Islam is a monotheistic religion begun in the 7th century by the prophet Muhammad. It has over 1.5 billion followers worldwide and its core beliefs are the submission to God (Allah) and following the Five Pillars of Islam: the Shahadah (profession of faith), Salat (prayer), Sawm (fasting), Zakat (charity), and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). The sacred text is the Quran and it outlines the lives and teachings of 25 prophets including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad.

1. Islam
Erica C. Daniels
Briar Cliff University BSW Student

2. What is Islam?
• Islam is a term that is literally translated as “surrender”.
• Islam began in the 7th century CE by the prophet
Muhammad (after hearing from the angel, Gabriel to
speak the word of God)
• Muhammad is believed to be the last of the series of
prophets that included Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses,
Solomon, and Jesus. (There were a total of 25 prophets
mentioned in the sacred scriptures. The prophets are
easily recognizable by Christians, as they are significant
in the Bible as well.
• Islam is a monotheistic religion with God being called
Allah.

3. The Sacred Scriptures
• The sacred scriptures can
be found in the Qur’an
(translated Koran in
English)
 The 25 Prophets of Islam:
o Adam
o Idris (Enoch)
o Nuh (Noah)
o Hud (Heber)
o Salih (Methusaleh)
o Lut (Lot)
o Ibrahim (Abraham)
o Ismail (Ishmael)
o Ishaq (Isaac)
o Yaqub (Jacob)
o Yusuf (Joseph)
o Shu’aib (Jethro)
o Ayyub (Job)
o Dhulkifl (Ezekiel)
o Musa (Moses)
o Harun (Aaron)
o Dawud (David)
o Sulayman (Solomon)
o Ilias (Elias)
o Alyasa (Elisha)
o Yunus (Jonah)
o Zakariya (Zachariah)
o Yahya (John the
Baptist)
o Isa (Jesus)
o Muhammad

4. The beginning of Islam
• Islam began in Arabia with a small following and
rapidly spread through the middle east, to Africa,
Europe, India, Malay Peninsula, and China.
• By the 21st century Islam had spread to having over
1.5 billion followers worldwide.
• Early on, Muhammad created a sense of brotherhood
among followers, creating a religion that sought to
regulate human relationships with God and other
individuals.
The Prophet Muhammad

5. The seven doctrines of the Qu’ran
• God (Allah)
• The Universe
• Humanity
• Satan, sin, and repentance
• Prophecy
• Eschatology
• Social Service

6. The five pillars of Islam
• Shahadah: The profession of faith
• Salat: Prayer
• Sawm: Fasting
• The zakat: a donation of a fixed amount of a Muslims
total property to charity.
• The Hajj: The pilgrimage to Mecca.

7. A glimpse at how to pray

8. Islamic Holidays
•There are two official
Islamic Holidays:
• Eid Al-Fitr: celebrates the end of
Ramadan, the time when zakat is
usually given.
• Eid Al-Adha: begins on the 10th
day of the last month of the
Muslim year and lasts 3 days and
Muslims usually give a sacrifice of
a sheep.
Mecca

9. The schools (divisions) of Islam

10. Muslim Attire
Islam has two sources for guidance and rulings: the Quran which is
considered to be the revealed word of Allah, and the Hadith or
traditions of the Prophet Muhammad, who serves as a human role
model and guide.

11. The six standards of modesty and proper dress
• A Muslim woman’s head and chest should not be exposed.
Some women cover their entire bodies.
• Muslim clothing should be loose, careful not to distinguish
the shape of one’s body.
• Muslim clothing should not be see-through.
• Muslim clothing should not be flashy, but modest and
dignified.
• Muslims should be proud of who they are and careful not to
try to imitate other religions.
• Muslim clothing is meant to cover private areas and be an
adornment.

12. Islamic Symbols
The star and crescent
The star and crescent is the best-known symbol used to
represent Islam.
Allah in Arabic
The words "Allah" in Arabic
script or characters can be
regarded as visually
representing Islam as a symbol.

13. Common Stereotypes and Misconceptions
• Muslims hate Jews and Christians (Islam is very different
from Christianity and Judaism)
• Muslims hate LGBTQ
• Muslims don’t believe in Jesus Christ or God
• All Muslims wear turbans, Islam promotes terrorist
groups
• Arab and Muslim are interchangeable
• Islam is violent

14. Resources
• https://www.britannica.com/topic/Islam
• http://peopleof.oureverydaylife.com/islamic-customs-practices-6831.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_holidays
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_schools_and_branches
• http://religious-symbols.net/islam-symbols.html
• https://www.quora.com/How-many-prophets-of-Islam-were-there
• https://www.thoughtco.com/islamic-clothing-requirements-2004252
• https://www.channel4.com/news/from-hijab-to-burqa-a-guide-to-muslim-headwear
• http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/?p=74259
• http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1312539/Nightclub-forced-change-Mecca-threats-Muslim-extremists.html
• http://www.quranreading.com/blog/how-to-do-namaz-key-elements-a-muslim-must-know/
• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/five-common-stereotypes-about-muslims-
debunked_us_578e6d9ae4b004b4c9a37e78
• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/questions/types/index.html?pagewanted=all
• Videos
• https://youtu.be/ZPu4NL43jXI
• https://youtu.be/J3bEDF0ekow
• https://youtu.be/mt54m3aY2_Q
• https://youtu.be/HXd_0G0X8q4
• https://youtu.be/TpcbfxtdoI8