Stereotypes and Islam“a conventional and usually oversimplified conception or belief”
• All Muslims are Arabs– Most Muslim actually live in
Asia and Africa, not the Mid-East
• Muslims are violent and promote terrorism– Jihad (struggle)
• Physical struggle against enemies of Islam– Enemies can be
attacked by the heart, the tongue, the hand, or the sword
• Struggle to build a good society
– Islam is considered a religion of peace• There is NOTHING in the
Koran that supports terrorism
• Muslims oppress women– Historically promoted women’s rights– Koran grants right to inherit property,
conduct business, education and right to divorce
– Most oppression is a cultural tradition not part of Islam
• Women are forced to wear a hijab (headscarf) or burka– Rules of modesty are open to
interpretation
Abraham
Ishmael• Son of Abraham and
Hagar, his servant• Sent away into the
desert• Hagar found water
where Ishmael’s heels touched the sand– Called Zamzam well,
where Mecca was founded
• Abraham visited Arabia– Built holy sanctuary at Zamzam– Called Ka’Bah (cube)
Abraham
Hagar
Ishmael
12 Arabian Tribes
Sarah
Isaac
Jacob
12 Tribes of Israel
Esau
Basic Beliefs
Muhammad• Prophet Muhammad
was an Arab– born in 570 CE, in Mecca
• present-day Saudi Arabia
• merchant known as “al-Amin,” – the trustworthy one
• In 610 CE, had a vision of the angel Gabriel, (a figure in Hebrew Bible)– Hira cave
– gave him messages from God, called Allah in Arabic
• Muhammad spread the messages he received from Allah
• Supported by his wife, Khadijah
• In 622 CE, forced to flee Mecca for Medina– known as the Hijrah
• In 632 CE, Prophet Muhammad died– Islamic control of central
Arabia was well underway
Basic Beliefs
Koran• Islamic holy scriptures
– contains the Word of God as received by Muhammad
• 114 suras (chapters), written in Arabic
• Another book of scripture like the Torah and Bible Gospels– Others were corrupted,
however, so Koran is most correct
• Gives directions for daily life, as well as the afterlife
Hadith• Life and teachings of
Muhammad– Including revelations
• Six volumes which Muslims use as a model to live by
“He has revealed to you the Book with the truth, confirming the scriptures which preceded
it; for He has already revealed the Torah and the Gospel for the guidance of men, and the
distinction between right and wrong.”
Basic Beliefs
“Peoples of the Book”• Non-Muslims
– Christians and Jews
• Allowed religious freedom, but paid additional taxes
Sharia• Moral code and religious
law of Islam– Secular laws
• Crime, politics, economics
– Personal laws• Halal (diet and life)
– No pork, alcohol, etc
• prayer, fasting
• Two sources of Sharia law– Precepts of Koran– Example of Prophet
Muhammad
• Interpreted by Islamic judges– Mufti, Mullahs, etc
Adam
Noah
Abraham -- JEWS
Moses
Jesus -- CHRISTIANS
Muhammad
Observances: 5 Pillars of Islam
• Shahada– Testimony or declaration of
faith– Declares oneness with Allah
and Islam
– “There is no god worth of worship except God, and Muhammad is His Messenger”
• Salat– Mandatory prayers
performed 5 times a day• Dawn• Noon• Late afternoon• Sunset• Before going to bed
– Face Mecca and use prayer rug
– Rakahs: specific bowing positions
– Pray in the mosque on Friday– “Allahu akbar!’”(God is
great!)
Observances: 5 Pillars of Islam
• Zakat– Almsgiving of about
2.5% of your income– Muslims believe that
all things belong to God
– Means both ‘purification’ and ‘growth’
• Sawm– Fasting during the
holy month of Ramadan• Time of purification and
religious devotion
– No eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset
– Eid-al-Fitr• End of the Ramadan
holiday
Observances: 5 Pillars of Islam
• Hajj– Pilgrimage to Mecca– To be done at least once in a
lifetime, if possible– 2-3 million Muslims make the
pilgrimage every year• Can be called hajji after they’ve
returned
– Specific guidelines for worshippers• Men
– Shave heads and wear white clothing
• Women– Wear clothing of native country– Head must be covered
• First, walk 7 times counter-clockwise around the Ka’Bah
• Next, run seven times between hills of As-Safa and Al-Marwah
• Spend night at Mina, then meet in the morning at the plain of Arafat
• Pray from noon to sunset, then climb Mount of Mercy to ask forgiveness
• Spend night at Muzdalifah then return to Mina– “Stoning of the Devil”– Animal sacrifices on the 10th day
• Finally, walk 7 times again around the Ka’Bah
SymbolsMosque• Place of worship and prayer• Gather each Friday for
sermon by the Imam (preacher)– Does not hold special status– Elected by merit of his
scholarship and dedication to Islam• Built around a large dome
• Plainly furnished and floor covered with prayer rugs• Walls and ceilings inlaid with calligraphy
• Face a mihrab (small alcove) in the direction of Mecca• Imam preaches from a minbar (pulpit)• Minaret (ma’dhana) tower where adhan (call to prayer) is chanted
Symbols
• Built between 689-691 CE
• On the site of the Second Jewish Temple– Some believed it to be
where Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac, or Ishmael
• Dome of the Rock– Haram ash Sharif• Muslim shrine• Site of Muhammad’s
Journey into Heaven
Symbols
Crescent and Star• Principal symbol of Islam
– Often used atop minarets, on flags, stamps, etc
• Symbolic of symbolic and understanding offered by Islam– Waxing moon increases in
light and star provides direction
– Islam guides faithful toward Allah
• Originally used in Byzantium– Ottoman Turks adopted it
as military symbol
Ka’Bah• Sacred shrine at Mecca• Curtains and carpets
cover the outside– Silver and gold lamps
inside– Oval black stone
• Given to Abraham by an angel
• Was once white but turned black with kisses of worshippers
Holidays and CelebrationsIslamic Calendar
• Starts from 622 CE, time of the Hijrah
• Lunar calendar – each month begins with the new moon
• Presently in 1433 H. (2012)
Ramadan – July 20, 2012Eid-ul-Fitr – Aug 19, 2012
Muharram
New Year’s Day
Safar Rabi 1
Rabi 2 Jumad 1 Jumad 2
Rajab Sha’Ban Ramadan
Month of FastingShawwal
Eid-ul-Fitr
Dhul-Quada Dhul-Hijjah
HajjEid-ul-Adha
Ramadan – July 9, 2013Eid-ul-Fitr – Aug 8, 2013
RamadanNinth month of the calendar year
• A time to draw closer to Allah and rededicate oneself
• Month to rid a follow of habits that may be bad– Seek forgiveness for sin
• Way to teach self-control and discipline– Control human desires like eating,
drinking, etc
• Starts at breaking dawn and ends at setting of sun– Suhoor – pre-fast meal before
dawn– Iftar – post-fast meal after sunset
• Eid-ul-Fitr– Celebration of the end of Ramadan– Marked by giving of charity and
sometimes small gifts– Lasts for 3 days– “Eid mubarak” (a blessed Eid)
Marriage• Marriages arranged by
families– In modern times, Muslims
are choosing their own mates
• Polygamy is allowed but rarely practiced– A man can have up to 4
wives as long as he can treat them equally
• Ceremony is simple but celebration is elaborate– Celebration can be 4-8
days long
• Actual wedding day– Groom’s party
comes to ‘take away’ the bride
– Bride usually wears red, or shades of red
– Both sign the Nikah, Islamic marriage agreement
• Mehendi– Day before when
bride gets henna on her hands
– Considered a ‘simple’ day with minimal makeup, dress, etc
• Reception– Hosted by
Groom’s party and conclusion of wedding celebration
CaliphsMuhammad
died June 8, 632 CEno instructions about
successor no son• Abu-Bakr
– 632 – 634– Muhammad’s loyal friend and
supporter; father in law– Rebellious tribes were defeated
and Arab world united
• Umar ibn al-Khattab– 634 – 644– Conquered the Levant, Egypt, Iraq,
Persia– Damascus and Jerusalem surrendered
peacefully
Caliphs
Mu’awiyah assumed leadership
• Ali Bin Abi Talib– 656 – 661 (assassinated by
followers)– Son of Abu Talib; brother in law
of Muhammad– Power struggle escalated to
armed conflict• With Uthman’s remaining family;
led by Mu’awiyah
– Emergence of political parties– Last caliph to know Muhammad
personally
• Uthman bin Affan– 644 – 656 (assassinated)– Collected/compiled the
Koran– Emergence of power
struggle
Shi’ah and Sunni SplitShi’ah• Led revolts to restore
leadership• Believed only
descendants of Ali should lead– Continued in successions
of Imams– Only Imams can guide
Muslims to salvation
• 10-15% of followers today
Sunni• Led by Mu’awiyah (Umayyads)• Follow traditional path but
differ from Shi’ah– Do not believe Islamic leader
must be heir to Muhammad– Lineage does not hold special
religious inspiration– Elected caliphs on merit of
character
• Close to 90% of followers today
Islam Today
• Arabs make up only 20% of the total Muslim population of the world
1. Indonesia 183,000,000
6. Iran 62,000,000
2. Pakistan 134,000,000
7. Egypt 59,000,000
3. India 121,000,000
8. Nigeria 53,000,000
4. Bangladesh
114,000,000
9. Algeria 31,000,000
5. Turkey 66,000,000 10. Morocco 29,000,000
Islamic Art
Calligraphy• Grew from importance of Koran
– Word of God written in best and most elegant script
– Also needed to be very clear
• Used to decorate mosques– Has become purely decorative
• History spread through oral stories and poems
• Art is devoid of all things animate– No graven images (idolatry)– No illustrations of human or animal
figures
• Focused on calligraphy and design• Educated peoples expect to have
good handwriting
Islamic Art: Calligraphy
• Tughra– Monogram of sultan of
Turkey• Symbol of unity and
authority
– Always on any written decree
– Complex design from the letters in name or signature
– Sultan Suleyman I• Ruled in 1500s• Thousands of books,
paintings, art objects were created
Your assignment• Practice your calligraphy, and
create your own monogram, or Tughra
• Share your Tughra with the class