2 ESO bilingual; Origin and Expansion of Islam. What is Islam? The five pillars of Islam

1. Islam
What is Islam?

2. Islam
• Islam is the second largest religion in the
world with over 1 billion followers.
• The word 'Islam' in Arabic means submission
to the will of God.
• Followers of Islam are called Muslims.
• Muslims believe there is one true God Allah
(the Arabic word for God)

3. Islam
• Muslims believe that Islam was revealed over
1400 years ago in Mecca, Arabia through a
man called Muhammed.
• Muhammed is believed by Muslims to be the
last prophet sent by God (Allah).

4. The Origin of Islam
• Islam originated
on the Arabian
Peninsula, a land
which is mostly a
huge desert.

5. At that time
(the 6th
century), the
interior of the
Arabian
Peninsula was
inhabited by
tribes of
polytheistic
Arab nomads.
Main tribes and settlements of Arabia in Muhammad's
lifetime

6. The main cities
of Yathrib
(Medina) and
Mecca were in
the western
part and they
were
crossroads for
the merchant
caravans
coming for the
Far East.

7. Muhammed
• Muhammed, the Islamic prophet, was born in
Mecca around the year 570.
• Muhammed’s teachings were written down in
the Koran, the Muslim’s sacred book, which
contains Allah’s words to Muhammed.
• The Koran has 114 chapters called suras,
written in Arabic.

8. A folio from an early Koran, written
in Kufic script (Abbasid period, 8th–
9th century).
Typical glass
and enamel
mosque lamp
with the Ayat
an- Nur or
"Verse of
Light”
11th-century North African
Koran in the British Museum
Koran
inscriptions
on Bara
Gumbad
mosque wall,
Lodhi
Gardens,
Delhi, India.

9. The five pillars of Islam
• The Koran contains the five obligations of all
Muslims believers, which are called the pillars of
Islam.
• They are as follows:
–
–
–
–
–
Belief (Shahada)
Praying five times a day (Salat)
Charity (Zakah)
Fasting (Sawm)
a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a
lifetime(Hajj)

10. The five pillars of Islam
• Belief (Shahada): the declaration of faith.
Muslims believe that it’s only one God (Allah)
and Muhammed is his prophet.
• Praying five times a day (Salat). Muslims pray
at dawn, mid-day, late afternoon, sunset and
at night, just before bed.

11. The Mosque
• Muslims worship in a building called a
Mosque.
• On Friday at noon, the most important of the
weekly services is held.
• When Muslims pray, they must always face
Mecca.

12. The expansion of Islam
Age of the Caliphs
Expansion under the Prophet Muhammed, 622-632
Expansion during the Patriarchal Caliphate, 632-661
Expansion during the Umayyad Caliphate, 661-750