Islam

Origins

• Muhammad was a merchant who lived in Mecca

• God’s messenger Gabriel came to him and told him to “recite”– Muhammad was illiterate but still wrote God’s

words in the Qur’an– Understood there was one God known as Allah

• Muhammad was forced out of Mecca and fled to Medina

• Caliphs took control of Islam after Muhammad’s death– All were close friends and followers

• Shi’I believe direct relatives of Muhammad should lead

• Sunni believe any worthy Muslim should lead

• ¼ of the modern world is Muslim– Most Middle Eastern countries are totally Muslim

• Muslim countries have different approaches on how they live

Beliefs

• There is one God who is Allah• Submit everything to God• Impossible to separate Church and state• The Qur’an is the word of God directly• Helps Muslims lead their lives

Ethics, Morality and Law

• Can’t eat port or animals slaughtered inappropriately nor drink alcohol

• Placing things above God is a serious sin– Money lending, cowardice, gossip/bad language,

intoxicants are all serious sins

• Amputation, flogging and death are Muslim punishments

Five Pillars

• Declaration that there is one God, Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger

• Prayer during set times to praise God– Dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, evening– Go to mosque on Fridays– Face Mecca

• Almsgiving to the poor and needy

• Fasting from food drink and sex from dawn to dusk during Ramadan

• Pilgrimage to Mecca once during a lifetime

Interesting Facts

• 85% of Muslims are Sunni• Muslims wear imaha (turbans) to differentiate

Muslims from non-Muslims• Muslims believe in Jesus but not that he was

the son of God• Muslim women wear the hijab because they

are expected to be modest in public