Islam

Arabian Peninsula

HISTORY & ORIGINS

Mecca &Yathrib (Medina)

Important Cities

Kaaba

Prophet Gabriel orders him

to preach Mecca = unsuccessful Yathrib = successful

◦ Becomes Medina“city of the prophet”

◦ Commemorated as Hejira

Built an army and defeated Mecca

Muhammad

Qur'anic Name Biblical Name

Adam Adam

Idris Enoch

Nuh Noah

Hud -----

Salih Salih

Ibrahim Abraham

Isma'il Ishmael

Ishaq Isaac

Lut Lot

Ya'qub Jacob

Yusuf Joseph

Shu'aib -----

Ayyub Job

Musa Moses

Harun Aaron

Dhu'l-kifl Ezekiel

Dawud David

Sulaiman Solomon

Ilias Elias

Al-Yasa Elisha

Yunus Jonah

Zakariyya Zechariah

Yahya John

'Isa Jesus

Muhammad -----

1 Shahadah◦ Declaration of faith

الله رسول محمد لله َّ ااِل اِلَـَه آل“La ilaha illa Allah: Muhammadun rasulu Allah” –“No God but Allah: Muhammad is the prophet of Allah”

Teachings - 5 Pillars

2 Salat (Salah)◦ Prayers◦ 5 times a day◦ Facing East

Mecca

3 Zakat◦ Tax (Charity)

◦ 2.5 % of yearly income

4 Sawm◦ Fasting During Ramadan◦ Sunrise to sunset

5 Hajj◦ Pilgrimage

to Mecca◦ Exceptions

Physical Financial

Koran (Quran)◦ Exact word of God

as revealed to Muhammad

Text

Mohammad’s teachings◦ Written by his followers

Torah and Bible◦ Have stories similar stories

Parables Prophecy

The Koran

Conditions before Islam 600’s A.D. No Empire on the Arabian Peninsula-too

harsh of an environment People did come through the area to trade

Arabian Desert

Mohammed born 570 A.D. poor family Kuraish tribe, who dominate Mecca

◦ controlling much of the religious pilgrim trade raised by relatives-specifically an uncle

Mohammed Commercial agent for a wealthy widow

◦ supervising caravans from Mecca, north to Jerusalem

◦ contact with both Jews and Christians Made an impression on his boss and

married her◦ retired to devote himself to his principal interest ◦ religion

Mohammed (cont.) monogamous until his wife died eventually married nine wives last marriage at 53 to Aishah, daughter of a

friend wives: widows of friends or political

marriages

Early◦ Wasn’t successful◦ Threatened political, social, and religious

structures◦ Economy in Mecca◦ Left Mecca

Hejira◦ 622 AD-Start of the Islamic calendar◦ Arrived in Medina

Return◦ Returns to Mecca and wins

Career

The Deal Mecca preserved as a holy city and place of

pilgrimage◦ to preserve the economic prosperity

the Kaaba preserved as the central shrine◦ idols destroyed◦ story of its origins changed◦ pilgrimage as an act of faith

Similarities to Judaism and Christianity monotheism (defined a bit differently) insistence on the responsibility of human

beings final judgment and rewards angels and spirits practice of virtues

Early Problems Succession- Who would follow Mohammed? generated a permanent split in the Islamic

community◦ Sunnis◦ Shi’as

Sunni 85-90% of Muslims Any devout Muslim

can be caliph

Shiites 10-15% of Muslims Descendants of Ali

can be caliph (leader of Muslims)

Divisions

•Past-Ali and his son were assassinated (Shiites: Angry)•Present: Iraq-Sunni Minority, who gets the power. Attacks on each other bombings, fights.

What is this cartoon showing?

Why Islam was successful? Did not force conversion, Jews and

Christians had to pay “non-believer tax” Muslims were united…to die in battle was a

guarantee of eternal paradise Islam emphasized human equality How does that fit with what we know?