Islam
Submission to the One God
The Islamic World
Islam Overview
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meaning “surrender” or “submission”
Muslim, meaning “one who submits”
Over 1 billion adherents
World’s 2nd largest religion
World’s fastest growing religion
Deeply rooted in biblical traditions –
acknowledges Jesus as well as other Old
Testament prophets.
Islam is widely misunderstood by the
Western world
Islam: basic elements
1. The Qur’an
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Earthly center of Islam
Role of the Qur’an can be
compared to that of Jesus for
Christians
Source of fundamental teachings
Written in Arabic (one version)
Direct word of Allah revealed to
the prophet Muhammad and
written down in the present form
Lost in translation: a) poetry b)
subtle meanings conveyed
visually through the Arabic script
Islam: basic elements
2. The Prophet Muhammad
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Muhammad celebrated as the
most perfect of all human beings
like a “jewel among stones”
He had worldly success and was
a religious genius
Born 570 C.E. into the leading
tribe of Mecca
Orphaned at an early age, he was
raised by his uncle. Worked as a
shepherd and later in the trading
business, as a caravan manager
for a wealthy widow (Khadija), 15
yrs his senior– who he would later
marry
Long happy marriage, 6 children
Islam: basic elements
2. The Prophet Muhammad continued
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Religious climate –
polytheistic - pagan
Muhammad would retreat to
a cave on nearby Mount
Hira to contemplate religion
While in this cave he was
visited by the Arch-angel
Gabriel who commanded
him to “recite”. Muhammad
protested that he was not
capable – eventually asked
in desperation “What shall I
recite?”
Islam: basic elements
2. The Prophet Muhammad continued
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Gabriel answered: “Recite
the name of your Lord who
created – created man from
clots of blood. Recite! Your
Lord is the Most Bountiful
One, who by the pen taught
man what he did not know”
(Qur’an 96:1-4)
Event occurred in 610 C.E.
- Night of Power and
Excellence
Muhammad received more
revelations over the next 22
years until his death in 632
C.E.
Islam: basic elements
2. The Prophet Muhammad continued
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Muhammad's teachings were met with
opposition:
Defied the polytheism of the time
Taught of social and economic justice
which flew in the face of many
Meccans, who were not ready to give
up their corrupt ways
Faced with hostility, Muhammad and
his followers migrated to Yathrib
(Medina) in 622C.E – event known as
the Hijra “emigration”
Muslim base their system of dating on
the Hijra – A.H (after Hijra)
8 years later, after battles, Muhammad
returned in triumph to Mecca – most of
Arabia had converted to Islam
Islam: basic elements
2. The Prophet Muhammad continued
Seal of the Prophets
 Muhammad is the final prophet, revealing
the will of Allah fully and precisely
 Earlier prophets: Abraham, Moses, and
Jesus, also revealed God’s will, but only
partially. There is no need for God to send
another
 To Christians, Jesus is the “sacred
presence”, to Muslims, the Qur’an is the
“sacred presence” Muhammad is the
deliverer of this “sacred presence”
 Muslims regard Jesus as one of two human
to have been conceived by God.
 Muhammad is the best of all humans – his
actions and teachings together with the
teachings of the Qur’an make the Sunnah
Islam: basic elements
2. The Prophet Muhammad continued
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Muslims attempt to imitate
Muhammad’s earthly
experiences
Ascension to Heaven – Muslims
believe Muhammad was
miraculously transported from
Mecca to Jerusalem. From
there he ascended with the
archangel Gabriel through the
seven heavens. He saw Moses,
Abraham, and Jesus, and was
then in the very presence of
Allah
The Ascension is one of two
miracles involving Muhammad
(the other is the production of
the Qur’an
Islam: basic elements
3. Islam’s Central Teachings
Ultimately based on the Qur’an and, secondly on the Sunnah of
the Prophet Muhammad
 Muslim theologian disagreements during the first 2 centuries
explains Islam’s diversity – dependant on location (Islam in Saudi
Arabia tends to be more conservative that of Egypt) however all
agree on the following:
1. Allah: The One God. Initially regarded as a special deity – Islam
changed this decisively, for monotheism
 Allah is transcendent and suprapersonal while also is immanent
and personal. Therefore Muslims avoid assigning a gender to
Allah and artistic representations depicting human
characteristics. Rather Allah has been given 99 names – serve
to provide Muslims with a variety of descriptive expressions
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Islam: basic elements
3. Islam’s Central Teachings
2. The Prophets: Messengers of Allah:
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Divine will is provide through the prophets
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Thousands of prophets have existed, only
an elite few have changed the nature
humankind’s relationship with Allah
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Adam – first man
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Abraham – father of the Arab people and
Israelites
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Ishmael – Abraham’s son – moved to
Mecca
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Moses – Allah’s ethical laws in the from of
the 10 Commandments
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Jesus – Golden Rule “Do onto others as
our would have them do unto you”
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Muhammad – Seal of the Prophets
Brief Lineage of Islamic Prophets
Adam
Noah
Abraham
Isaac
Ishmael
Daniel
Solomon
Muhammad
Jesus
Islam: basic elements
3. Islam’s Central Teachings
3. Human Nature and Destiny
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Human nature is good, but people
forget this. (When Adam and Eve
as the forbidden apple they caused
a state of forgetfulness to come
upon them)
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When people forget their goodness,
their passions can lead them to sin
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Human destiny is dependant on the
outcome of this struggle for
goodness
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Reward: Paradise for the righteous,
Hell for the evildoers
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Day of Judgment
Sequence of Events
1st Coming of the Mahdi – savior figure
similar to Judaism’s Messiah – will
restore Islam and bring order to
Earth
2nd Jesus will return to Jerusalem and
usher in the Day of Judgment
3rd Day of Judgment – when all humans
stand before Allah, and the destiny
of each will be made known
“It is the day when every soul will stand
alone and God will reign supreme”
Qur’an 82
Islam: basic elements
3. Islam’s Central Teachings
4. The Nature of the
World
 The natural world,
being a creation of
Allah, is good and
worthy of reverence
 Science is a means of
knowing more about
Allah’s perfect creation
Islam: basic elements
4. The Community of Muslims
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Umma – community of all
Muslims. Transcends the
boundaries of race, ethnicity
and language
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Shari’ah divides actions into
5 categories: obligatory,
recommended, indifferent,
disapproved, and forbidden
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Brotherhood and sisterhood
based solely on religion
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Shari’ah law originally
intended to be applied both
religiously and politically
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Community united through
Shari’ah or divine law –
drawn from the Qur’an and
the Sunnah.
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Modern time, Shari’ah law
is the basis of government
including Saudi Arabia, Iran,
and Pakistan
Practices and Social Teachings
The Five Pillars – basic framework for life
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Confession of Faith
Shahada “There is no god
except God. Muhammad is
the messenger of God”
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To be stated freely and
with conviction – officially
makes a person a Muslim
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Prayer
Pray 5 times:
Ritual washing of hands
and face
Prostrations in the direction
of Mecca
Usually Using
a prayer rug
Friday prayers
usually held in
a mosque
and led by an
imam
Practices and Social Teachings
The Five Pillars – basic framework for life
3.
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Fasting
Fast during the month of
Ramadan (dawn until sunset)
Avoid eating, drinking,
smoking, and engaging in
sex.
Exemptions: If you are sick,
making a difficult journey,
menstruating, pregnant or
breastfeeding
Done to gain insight into the
situation of people who are
less fortunate, fosters
awareness of mortality, helps
focus attention on moral and
religious concerns, and
health
4.
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Wealth Sharing
Helps ensure the economic
welfare of the entire Muslim
community
Required to contribute 2 ½ %
of the value of their
possessions to the public
treasury
Poor people are exempt
Wealth spent on matters of
public concern – ie education,
cultural institutions
In addition, act of charity
should be performed regularly
Practices and Social Teachings
The Five Pillars – basic framework for life
5.
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Pilgrimage
Once in life (if they can afford and
are physically able to) all Muslims
are to journey to Mecca – the Hajj
Allah forgives the sins of all those
who make the journey with
reverence
Those who die on their journey to
Mecca become a martyr and enter
paradise
Pilgrimage captures of communal
ideal of Umma – Muslims gather in
Mecca to celebrate their religion
regardless of worldly differences
Male pilgrims wear white –
symbolize purity and equality.
Females wear simple clothing
typical of their homeland
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Pilgrim takes place during a specific
month, lasting at least 15 days
Rituals include circling the Ka’ba
Ka’ba – stone cubic structure
believed to have been built by
Abraham
Located in the courtyard of the great
Mosque