•Islam means submission; follower of Islam is a Muslim
•Basic Belief: There is only one God (Allah) and
Muhammed is his prophet.
•Founder: Muhammed (early 600s A.D.)
Place of worship: mosque
All contain a mihrab - a niche pointing to the
direction of Mecca (Holy city)
Kaaba – center of the Holy Mosque in Mecca
A muezzin calls the followers to prayer from the
minaret
•Sacred Texts: The Quran, the Hadith, the
Sunnah
Quran: God’s message revealed to
Muhammed by the angel Gabriel
Hadith: the life of Muhammed, what he said
and did
Sunnah: rules & regulations of Muslim life
according to Muhammed’s example
Five Pillars of Faith
1. shahadah or creed- statement of belief
There is no god but God and Muhammed is His Prophet.
2. salah or prayer- pray 5 times a day towards Mecca, before prayer
Muslims wash their face, hands, and feet
3. zakat or charity- 2.5% of wealth given to the poor; purification of
wealth
4. sawn or fasting- month of Ramadan, fast during daylight hours
5. hajj or pilgrimage- all able Muslims are required to make the
journey at least once
Spiritual Leader: no organized priesthood, anyone can
lead prayer but large mosques will have an imam to lead
prayers and preach
Denominations:
Sunni (majority); believe Muhammad’s successor
should be elected
Shi’ite; believe Muhammad’s successor should be
blood relative; Ayatollah is leader
Major Holiday: Ramadan- 9th month of the lunar calendar
commemorating the Koran being sent down to the people
Holy Places
Mecca
- birthplace of Muhammad
Medina
- city where Muhammad brought all the
city’s tribes under religion of Islam
Dome of the Rock
- where Muhammad ascended into heaven
Other terms:
• Caliph
– Religious/political leader of Islam
• Sufi
– Mystical sect of Islam
• Jihad
– War waged for Allah