Symbol of Islam

Islam

• Islam has several translated meanings including “peace and submission”

• Allah = God• Allah = God• Muslims believe that the God mentioned in

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are the same

• Originated in the Arabian Peninsula• Monotheistic

Origins of Islam

• Prophet Muhammad 570-632 CE

• Approx. 610 CE the angel Gabriel orders Muhammad to speak to his people and Muhammad to speak to his people and deliver to them the word of God.– The Arabian Peninsula was still heavily

polytheistic at the time.

• Muhammad won few converts initially.

Islam

• The Koran or Qu’ran is believed to be the literal word of God that was presented to Muhammad through several conversations with Gabriel.with Gabriel.

• Muhammad dictated these conversations to his friends who wrote them down.

• Koran = recitation • Koran is divided into 114 suras (chapters)

1st sura of the Koran

Beliefs

• 5 Pillars• Belief in a Final Judgment led by the

Islamic savior known as “al-Mahdi” who will restore the Kingdom of GodIslamic savior known as “al-Mahdi” who will restore the Kingdom of God

• Belief in an afterlife • Believe Moses and Jesus to be important

prophets • Muhammad final and greatest prophet

1) Shahada:

• The declaration, “I testify that there is none worthy of worship except God and I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.” that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.”

2) Salat: Prayer

• General Features of Islamic Prayer• Five prayer times each day:

• early morning

• noon • noon

• mid-afternoon

• sunset

• evening

Salat Con’t

• Adhan = Islamic call to prayer led by a muezzin

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLFYMkQPakE&feature=related

3) Zakat: Giving charity

• Originally a free-will donation

• Now largely compulsory

• General rate: 2 1/2% of income annually. • General rate: 2 1/2% of income annually.

• Given only to needy Muslims, or for religious purposes, etc.

4) Sawm: Fast

• In memory of the revelation of the Koran

• During month of Ramadan, daylight hours.

• Ramadan in 2009 will start on Friday, the • Ramadan in 2009 will start on Friday, the 21st of August and will continue for 30 days until Saturday, the 19th of September.

• Those who have medical exemptions etc. should fast at another time.

5) Hajj: Pilgrimage• Every Muslim man and woman (if

physically and economically able) should try to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their life-time.

Statistical breakdown

• Sunni: 90% of all Muslims

• Shiite/Shi’a: 10% of all Muslims

• 1.55 billion Muslims in the world.• 1.55 billion Muslims in the world.

• 30 to 40 countries are Muslim majority

• 20% of Muslims are Arab

World Map

The Sunni-Shiite Split-It’s All About Family-

Muhammad and Khadija are credited with having several daughters, although the parentage of them is questioned by scholars; they may have been adopted by Muhammadrather than sired by him. Uthman (the 3rd Caliph) was married to one of these daughters, Umm Kulthum bint Muhammad. However, historically these daughters havebeen marginalized, most likely because they did not bear any surviving children or survivetheir father. For the purposes of this presentation, all family relations have been simplified,

KhadijaFirst Wife

Prophet Muhammad

Fatima

thus we can state that Fatima was the only surviving daughter of Muhammad.

The Sunni-Shia Split-It’s All About Family-

Abu TalibMuhammad’s Uncle

Abu BakrFriend and Early Convert

Khadija (First Wife)

Prophet Muhammad Aisha

FatimaAliMuhammad’s Cousin

The Sunni-Shia Split-It’s All About Family-

FatimaAli

1st Imam

Hassan HusseinZaynab Umm Al-Kaltum

2nd Imam 3rd ImamZaynab Umm Al-Kaltum

Ali Zain Al-Abideen4th Imam

All Other ImamsDescend from this

Line.

Muhammad’s Succession

• 632- Muhammad dies, leaving no confirmed successor

• Disagreement among clans on who will lead the faith- bloodline or the one most capable

• Disagreement among clans on who will lead the faith- bloodline or the one most capable

• The Ummah (the Islamic community) elects Muhammad’s father-in-law Abu Bakr to lead the faith. He becomes the first Caliph -the leader of the Ummah.

The Rashidun (632-661)The Rule of the Four Righted Guided Caliphs

Name Ruled Died Known For

Abu Bakr

1st Caliph

632-634

elected

Natural causes, appointed his

successor

Quelled rebellion and united Arabia

Umar ibn al-Khattab

2nd Caliph

634-644

appointed

Stabbed in a Medina mosque by a POW

Wars of expansion (power not religion but religion followed) to the

2nd Caliph appointedwith a personal

grudge.

religion followed) to the greater Middle East

Uthman ibn Affan

3rd Caliph

644-656

elected

Assassinated by those from the elite of Medina over the rise of status and power of

the Umayyad clan.

Expanded the empire to North Africa and Central

Asia- but with much political cost. Standardized

the Qu’ran.

Ali ibn Abu Talib

4th Caliph/1st Imam

656-661

elected

Assassinated by Kharajiites, a group of dissenters to Ali’s rule

Ruled during the first Fitnah (civil war). His place in

history is denoted more for who he was rather than what

he did.

Holy Places

• Mecca: Muhammad’s birthplace• Medina: Where Muhammad spent his time

while in exile.while in exile.• Jerusalem: Dome of the Rock, place where

Abraham is believe to have attempted human sacrifice of his son and where Muhammad ascended into heaven to receive commandments from God.

Dome of the rock