Islam
Sydney Legee, Victoria Kennedy, Jacob Liston, Len Conkleton
Origin of Religion
- Middle East 7th century C.E Islam
- Teachings of the prophet Muhammad
- Followed the story of Abraham’s second wife Hagar and Ishmael
- Muhammad is a descendant of Ishmael
- The Quran is a record of God’s words
Basic Beliefs
1) Faith in the Unity of God
2) Faith in Angels
3) Faith in Prophets
4) Faith in Books of Revelation
5) Faith in Afterlife
6) Faith in Destiny
Humans were created with free will to serve and obey God.
Last Day- The world will be destroyed and Allah will raise people from the dead to be judged. It is described as those being judged must pass over Hell on a bridge, and the ones that fall were weighted by their bad deeds and remain in hell forever. The only exceptions are if they are a warrior and died fighting in the name of God, then they are ushered immediately to God's presence.
Branches or Religions of the Division
How Islam Diffused
Holy Places
Also in Islam is the al-Haram mosque, because it contains the well of Zamzam, which is thought to have water from the same place where Ishmael and Hagar wandered in the desert after being exiled from Canaan.
Another important city is Madinah (Medina), because Muslims believe it is where Muhammad gained the support of the people, and became the chief administrator of the city. It is also where his tomb is located.
Where It Is Practiced
Islam has 1.3 Billion Followers
Key Figures and Important People
Elijah Muhammad: Black muslim who led in Detroit for over 40 years who called himself "the messenger of Allah."
Malcom X: A black muslim minister with tension with Elijah Muhammad, who divided the sect of Islam Nation around 1960. After pilgrimage to Mecca in 1963, he was converted to Orthodox Islam and created the "Organization of Afro-American Unity."
The Prophet Muhammad
Holy Texts
1.Shahadah (declaration of faith)—to bear witness or testify that there is no god except one God (Allah) and Muhammad is His prophet or messenger.
2.Salat (ritual prayer)—the five daily prayers are performed at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and night. The prayers are offered in Arabic language and facing the direction of Mecca.
3.Zakah (alms tax) –Giving 2.5% of one's wealth to the poor and needy.
4.Sawm (fasting)—Muslims fast during the daylight hours in the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar called Ramadan. The purpose is to remind people of the goodness of what they have and to show equality with the poor. Ramadan is a time for study and self-discipline.
5.Hajj (pilgrimage): Muslims believe in making a pilgrimage to Mecca to the Ka'bah at least once in their lifetime. The kA'bah is believed to have been built by Ibrahim (Abraham)and one of his sons. Muhammad restored it to worship Allah. For this reason it is a very sacred place to Muslims.
The Quran
Is the main holy text of the Islam Religion. The Quran deals with a wide range of topics, it focuses primarily on God’s character and relationship with mankind, as well as What God expects out of the followers. For Muslims, it is a book of guidance that permeates every aspect of life, the text of their faith, and the most important evidence of Muhammad’s role as prophet in his life.
The Hadith
It isn't the main text of the Islam religion, but it is important in helping to better understand the Quran. It tells about accounts of the traditions, sayings, actions, and unspoken approvals of Muhammad, recorded by followers after his death. The life of Muhammad is heavily studied, as Muslims view Muhammad as their last living prophet. His teachings serve not only as a model for Muslim behavior but also as an interpretation of the Quran. The word Hadith can refer either to a specific account of the words and deeds of Muhammad, or to the general body of those accounts.
The Quran
Religious Symbols
Islamic Place of Worship
Place of worship for the Islamic faith is mosques. They are very elaborate in structure, or they can be relatively small and modest in shape.
Contain these common features-Sahn: A courtyard, with a fountains of water inside the courtyard to symbolize purity and where worshippers can bathe before entering the mosque.
-Minaret: A tower from which the muezzin (person who calls Muslims to prayer)
sits and looks over the mosque. The minaret is above the sahn or courtyard.
-Mihrab: An empty arch that shows the position of Makkah.
-Minbar: Place where prayer leader gives the sermon and leads prayers.
-Zulla: Prayer hall off the sahn.
Mosque
Impacts of Social and Family Structures
The social effect of Muslim faith include making people better by submitting to Allah (God), and doing good deeds. As the religion has gained more followers, it had effect the social world be more people doing what is right which inturn gives us a better tomorrow. But some people have taken the words of the Quran in a bad way, and some major contributors to this are Osama Bin Laden and the Al Qaeda. They think that the Americans have stomped on the beliefs of the Muslim faith, and they have tried again and again to get back at the Americans. This show how religion and be deadly in the hands of some men.
Islamic Cultural Impacts
2) Changes common poetry of a culture (The Gulistan of Sa'Di)
3) Changes how powers in a culture is assigned.
The Taj Mahal
Three Things About Islam
Essential Question
Bibliography
"The Quran (Koran) - Sacred Texts of Islam." Islam Sacred Texts. Faithology, n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2012. <http://www.faithology.com/texts/islam>.
"URI Kids :: World Religions." URI Kids :: World Religions. URI Kids, 2002. Web. 06 Dec. 2012. <http://www.uri.org/kids/world_isla_basi.htm>.
"The Crescent Moon." About.com Islam. About, n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2012.
<http://islam.about.com/od/history/a/crescent_moon.htm>.
Rubenstein, James M.. "Chapter 6: Religion." The cultural landscape: an introduction to human geography. 5th ed. Upper Saddle, River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1996. 188, 189, 198, 202. Print.
http://www.seasite.niu.edu/crossroads/russell/islam.htm
TheWhiteR0ses. "Three Things About Islam." YouTube. YouTube, 16 July 2010. Web. 08 Dec. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib9rofXQl6w>.