History and
Beliefs
World Religions
ISLAM KEY TERMS
•People who follow Islam are called Muslims
(preferred over Moslems) refers to
“one who submits to God”
•Fasted growing religion in the world with
1.9 billion followers (2022)
•Started in Mecca, Saudi Arabia
•Their word for God is Allah
– Arabic for God
•Their holy book is the Qur’an (Koran)
– provides guidance in all matters of life and the FINAL
authority on ALL subjects
– Arabic is the primary language
Definitions
• Islam – Religion of Muslims
• Muslim – Follower of Islam
• Islamic – Relating to Islam; refers to things, not
people
• Islamism – Controversial political movement
that seeks to unite politics and Islam
• Islamophobia – Fear and prejudice of
Islam or Muslims
• Arab – A person who speaks Arabic
• Middle East – historical and cultural region of
Africa-Eurasia w/ no clear definition
Did You Know?
• Muslims can be found throughout the
world (Middle East, North Africa, and South
and Central Asia especially)
• Only 20% of Muslims come from Middle
East, though 90% of that region identify as
Muslim
Countries with the
Largest Muslim
Populations
1. Indonesia – 205 million Muslims
2. Pakistan – 160 million
3. India – 151 million
4. Bangladesh – 130 million
5. Egypt – 70 million
6. Turkey –68 million
7. Nigeria – 65 million
8. Iran – 64 million
38. United States – 6 million
Abrahamic Religions
• Abrahamic religions count Abraham as
their first prophet
• They account for more than half of the
world's total religious followers
History of Islam
Abraham Tested
A first, and only son, is born
to Ibrahim (Abraham), and
God asks him to sacrifice
the child
Ibrahim has “doubts”
tempted by devil to
disobey his one God
Spared at last second,
Muslims believe this story
pertained, not to Isaac, but
to ISHMAEL!
Abraham and Ishmael
• Traces roots to Abraham then his son
Ishmael born from his servant Hagar
HAG ABRAH SARA
AR AM H
Ishm Isaac
ael
12 Arabian Jacob Esau
Tribes
12 Tribes of
Hagar and Ishmael
• Banishment of Hagar and Ishmael
into a desert valley at the command
of God
• Desperate for water to save her
thirsty son
• Hagar ran 7 times between the two
hills of Safa and Marwah
• Water sprang under the feet of
the child
• Well of Zamzam
• One of the most enduring miracles
of Islam, representing God’s mercy
Mecca and the Kaaba
• Abraham makes the lengthy
trip to visit his family in the
valley of Mecca
• A shrine is being built to honor
the one God of Abraham
• An angel brought Abraham
the Black Stone, which was
placed in the eastern corner of
the structure
• El Kaaba (Arabic “The Cube”)
is dedicated to Allah
• Most sacred spot on Earth for
Muslims
• Abraham is thus the first of
many pilgrims to the holy city
The Prophetic Tradition
Adam
Noah
Abraham
Moses
Jesus
Muhammad
Muhammad
(570-632 CE)
• Born in Mecca c. 570 C.E.
• Name means “the praised one”
• Pre-eminent prophet and last in
a line of prophets to God
• He is not divine, but the
“Seal of the
Prophets”
• Muslims do not regard him as the
founder of a new religion but as the
restorer of the original faith of Adam,
Abraham, and other prophets whose
messages became corrupted over
time
• When Muhammad’s name is
written or spoken, it is often
followed by pbuh or
“peace be upon him”
Muhammad’s Search
• Mecca becomes a lucrative trading
center on caravan routes
• Muhammad, “The Honest,” is
troubled by the treachery and
materialism in the world
– never shared with his people the
worship of idols
• Retreating to mountain cave in
desert hills above Mecca to
reflect & meditate and find the
answer to his questions
• At age 40, the angel Gabriel spoke
to him about proclaiming the word
of God
• These revelations to Muhammad
would continue over course of next
23 years finishing the final,
complete, and correct revelation in
the monotheistic tradition
The Qur’an
• The Qur’an is the compilation of
Muhammad’s revelations
– The Muslim holy book is the central
miracle of Islam
• Muslims believe the Qur’an is
infallible as the literal
word of God
• His wife, Khadija, encouraged
and financially supported his
early preaching
• Messages of: monotheism, equality,
unity, charity, humility, personal
responsibility, mercy, and eternal life
• But people of Mecca rejected the word
of God as a challenge to their economic
power and a threat to their ancient
tribal traditions
The Hejira
• Initially Arabs refused to accept monotheism
Muhammad fled to Yathrib, where he gained new
followers
• This is known as the hejira and the Islamic calendar
measures time from this date (622 CE)
• A turning point marking the beginning of an Islamic
community and expansion of the faith
– A new clan united not by blood, but by faith
• Yathrib was later renamed Medina, or
“City of the Prophet”
• In 630, Muhammad returned to Mecca with an
army of 10,000 and captured the city
• Destroyed the idols that filled the Kaaba
• Rededicated the House of God
The Hejira
Year One of Muslim Calendar
• For the final
years of his life
Muhammad
spread Islam
across the
Arabian
Peninsula
• Died in 632 C.E.
Jerusalem as Holy City
•Mohammed c. 621 ascended to Heaven
from Jerusalem for an evening
•Dome of the Rock built on this site
•Had his followers in Medina pray towards
Jerusalem before the Kabba in Mecca was
restored
Significance of the
site of the
Dome of the Rock to…
• Muslims: The rock in the center The Foundation Stone
of the dome is believed by
Muslims to be the spot from
which Muhammad ascended to
God in heaven, accompanied by
the angel Gabriel.
• Jews: The stone is the site
where Abraham fulfilled God's
test to see if he would be willing
to sacrifice his son Isaac; at one
time the Ark of the Covenant
rested upon the rock
• Christians: Jesus preached on
this ground
The Spread of Islam
The Spread of Islam
Why did Islam spread so
quickly?
• Easy to learn and practice
• No priesthood
• Preached equality
• Non-Muslims considered “People of the
Book” (Jews and Christians) were allowed
religious freedom but paid additional taxes
• Jihad (“struggle” or “holy war”)
against pagans and other non-
believers (infidels)
Division within Islam
• Around 30 years after the death of
Muhammad a split in Islam occurred
• It resulted in the Sunnis and the
Shiites
• The split was over who could become a
successor to Muhammad, or caliph
• The split still affects Islam today
• 85% of the Muslim world is Sunni while
Shiites make up the rest, with the
majority living in Iran and Iraq
Distribution of Islam
Sunni (green) and Shi'a
(blue)
Beliefs of Islam
Basic Beliefs of Islam
• Monotheistic
• Muslims believe in the Judeo-Christian
God, which they call Allah
– Muslims often follow Allah with “SWT” which
stands for the Arabic words "Subhanahu wa
ta'ala" meaning “Glory to Him, the Exalted”
• Muhammad is the final messenger in a
long line of prophets
• Muhammad is not divine
The Qur’an and
Hadith
• The Qur’an is the Muslim holy book
• Muhammad’s revelations were compiled into the
Qur’an after his death
• Muslims believe the Qur’an is the literal word of God
• The Hadith is a collection of Muhammad’s sayings
or actions that have been recorded
– Individual sayings or actions are called hadiths
Mosques and Imams
• Mosques are places of
worship
• Primarily places to pray,
but also used as meeting
places
• The first mosque in the
world was the Kaaba
• The leader of a mosque is
called an imam
The Five Pillars of
Islam
The Five Pillars of
Islam
1. Shahadah – Declaration of Faith
2. Salat – Prayer five times per day
3. Zakat – Alms-giving (charity)
4. Sawm – Fasting
5. Hajj – Pilgrimage
The World of Islam
1 2 3 4 5
1. Shahadah
• The declaration of faith
– “I declare there is no God except
Allah, and I declare that Muhammad
is the Messenger of Allah”
– “The two testimonies”
• Foundation all the other pillars
• To convert to Islam you must repeat
the Shahadah in front of a witness
• Children are taught to recite this as
soon as they are able to
2. Salat
• Muslims must pray five times a day at
fixed times
– Fajr: before sunrise
– Zuhr: just after noontime
– ‘Asr: late afternoon
– Maghrib: just after sunset
– ‘Isha: at night
• Personal communication with God
– “Red Hot” Connection
2. Salat
• Muslims are called
to prayers by the
muezzin in the
minaret
• Muslims pray facing
the Kaaba in Mecca
• The worshipper's
body and clothing,
as well as the place
of prayer, must be
cleansed
• Muslims pray in a
mosque on Friday
3. Zakat
• Charity to the poor and needy by able
Muslims
• A portion of annual savings (2.5%
must be paid to the poor)
• Obligatory by all adult Muslims (some
exceptions)
4. Sawm
• Fasting during the month of Ramadan
(ninth month in the Islamic calendar)
– Muslims must abstain from food, drink, and
sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk during this
month
– Muslims should also abstain from violence,
anger, envy, greed, lust, harsh language, and
gossip
• The end of the month of fasting is called Eid
ul Fitr, or the festival of fast breaking
– There are parties, food, festivals, carnivals, and
family outings
5. The Hajj
• Pilgrimage to Mecca that lasts 5-7 days
• Every able-bodied Muslim who can afford
to do so is obliged to make the pilgrimage
at least once in his or her lifetime
• Mecca is where it is believed Muhammad
became a prophet
• Entrance to Mecca is forbidden to non-
Muslims, and the entire city is considered
a holy site in Islam
5. The Hajj
• People who complete the Hajj can add
the title Hajji to their name
• Hajjis perform a series of ritual acts
symbolic of the lives of Abraham and
Hagar
– Circumambulating the Kaaba seven times
– Walking back and forth between the hills of
Safa and Marwah seven times
– Stoning of Satan by throwing pebbles at
pillars as a rejection of the devil and
temptation
– Mohammed’s final sermon at the Mount of
Mercy
• Millions stand together asking God for mercy, blessings,
prosperity
– stand together asking God for mercy, blessings, prosperity and good health stand together asking God for
stand together asking God for
mercy, blessings, prosperity and good health
mercy, blessings, prosperity and good health
The Sacred Mosque in
Mecca
The Great Mosque
with the Kaaba
The Kaaba
• Holiest mosque in the
world
• According Islam, the
Kaaba was built by
Abraham and his son
Ishmael
• When Muhammad
returned to Mecca he
rededicated the
shrine
The Great Mosque
during the Hajj
What do Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam have
in common?
• Geography
– Jerusalem is important to all three religions
• Abraham and many other prophets
• Similar languages
– Hebrew, Aramaic, and Arabic
• Belief in one God
• God is omnipotent and omniscient
• Belief that people must act ethically
Muslim View of
Judaism and
• Judaism
Christianity
– Muslims respect Jews as “People of the
Book” who believe in an incomplete
revelation
• Christianity
– Muslims respect Christians as “People of the
Book” who believe in an incomplete
revelation
– Muslims respect and revere Jesus
