The Kite Runner
Background Information:
Geography, Ethnicity, Religion
Afghanistan: Where is it?
Basic Afghanistan Timeline
• 300s  Afghanistan is a trading center along the Silk Roads that connect
China in the East with the Mediterranean in the West
• 500s  The giant Bamiyan Buddha statues were built, later to be destroyed
by the Taliban
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6Uv5LJ0Gb4
• 700s  Afghanistan is conquered by Muslims from Arabia
• 1300s  Afghanistan is conquered and made a part of Genghis Khan’s
Mongol Empire
• 1700s  Afghanistan begins to form as an independent nation, after freeing
itself from rule by Persia
• 1800s  Afghans win several wars against Russians and British trying to
imperialize the area
• 1960s  Afghanistan influenced by USSR during the Cold War 
Communists overthrow the King
• 1979  Soviet Union invades to keep Communists in power
• 1980s  Mujahedeen (Islamic militants) fight off Soviet power with the help
of the USA
• 1990s  Taliban (extreme Islamic militants) take over Afghanistan’s
government and horribly oppress the people
• 2001  USA invades to kick out the Taliban – we feared they were helping
Bin Laden to hide
• …instability still exists today
The Five Pillars of Islam
1. The Shahada
The
declaration of faith:
There is no god except God,
and Muhammad is His
Messenger.
1
2. The Salat
 Prayers performed 5 times a day:
* dawn
* noon
* late afternoon
* sunset
* before going to bed

Wash before praying.

Face Mecca and use a prayer rug.
2
2. The Salat (continued)
 The call to prayer by the
muezzin in the minaret.

Pray in the mosque on Friday.
2
3. The Zakat
 Almsgiving (charitable
donations).

About 2.5% of your wealth.
3
4. The Sawm
 Fasting during the holy month
of Ramadan.

No eating or drinking from
sunrise to sunset during
Ramadan.
4
5. The Hajj

The pilgrimage to Mecca.

Must be done at least once in a
Muslim’s lifetime.

2-3 million Muslims make the
pilgrimage every
year.
5
Pilgrims On
The Road to
And Camped
Outside of Mecca
P
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