Islam 1204750302838053-2

IslamIslam

Teachings and History of the

Religion

11/06/14 copyright 2006 BrainyBetty.com and our licensors2

The Beginning

• Muhammad– Born in Mecca in 570 AD

– Often meditated in the hills near the city– One day, the angel Gabriel came to him and

spoke, giving him teachings– The Koran: the words the angel Gabriel

spoke to Muhammad, the holy book of Islam


The Beginning


The Beginning

• Muhammad was forced to leave in 622 AD for his teachings

• Went to Yathrib (Medina today)• Hejira: Muhammad’s migration

from Mecca to Medina, marked the beginning of the expansion of Islam

• Gathered an army in Medina

• He returned to Mecca in 630 and took over the city


Teachings of Islam

• The Five Pillars of Islam1. Proclaim belief in one God, Allah, and his

prophet Muhammad

2. Pray 5 times a day, facing Mecca

3. Charity to the poor and elderly

4. Fast during the month of Ramadan (holy month)

5. Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in life


• The 6th pillar?– Jihad: has at least two meanings

1. An inner battle to achieve peace

2. An outer battle to defend Islam

Teachings of Islam


• The Koran and its teachings– The book must be handled carefully

– People of the Book: Jews and Christians• Muslims are required to treat them with tolerance• Share all the Jewish prophets• Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet, but not the

messiah– Muhammad is the last prophet, and all that he said was

fully correct

Teachings of Islam


Teachings of Islam

• The Koran and its teachings– Muslims must live lawful, moral lives– Everyone is equal

• Islam borrows much from Judaism and Christianity, while adding its own elements


History of Islam

• Caliph: leader of Islam– Politics and religion are one in Islam

• Sunnis and Shiites– These two sects stem from a disagreement

about the caliph• Who should become caliph after Muhammad?


• Sunnis and Shiites– Shiites: Believed Muhammad’s son-in-law,

Ali, was the successor• Only descendents of Ali could be caliph

– Sunnis: Believe any true Muslim can be caliph

History of Islam


• Early Islamic dynasties sent armies throughout the Middle East, converting along the way

History of Islam


• Umayyad Dynasty– A period of

cultural discrimination

– Capital was Damascus, Syria

– Arab culture flourished

• Religion and arts encouraged

History of Islam


• Abbassid Dynasty– Religious and

cultural tolerance

– Capital at Baghdad

– peace

History of Islam


• Throughout history, a respect for learning allowed Islamic civilization to grow and prosper– Islam was the major rival to Western

Civilization by the time of imperialism

History of Islam


Spread of Islam


• Foreign Invaders– The borders of the Muslim empire were

always changing– Starting in the year 1000, waves of foreign

invaders flooded the Middle East, but were never able to fully take over the civilization

• Strong Muslim armies

• Most invaders were either already Muslim, or converted to Islam

History of Islam


• Seljuks– Turkish Muslims

– Lived in the Iranian Plateau– Captured Baghdad and weakened the current

Byzantine empire

History of Islam


• Mongols– Came from Central Asia

– Took Baghdad from the Seljuks and destroyed it in 1258 AD

– Continued to raid the Muslim civilization for 100 years

– Many eventually converted to Islam and blended into Middle Eastern culture

History of Islam


• The Crusades– Crusade: holy war

– Christian Pope called a crusade against Muslims in 1095 AD

– The goal was to capture Palestine, “the holy land”

– There were 6 crusades– Some were successful, others failed– Had only a limited effect on the Middle East

History of Islam


• Ottoman Empire– Turkish speaking

Muslims– Sunnis– Captured

Constantinople in 1453 to end the Byzantine Empire; renamed the city Istanbul

History of Islam


History of Islam

• Ottoman Empire– Government

• Flexible

• Sultan: Ottoman leader with absolute power

• Millets: non-Muslim communities


• Safavid Empire– In present day Iran– Shiites– Rivals to the Ottomans– Islamic Republic of Iran today is mostly Shiite

History of Islam


Islam in 750 AD


Islam Today


Review• Beginning of Islam: Muhammad• Teachings of the Koran

– 5 Pillars of Islam: a 6th pillar?

• History and Spread of Islam– Umayyad and Abbassid Dynasties– Seljuks, Mongols, Crusades– Ottoman and Safavid Empires

• Vocabulary: Koran, hejira, hajj, jihad, People of the Book, caliph, Sunni, Shiite, crusade, sultan, millets

Islam 1204750302838053-2

Spiritual

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