ISLAM

INTRODUCTION TO WORLD
RELIGIONS AND BELIEF SYSTEMS
Learning Objectives:

·explain the core teaching of Islam and the

1
Islamic view of God;

value the sacrificial love of God and others

2
and the importance of fasting.

write an essay about their favorite festival of

3
Islam;
PRE- TEST
What is the meaning of
the Arabic term “Islam”?

1 SACRIFICE
2 SURRENDER
3 SALVATION
It is the place where Muslims
believed that Allah revealed his will
to Muhammad. What is this place?

1 JUDEA
2 JERUSALEM
3
MECCA
What is the sacred text of the
Islamic religion which means
recitation?

1 PENTATEUCH
2 HOLY BIBLE
3
QUR'AN
What is the center of the Islam
which is expressed in their
Shahadah?

1 There is no other God but Allah

alone!

There is no God but Allah and

2
Muhammad is the messenger of
Allah!

3 Honor Allah the only God and

Muhammad his messenger
ISLAM
Islam is the fastest growing and the
second largest religion in the world. It is
the religion who believe that there is
only one God and follow the teachings
of the Qur’an. Its adherents are called
Muslims. The Arabic word Islam means
“submission” or “surrender “ and implies
submission to the will of God, while the
word Muslim means “one who submits to
Allah.
ISLAM
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ISLAM
the Prophet Muhammad
EARLY LIFE OF MUHAMMAD
EARLY LIFE OF MUHAMMAD
On one of these occasions, the Archangel Gabriel
(Jibra'il in Arabic) appeared to him and instructed
him to recite "in the name of [your] lord." This was
the first of many revelations that became the basis
of the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam. These early
revelations pointed to the existence of a single God,
contradicting the polytheistic beliefs of the pre-
Islamic Arabian Peninsula.
EARLY LIFE OF MUHAMMAD
Initially overwhelmed by the significance of
what was being revealed to him, Muhammad
found unflinching support in his wife and slowly
began to attract followers. His strong
monotheistic message angered many of the
Meccan merchants.
EARLY LIFE OF MUHAMMAD
They were afraid that trade, which they
believed was protected by the pagan gods,
would suffer. From that point forward,
Muhammad was ostracized in Mecca. For a time,
the influence and status of his wife and his
uncle, Abu Talib, the chief of the clan, protected
Muhammad from persecution. After they died,
however, Muhammad's situation in Mecca
became dire.
THE HIJRA
Emigration became the only hope for
Muhammad and his followers' survival. In 622,
they headed to Medina, another oasis town,
where they were promised freedom to
practice their religion. The move from Mecca
to Medina is known as the hijra—the flight—
and marks year 1 of the Islamic, or hijri,
calendar.
SPREADING THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM
In Medina, Muhammad continued to receive divine
revelations and built an ever-expanding
community around the new faith. The conflict
with the Quraish continued, but after several
years of violent clashes, Mecca surrendered.
Muhammad and his followers soon returned and
took over the city, destroying all its pagan idols
and spreading their belief in one God.
SPREADING THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM
SPREADING THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM
THE NIGHT OF JOURNEY AND ASCENCION
OF THE PROPHET
Accounts of the ascension (mi'raj ) of
Muhammad have captured the imaginations of
writers and painters for centuries.

One night, while the Prophet was sleeping, the

Archangel Gabriel came and led him on a
journey.
THE NIGHT OF JOURNEY AND ASCENCION
OF THE PROPHET
Mounted on the heavenly steed Buraq, Muhammad
traveled from the Ka'ba in Mecca to the
"Farthest Mosque," which Muslims believed to be
the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

There he prayed with other prophets such as

Moses, Abraham, and Jesus, and ascended to the
skies, where he was led by Gabriel through
Paradise and Hell, and finally came face to face
with God.
THE NIGHT OF JOURNEY AND ASCENCION
OF THE PROPHET

He then returned to earth to continue

spreading the message of Islam. According
to Islamic belief, Muhammad was the only
person to see Heaven and Hell while still
alive.
THE NIGHT OF JOURNEY AND ASCENCION
OF THE PROPHET
AFTER THE PROPHET'S DEATH:

When Muhammad died in 632, he had not named a

successor.
One faction, the Shi'a, believed that only individuals
with direct lineage to the Prophet could guide the
Muslim community righteously. They thought that
'Ali, Muhammad's closest surviving blood male
relative, should be their next leader (caliph).
AFTER THE PROPHET'S DEATH:

The other faction, the Sunnis, believed that the

Prophet's successor should be determined by
consensus and successively elected three of his
most trusted companions, commonly referred to as
the Rightly Guided Caliphs (Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and
'Uthman), as leaders of the Muslim community; 'Ali
succeeded them as the fourth caliph.
AFTER THE PROPHET'S DEATH:

Today the Islamic community remains

divided into Sunni and Shi'i branches.
Sunnis revere all four caliphs, while
Shi'is regard 'Ali as the first spiritual
leader.
AFTER THE PROPHET'S DEATH:
The rift between these two factions has
resulted in differences in worship as well as
political and religious views. Sunnis are in the
majority and occupy most of the Muslim world,
while Shi'i populations are concentrated in Iran
and Iraq, with sizeable numbers in Bahrain,
Lebanon, Kuwait, Turkey, Pakistan, and
Afghanistan.
BASIC
TEACHINGS
OF
ISLAM: QUR'AN
A. QUR'AN
Muslims believe that the
Qur'an, the holy book of
Islam, was revealed to
Muhammad over a period of
twenty-three years,
starting with the initial
revelation at Mount Hira
A. QUR'AN

After the Prophet's death,

his successors compiled
these divine revelations in a
manuscript.
A. QUR'AN
The Qur’an is the official
sacred text of Islam.

It is written in Old Arabic

and is divided into:
Chapters (suras)
verses (ayas)
A. QUR'AN
Muslims believed that
the words in the Qur’an
are the revelations of
God to Muhammad
through Angel Gabriel
and thus, are divine and
eternal.
A. QUR'AN
The Qur'an contains:
prayers
moral guidance,
historical narrative;
and
promises of
Paradise
A. QUR'AN
It opens with a short prayer
called the Al-Fatihah
(the most widely recited
passage),and is divided into
114 chapters (suras)
organized in descending
length.
A. QUR'AN

For binding and reading

purposes, manuscripts
of the Qur'an are often
divided into thirty equal
parts, called juz'.
A. QUR'AN
Every chapter of the Qur'an
(except one) begins with
the "bismillah", the
collective name for the
invocation "In the name of
God, the Compassionate,
the Merciful"
A. QUR'AN

The calligraphic bismillah is

frequently written on both
religious and secular
objects.
A. QUR'AN
Al-Baqarah, the second and
longest sura of Qur’an. this
chapter was revealed to
Muhammad gradually as
necessitated by the various
Islamic social circumstances
and conditions when he was in
Medina.
A. QUR'AN
Al-Baqarah, addresses a wide variety
of topics:
monotheism
inimitability and significance of the
Qur’an
history of Abraham and Moses
Islamic rules on prayers
fasting
Holy War
pilgrimage to Mecca
BASIC
TEACHINGS
OF
ISLAM: NO
OTHER GOD BUT
ALLAH
No other god but God: Allah
Allah, Arabic Allāh (“God”), the one
and only God in Islam. Etymologically,
the name Allah is probably a
contraction of the Arabic al-Ilāh, “the
God.” The name's origin can be traced
to the earliest Semitic writings in
which the word for god was il, el, or
eloah, the latter two used in the
Hebrew Bible (Old Testament).
No other god but God: Allah
Muslims view the reality of Allah as
divided into three major themes:

1. Allah is the creator, provider,

and judge;
2. Allah is unique (wahid) and one
(ahad); and
3. Allah is omnipotent and
merciful.
No other god but God: Allah
Nowhere in the Qur’an and Hadith
(collection of sayings of the Prophet
Muhammad) mentioned 99 names of
Allahwhich include One and Only, the
Living One, the Subsisting, the Real
Truth, the Sublime, the Wise, the
Omnipotent, the Hearer, the Seer, the
Omniscient, the Witness, the Trustee,
the Benefactor, the Merciful, and the
Constant Forgiver.
No other god but God: Allah
The Muslims view God as one and
unique – no other partner or equal.

They rejected the Christian concept

of Trinitarian – Monotheism.

The Qur’an teaches that there is no

way that God can send
intermediaries and be incarnated in
anything.
No other god but God: Allah
It also teaches that God is
everywhere – that he is always in
our midst but has no incarnations.

the majestic and sovereign God of

the Qur’an is described as a
personal God, who is very much
present in history and listens to the
call of his people.
 SACRED
BUILDING
SACRED BUILDING
 THE 5
PILLARS OF
FAITH
A. SHAHADA
Or the Profession of Faith
Transliteration: “Ashadu an la
ilaha illa illa-ilah, wa ashadu
anna muhammadan rasul
ullah.”
Translation: “There is no God
but God (Allah – i.e. there is
none worthy of worship but
Allah), and Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah.”
A. SHAHADA
It is the most sacred statement
in Islam, and must be recited
with full understanding and
mindfulness of it’s meaning.

The Shahada (shahadah) is the

Arabic term for the declaration
of faith in one God (Allah) and
His messenger.
B. SALAH (SALAT)
or Prayer
Arabic ṣalāt, the daily ritual prayer
enjoined upon all Muslims as one of the five
Pillars of Islam (arkān al-Islām).

The most well-known, and an obligatory,

act in Islam is the performance of the five
daily prayers, which in Arabic is known as
salah (often written salat). In the Qur'an,
the Arabic word salah means to
demonstrate servitude to God by means of
certain actions.
B. SALAH (SALAT)
Muslims pray facing Mecca five
times a day: at dawn, noon,
mid-afternoon, sunset, and
after dark.
Prayer includes a recitation of
the opening chapter (sura) of
the Qur'an, and is sometimes
performed on a small rug or mat
used expressly for this purpose.
B. SALAH (SALAT)
Muslims can pray individually at
any location or together in a
mosque, where a leader in
prayer (imam) guides the
congregation.
Men gather in the mosque for
the noonday prayer on Friday;
women are welcome but not
obliged to participate.
B. SALAH (SALAT)

After the prayer, a sermon

focuses on a passage from the
Qur'an, followed by prayers by
the imam and a discussion of a
particular religious topic.
C. ZAKAT
Alms
Zakat is an Islamic financial term.
As one of the pillars of the faith, it
requires all Muslims to donate a
portion of their wealth to charity.
Muslims must meet a certain
threshold before they can qualify
for zakat. The amount is 2.5% or
1/40 of an individual's total savings
and wealth.
C. ZAKAT

Many rulers and wealthy

Muslims build mosques, drinking
fountains, hospitals, schools,
and other institutions both as a
religious duty and to secure the
blessings associated with
charity.
C. ZAKAT

Zakat can be paid at any time

during the lunar year.
Some Islamic countries require
citizens to pay zakat while
others do not.
D. SAWM
Sawm is the Arabic term used to
describe the act of fasting
Passed the age of puberty,
Muslims are required to fast
during the month of Ramadan,
which entails abstaining from
food, drink, sexual relations and
displeasing speech and behavior
from sunrise until sunset.
D. SAWM
The month of Ramadan is
the ninth month of the
Islamic calendar, and
includes the night in which
the holy Qur’an was first
revealed to mankind,
known as Laylat al-Qadr
(the night of decree).
D. SAWM
During the daylight hours of
Ramadan, the ninth month of the
Islamic calendar, all healthy adult
Muslims are required to abstain
from food and drink.
During Ramadan they share the
hunger and thirst of the needy as
a reminder of the religious duty to
help those less fortunate.
D. SAWM
Through this temporary
deprivation, they renew their
awareness of and gratitude for
everything God has provided in
their lives—including the Qur'an,
which was first revealed during
this month.
E. HAJJ

PILGRIMAGE
Hajj is a sacred pilgrimage that is
required of every Muslim at least
once in their lifetime – it is one of
the five pillars of Islam.
Each year, millions of Muslims
from across the world travel to
and perform Hajj in Makkah,
modern day Saudi Arabia.
E. HAJJ

The Ka'ba, a cubical structure

covered in black embroidered
hangings, is at the center of the
Haram Mosque in Mecca.
Muslims believe that it is the
house Abraham (Ibrahim in
Arabic) built for God, and face in
its direction (qibla) when they
pray.
E. HAJJ
It is a physically demanding
journey that Muslims believe
offers a chance to wipe clean
past sins and start anew before
God.
Pilgrims seek to deepen their faith
on the hajj, with some women
adopting the head covering
known as the “hijab.”
E. HAJJ
Since the time of the
Prophet Muhammad,
believers from all over the
world have gathered around
the Ka'ba in Mecca on the
eighth and twelfth days of
the final month of the Islamic
calendar.
ISLAM HOLY DAYS
ISLAM HOLY DAYS

There are two important festive days in a year for

Muslims around the world:

1. the Eid al-Fitr (the Festival of Breaking Fast)

and
2. the Eid al-Adha (the feast of sacrifice).
ISLAM HOLY DAYS

In general, Muslims observe two key

holidays: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. The
dates for these two holidays are determined
by tradition according to the Islamic or Hijra
calendar, which is based on the lunar year.
A.Eid al-Fitr (Festival of the Breaking of the Fast)

This Eid is often celebrated for one

day each year at the end of the
approximately 30-day month of
Ramadan, during which many
Muslim adults fast daily from sunrise
to sunset and give charity to the
poor and needy.
A.Eid al-Fitr (Festival of the Breaking of the Fast)

During this festival, Muslims do not

only celebrate the end of fasting;
they also thank Allah for the help
and strength that he gave them
throughout the previous month to
help them practice self-control.
B. Eid al-Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice)

Depending on the country,

Eid al-Adha is celebrated
from 4 to 12 days at the end
of the Hajj (pilgrimage, the
fifth pillar of Islam) 5 to
Mecca and Medina.
B. Eid al-Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice)

Eid al-Adha commemorates

the dream in which God
appeared to Ibrahim (known
as Abraham to Christians)
and asked him to sacrifice his
son Ishmael as an act of
obedience.
B. Eid al-Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice)

According to religious
tradition, God intervened
and requested that a sheep
be sacrificed in Ishmael’s
place.
B. Eid al-Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice)

During this festival, Muslims

sacrifice animals as a
symbol of Ibrahim’s
sacrifice and of their
willingness to sacrifice
anything for God.
B. Eid al-Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice)

The feast of sacrifice

signals the end of the hajj.
ISLAM HOLY DAYS

At the completion of both Eids, people may say “Eid

mubarak” to one another.This is an Arabic salutation
meaning blessed Eid or blessed celebration. Muslims
often wish each other Eid mubarak after performing
the Eid al-Adha prayer and may also hug each
other three times.
OTHER ISLAM HOLIDAYS
Ashura
For Shi’a Muslims, Ashura commemorates the
murder and subsequent martyrdom of Husayn,
grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, on the 10th
day of the Islamic lunar month of Muharram. It is
generally observed through wearing black
clothing, engaging in lamentation (and sometimes
self-flagellation), and fasting.
OTHER ISLAM HOLIDAYS
MAWLID
Mawlid celebrates the birthday of the Prophet
Muhammad. Its legitimacy has been a topic of
intense debate within the Muslim world, but it is
recognized by most denominations of Islam and is a
national holiday in most Muslim-majority countries,
with the exception of Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
OTHER ISLAM HOLIDAYS
OTHER ISLAM HOLIDAYS
SUBDIVISIONS
OF ISLAM
 A. SUNNI ISLAM
Sunni, Arabic Sunnī,
member of one of the two
major branches of Islam.
It is the largest
denomination of Islam
followed by 90% of the
world' Muslims.
 A. SUNNI ISLAM
Caliph, Arabic khalīfah
(“successor”), in Islamic
history the ruler of the
Muslim community.
Referring to humans as
God’s stewards or vice-
regents on earth
 A. SUNNI ISLAM
The Sunnis recognize the first four
caliphs as the Prophet Muhammad’s
rightful successors.

Abū Bakr (reigned 632–634), ʿ

Umar (reigned 634–644), ʿ
Uthmān (reigned 644–656),
Alī (reigned 656–661).
B. SHIA ISLAM
B. SHIA ISLAM
Some members of the ummah
(Muslim community) held that
God had intended for that
spiritual link, and the political
and military authority
associated with it, to continue
via Muhammad’s family.
B. SHIA ISLAM
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib—the
Prophet’s cousin and son-
in-law—should have been
the Prophet’s immediate
successor and, thereafter,
members of ʿAlī’s family.
C. SUFIS ISLAM
ʿSufism may be best described
as Islamic mysticism or
asceticism, which through
belief and practice helps
Muslims attain nearness to
Allah by way of direct
personal experience of God
 ISSUES
CONCERNING
ISLAM
ISSUES OF ISLAM
ISSUES OF ISLAM
Other Islamic
Practices
A. DIETARY PRACTICES

"Halal" is an Arabic word that translates to

"permitted" or "lawful," according to the
Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of
America (IFANCA).

The term refers to any food products, food

ingredients, food contact material,
cosmetics and medicines that are suitable
for anyone who practices Islam.
A. DIETARY PRACTICES
Halal slaughter is also known as Zabiha. The
most essential aspect of halal is the blessing
of God, also known as the Tasmiyyah, which
must be said upon each animal.

Other parts of halal slaughtering include:

The presence of a Muslim person during
slaughter
The precise area of cutting
The bleeding of the animal
A. DIETARY PRACTICES
According to Islamic dietary restrictions,
non-halal items are known as "haram,"
which means "forbidden" in Arabic.
These are the opposite of halal and include:
1. Pork and all its byproducts, including gelatin
2. Any animal that wasn't slaughtered according to Islamic
guidelines
3. Blood and its by-products
4. Birds of prey (those with talons) and any other
carnivorous animals, including reptiles and insects
5. Alcoholic beverages and any other intoxicants
6. Foods that include any of the items listed above
B. ISLAMIC LAW
The Qur'an is the principal source of
Islamic law, the Sharia. It contains the
rules by which the Muslim world is
governed (or should govern itself) and
forms the basis for relations between
man and God, between individuals,
whether Muslim or non-Muslim, as well
as between man and things which are
part of creation.
B. ISLAMIC LAW
The Sharia contains the rules
by which a Muslim society is
organized and governed, and
it provides the means to
resolve conflicts among
individuals and between the
individual and the state.
THANK YOU!