Islam & The Muslim World
Unit Five
The Middle EastBased on the map to the right, why would the Middle East be a central location for cultures and ideas to spread?
The Arabian Peninsula
Which countries make up the Arabian Peninsula?
The Bedouins● People who lived on the Arabian Peninsula● Organized into clans (tribes)
○ Provided security and a way of life in the harsh desert● Believed in courage, loyalty to family, and having defensive
skills
Mecca● Holiest city in Islam● Home of an ancient shrine
○ Ka’aba● At first, Ka’aba was associated with
Abraham○ Review! Which religion is Abraham
associated with?
Allah● In Arabic, refers to God in Abrahamic religions● In English, refers to the Islamic God
Islam & Muslim● Islam- “submission to the will of Allah”● Muslim- “one who has submitted”
The Prophet Muhammad
What is a prophet?A person who speaks for God or a deity
Muhammad the Prophet● Very religious man
○ Often meditated and prayed● The angel Gabriel spoke to Muhammad in a cave in Mecca
○ Gabriel was the messenger of Allah
The Hijrah● Many people were upset with Muhammad’s teachings
○ Neglect of traditional Arabic gods○ What religion does the remind you of?
● After several attacks, M. and his followers left Mecca and traveled to Medina○ This journey is known as the Hijrah
The Hijrah
Return to Mecca● 8 years later, M. & 10,000 followers returned to Mecca
○ Most Meccans joined umma (the Muslim community)
Result: Most of the Arabian Peninsula was united under Islam
ProphetsWhat other prophets, who we have learned about, could we compare Muhammad to?
Beliefs & Practices of Islam
The Five Pillars1. Faith2. Prayer3. Alms4. Fasting5. Pilgrimage
Pillar One: Faith● Testify and live by the following statement:
“There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”
Pillar Two: Prayer● Pray 5X per day facing Mecca
○ Muslims may pray at a mosque, or the Muslim house of worship
Mosques & Prayer
Pillar Three: Alms● Remember, M. believed is helping those less fortunate.
○ Muslims give alms (money for the poor) through a special religious tax
Pillar Four: Fasting● During Ramadan (the Islamic holy month) Muslims fast
between dawn and sunset○ Reinforces that spiritual needs are more important than
physical ones
Ramadan● An Islamic holiday, which celebrates the first revelation of
the Koran to Muhammad○ The 9th month of the Islamic calendar
Pillar Five: Pilgrimage● The Hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca
○ A pilgrimage is a religious journey● Those who are physically and financially able to travel to
Mecca must do so at least once.
Mecca
Other Islamic Customs & Laws● No pork● No alcohol
Friday afternoons for communal worship
Islamic Sources of Authority
Relationship to Allah● Muslims are expected to worship Allah directly, not through
another authority such as a priest
Source of Authority● Allah is the original source of authority
○ Muhammad’s followers memorized the revelations Gabriel revealed to him
● After he died, they composed the Koran (Qur’an)○ The Islamic holy book
Language● Arabic is the language of the Koran
○ Only Arabic used in worship● As Islam spread, so did Arabic
○ Used to unite conquered peoples
*Today, Arabic is the 5th most spoken language in the world.
Comparisons to Christianity & JudaismSimilarities:
● Allah is the same God who is worshipped in C & J● Heaven, hell, and judgement day● Trace their ancestry to Abraham
Differences:
● Jesus is a prophet, not God’s son● Muhammad is the final prophet & the Koran is the final
perfected version of God’s word