IslamIn the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Praise be to God, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds; Most Gracious, Most Merciful;

Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek.

Show us the straight way, (Quran 1:1-6)

Islam• Usually translated as

"submission to God" (Quran, 3:19), from the Arabic word salam, meaning "peace."

• 1.2 billion Muslims worldwide, Islam is one of the fastest growing religions.

• Most Arabs are Muslims, but most Muslims are not Arabs.

• The largest Muslim populations live in Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India. (6 million in the U.S.)

Islam• Muslims worship God

directly, therefore people and objects are not considered holy.

• There is no hierarchical authority or priesthood.

• Prayers are led by a learned person who knows the Qur'an and is generally chosen by the congregation.

Qu’ran

• Muslims believe that the Qu’ran is God's word as revealed to the prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel.

• The Qu’ran contains much of the basic information told in the Hebrew Bible as well as additional information.

six articles of faith of Islam

1. Belief in one God- monotheism (Allah is Arabic for God)

2. Belief in the Angels3. Belief in God’s Messengers- Muhammad and the

ones before him4. Belief in the Day of Judgment & in the Resurrection 5. Belief in the Books sent by God- including the

Qurʾān, Bible, & Torah6. Belief in Destiny- whatever God does has a purpose

Five Pillars of Islam

1. Shahadah (Declaration of Faith): "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his servant and messenger."

• The belief that the purpose of life is to serve and obey God. This is best achieved through the teachings of Muhammad.

Five Pillars of Islam

2. Salah (Prayer): performed five times a day: dawn, mid-day, late-afternoon, sunset, and nightfall.

• These five prescribed prayers contain verses from the Qur'an, and are said in Arabic facing Mecca.

• Although preferable to worship together in a mosque, Muslims may pray almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories, and universities.

Five Pillars of Islam3. Zakah (Almsgiving): The

principle that everything belongs to God, and that wealth is only held by humans in trust.

• Muslims calculate their own zakah, resulting in payment of one-fortieth of one's income to the poor.

• An individual may give as much as he or she wants and does so preferably in secret.

Five Pillars of Islam

4. Sawm (Fasting): During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations.

• The sick, elderly, travelers, and pregnant or nursing women are excused, but are expected to make up the days later.

• "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed to those before you that you may learn self-restraint." (Qur'an 2:183)

Five Pillars of Islam

5. Hajj (Pilgrimage): The pilgrimage to Makkah is an obligation for those who are physically and financially able to do so.

• The hajj begins in the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, which is lunar, so the hajj and Ramadan fluctuate between summer and winter.

Islamic Sects• Sunni- accept the elected

successors of Muhammad as leaders of Islam. The majority of Muslims today are Sunni.

• Shiah- believe that religious leaders must be descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and her husband Ali. They rule Iran and also have a sizeable presence in Iraq and Syria.