Transcript Document 7175582

Islam
Unit Three
Introduction
 Islam means “submitting to God” and a person
following this religion is called a Muslim, one who
“submits to God and finds peace in Him”
 Muslims believe that the angel Gabriel gave a
series of revelations from God to Muhammad, the
last prophet sent to humanity by God.
 Islam is the second largest and fastest growing
religion in the world, with 1.2 billion believers.
 Over 50 countries have a population that is mostly
Muslim.
 Over 650,000 Muslims live in Canada.
At the end of this unit you should
know………..
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The origins of Islamic beliefs.
Role and contributions of Muhammad.
The origins of the Qur’an or Koran.
Islamic beliefs, practices, festivals and rituals.
Understand the significance of fasting and prayer
to Muslims.
The symbols of Islam.
Key events in the development of Islam.
Religious groups within Islam.
The status of women in Islam.
Origins
 Muslims believe the central figure in the emergence of the
religion of Islam was the prophet Muhammad.
 Muhammad received direct revelations from God through
the Angel Gabriel. With these revelations “burned into his
heart” Muhammad led Arabia in belief in the oneness of
God.
 Muslims regard Muhammad with great reverence and say
“peace be upon him” whenever they mention his name.
 He was born in 570CE in Makkah (now Mecca). At the time
people were divided into tribes, his being Quraysh, the
most respected one.
 In the year 610, Muhammad had his encounter with
Gabriel in a cave on Mount Hira. Gabriel embraced him
and commanded him to read a passage and Muhammad
responded that he couldn’t or wouldn’t. Gabriel insisted,
and after three requests Muhammad agreed. This is what
he read………
Read! In the name of thy lord
and cherisher, who
Created man out of a mere clot of
congealed blood:
Proclaim! And thy lord is most
Bountiful.
He who taught (the use of) the pen
Taught man that which he knew not
Qur’an 96:1-5
 For the next 23 years Muhammad received a
series of revelations. These were assembled to
form the sacred text of Islam called the Qur’an
(Koran).
 Muhammad began to preach these revelations
and at first , few listened. Some even saw him as a
threat and plotted to kill him. He continued his
mission for 9 years until his wife died, followed
soon after by the death of his uncle, in 619. This
became known as the year of sorrow.
 With his life in danger, Muhammad fled to the city
of Yathrib, now Medina. This is known as the
Hijrah, which means migration.
 Muslims believe that before leaving Makkah,
Muhammad went through two special
experiences….
 1. The “Night Journey” involved Muhammad,
accompanied by Gabriel, on a winged horse called
the Buraq (lightning), travelling from Makkah to
Jerusalem.
 2. Upon arriving they ascended through the seven
heavens. The Ascension is known as the Mi’raj.
 First heaven, they met Adam, second they met
John and Jesus, then five more heavens where
they met Joseph, Enoch, Aaron, Moses and lastly
Abraham.
 Finally, Muhammad approached the Throne of
God, coming within two bow lengths of God
Himself.
 After the hijrah, Muhammad established a Muslim
community in the city of Medina (the city of the
prophet).
 The Quraysh of Makkah were alarmed by this and
offered Muhammad wealth, beautiful women and
the absolute leadership of the Quraysh. When this
failed they saw that the only alternative was to kill
Muhammad.
 Jihad has been translated to mean Holy war, but
actually it means “striving.” Muslims are called to
strive to follow God’s commands.
 Three battles proved to be significant in the
unification of Arabia, under the religion of Islam.
 Battle of Badr – Muhammad’s army of 313
defeats Makkah’s army of 1000.
 Battle of Uhud – Makkan’s return with an
army of 3000 to score a victory. Despite
their victory they return home without going
the extra three kilometers to sack Madinah.
 Battle of the Trench – Makkans return with
an army of 10,000. Muhammad orders a
trench be built around the city. The Makkans
are unable to take the city and return home.
 These battles solidified the position of Islam
in Madinah.
The Conquest of Makkah
 In 630CE, in what is commonly referred to as the
“conquest of Makkah”, Muhammad led a group of 10,000
into Makkah, with little opposition.
 The citizens of Makkah were assembled before him and
Muhammad forgave them for their persecution of Muslims
and told them they were all free.
 A major transformation took place; the people now began
to accept Muhammad’s teachings and he left without
leaving a single soldier behind.
 In 632, Muhammad, along with 140,000 Muslims, visited
Makkah to perform his last pilgrimage. He stopped at
Mount Arafat and delivered what is known as his “farewell
sermon.” Some of the things he said in this sermon are as
follows:
 Believe in one God.
 Equality for everyone, no matter what race or
class.
 The sanctity of life, honor and property.
 Better treatment of women.
 The Qur’an serves as the basis of law and human
life.
In this sermon Muhammad offered forgiveness for
anyone who had done wrong and summarized the
core of Islamic teaching.
In June of 632 Muhammad died at the age of 63.
Prophet
Islamic Perspective
Jewish Perspective
Christian Perspective
Noah
Warned people of the error of their
sinful ways, built an arc, survived the
flood, rebuilt civilization and shared
new laws governing God’s creation.
Same as Islam
Same as Islam
Abraham
One of seven prophets who received
scriptures from god. Taught people to
Abandon idolatry. He is the source of
two prophetic familes: the Arab
lineage through his son Ismael and
Ismael’s mother Hagar.
Seen as the patriarch of the
Jewish faith. Taught people
to worship one God. The
Hebrew line developed from
his son Isaac, who was the
son of Sarah.
Same as Judaism
Moses
Sent to proclaim the one God to the
idolaters of Egypt. Moses is
mentioned over 200 times in the
Qur’an and is highly regarded in
Islam. Used miracles to demonstrate
God’s power to the Egyptians.
Received the ten commandants from
God.
Agrees with the Islamic
position but adds that Moses
was sent by God to free the
Hebrews from slavery in
Egypt and leading then to the
promised land. He was also
sent to give the Jews God’s
law. (10 commandments)
Same as Judaism
Jesus
Jesus was born dramatically by the
virgin Mary and performed many
miracles. The Qur’an denies that
Jesus was divinely appointed by God
or that he died on the cross. They
believed he never died, ascended into
heaven and will come again to help
humanity.
Holds no formal view of
Jesus.
Jesus is the son of God and
part of the holy trinity. Jesus
was born of the virgin Mary,
suffered persecution, was
crucified and died, and rose
again after three days. He
ascended into heaven and
will come again to judge the
living and the dead.
Holy Places
 Mecca is the holiest city of the Muslim faith.
Contained in its Mosque (Muslim holy place
of worship) is the Ka’bah, which Muslims
revere as the house of God.
 Every Muslims daily prayers are directed
towards this cubical stone structure.
 The second holiest city of Islam is Medina,
where Muhammad took refuge and began
his teachings.
 Called the “city of the Prophet” , it is the site
of the first Mosque of Islam, known as the
prophet’s Mosque.
 The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem is the
third holiest site in Islam.
 Muslims consider it the place where
Muhammad ascended into heaven.
 It is also the place Muhammad visited on his
night journey.
 With its obvious connection with Christianity
and Judaism, Jerusalem is considered the
holiest city in the world.
Islamic Beliefs
 Muslim belief is summarized in their creed,
which is called the Shahadah.
 This creed is the organizing principle around
which all other beliefs are formed.
“ There is no God but God and Muhammad is
the Messenger of God.”
 Muslim’s believe God’s proper name is Allah.
 The belief in an omnipotent, omniscient and
omnipresent God is central to the Muslim faith.
 Remember, the word Islam means submission to
God! Islam is therefore not only a belief in one
God but also a way of life.
 Muslims believe in equality between the body and
soul, permitting a full enjoyment of all the good
that God has created, while at the same time
giving everyone duties towards God, such as daily
prayer, fasting, charity, etc.
 They also believe in the universality of the call,
without distinction of class, race or tongue. Only
God is superior.
The Day Of Judgment
 Muslims believe that everyone has a soul which after death
moves on to an afterlife.
 “ Well-being in this world and well-being in the hereafter.” A
Muslim should not neglect one for the other.
 The body is reconfigured after death so that it may stand
before God on the Day of Judgment. It is on this day that
the soul is sent to Paradise or Hell.
 Paradise is described as beautiful and majestic. It is the
reward for living a just life.
 Hell is described as a place of torment and anguish.
 You can avoid hell by sincerely submitting to God and
obeying his commands.
The Five Pillars of Islam
 The First Pillar – Shahadah – Declaration
of Faith.
 Consists of two declarations, “There is no
God but God” and “Muhammad is the
messenger of God.”
 The Shahadah is Muslim’s announcement to
the world that they sincerely believe in and
follow the Qur’an.
 The Second Pillar – Salat – Mandatory prayer
five times a day.
 Prayer five times a day is mandatory; before
dawn, mid-day, late afternoon, after sunset and
after dark.
 Muslims recite prayers and a series of
movements as part of the salat.
 Prior to prayer a person must perform a ritual
cleansing known as Wudu, which means “making
pure or radient.
 Sometimes the entire body has to be cleansed in a
process known as ghusl, which is mandatory after
sexual intercourse, menstruation, nocturnal
emissions or childbirth.
 The Third Pillar – Zakat – Mandatory alms
giving.
 Paying the zakat alms is compliance to a
divine injunction gladly performed by sincere
Muslims for the sake of and in the name of
God. It means to “purify or increase”
 Islamic law states that a person should give
alms valued at 2.5% of their surplus wealth
over the period of one year.
 The Fourth Pillar of Islam – Sawm –
Mandatory fasting.
 For the entire month of Ramadan Muslims
are forbidden to eat, drink, smoke or have
sexual relations from dawn until dusk.
 It is an act of worship where the Muslim
community dedicates a month to
considering the benevolence of God and
abstaining from some of the pleasures of life
in order to develop spiritual purity.
 Exceptions are made for those who are old,
sick, or on a journey, as well as young
children.
 The Fifth Pillar of Islam – Hajj –
Mandatory pilgrimage to Mecca.
 The Hajj is undertaken by any Muslim in the
world who has the health and means to
make the pilgrimage.
 The last day of the Hajj commemorates the
day God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son
Ismael at Mina. Pilgrims throw seven
pebbles at three tall stone structures (called
the jamraat) that represent satan.
The Mosque
 Every Friday Muslims offer congregational prayers at the
local Mosque. This is mandatory.
 Most Mosques have a dome and/or minaret (tower) from
which the call to prayer is issued. They also have a steady
supply of water to perform the wudu before prayer.
 Before entering, worshippers remove their shoes and pray
on the floor which is covered with carpets. Women pray
separately so both genders can avoid distractions.
 Prayers are led by an Iman, who speaks from an elevated
platform called a minbar.
 Each mosque has a small arch on one wall that points to
the Ka’bah. Called a mihrab, it provides a focal point for
prayer.
Festivals
 The Ramadan Fast – during the month of
Ramadan.
 Eid al-Fitr – festival of the breaking of the fast, first
day of the tenth month of the Islamic year.
 Eid-al-Adha – tenth day of the twelfth month, it is
the great festival of sacrifice.
 Milad ul-Nabi – Muhammad’s birthday.
 Mi’raj – celebrates the night journey, on the 27th
day of the seventh month.
 Islamic New Year – first day of the first month.
Early Life
 Muslims believe children are born free of sin. The child is
pure with a natural inclination for goodness and virtue.
 After a child is born a ceremony called the Adhan is
performed. The baby is washed, then the father whispers
the call to prayer in the child’s right ear and the Iqamah,
the command to rise and worship, in the child’s left ear.
 Seven days after the birth, a name-giving ceremony called
the Aqiqah is performed. First the father reads from the
Qur’an, then the child’s name is announced. During the
ceremony the child’s hair is cut and its weight in silver is
donated to the poor. Males are later circumcised in a
hospital. (Khitan)
 Abdullah, which means servant of God or Abdur-Rahman,
which means servant of the merciful one, are the names
Muhammad said would be most pleasing to God. Muslims
may choose one of these names, one from the list of 99
beautiful names that describe God or a family name.
Marriage
 The hope of a Muslim union in marriage is a strong family,
whose members seek to know and live the will of God.
 One controversial aspect of Islamic tradition is Polygamy,
married to more than one person at the same time. Within
the Islamic tradition, polygamous marriages can provide
women with the opportunity to marry in societies where
there are more women than men. It also provides an
opportunity for widows to remarry.
 Muslims believe it is a sign of great tolerance and
understanding for a woman to agree to share her husband
with another woman. A man must first obtain the
permission from his first wife before taking on a second.
 A Muslim man can marry up to four women.
 The vast majority of Muslim marriages are monogamous.
Death
 Muslims hope that when they die they reach
Paradise.
 Burial should preferably take place on the day the
person died. The body is taken to the grave site,
where mourners throw handfuls of earth into the
grave while reciting chapters from the Qur’an.
Three days of mourning is observed.
 Muslims believe the deceased is visited by two
angels who question the person about his or her
life, faith and good or evil deeds while on earth.
Sacred Writings
 The holiest book in Islam is the Qur’an, which means
recitation. It is usually chanted or read aloud. Muslims
believe it contains, as revealed by Muhammad over 23
years, the word of God!
 Criticism of the Qur’an is not permitted at anytime.
 Muslims believe the angel Gabriel conveyed the Qur’an to
Muhammad and therefore, to all humanity. Even translating
it into another language is not considered the true word.
 The messages of the Qur’an were at first transmitted orally,
but eventually a manuscript was prepared. All copies have
to exactly like the original.
 The Qur’an is made up of chapters called
Surahs, which are named based on
significant incidents or words from the text.
 Each Surah is made up of ayats or verses. It
literally means signs and everyone, except
for the ninth chapter, begin with “In the
name of Allah, the most compassionate, the
most merciful.”
 The Hadith or Sunnah is the second most
important source of Islamic law. (Shari’ah)
 There are three kinds……sayings directly
associated with Muhammad, an action or
practice of Muhammad and his silent
approval of someone else’s actions.
Islamic Sects
 Sunni – approx. 855 of the world’s Muslims. Derived from
the word sunna, which means well-trodden path. Believe
and follow the traditions of the prophet.
 Shi’ah – known as the “party of Ali” they believe that before
his death, Muhammad chose his son-in-law, Ali, as his
successor. Because Abu Bakr was chosen instead of Ali, a
political division was created that later became doctrinal.
They believe that after Muhammad’s death a series of
infallible leaders called Imans were to take charge of Islam.
Shi’ahs dominate religion and politics in Iran and have a
minority in Irag, Pakistan, East Africa and India.
Women and Islam
 According to the Qur’an, men and women are
equal!!!
 Women wear a hijab, similar to the robes of a nun.
They wear it as an expression of their modesty.
Muslim’s in the west wear it as a way to maintain
their distinct Muslim identity.
 A woman who wears the hijab will not attract
unwanted attention to her body and therefore
attention would given to her personality, ideas and
intellect.
Muslims In Canada
 650,000 in Canada.
 Canadian Society of
Muslims, founded by
Dr. M. Qadeer Baig,
led a campaign to
remove discriminatory
material about Islam
from Ontario school
books.