The Birthplace of Three
Religions
Father Abraham
Abraham
Age: 105
Hagar
Sarah
Housemaid
Age: 90
Ishmael
Isaac
Jews believe that Isaac
was promised Zion- the
holy land.
Muslims believe the
promised land belonged to
Ishmael- Ishmael was the
one to be sacrificed, not
Isaac.
Arabs/Muslims
And so the conflict begins.
Jews/Christians
Religious Center
Three Religions:
•Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all
began in Southwest Asia (The
Middle East)
Jerusalem (located in Israel)
•A city where Jews, Christians,
Muslims have lived for centuries
The Basics
Three Religions Believe:
• One God
– monotheism
• Each led by a single person
• Set of sacred writings
Jerusalem
JUDAISM
History
• Hebrews - 1st monotheists
• Sacred writings
– The Torah – 1st 5
– Talmud – serves as “guide”/laws and
traditions.
• Called God “Yahweh” or
“Adonai” Written:“G-D”
• Yahweh spoke to Abraham, “Go to
Canaan” (present day Israel, the West
Bank, Gaza Strip, parts of Lebanon, and
Syria.)
• Abraham’s descendants are Jews
Interesting Facts: Noah had a son named Shem. This is where the Arabs come
from. Eber was Noah’s grandson (Hebrew comes from this).
Map of Abraham’s Journey
God told Abraham to leave Ur (South of Iraq near Basra). Abraham went to
Hara (Turkey), then to Canaan. Canaan became Judea, thus Judaism.
A Story of Exile
586 BC:
• Babylonians ruled Mesopotamia
• Babylonians (King
Nebuchadnezzer) destroyed the
First Temple built by Jews in Jerusalem
• Jews exiled to Babylon
1st Temple built by King Solomon
Rebuilding the Temple
536 BC: 50 years later…
• Persians took control of
Mesopotamia
• Jews allowed to return to
Jerusalem
• Temple was rebuilt
Second temple
2nd Temple in Jerusalem
Built by King Herod
Second Temple Destroyed
Roman Control:
• Jews revolted in 66AD
• Second Temple destroyed by Titus
(Romans) in 70 AD
• Romans forced the Jewish people to
leave-Jewish diaspora
• The Wailing Wall remains
Diaspora- Latin for “disperse”
Jewish Leaders…
• Encouraged Jews to replace
worship in the Temple with
prayer, study, and good deeds.
Places of Worship
• Jewish temple
• Synagogue
The star is a symbol of Zion
1800 Years Later…
• Jews lived outside of Jerusalem hoping it
would once again be home of Judaism.
The Jewish Diaspora
How can a dandelion
remind us of the
Jewish Diaspora?
DiasporaJews living outside Israel
･ the dispersion of the Jews beyond
Israel.
･ the dispersion of any people
from
This
is what happened to the
their
Jewish people and explains
original homeland
why they are in Europe and
Dia- “across” disperse
around the world.
What is Zionism?
• Zion- the hill of Jerusalem on which the city of David
was built.
･ Jerusalem.
･ (in Christian thought) The heavenly city or kingdom of
heaven.･ the Jewish people or religion.
･ the Christian Church.
• Zionism- the movement for the development and
protection of a Jewish nation in what is now Israel.
Just so you know…
On this land
Is the temple mount. The temple mount (Jewish holy
site) is where Abraham was going to sacrifice Isaac.
70 AD- 1947- Arab people lived on the land (for 2,017
years). The conflict is 3,500 years old.
1947- Declaration of Independence was kept a secret.
No longer Palestine…
May of 1948
The United Nations declared Israel
as a state.
Law of Return
The 1950 Law of Return allowed anyone
that was Jewish (including a spouse that
was Jewish or if one was of Jewish
ancestry) to immigrate to Israel and
claim full citizenship.
Terminology & Dietary
Restrictions
• Creation of Israel- Some Jewish people do not believe in the
creation of Israel. They believe that it is God’s place to find
Israel.
• Mizrahi- Jews living in Muslim lands
• Sephardim- Spanish Jews
• Kosher- beef, chicken, bread are kosher.
• Shrimp is not because by the time that got it from the sea, it
was bad. Jews are instructed not to eat anything that has not
been prepared in a kosher way (i.e. the animal was killed
correctly (hit the main artery in the neck); the process was done
the correct way. The rabbi must certify that the food does not
violate kosher laws as prescribed by the Hebrew Bible.
“No IFS, ANDS or BUTTS”- Use the front of the cow/animal
• Kosher salt?- I have no idea!
Jewish Bar/Bat Mitzahs
Prayers during Rosh Hashana
Orthodox Judaism:
A major branch within
Judaism that teaches strict
adherence to rabbinical
interpretation of Jewish law
and its traditional
observances.
Newly Discovered Synagogue
The Birth of Christianity
8 BC to 4 BC
• Jesus, Jewish boy
• Born in Bethlehem
in ancient Palestine
(Israel)
The Four Gospels
• Story of his life written 30 years
after Jesus’ death
• The Bible – Christian
sacred writings (Old and
New Testaments)
Early Life
• Jesus grew up Galilee.
• Baptized by his cousin, John the Baptist
• Jesus traveled preaching religion of love
and forgiveness, and performing
miracles.
• People (disciples) came to hear his words.
MESSIAH
Jewish People:
• Believed a Messiah, or Savior
would come to lead them out
of exile
Messiah:
• Some people believed Jesus was the Messiah
• Jesus became know as Christ, Greek for Messiah
means (Anointed One)
Christians: People who
believed in Jesus’ ideas and
teachings
Government & Religious Leaders:
•Feared Jesus’ teaching as threat to their power
•Jesus came to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover and was betrayed by
Judas, a Disciple
•Jesus was arrested, tried, crucified, and died. Disciples spread the word
that He had risen from the dead.
Gospels- Jesus’ life and teachings
Canaan
The Word
Jesus’ Disciples:
• Spread his teachings and their belief that he was
the Messiah promised in Jewish scripture
Roots in Judaism:
• New religion, Christianity, developed
Christianity:
• Based on life and teaching of Jesus
• Spread to other parts of world from Jerusalem
• Christianity evolved from Judaism
Places of Christian Worship:
• Church or Cathedral
Muhammad
Prophet of Islam
Muhammad
570 AD:
• Muhammad was born in Mecca
(Saudi Arabia)
• Founder of Islam
Mecca during Hajj
The Basics
Islam:
• Believe in one god and Muhammad is
his Prophet (person who speaks through
Divine inspiration)
Muslim:
• A believer in Islam
610 AD:
• Muslims believe God spoke
to Muhammad
Beliefs
Muhammad’s Teachings:
• Came from angel Gabriel, who
revealed the will of God
Gabriel:
• Sent revelations to
Muhammad for 22 years
Qur’an:
• Collection of revelations, sacred
text of Islam
Muhammad:
• Encouraged people to
worship one God, aid
the poor (included in
the 5 Pillars of Faith)
622 AD
Blue Mosque
Istanbul, Turkey
• Muhammad left Mecca for Medina
(where he later died)
• Government thought he
was a threat to
traditions and business
• Muslim calendar begins
from this year
• Ramadan is at different times because of the
Lunar calendar
• Mullah/Meuzzin (priest)
Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia
Prophet Mosque- Supposedly where Muhammad is buried
Medina
The Qur’an (Koran)
• Muslims believe that the Koran was the direct word of god and Muhammad.
• Muslims read the Koran from right to left.
• God spoke to Muhammad through the angel, Gabriel. Muhammad could not read or
write. Muhammad memorized what Gabriel revealed to him
and began preaching about the messages. Muhammad dictated the
Koran to scribes. The Koran is believed to be the actual word of god.
• Qur means “recite this”, thus the Koran means recitation.
• Muslims must be able to speak Arabic to read the Koran.
• Muslims believe that Jesus was a great prophet and was sent to preach exclusively to the
Jews; believe that He will return to judge everyone, including Muslims.
The Qur’an
Pages of the Qur’an
Religion’s Role in World Conflicts
“It’s not that simple!”
The “Pillars” of Islam
Profession
“There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is his messenger.”
Prayer
Pray formally five time a day.
Almsgiving
Pay a specified amount of money to assist the poor and sick.
Fasting
During Ramadan, no eating, drinking, & smoking from dawn to sunset.
Pilgrimage
Make at least one visit to Mecca.
These are the Five Sunni Pillars of Islam
Different Shi’i groups have seven or even ten pillars,
and recently some fundamentalist Shiites have
been trying to add Jihad as a sixth pillar.
The Five Pillars of Islam
• All Muslims practice the five pillars of Islam. It is like a checklist and if you
follow it, your faith is good.
• The pillar of prayer is at certain times of the day.
• Muslims used to pray toward Jerusalem, then restored the Kabba (rid of
pagan idols)
• Ramadan- You cannot let anything past your lips once Ramadan begins
from sun up to sundown, including water. You know that Ramadan
begins if you can tell the difference between a white/black thread in the
dark.
• Dietary restrictions: No pork! Beef must be drained of blood before you
eat it.
The Hajj
Mecca was a pagan city. The Kabba (black stone) was filled with idols. The black stone
was built by Abraham and was a rock that fell out of the sky. Abraham built it, thus
Muslims worship the god of Abraham. Muhammad tore out all the idols and restored it
back to what Abraham built.
Hajj customs: Muslims circle it 7 times; counter clockwise. Saudi Arabia is holy for
Muslims. Only Muslims are allowed to go to the holy land that they call Mecca.
The Pilgrimage:
•Ishmael was to be sacrificed instead of Isaac; Muslims visit a well.
•Muslims throw stones under a bridge; Muslims believe they are throwing stones at the
devil.
Prayer at Mount Arafat
Hajj is not complete unless you make it to the
afternoon prayers at Mt. Arafat.
The Station of Ibrahim is the
rock upon which Ibrahim
stood while erecting the
Kaaba. His son Ishmael
helped him erect it, by
passing him the rocks.
Station of Abraham
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
The Kaaba
Diagram of the Kaaba
A Turkish seamstress is
hired to make velvet
cloth for the Kaaba every
year. Use gold/gilded
thread. Kaaba is washed.
At end of Ramadan, they
start making the new
curtain for the next year.
Mosques
Pilgrims wear special clothes: simple garments which strip away
class distinction and culture so all are equal before God.
Ihram, the two seamless white sheets of cloth
Muslims in New Delhi, India
Muslims in New Delhi, India
Notice the
Muslim
architectur
e
The stoning of the stone pillars
at Mina exemplifies
Abraham’s rejection of
satanic temptations to
prevent him from sacrificing
Ishmael.
Someone is always watching!
Night at Muzdalifah
Location of the Zamzam Well
Zamzam- well that sprang up in the middle of the desert so Hagar and Ishmael could drink
Dome of the Rock
Jerusalem, Israel
The Dome of the Rock
• Earliest Islamic monument, begun 684.
octagonal plan.
• Site where Muhammad was taken to
heaven by the angel Gabriel and
deemed the messenger of Islam.
• The story says that Muhammad actually
died in Medina and was taken by horse
to Jerusalem and ascended to paradise
from the Dome of the Rock.
Sunni or Shia?
Sunni
• The Five Pillars are for Sunni only
• After Muhammad’s death, followers thought that Abu
Bakr (one of Muhammad’s prominent disciples) should
rule, so they claimed him as Caliph (leader or
successor).
• The followers of Muhammad should lead.
• The civil war between the Sunnis and the Shiites began.
• Secular- what you do that is NOT determined by
religion
• Saddam was Sunni; Sunni accept a more secular
government (of the world).
Typically 90% Sunni; 10% Shiite
Shia
• The Shiites wanted Muhammad’s son-in-law (Ali)
to lead; thought that the rightful leader should be a
direct descendant.
• During the battles, Ali was killed in southern Iraq,
thus the south of Iraq is holy to the Shiites. The
Shiites were the ones to break off from the Sunnis.
Fighting led to Ali being killed on the banks of the
Euphrates River.
• Some Muslims want to add additional pillars. Some
have 7-10 in addition to the 5 pillars. Examples:
Forbid what is evil; promote what is good; jihad
(this will not happen because it is only the external
struggle).
• Iran is Shiite
Religion’s Role in World Conflicts
“It’s not that simple!”
SUNNI
KURD
SUNNIS
ARABS
ARABS
SHI’I
ARABS
The Basic Beliefs of Islam
Sharia
Sharia is the legal and moral code of Islam. The Sharia is what Saudi
Arabia and Iran use for their laws. Sharia means the way that leads
to god. Both religious and non-religious aspects of life are covered
in the Sharia. The Sharia is based on the Qur’an.
•System of morals, religious
observance, ethics, and politics
•Covers religious and nonreligious ways
of life
–Guidance on how Muslims:
•wash
•eat
•pray
•maintain friendships
•conduct business
•govern
Islam, Judaism, and the
Holy Land
Jerusalem is located in the West Bank of Palestine and is considered
to be the Holy Land. The Israelis and the Palestinians fight over this
piece of land for religious reasons. Israelis are mostly of the Jewish
faith and Palestinian Arabs are mostly of the Islamic faith. People of
the Jewish faith consider Jerusalem to be the holiest city and
Muslims consider it to be the third holiest city. Jewish people
consider Jerusalem to be the holiest city because this is where
Abraham was ordered by God to sacrifice his son, Isaac at the
Temple Mount. Muslims think of Jerusalem as a very holy city
because this is where it is believed that Muhammad ascended to
heaven from the Dome of the Rock. The Jewish built a temple
which was destroyed by their enemies. They built a second temple
which was also destroyed. The Dome of the Rock was built in the
same location as the temples.
Jihad
Effort or struggle on behalf of the religion of Islam
Greater Jihad
Lesser Jihad
• “internal effort of each
person to overcome
temptation and lead a moral
• an armed struggle against
the enemies of Islam
life”
Martyrs – Muslims who have sacrificed their lives for their beliefs
(are often celebrated)
Religion’s Role in World Conflicts
“It’s not that simple!”
Religion, War, & Terrorism
Jihaad is an Arabic word meaning “effort” or “struggle”
Tens of thousands of
Do
religiousterrorists…
philosophies
Al-Qaeda
Is suicide terrorism
cause the most violence,
tied
to
religion?
suffering,
and war?
out of roughly
It can mean an external struggle like a war,
or an internal struggle, like fighting sin and temptation
Some Muslims even speak of jihaads against
poverty, political corruption, or disease
What type of jihaad is most important?
1.5 billion Muslims
Religion’s Role in World Conflicts
“It’s not that simple!”
The Breakdown
Every religious group has many internal conflicts
as well as external conflicts with other religions
Religion is a useful tool for attracting people to a
political cause they might not otherwise support
Therefore, understanding the religious factors can
still help people understand political conflicts
Religion’s Role in World Conflicts
“It’s not that simple!”
Islam’s Warriors
• Most conflicts are world-wide due to political reasons, not religion; It is who is going to
be in control of the political structure?; Who will own the land?
• The PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization) was originally political, for land, ethnic
differences; later promoted a religious tone.
• Hezbollah means “Party of God”
• In the Koran, Muslims talks about wars; much of this is taken out of context by radicals;
“kill the infadel” refers to wars during Muhammad’s time. Radicals take this out of
context and use for present day.
• Jihad means “struggle” or “effort”. The most important struggle is the internal struggle.
This means that if you have an urge for sin and temptation. There are jihads against
poverty, political corruption, and disease.
Arabs and Jews are closely related. Islam is the fastest growing religion
Religion’s Role in World Conflicts
“It’s not that simple!”
It’s never so simple…
All groups of people, including religions,
are made up of individuals & smaller groups
who often disagree with each other
Members of different religions have often
lived side by side in peace all over the world
Individuals and small groups often do
political acts in the name of an entire religion
Is it truly Religion?
• Tamal tigers- secular, non-religious group
• Tamal Tigers trying to take over Sri Lanka were the first suicide bombers. They
were trying to assassinate Rajvi Ghandi in early 90s (1992). Tamal tigers created
the suicide vest. There ideas are actually good-equal rights for women and
children, they want/are fighting for good things.
Al-Qaeda
• 1 out of 75,000 would be a terrorist. Roughly 20,000 out of 1.5 billion = 20,000
that is 1/75 would be a member of Al-Qaeda.
The Importance of
Jerusalem
• Sacred to Jews- Isaac; Adam was buried
there; 1st & 2nd temples built by God are there
• Muslims- Muhammad was carried and
ascended into Heaven- Dome of the Rock;
Dome of the Rock is also where Adam was
buried.
• Christians- Galgotha/Calvary