1. The Qur’an

a. Qur’an basics

i. Literally means reading or recitation

ii. Muslims believe it is a recitation of an eternal Scripture written in heaven and

revealed, chapter by chapter, to Muhammad

iii. Title may also reflect the words of the first surah or chapter to be revealed

which says, “Recite: in the name of the Lord who created….”

b. Influence

i. Memorized

ii. Thought to be actually the word of God

1. Eternal

2. Absolute

3. Irrevocable

4. God’s last word/message to humanity

a. Muhammad was only a loudspeaker for Allah

b. Qur’an has been transmitted unchanged since Muhammad’s

time

iii. Recitation of Qur’an important

1. Ritual act

2. Source of Allah’s blessing because it reproduces his divine speech

3. Power of words is in Arabic, not in translations

4. When you might hear/read the Qur’an

a. First words a child hears upon birth

b. Inscribed on the walls of Muslim homes for decorations

c. Often the last words a person hears before death

5. Supreme act of piety is to memorize the entire Qur’an. If you do this,

you will be given a special title of hafiz.

iv. What is in the Qur’an

1. The exact words of Allah to the Prophet Muhammad, from the time of

the first revelation to the end of Muhammad’s life

a. Muhammad was illiterate, so he memorized the messages and

passed them on to his secretary Zayd who wrote them on

leaves, stones, bones or parchment

b. The third spiritual leader (caliph) after Muhammad’s death

(Uthman) collected all of the writings of the Qur’an and

developed an official version

2. Organization

a. 114 chapters called surahs

b. Organized according to length of the surah, in descending order

i. Neither topical nor chronological

ii. Can be confusing for the non-Muslim

2. The Nature of God

a. One sovereign God of the entire universe

b. God expects people to say “There is no God but Allah’ Muhammad is the messenger of

Allah” each day

c. Allah is omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent creator of the universe

d. Allah will repay evil with justice and righteousness with mercy

e. Names of Allah

i. Ninety-nine, including

1. The Holy One

2. The Merciful

3. The Compassionate

4. The Guardian

5. The Creator

ii. Muslims repeat the names of God

f. Allah is aided by other heavenly figures

i. Angels act as messengers

ii. Warriors fight at the side of believers against infidels

iii. Jinn

1. Creation halfway between humans and angels

2. Created of fire

3. Some are like guardian angels (they are Muslim)

4. Some are like demons (they are unbelievers)

5. Leader of the evil jinn is a fallen angel called Iblis

a. Iblis acts like Satan in the book of Job

b. Iblis acts as a tempter and prosecuting attorney against

mankind

3. Eschatology (end of the world)

a. Judgment of Allah at the end of the world is a basic belief of Islam

b. When a person dies, the body remains on earth and the soul goes into a state of sleep

until the judgment day

c. On the judgment day, an angel will sound a trumpet, the earth will split, and the bodies

will rejoin their souls

d. All people will be judged on a record of their deeds

i. The faithful will be rewarded

ii. The evil will be punished

e. Heaven is a beautiful garden with flowing water and shade

f. Righteous are fed wine (normally forbidden to Muslims) that does not disturb the

senses and does not leave the drinker with a hangover

g. Hell is a place with scalding winds, black smoke, and brackish water

4. Five pillars

a. Repetition of the creed/confession

i. There is no God but Allah; Muhammad is the messenger of Allah

ii. Known as the Shahadah

b. Daily prayer

i. Salaht

ii. Pray five times per day

1. Dawn

2. Midday

3. Midafternoon

4. Sunset

5. Nightfall

iii. Must wash hands, feet and face before prayer

iv. Pray toward Mecca

v. Men and women pray separately

c. Almsgiving

i. Zakaht

ii. Obligatory – you must do this!

iii. Between 2.5 – 10% of your wealth

iv. Given to the poor, widows, orphans, or religious institutions, scholars or

students

d. Fasting

i. Sawm

ii. Ramadan

iii. No eating, drinking, smoking, during daylight for the month of Ramadan

iv. People who are excused are the old, travelers, nursing mothers and small

children

e. Pilgrimage

i. Hajj

ii. To Mecca

iii. Trip must be made once in a lifetime

iv. Trip taken during Dhu al-Hijah (special month in the Muslim calendar)

v. Visitors go to the Zamzam well (well established by Hagar and Ishmael)

vi. Make seven trips around the Ka’ba and kiss the black sacred stone

vii. Offer a sacrifice of sheep or goat on the tenth day of Hajj to commemorate

Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his own son

viii. One who has completed the Hajj may add the title haji to his name