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?