The document provides an overview of the religion of Islam, including its origins in 7th century Arabia and foundations by the prophet Muhammad. It discusses Islam's core beliefs and practices, including the Five Pillars. The document also covers Islamic scripture, divisions between Sunni and Shia sects, and the global spread of Islam today.
2. • Islam established around seventh century C.E.
• Islam is the youngest among the world’s religions.
• Islam is the second largest group and one of the fasting
growing religions in the world.
4. • Islam began with the Arabian dessert people around
early seventh century C.E.
• These people had developed their own set of beleifs prior
to the formal establishement of Islam and had been
influenced by other religious for a long period of time,
including Byzantine Christianity, Judaism and
Zoroastriarism.
• Apart from the presence of these gods, there were also
angels, faries, demonic creatures and evil spirits in pre-
islam religion.
5. • The home of Christianity, was not too far away from
Arabia and the great cities of Damascus, Antioch and
Alexandria were neighbors to Mecca and Medina.(Hopfe
1983)
6. • Were done to represented these gods that were often
reserved and offered blood sacrifices.(Hopfe 1983)
7. • Which according to muslim tradition dates back to the
time of Adam and Eve.
8. • Around the year 570 C.E., Muhammad Ibn Abdullah, was
born in the Oasis town of Mecca just off the western
coast of the Arabian Peninsula(Karabell 2007).
• Muhammad father’s died before he was born while his
mother died he was six years old.
• He belonged to the clan of Hashim of the Quraysh tribe
that controlled the kaaba and the camel trade that
passed through Mecca.
• When his Mother died Muhammad raised by his
grandfather Abd al-Mutalib.
• Later Muhammad was taken into custody by his paternal
uncle, Abu Talib, who was chief of the Quraysh Tribe.
9. • He used to retreat to Mount Hira near Mecca in search of
truth about God.
• Muhammad later married an older wealthy widow named
Khadija, fifteen years his senior.
• Muhammad was twenty-five years old when he married
Khadija who was about forty years old at the time.
• 610 C.E., Muhammad began hearing the voice of God in
the cave on the summit of Mount Hira
• God was speaking in Arabic Language(Armstrong;
Karabell 2001)
10. • The terms “Islam” originated from an Arabic word meaning
“submit”, in other words, Islam means to surrender or submit
oneself for obedience to God “or to” enter into a condition of
peace and security with God through allegiance and surrender
to him.
• A muslim ,therefore , is a “person who surrenders or submit
himself to obey God”
• In arabic, the word “Allah” is a composed of Al(the definite
article), and lla(God or diety).
• Allah or “the one who is God”.
• Muslim s consider Muhammad as a messenger and the last
prophet sent by God to humankind who was visited by the
Angel Gabriel.
11. • The muslims who follow Muhammad in his journey are
known as Muhajirun(“those people who made hijra”)
while those who supported him in Medina are known as
Ansar(“the helpers”).
• In 632 C.E., Muhammad died at the age of 62 but his
newly founded religion had spread across the entire
Arabian peninsula and the muslims had been united
under one religion community.
12. The Quran
• The sacred writing of the muslims is called Quran (or
Koran in English) that literally means “recitation’ or
“reading”.
• “iqua or recite’
• Muhammad relayed these messages to his companion
and his secretary Zayb ibn Thabit who wrote on lether
scraps, stone pieces, ribs of palm leaves, shoulder
blades of animals,and parchments.
13. • Hadith is the collected deeds and sayings of Muhammad
and his followers (‘traditional reports or sayings”).
14. • Islam as a way of life (din) for its followers which God
intended for his creation from the very beginning.
15. • The basic obligation of Muslim are called the “Five Pillars
of Islam or arkan al-din”.
• Shahada (witness)
• Ibadah (state of submission)
16. • Praying five times a day.
• Fasting during the time of Ramadan.
• Giving of annual charity.
• Undertaking a pilgrimage to Mecca once in a muslim’s
lifetime.
17. • The basic creed of Islam that “there is no God but Allah;
Muhammad is the messenger of Allah” is know as
shahada. In arabic, the shahada is recited as “La ibaha
illa Allah; Muhammadon rasul Allah”.
• Tawheed (the unity).
• Risallah (acceptance of prophethood).
18. • Facing in the direction of Mecca or qiblah, Muslims must
offer prayers or salat five times each and everyday-
before sunrise (as-subh), noon (az-zuhr), mid-afternoon
(al-asr), immediately after sunset (al-maghreb) and
before midnight (al-isha).
• Mosque or masjid (place of prostration)
19. • Muslims who live above the subsistence level must pay
zakat or the poor tax to aid the underprivileged muslims.
20. • Fasting or sawm during the entire 30 days of Ramadan,
the ninth month of the Islamic calendar must be
performed by all muslims every year.
• Feast of Breaking the Fast (Id al-Fitr).
21. • All muslims must attempt to undertake pilgrimage to the
holy city of Mecca or hajj (visitation of Holy Places) at
least once in their lifetime during the twelfth Islamic
Month.
• Grand Mosque (Al-Masjid al-Haram)
• Kaaba (House of Allah)
22. • The islamic calendar is composed of 12 lunar months of
between 29 and 30 days.
23. • The concept of law and justice in Islam or the shari’a
(“the road to the watering palace”) is based upon the
Quranic verse as revealed by God to Muhammad.
24. • Islamic jurisprudence or the science of Islamic law is
called Figh.
• Forbidden (haram)
• Discouraged (makruh)
• Neutral (mubah)
• Recommended (mandub)
• Obligatory (fard)
25. • Similar to most religions, Islam is not a monolithic entity.
26. • The sunnis (followers of the smooth path) are
traditionalists and are considered the orthodox of Islam
as they endeavor to follow the original religion
established by Muhammad and guided by the first four
righteous caliphs.
• Sunnah (customary practice)
27. • The shi’ite muslims are the largest faction within the
islam religion that separated from the rest of the
community.
28. • The seveners believe that there were seven imams.
• The twelvers claim that there are twelve imams with most
believers located in Iran.
• The Ibadis believe that the community may elect any
appropriate muslims as imam.
29. • Muslims whose concerns mainly dwell for a mystical
union with God are collectively called sufis.
• Fakir (poor man) or devish (one who comes to the door).
30. • Islam has gone through two principal periods of growth in
its relatively young history’s.
31. • The role of women in muslim societies is a complicated
subject since their right vary greatly throughout Islamic
nations.
• When a woman is having her usual menstrual period, she
must not enter any mosque.
32. • One controversial requirement placed upon muslims by
their faith concerns holy war or jihad.
• Jihad (“effort” or “struggle”)
33. • Islam is a religion of mercy that prohibits terrorism.
• During Muhammads time, he proschibed his soldiers to
kill women and children.
34. • The late nineteeth century saw a significant migration of
muslims from Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan to the US.
• United Kingdom today is home to move than two million
muslims.
• France between four to five million muslims.
• Germany four million muslims.