ISLAM

Setting the Stage: Origins

• 6th Century Arabia was dominated
by 3 systems of faith:
• Religious System
• Social System
• Economic System
 Religious System
Polytheism: The belief in a variety of different
gods, expressed through practice of idolatry:
the worship of different objects, in the form
of sculptures and pictures.
Ka’Bah: a cube shaped building built by
Abraham. It was built for monotheistic
purposes but after Abraham died the Arabic
people filled the Ka’bah with pagan idols. Today
it is the site of Holy Worship in Mecca.
 Social System:
• The Social system was Tribal which came
from the nomadic people living in the
area.

• Tribal Life led to a

Tradition rivalry and bloodshed.

• Women during this time were considered

to be a the bottom of the social ladder.
This was evident through female
infanticide: The killing of female children
 Economic System
• Merchants earned their livelihood
through trade with various regions
beyond the Arabian peninsula.

• The rich would lend money to the

poor but at increasingly high rates of
interest
 Revelation
• 7th century:
• Muslims believe that God
sent a series of revelations
through the Angel Gabriel
to a man named
Muhammad
• For the next 23 years
Muhammad receives a
series of revelations which
assemble the sacred text
of Islam the Qur’an.
 Islam Today
• Islam is the third in succession of the
great faiths born in the Middle East.
• Islam is the second largest and currently
the fastest growing religion in the world
with approximately 1.5 billion adherents
• There are roughly 650,000 Muslims living
in Canada and approximately 3 million in
the U.S.A
 Islam Today: Terms
• Islam: “Submitting to God.”
• Muslim: “One who submits to God
and finds peace in Him.”
• Shahadah: “There is no god but God
and Mohammed is the Messenger of
God.”
• Allah: The Arabic name for God
 Islam Today
• Beliefs are a personal • “There is no compulsion
affair and it is a in religion. Truth stands
personal choice to out clearly from
become Muslim. falsehood; whoever
rejects evil and believes
in God has grasped the
strongest rope that never
breaks. And God is All
Hearing and All Knowing”
Qur’an 2:256
 Islam Today: Beliefs
1. Belief in only One God. He is defined as Eternal, Absolute,
Infinite, Compassionate and Merciful, the sole Creator and
provider for all.

2. Engage only in Righteous Actions in all areas: spiritual,

intellectual and physical activity.

3. All God’s creation is “Muslim”. Only humans are given CHOICE to

submit (be Muslim) or reject submission to God’s will.

4. All children are born without sin and are Muslim. As they grow
older, they make their religious CHOICE.

5. God created human beings with a body and soul. The body is a
temporal host for this life, whereas the soul is eternal. It is the soul
that will survive beyond death so he or she may stand before God on
the Day of Judgment.

6. Universality of the call. All Muslims are brothers and equals

without any distinction of class, race or tongue. Superiority is only
based on the greater fear of God and greater piety.
 Islam Today: 5 Pillars of Faith
• Shahadah: Declaration of faith,
makes anyone a Muslim
• Salat: Mandatory prayer five times a
day
• Zakat: Mandatory almsgiving; a
yearly fee given to the poor
• Sawn: mandatory fasting during
Ramadan
• Hajj- Mandatory pilgrimage to
Makkah (Mecca)
 Islam Today: The Prophets
• These Prophets are regarded
as most significant:
Muhammad, Moses, Abraham MUHAMMAD
and Noah
• “The Seal of the Prophets.”
• Jesus is highly respected and
considered as a great prophet • He is the last Prophet who
by Muslims. completed the teachings of
• Qur’an re-affirms the those before him.
miraculous birth and abilities • He is afforded the highest
of Jesus. spiritual prominence
• Muslims believe in the Second because he directly received
Coming of Jesus before the the divine word of God.
end of time. They do not think
he was the Messiah.
 Islam Today: The Mosque
-The Muslim place of worship • MIHRAB= small arch or hole in
is the Mosque wall indicates the direction of the
Ka’bah in Mecca
-Every Friday Muslims offer
congregations prayers which • MINARET= high tower or dome
are mandatory for all Muslims. from which a muezzin calls the
faithful to prayer

• WUDU= cleansing process before

prayer (water)

• IMAM= chief officer in the

mosque who leads prayers
Prophets Mosque in Medinah
Canadian
Mosques
 Islam Today: The Qu’ran
• The Holy book of Islam, it
means “recitation”
• It is the literal word of God,
Muhammad directly
quoted God every time he
received a revelation
• The Qu’ran has remained
intact and unchanged since
its creation
• The Qur’an is divided into
114 Surahs (chapters)
• Written in Arabic