What is islam

What is Islam?

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A monotheistic religion revealed to Muhammad ibn Abdullah between 610-632 C.E.

Islam literally translates to “The peace that comes when one surrenders to God”.

Islam teaches there is only one God and the God is Allah.

Who are Muslims?“one who willfully submits to God”- Someone

who willfully follows the principles and guidelines of IslamIslam teaches that everything is Muslim

Islam?

One of the fastest growing religions in the world

Islam is…

From the Pew Research Center, 2011

Myth Truth

All Muslims are Arabs / All Arabs are Muslim

All Muslims are terrorists

Islam oppresses Women

Muslims don’t believe in Jesus

o Arabs only 15% of the Muslims populationoThe country with the most Muslims is IndonesiaoMuslims make up 1/5 of the world’s population

Terrorism is not justified in the Qu’ran

•Most of the violence against women is based on local culture w/o basis in Islam

Jesus is a prophet in Islam

Islam had existed on the Arabian Peninsula since God starting sending messages to Abraham cast out Hagar and Ishmael.

In 610 C.E. Muhammad, a merchant from Mecca, began receiving visions from the angel Gabriel. In Islam Muhammad is known as the “Seal of the Prophets”. The last true prophet of Allah.

Background

Allah is God. The word Allah is derived from the words “The” and “God” in Arabic.

Allah is the creator found in the Qu’ranArabic speaking Christians and Jews also use

the term Allah to reference God – which means followers of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam believe in a common monotheistic creator and prophets (Jesus, Abraham, Moses, Noah, etc.)

What does the term “Allah” mean?

The bible of Islam is known as the Qur'an.In Arabic Qur'an means “recitation”The Qur'an was created from literally from

the words spoken to Muhammad from God.The Qur’an is the primary source for Islamic

beliefsThe Qur'an is the most memorized book in

the world.

The Qur'an

Before Islam Before Muhammad began to

spread the word of Islam people living on the Arabian peninsula were known as Arabs and spoke Arabic

Arabs were traders, farmers, town dwellers, and nomads

Some desert Arabs practiced polytheism, the belief in many gods, and eventually worshipped at the Ka’aba

Mecca became a sight for many religious pilgrimages

Jews and Christians also lived in Mecca

Arabs blended many beliefs and rituals

Where in the World is the Arabian Peninsula?

The Arabian Peninsula is located in South West Asia.

Includes the modern day countries of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Qatar, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon

Physical Features and ClimateThe Arabian Peninsula

is surrounded on three sides by water

Arid region of South West Asia between the Red Sea and Persian Gulf ¼ the size of the U.S.

Farmland is sparse and is located in the southern mountains and along the coastline

The Arabian Peninsula: Geographic Features

Arabian Peninsula Elevations

Mount Tuwayq in the Arabian Desert

Giant sand dunes in the Rub al-Khali, in the southern Arabian Desert, sometimes exceed 600 feet in height.

The People of the Arabian Peninsula (before 600 C.E.)

To adapt to the climate the people of the Arabian Peninsula either settled on fertile oases or became nomads

Nomads – herders who move from place to place seeking grazing land and water (oases or coastlines)

Arab nomads were/ are known as Bedouins

Oases became trade centers nomads would interact with Oasis based groups

Nomads lived in family based groups known as clans

Crossroads of 3 Continents An advantage for the

people of the Arabian Peninsula was that it was at the crossroads of three continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe

Bordered by the Mediterranean, Red, and Arabian seas, and the Persian Gulf which aided in trade access

By 600 C.E. nomads settled in market towns near coasts for trade

Oases with good soil became key trade stops

The Holy City of Mecca Mecca became an

important trade and religious center in Western Arabia

Caravans brought trade goods and worshippers to the Ka’aba shrine at the center of Mecca The Ka’aba is linked to

Abraham Built as a temple to

God or Allah