Exploring the Religions
of Our World
Chapter 4 Islam
Chapter 4 Islam
The Basics
Mohammad
God’s final
messenger
Islam
“surrender” or
“submission”
Abraham
ancestor to Jews,
Christians,
Muslims
Allah
“The God”
Chapter 4 Islam
Periods of Islamic History
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Chapter 4 Islam
History
Islam has always existed, beginning with Adam the
first man
Muhammad:
born in Mecca in about 570 CE
first revelation from the Angel Gabriel who
instructed him to be the messenger of Allah in
610
moved to Medina in 622
died in 632
Chapter 4 Islam
History (continued)
The first four caliphs :
• Abu Bakr – first to succeed Muhammad
• Umar – oversaw the expansion of Islam;
appointed a committee of six to choose his
successor
• Uthman – a member of the Umayyah clan;
was instrumental in the publication and
distribution of the Qur’an
• ‘Ali – Muhammad’s cousin
Chapter 4 Islam
History (continued)
The Sunni Muslims and Shi’ah Muslims share
fundamental beliefs and practices but are
divided on who is to lead Muslims – why?
Chronology of the division:
1. Uthman is assassinated
2. Ali succeeds him as caliph
3. Uthman’s cousin Mu’awiyah is also proclaimed
caliph
4. following a series of battles, an arbitrator rules
in favor of Mu’awiyah
5. ‘Ali is assassinated
Chapter 4 Islam
Chronology of division: (continued)
6. when ‘Ali’s son makes a claim to leadership, he and
his family are massacred
7. Shi’ah Muslims see Husayn as a martyr and remain
loyal to his family
8. The Sunni (the majority) accept the rule of the
Umayyads
9. the Sunni support a caliphate and call their leaders
caliph
10. the Shi’ah support an imamate and call their
leaders Imam
Chapter 4 Islam
History (continued)
Historical centers of Islam:
 Medina, Saudi Arabia
 Kufah, Iraq
 Damascus, Syria
 Baghdad, Iraq
Chapter 4 Islam
History (continued)
Literature
Philosophy
Medicine
Astronomy
Mathematics
Geography
Chemistry
Engineering
Muslim scholarship sought to reconcile reason and faith
which led to advances in:
Chapter 4 Islam
History (continued) The Nation of Islam
W.D. Fard Muhammad – African-American who spoke against
Christianity as a white man’s religion and called for the
establishment of a separate, African-American homeland
Elijah Muhammad – continued Fard’s message when he succeeded
him, expanding the Nation of Islam to other cities
Malcom X – leader in New York who challenged Elijah
Muhammad’s leadership and message before being
assassinated by rivals in 1965
Warith Din Muhammad – Elijah Muhammad’s son who succeeded
in bringing most of the Nation of Islam into union with Sunni
Islam
Louis Farrakhan – led members of the Nation of Islam who
opposed the more integrated ideology of Warith Din
Muhammad
Chapter 4 Islam
Sacred Stories and Sacred Scriptures


Qur’an
Qur’an
(Koran)
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most sacred book for Muslims
a collection of the revelations
Muhammad received directly from
God
contains God’s infallible words,
uncorrupted by human intervention
literally means “recitation”
divided into 144 surahs
Chapter 4 Islam
Sacred Stories and Sacred Scriptures (continued)


Sunnah
Qur’an

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second authentic source of authority
for Muslims
contains Muhammad’s words and
deeds as well as what he approved
and prohibited
it is Muhammad’s way of life
it goes hand in hand with the
Qur’an because one needs to fully
understand and live as a Muslim
Chapter 4 Islam
Beliefs and Practices
Belief in one God is the central belief of Muslims
La ilaha ilia Allah
wa Muhammadun rasul Allah
There is no god but God,
Muhammad is the Messenger of God.
Chapter 4 Islam
Beliefs and Practices (continued)
Core Tenets
Free will is an integral
part of being human
Muhammad is the
“Messenger of God”
God is very involved as a
guide in human affairs
God is the creator
and sustainer
of the universe
God gives life and
takes life away
God is the judge of all and
determines who will spend
eternity in heaven or hell
Divine providence
God is all-: loving,
powerful, knowing,
merciful, present
Chapter 4 Islam
Beliefs and Practices (continued)
Biblical prophets mentioned in the Qur’an:
Adam
Noah
Qur’an
Qur’an
Abraham
Moses
The
Aaron
Christian
Jacob and his sons
Job
Bible
Jesus
Beliefs and Practices (continued)
The Five Pillars of Islam
to Mecca
Hajj (Pilgrimage)
during Ramadan
Sawn (Fasting)
charity for the needy
Zakah (Almsgiving)
five times daily
Salah (Prayer)
There is no god but God,
Muhammad is the Messenger of God
Shahadah (Witnessing)
Chapter 4 Islam
Chapter 4 Islam
Sacred Times
prayer 5
times each
day
Eid al-Fitr
(Festival of
Breaking
the Fast)
Eid al-Adha
(Festival of
Sacrifice)
Ashura
(recalls
the Exodus
from Egypt)
Chapter 4 Islam
Sacred Places and Sacred Spaces
Mosque (Masjid ) - a place of public worship
Mecca, Saudi Arabia – the holiest city in Islam;
birthplace of Muhammad and site of his first
revelations
Medina, Saudi Arabia – second holiest city; place to
which Muhammad immigrated
Jerusalem, Israel – the place of Muhammad’s “Night
Journey”; place he ascended into heaven
Karbala, Iraq – the site of the massacre of the ‘Ali and
his companions and family
Chapter 4 Islam
Islam Through a Catholic Lens
Similarities between Muslims and Catholics
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The worship of the one God
The understanding of God as: living, subsistent,
merciful, almighty, Creator
The desire to submit to God’s decrees
The veneration of Jesus as a prophet
The invocation of the Virgin Mary
The anticipation of the Day of Judgment
The centrality of Family life
Social concerns: prejudice, poverty, environment
Chapter 4 Islam
Islam Through a Catholic Lens (continued)
Major Differences between Muslims and Catholics
• Muslims do not believe in doctrine of the Holy
Trinity
• Muslims do not acknowledge Jesus’ divinity
• Muslims do not believe Jesus suffered a
human death by crucifixion
Chapter 4 Islam
Vocabulary
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Islam
Muslim
Allah
Ka’bah
Hijrah
Caliphs
Qur’an
Imam
Calligraphy
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Surahs
hafiz
Hadith
Five pillars
Shahadah
Muezzin
Salah
Wudu
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Zakah
Sawm
Ramadan
Hajj
Ulama
Mosque
Adan