Islam

Practices and Beliefs

The Pre-Islamic Arabs• The Arabs prior to Islam were nomadic and

divided themselves into extended clans.• Most were reliant on their herds and acquired

wealth from the occasional raiding of caravans.• They were polydaemon (Polytheistic).

Worshipping spirits inhabiting rocks, fountains, and especially sacred rocks.

• There were three main gods: Manat, ‘Uzza and Allat. All three of them were subordinate to a higher deity named Allah.

• The religion had no official priesthood.• There were also significant numbers of Arabs

which had converted to both Judaism and Christianity.

• The migratory nomads would carry their gods with them in a red tent similar to the ark of the covenant of the ancient Hebrews, which they carried with them into battle.

• Like the Ancient Hebrews, their religion was communal. The faith centered around the tribal god, symbolized usually by a stone, sometimes by some other object.

• Not all Arabs were nomads. Some clans had settled down in cities built around oases such as the city of Medina. Others built kingdoms in the southern part of the peninsula.

Pre-Islamic Arabs• The most important of

these settled Arab communities was the settlement of Mecca with the Ka’ba.

• In the towns each clan had a symbolic stone. The union of the clans was outwardly expressed by a collection of stones in one central shrine with a common symbol. The Ka’ba was such a symbol of the unity of Mecca.

• This was similar to the ancient Hebrews where the high priest wore a breastplate containing 12 stones that symbolized the 12 clans/tribes of Israel.

Who was Muhammad?• He was born around 570 CE to

one of the lesser merchant families of the prestigious Quraysh clan of Mecca.

• He acquired wealth and position by marrying Khadija, the widow of a rich merchant, several years older than himself.

• He was acquainted with both Jews and Christians and the Quran is clearly linked to the preceding Jewish and Christian scriptures.

• According to tradition, the call first came to Muhammad when he was approaching his fortieth year. While meditating and praying in a cave on Mt. Hira.

• He was told by the angel Gabriel to recite what he heard from God.

• These collections of recitations (suras) became the Quran.

Orthopraxis

The Shahada (Faith)

Prayer

Zakat (Almsgiving)

Sawm (Fasting)

The Hajj

Jihad

The Qur’an

The Message of Islam• The duty of human

beings is to surrender to this unique omnipotent god, the Merciful, the Compassionate; to surrender from the bottom of one’s heart, with one’s whole soul and mind.

• The word “Islam” means this complete surrender to the Divine will.

• One who practices such a surrender is a Muslim. Same root as salam – peace.

The Message of Islam

• Islam recognizes both Moses and Jesus as prophets.

• Islam recognizes both Jewish and Christian scriptures but views the Quran as the final and authoritative revelation from God. Similar to the way Christians view the Gospels when compared to the Hebrew scriptures.

• Because of the Jewish and Christian influences Islam has many similarities with the other two monotheistic religions – such as prophets and apocalyptic literature.

At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Then I, Daniel, looked, and two others appeared, one standing on this bank of the stream and one on the other. One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was upstream, “How long shall it be until the end of these wonders?” The man clothed in linen, who was upstream, raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven. And I heard him swear by the one who lives forever that it would be for a time, two times and a half, and that when the shattering of the power of t he holy people comes to an end, all these things would be accomplished.

Daniel 12: 1-7

Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, “King of kings and Lord of lords.”

Then I saw a great white throne and the one who sat on it; the earth and heaven fled from his presence, an no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, as recorded in the books. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire;

Revelation 19 and 20

When the sun shall be darkened,when the stars shall be thrown down,

when the mountains shall be set moving,when pregnant camels shall be neglected,when the savage beasts shall be mustered,

when the seas shall be set boiling,when the souls shall be coupled,

when the buried infant shall be asked for what sin she was slain,

when the scrolls shall be unrolled,when heaven shall be stripped off,

when Hell shall be set blazing,when Paradise shall be brought nigh,

then shall a soul know what it has produced.

Sura 81

Why was Islam so attractive?

• Orthodox Christianity had become so identified with Greek culture that it seemed totally foreign and unrelated to the life of the Arabs.

• Zoroastrianism was also too closely associated with Persian culture and so was not considered a real option for the Arabs.

• The Byzantine and Persian empires (especially the Byzantine) were considered oppressive and cruel. To such an extent that during the Byzantine-Persian wars the Jews sided with the Persians.

Islam’s attractiveness• Provided an alternative to

old Arab class structures. Giving poorer Arab a more equal status with the more prestigious families.

• Eliminated the inter-clan fighting by removing local gods and spirits and replacing them with worship of Allah alone.

• The revered "black stone" (al-Hajar-ul-Aswad) becomes the symbolic stone for all Arabs and eventually all Muslims (since not all Muslims are Arabs).

• Merchants of Mecca did not take to Muhammad’s message and he left the city.

• He went to the city of Medina because he had been asked by the leaders there to share his message with them.

• This journey to Medina is called the hijra or hegira.

• Muhammad was now convinced that he was preaching the true message of Abraham and Jesus that had been distorted by the Jews and the Christians.

• In hopes of gaining Jewish allies, Muhammad had his followers pray towards Jerusalem. This did not convince the Jews to ally themselves with Muhammad and when he returned to Mecca he had the direction of prayer changed to Mecca.

• Eight years after leaving for Medina, Muhammad returned to Mecca in triumph but continued to use Medina as his main residence.

• He died in Medina in 632.

• He passed away in the arms of his favorite wife A’isha.

• His father-in-law Abu Bakr as-Siddiq “the very faithful one” became his first successor or “caliph”.

• Caliph means “deputy of the prophet.”

Later Caliph in Spain

Why did Islam Expand?

• Like other migrations and invasions we have looked at they began because of population pressures. The Arabs had become more numerous and needed more room and resources.

• The Byzantine and Persian empires were weak because of their continuous wars with each other and both (especially the Byzantine) were seen as oppressive.

• When the Islamic/Arab armies came out of Arabia and into Palestine and Mesopotamia they were hailed as liberators by both Jews and Christians.

Do not fear, Ben Yohay; the Creator, blessed be He, has only brought the Kingdom of Ishmael (the Arabs) in order to save you from this wickedness (the Byzantines)…the Holy One, blessed be He, will raise up for them a Prophet according to His will, and conquer the land for them, and they will come and restore it…

Ben Yohay Jewish Rabbi and Apocalyptic Writer

Therefore the God of vengeance delivered us out of the hand of the Romans (Byzantines) by means of the Arabs…It profited us not a little to be saved from the cruelty of the Romans and their hatred towards us.

Syriac Christian Historian

In Palestine both Jewish and Christian communities gave military assistance to the Arabs in hopes of getting rid of the Byzantine Empire.