Introduction to Islam
What is Islam?
The word Islam means:
“Peaceful submission to the will of God.”
Muslims submit to God through worship
and righteous living.
Islam is the second largest and fastest
growing religion in the world!
Islam is a prophetic religion.
Muslims worship Allah, which is the Arabic
word for God.
Who started Islam?
Muhammad is God’s final
prophet, called the “Seal of
the Prophets”
 Born in Mecca, Arabia in
~570CE
 Died in 632CE
 Worked as a travelling
merchant known for
honest dealings
 Gabriel appeared to him in
610, and began to recite to
him the verses that would
later be compiled into the
Qur’an

Other prophets recognized in Islam:

Noah

Abraham

Moses

Jesus
When did Islam start?
Muslims mark the beginning of Islam from
the Hijra, 622 C.E. (when Muhammad
went to Yathrib, which is now called
Medina).
The Hijra marks the beginning of the
Muslim calendar. 623 C.E. became 1 A.H.
(one year After the Hijra).
Where did Islam start?
Scriptures

The Koran
(Al Qur’an)
The Revealed
word of God

The Hadith
sayings and
actions of
Mohammed
Muslim Worship

Mosque (Masjid)
Imam – leader of prayer
 Muezzin – calls the faithful to prayer

Core tenets
Fundamental belief statement, the Shahadah: “There is no
God but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of
God.”
 Further beliefs outlined in Muhammad’s farewell speech,
recounted in the “Hadith”:

◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Belief in one God without images or icons
Equality of all believers without distinction of race or class
The importance of piety
Sanctity of life, property and honour
Abolition of interest and vendettas
Better treatment of women
Inheritances to be distributed among relatives of both
genders
◦ Fair distribution of wealth