Transcript Document 7107639

ISLAM
An Introduction to Islam
‫تقديم إلى إسالم‬
History of Western Civilization:
Byzantine Empire Unit
2008-09
Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Taj Mahal, India
Medina, Mosque
( the Prophet’s mosque )
Medina, Mosque
( the Prophet’s mosque )
Dome of The Rock,
Jerusalem
Istanbul,Turkey
Cairo, Egypt
Damascus, Syria
Islamabad, Pakistan
Bombay, India
Jakarta, Indonesia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Rome, Italy
Dublin, Ireland
Guyana-Mosque
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA
Contents
 The Basics
 Demographics
 History
 Practice
 Ethics
 Sects
 Women in Islam
 Mosques
 Islamic Art
The Basics
What does Islam mean?
 Arabic root
word is SLM
 SLM=
Salaam =
Peace
ISLAM = “Willful Surrender” “Willful Submission”
MUSLIM = “One who submits to Allah”
The “6” Articles of Faith

Belief in the Oneness of Allah (God)

Belief in the Angels created by Allah (God)

Belief in the Revealed Books of Allah (God)

Belief in the Messengers & Prophets of Allah (God)

Belief in the Day of Judgment

Belief in Allah’s (God’s) Sovereignty (control)
over Human Destiny & over all Affairs
Islam “A Faith of Human Unity”
 It calls all humankind regardless of their
race and gender to unite in the worship
of the One and Unique creator.
 Islam considers all believers as brothers
and sisters, and rejects discrimination on
the basis of gender, color, race or ethnic
background.
 Humankind is one family, if one person
suffers everyone should help alleviate
that suffering
Allah
 Allah is the Arabic name for God
used by Muslims of the world as well
as Arab Christians.
 “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.” (The Qur’an)
Prophets and Scriptures
 SOME PROPHETS: Adam, Noah, Abraham,
Ishmael, Ishaq, Jacob (Israel), Joseph, Benjamin,
Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Zakareya, John,
Jesus, Muhammad
 DIVINE BOOKS: Torah, Zabur (Psalms), Injeel
(Gospel), Qur’an
 Belief in ALL prophets of God
 Source of All Books is God
 Main Message of all Prophets: Islam
Muslims Believe Muhammad Is:
•The Last Messenger & Last Prophet
•The Seal Of The Prophets
•The Universal Prophet
Qur’an ‫القرآن‬
The Holy Book
“The Recitation”
Islam maintains the
integrity of original
language (Arabic)
Muslims of all language
backgrounds recite
Islamic verses in Arabic
Original message is intact, as given by the
Prophet in Arabic
 23 Years of Revelations (610 - 632 C.E.)
 114 Chapters (Suras)

– Each begins with the phrase:
“In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the
Merciful.”
‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬
Sunnah and Hadith
Approvals, disapprovals of the Prophet
Compiled in separate books, known as
Hadith books, after the death of the
Prophet
Classified from authentic to false.
Sharia & Fiqh
 Sharia
– "the path leading to the watering place"
– Islamic Law
– covers all aspects of life
– politics, society, daily life
 Fiqh
– "jurisprudence"
– the practical rules of the religion
– what is required, forbidden,
recommended, disapproved or merely
permitted
What Muslims believe about Jesus
 Muslims respect , love and honor Jesus
 Jesus is considered a great messenger/
prophet
 Jesus was born from the ‘virgin’ Mary
 Jesus is a ‘word’ from God
 Jesus is mentioned in 25 places in the Qur’an
with names of respect and honor
 However, Muslims do not consider Jesus to
be of divine nature
What the Qur’an says about Jesus
“We believe in Allah (God) and that
which was revealed to us, and that
which was revealed to Abraham,
Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the tribes
and that which was given to Moses,
Jesus and to the Prophets from their
Lord; We make NO distinction
between any of them, and to Him
(God) we submit.” (Qur’an, 3:83)
Becoming A Muslim
Simply by saying with conviction…
“La ilaha illa Allah,
wa Muhammad Rasullah.”
…one becomes a Muslim.
This saying means:
“There is no true deity, but Allah (God),
and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of Allah.”
Demographics
So, where are Muslims ?
World Muslims

1.7 billion Muslims worldwide (almost ¼
of the world’s population)

57 countries with Muslims as a majority of
the population, including 22 Arab
countries.

Country with the largest Muslim
population is Indonesia.

Only 18-25% of Muslims are Arabs
Muslims in America
 2nd most common religion in America
 One of the fastest growing religions in the
USA
 Estimated 7 to 8 million Muslims
 Wide variety of ethnic
backgrounds/national origins
 Not all Muslims are Arabs…not all Arabs
are Muslims
History
Prophet Muhammad
 Descendant of Ishmael, the first son of
Abraham.
 Born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, 570 AD
 Received first revelation at the age 40
through angel Gabriel.
 Died in the year 632 AD, after preaching
Islam for 23 years.
Prophet Muhammad
 Early years
 Caravan experience = worldly knowledge
 Marriage to Khadija
 Message from Gabriel
 Persecution in Mecca
 Justice & a following in Yathrib (Medina)
 Conquest of Mecca
 Spread of faith
Spread of Islam
Islam, in the tenth century, was the main religion
or -- at least -- the religion of the majority of
peoples in an area covering more than half of the
civilized world.
 Stretching over three continents from the
Pyrenees and Siberia in West and Northern
Europe to the farthest end of Asia, up to China
and New Guinea in the East; from Morocco in
North Africa to the southern tip of Africa,
covering two-thirds of the African continent.

Spread of Islam
What Gandhi Said About Muhammad

“I wanted to know the best of one who holds today’s
undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind.
I became convinced that it was not the sword that won a
place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was
the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the
Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his
intense devotion to his friends and his followers, his
intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and
in his own mission. These and not the sword carried
everything before them and surmounted every obstacle.
When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet’s
biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to
read of his great life.”
Mahatma Gandhi
Sayings Of Prophet Muhammad
The life & property of all people are considered
sacred whether a person is Muslim or not.
 No Supremacy: All people are equal.
 “God has no mercy on one who has no mercy for
others.”
 “None of you truly believes until he wishes for his
brother what he wishes for himself.”
 “He who eats his fill while his neighbor goes
without food is not a believer.”


“No Arab has any superiority over a non Arab, nor does a nonArab have any superiority over an Arab. Nor does a white man
have any superiority over a black man, or the black man any
superiority over the white man.”
For 500 to 1000 Years
Muslims Were The World Leaders in
Science
Mathematics
Chemistry Algebra
Social Services Education
Hospitals
Universities
Physics
Arabic Numbers Medicine
Learning
Biology
Geometry
Knowledge
Law & Justice
Astronomy Engineering
Human Rights Exploration
Anatomy
Architecture
Civil Rights
Hygiene
Botany
Arts & Crafts
Commerce
Ethics
Poetry
Calligraphy
Industry
Etiquettes
Practice
Worship and Obedience
 Prayers (Salah)
 Charity (Zakat)
 Fasting ( Ramadan)
 Pilgrimage (Hajj)
 Any act done according to Qur’an & Sunnah
to please God
The Five Pillars of Islam
The Five Pillars Of Islam
( Forms Of Worship )
1) Declaration of Faith (Shahadah)
2) Prayers (Salah)
3) Charity (Zakat)
4) Fasting (Ramadan)
5) Pilgrimage (Hajj)
Declaration of Faith
(Shahadah)
To say, believe and testify that…
‫ال إله إال هللا‬
“La ilaha illa Allah”
“There is no true deity, but Allah (God).”
<Denial of other gods—affirmation of the one true God>
Prayers (Salah)
 Five Daily Prayers from Dawn to Late
Evening regulate a Muslim’s day:
a
dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset & night
 Prayers involve ablution, standing, bowing,
prostrating, sitting postures
 Face Kabbah (in Mecca)
a Mihrab
 Prayers in Arabic.
 Additional Prayers optional
Mosque
Place of Worship
Masjid in Arabic
1st mosque in the world
was the Kaabah-- built by
Abraham on an order from
God.
Three holiest sites in Islam:
1) Masjid al-Haram in Mecca
2) Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina
3) Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem
Friday prayer key day of weekly gathering
The Call-to-Prayer (Al-adhan)

Muezzin
– “Caller-to-Prayer”

Minaret
– Tower (pictured)--part of Mosque

Recitation/Chant
– Testament of faith & call to prayer
Ablution (washing) before Prayer
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Charity (Zakat)
Required 2.5% charity on yearly savings
 A Muslim must be a charitable person
 Removing a stone from the road is charity
 Greeting with a smile is a charity
 Redistribution of wealth helps societies & people
 Muslims are usually motivated to donate even
more as optional charity
 God rewards charity givers very generously in
this life and in the hereafter.

Fasting (Ramadan-Siyam)
Ramadan is 9th month in Islamic Lunar calendar
 Daily dawn to sunset fast for 30 days (no food or
drink)
 Eidul-Fitr Holiday at the end
 This abstention includes food, drink and sexual
relations.
 Muslims believe the fasting person develops a
greater understanding of the plight of those who
go hungry every day.

Hajj (Pilgrimage)
 Pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah) once
in life time for able Muslims
 About 2-3 million Muslims perform
Hajj each year from all over the
world.
 Eidul-Adha: the biggest Muslim
Holiday
Eid Prayer – Islamic Holiday
Ethics
Muslim Character & Ethics
Faith requires
action
 Excel in goodness
 Enjoin what is right
 Forbid what is
wrong
 Be educated, seek
knowledge
 Have integrity, be
honest and sincere
 Be modest, humble
and pious

Be pure, clean, and
sober
 Be just, noble, and
steadfast
 Show forgiveness, be
kind and generous
 Be optimistic, thankful,
and happy
 Obey the 10
Commandments
 Trust God with all your
heart, mind and soul

Muslim Character & Ethics
Mankind is One
family
 If one person
suffers, everyone
suffers
 All life is sacred
 All human rights
should be protected
 Love one another
 Show moderation in
everything

Love for others what
you love for yourself
 Take care of orphans,
widows & the needy
 Defend the weak
 Free the oppressed
 Fulfill your trusts,
commitments &
promises
 Be just

Guidance from the Qur’an & Hadith
• Food
• Human Equality
• Justice
• Repel Evil with Goodness
• Suicide and Jihad
Food
Forbidden:
• Meat of animals found dead
• Blood
• Flesh of swine
• Alcoholic beverages (such as beer and
wine) and intoxicants
• Meat on which name of God is not
invoked at time of slaughtering or meat
on which some one else’s name is
invoked
Permitted: food of the People of the Book
Human Equality in Islam
The Prophet Muhammad said:
“No Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab,
nor does a non-Arab have any superiority
over an Arab. Nor does a white man have
any superiority over a black man, or the
black man any superiority over the white
man.You are all the children of Adam, and
Adam was created from clay.”
Justice in Islam
“Do not let your hatred of a people incite you to
aggression.” (Qur’an 5:2)
“Do not let ill-will towards any folk incite you so
that you swerve from dealing justly. Be just.”
(Qur’an 5:8)
“Oh you who believe, stand up firmly for justice, as
witnesses to God, even if it be against yourselves,
or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be
against rich or poor; for God can best protect
both. Do not follow any passion, lest you not be
just. And if you distort or decline to do justice,
verily God is well-acquainted with all that you
do.” (Qur’an 4:135)
Repel Evil with Goodness
 “Nor can goodness and evil be equal. Repel
(Evil) with what is better: Then will he
between whom and thee was hatred
become as it were thy friend and intimate!”
(Qur’an 41:34)
 “Those who spend (freely), whether in
prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain
anger, and pardon (all) men; for God loves
those who do good.” (Qur’an 3:134)
Suicide is a Grave Sin
“O ye who believe! Eat not up your
property among yourselves in vanities:
But let there be amongst you traffic and
trade by mutual good-will: Nor kill (or
destroy) yourselves: for verily God has
been to you Most Merciful!”
(Qur’an, 4:29)
No Terrorism
(Forbidden in Islam)
Islamic Rulings (Fatwah’s) condemned attacks on
September 11, 2001, the London bombings and
others
– Worldwide Islamic leaders signed on to these
condemnations
– Worldwide Islamic Organizations issued
condemnations
 Muslim anxiety over religious misinterpretations
– Feel that Islam and Muslims are being held
responsible unfairly for actions of “deviated
people.”



Islamic Jihad
Linguistic meaning: “Striving” / “Struggling”
Islamic meaning:



Non-violent struggling within oneself for a life of
virtue.
Fighting to establish justice, which is a supreme goal.
Rules of Engagement (Fighting) In Islam
~Commanded by Prophet Muhammad









Never Kill Innocent People
Never Injure Prisoners-of-War
Never Kill Animals
Never Destroy Crops or Infrastructures
Never Mutilate Bodies of Enemies--dead or alive
All Prisoners Should be Given Fair Treatment
Women & Children Should be Protected From Harm
Always Bury the Dead With Respect
Note: 1,400 Years BEFORE Geneva Convention
Sects
Sects within Islam
 There are divisions within Islam
– just as in Christianity, Judaism,
Hinduism and Buddhism
 Two primary sects: Sunni & Shi’a
– Sunni: ~85-90%
– Shi’a: ~10-15%
 including parts of Iran, Iraq, Bahrain,
Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan
 Third (Minor) sect: Sufism
– Mystical order
– May include Sunni and Shi'a followers
Sects within Islam
Sunni & Shi’a Muslims share the most
fundamental Islamic beliefs and
articles of faith.
Nature of the two divisions:

1)Political
• Succession of the Prophet
(Political Leadership)

2)Spiritual
• Veneration/worship of Imams
(Spiritual Leadership)
Sects within Islam
“Sunni” (“Sunnah” root): “one who follows the
traditions of the Prophet” -- “well-trodden
path” -- “tradition”
1) Successor to the Prophet should have
been the most capable leader, NOT based
upon bloodlines.
 This is what occurred.
2) Spiritual leadership is NOT a birthright,
born of community trust and respect
Approximately 85-90% of Muslims are from
the Sunni branch
Sects within Islam
Shi’a is from: “Shi’a-t-Ali” -- “partisans”
– “Party of Ali”
 1) Successor to the Prophet should
have been through bloodlines:
– First, Ali (son-in-law and cousin of
Muhammad)
– Then, through Fatima’s (Ali’s wife and
Muhammad’s daughter) children.
 2) Spiritual leadership is anointed
directly from Allah (God).
– Imam is sinless and infallible by nature.
Sects within Islam
•Sunni and Shi’a also differ in lesser ways:
•Sunni believe the al-Mahdi (vice-regent of
Allah) will arrive at/on Judgment Day
•Shi’a believe al-Mahdi is on earth, “Hidden”
and will emerge at/on Judgment Day
•Subgroups/”schools” of Sunni:
•Maliki, Shafi’i, Hanafi, Hanbali
(most conservative)
•Subgroups/”schools” of Shi’a:
•Ithna ‘Ashariyah (“Twelvers”--the largest),
Isma'iliyah and Zaydiyah
Women in Islam
Islamic Teaching About Women
 The keys to heaven lay at the feet of the
Mother.
 Your Mother deserves “3” times the
respect, honor, devotion & admiration
over the Father
 The Prophet said: He who is best to his
wife is best in the sight of Allah (God).
 The Prophet taught all to be Kind, Gentle
& Loving With Women
Pre-Islamic Status Of Women








570 A.D.
Very male chauvinistic  Not equal to men
society
 Given away by husband
No Rights - No Status
 Exchanged for goods &
services
No Inheritance
 Traded, bought & sold
No say in marriage
Meanwhile…
Considered property of
 Other nations doing the
husbands
same
Lost her name
 Some Christian Councils
Burden on society
still argued whether
women had souls
Her money, property,
belonged to the
husband
Post-Islamic Status Of Women
623 A.D.



Women = Men
Equal…
– In the sight of God
– In belief, prayer, fasting,
charity, pilgrimage
– Rewards & punishments
– Rights & status
Right to…
– Inheritance
– Initiate Marriage
– Initiate Divorce
– Choose In Marriage
– Keep Her Name
– Refuse marriage proposals
Right to…
– Own property
– Work
– Be educated
– Be protected by men
– Be respected, loved,
admired
 Can NOT be traded, bought,
sold
 All her money is hers
 All her property is hers
 Men required to give dowry in
marriage
 Asset to society
 Honored in society
 Integral part of all societal
affairs

Islamic Dress Pictures-Women
Hijab
‫حجاب‬
The Hijab primarily refers to a woman's head &
body covering
 Addresses the norms of modesty, privacy &
morality
 In the Qur’an: a headscarf or veil is a “khimār”

(‫)خمار‬
The Burqa: most extreme--not
even a woman's eyes are visible
Hijab
‫حجاب‬
Afghani Burqa
Iranian Hijab
Hijab Sportswear
Similar head coverings may been seen
across cultural lines and throughout
history -- see following pages a
Mosques
Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Taj Mahal, India
Medina, Mosque
( the Prophet’s mosque )
Medina, Mosque
( the Prophet’s mosque )
Dome of The Rock,
Jerusalem
Istanbul,Turkey
Cairo, Egypt
Damascus, Syria
Islamabad, Pakistan
Bombay, India
Jakarta, Indonesia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Rome, Italy
Dublin, Ireland
Guyana-Mosque
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA
Islamic Art
Islamic Arts
Islamic Arts
Islamic Arts
‫ترحيب إلى العالم اإلسالم‬
(Welcome to the world of Islam.)
‫و‬
‫شكرا جزيال‬
(Many thanks.)
‫مع سالم‬
(Go in Peace.)