharia Law?

What is Jihad? http://www.linktv.org/video/2944

How did Islam spread? How did Islam spread during the life of

Muhammad? 570 CE: Muhammad was born in Mecca; his father

died before he was born and his mother died when he was around six. He was sent to live with his grandfather, who died when Muhammad was around eight. Finally, he was sent to live with his uncle.

595 CE: Muhammad worked for Khadija, a widow and wealthy merchant. They married and had six children, all of whom died in childhood except for their daughter Fatima.

610 CE: Muhammad receives the first revelation. At first, Muhammad told only Khadija and his family about his experiences, but he eventually decided to take the message to his tribe. There was much animosity towards him, and he feared persecution and even assassination.

622 CE: Muhammad and his followers migrated to Medina where he established the first Muslim community. This journey is known as the Hegria and marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar.

625 CE: The Muslims in Medina fought the first of three battles with the people of Mecca. A treaty was eventually signed, but political tension was still intense.

630 CE: The Muslims marched into Mecca and took over the city without bloodshed. Muhammad consolidated most of the Arabian peninsula under Islamic rule.

632 CE: Muhammad made the pilgrimage to Mecca followed by tens of thousands of Muslims. He died later that year of natural causes.

What happened to the community after Muhammad’s death in 632 CE?

632 CE: Although Muhammad did not name a successor, his long-time friend and earliest convert Abu Bakr was eventually named caliph, or leader of the Muslim community. Abu Bakr’s first job was to reunite the bedouin tribes and to regain control of Arabia.

637 CE: Abu Bakr and his successor, Umar, turned their sights north to acquire more territory. They defeated the Persian forces in Iraq, and by 642, they ruled the Persian Empire.

642 CE: After conquering Persia, the Muslims began to gain lands that were part of the Byzantine Empire. The Muslims Damascus and Jerusalem before conquering Egypt and the Nile Valley.

644 CE: When Abu Bakr was selected as the first caliph, many followers were disappointed that the leadership was not handed over to Ali, a direct descendent of Muhammad. When Uthman, a leader supported by the Umayyad clan of Mecca was declared caliph, the supporters of Ali assassinated him. Ali was then briefly caliph before also being assassinated. Civil war between Ali’s forces and the Umayyads pursued.

Those who accepted the Umayyad leadership were called Sunnis, or “followers of the sunna or way of the prophet.”

Followers of Ali became known as Shia, and they believed that imams, or direct descendents of Ali and Muhammad should rule.

A third branch of Islam, the Sufis, follow a more mystical path and are less involved in political strife.

How did Islam become a global religion?

Muhammad’s Life 570 CE: Muhammad was bonr

an orphan who was raised by his powerful uncle. He grew up to be a successful merchant who was respected for his fairness and intelligence. He was also religious, and he would sometimes go away to caves to spend time in solitude an prayer. Muhammad could not read or write, so all of his teachings were done through recitation.

When Muhammad was 25, he married an older woman who previously employed him. His wife, Khadijah bore him six children, but only one survived. His daughter Fatimah was the only one to reach adulthood.

While Muhammad was meditating in a cave, Muhammad wrote the first verses of the Qur’an. Muslims believe that an angel revealed the message of Allah to Muhammad in the cave.

Muhammad’s message was one of change. He instructed the Arabs that there was only one god and instructed his people on how to live a good live.

Muhammad’s message angered some members of the community, but nothing happened to him because his uncle was powerful. When his uncle died, Muhammad had to leave Mecca.

Muhammad and his followers migrated to Medina to build up their community. This journey is called the hegira, and it marks the first year of the Islamic calendar.

Muhammad fought several battles with the people of Mecca, and by 630 CE Muhammad controlled the city and had great influence over the Arabian Peninsula. Muhammad was more than a spiritual leader; he also had political and military power.

Islam means “achieving peace through submission to God” and the followers are known as Muslims.

Basic Ideas of Islam There is a rich oral tradition in

Islam. Since Muhammad could not read or write, he recited his revelations. Because of this, Muslims believe that the Qur’an should be read out loud; they also feel that its true meaning can only be experienced in Arabic.

Basic Terms Qur’an Jihad Sunna Sharia Hajj Hegira Islam Muslim People of the book

The Five Pillars of Islam ◦ Followers must confess that

there is only one god and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.

◦ Followers must pray five times a day. They face Mecca to pray no matter where they are.

◦ Followers must give charity and help those in need.

◦ Followers must fast during Ramadan to show that Allah is more important than their own bodies.

◦ Followers must do everything in their power to complete the Hajj—a spiritual pilgrimage to Mecca. They visit the mosque, walk five times around the Kaaba and walk to Mt. Arafat, where Muhammad gave his last sermon.