Islam

Islam is an Abrahamic religion

in the Judeo-Christian tradition
• Muslims are strictly monotheistic.
• They believe in the Judeo-Christian God.
• Muslims believe that the Torah and the Bible, like
the Qur’an, is the word of God.
• “Allah” is the Arabic word for God. Christian and
Jewish Arabs use the same word to refer to God.
Muslims believe in all the
Judeo-Christian prophets
• Belief in the prophets before Muhammad
is a cornerstone of Islam.
• Muslims believe in all the Judeo-Christian
prophets and their respective stories.
- Adam - Noah - Abraham
- Ishmael - Isaac - Jacob
- Joseph - Job - Moses
- Aaron - David - Solomon
- Jonah - John - Jesus
Muhammad and the Qur’an
• Muhammad was born in 570 A.D. in Mecca
• In 610, in the Cave of Hira, he received his
first revelation from the angel Gabriel.
• In 620, he left Mecca for Medina. This date
marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar.
• By the time he died in 632, Islam was a
thriving religion.
• The revelations he received were compiled
into the Qur’an after his death.
The Five Pillars of Islam

• Shahada – Testimony
• Salat – Prayer
• Zakat – Almsgiving
• Sawm – Fasting
• Hajj - Pilgrimage
Shahada

“There is no god worthy of worship except

God and Muhammad is His Messenger.”

This declaration of faith is a simple formula

that all Muslims pronounce and accept.
Salat
Salat is the name for
the mandatory
prayers that are
performed five
times a day. They
are a direct link
between the
worshipper and
God.
Zakat
Muslims believe that all things belong to
God, and that wealth is therefore held by
people in trust. Zakat means both
‘purification’ and ‘growth’. Muslims
purify their possessions by setting aside
a portion for those in need. For the most
part, this involves a payment of at least
2.5% of one’s capital every year. Giving
more is highly recommended.
Sawm
Every year during the month of Ramadan, Muslims
fast from dawn until sunset. During this time,
they refrain from both eating and drinking.
Fasting is regarded principally as a method of
self-purification. It helps make a person more
sympathetic with those who go hungry and it
allows for spiritual growth. The end of Ramadan
is marked by a festival called Eid-ul-Fitr.
Hajj
The Hajj is the annual
pilgrimage to Mecca.
Every Muslim who is
physically and
financially able is
required to go at
least once in his/her
lifetime. 2-3 million The close of Hajj is marked
people go every by a festival called Eid-ul-
year. Adha, which took place this
Past Sunday.
Islam Today
• Islam is the second largest religion in the
world, and the fastest growing religion in
the world.
• There are 1.2 billion Muslims, comprising
20% of the world’s total population.
• There are 43 countries with Muslim-
majority populations in Southeast Asia,
South Asia, the Middle East, North Africa,
and Eastern Europe.
Countries with the largest
Muslim populations
1. Indonesia (183 million)6. Iran (62 million)
2. Pakistan (134 million) 7.Egypt (59 million)
3. India (121 million) 8.Nigeria (53 million)
4. Bangladesh (114 million)
9.Algeria (31 million)
5. Turkey (66 million) 10.Morocco (29 million)

*Arabs make up only 20% of the total Muslim

population of the world.
Where do Muslims come
from?
Muslims in America

• 7 million Muslims in America

• Second largest religion in America
• Fastest growing religion in America
• The history of Islam in America dates
back to the slave trade.
Ethnic Backgrounds of
American Muslims
1. African-American
2. South Asian
3. Arab*
4. Southeast Asian and European

*The majority of Arab-Americans are

non-Muslim.
States with the largest Muslim
populations
1. California (20%) 6.Michigan (3%)
2. New York (16%) 7.Virginia (3%)
3. Illinois (8%) 8.Texas (3%)
4. New Jersey (4%) 9.Ohio (3%)
5. Indiana (4%) 10.Maryland