Islam History values and culture We are all

Islam: History, values and culture

We are all Muslims; some have the Gospels, others have the Quran A Patriarch from Syria

Islam: Myths and Reality

Terminology: The religion is called ISLAM. The people are MUSLIMS or Moslim. 4

Myth #1: Most Muslims are Arabs who live in the Middle East. 3

Reality: Of more than 1 billion Muslims worldwide, only about 1/5 are Arabs. 4

Try to Guess: Which country has more Muslims than any other country in the world? 5

Answer: Indonesia - with over 200 million Muslims. Note: The U. S. has about 5 million Muslims. 6

http: //www. skidmore. edu/academics/arthistory/ah 369/islam_map. jpg 7

Myth #2: Muslims have a strange religion and worship a god called Allah. 8

Reality: Muslims are monotheistic and worship the same one God as Christians and Jews. ? ? ? 9

Note: ‘ Allah’ is the Arabic word for ‘God. ’ 10

Myth #3: Muslims believe it is o. k. to kill civilians in a holy war (“jihad”). 11

Reality: Only Muslim extremists believe this. (Just like most Christians do NOT believe in bombing abortion clinics. ) 12

l l Practice versus practitioner. Creator versus creation.

Myth #4: Most Muslim women wear veils over their faces and are treated very badly. 13

Reality: l l l Muslim women have many different styles of dress. (Very few cultures require women to cover their faces. ) The treatment of women varies from country to country and family to family. Some Muslim countries, like Pakistan, have had female prime ministers. The U. S. has never had a female president. 14

Pakistani dress (left); Saudi Arabian (right) Shariah TV website 15

Iranian woman Green Cine. com 16

Somali (left); West African (right) Shariah TV website 17

Malaysian (left); Indian/ Bangladeshi (right) Shariah TV website 18

Afghani women wearing burqas International Medical Corps photo 19

Muslim girls in Texas protesting discrimination for wearing head scarves http: //www. cairdfw. org 20

Something to think about: Should women in a Western country be allowed to wear a headscarf if they choose? 21

Main Beliefs of Islam 5 Pillars of Islam 22

Faith: Belief in one God and that Muhammad is His prophet. 23

Prayer: 5 times a day – facing Mecca http: //www. bbc. co. uk/religion/galleries/salah/images/5. jpg 24

Alms Giving money to the poor is REQUIRED, not optional 25

Fasting During the month of Ramadan, Muslims cannot eat or drink anything during the daylight hours. 26

Pilgrimage Once in their lives – If they can afford it, Muslims make a pilgrimage to Mecca 27

In Mecca during the pilgrimage www. thefaithclub. com 28

Vocabulary: MOSQUE: a Muslim place of worship 29

Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia http: //islamicbooks. info/H-21 -Madh'habs 30

Mohammed Ali mosque, Cairo, Egypt http: //www. solarnavigator. net/geography/egypt. htm 31

Inside the Mohammed Ali Mosque http: //www. ask-aladdin. com 32

Dome of the Mohammed Ali mosque http: //www. ask-aladdin. com 33

Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque), Istanbul Turkey http: //cs. ua. edu/~greg/personal. html 34

Interior of the Blue Mosque http: //www. britannica. com 35

Dome of a mosque, Esfahan, Iran http: //www. perceptivetravel. com/issues/1106/maclean. html 36

Interior of a mosque in Iran http: //www. worldisround. com/articles/73022/photo 621. html 37

Mosque in Djenne, Mali (West Africa) http: //www. travelblog. org/Photos/17028. html 38

North African mosque http: //www. galenfrysinger. com/ tunis. htm 39

Indonesian mosque http: //www. richard-seaman. com/Travel/Brunei/index. html 40

Islamic architecture in Spain http: //www. islamservices. org 41

Muslim mosque and tombstone in Sarajevo, Bosnia Yugoslavia: Republics and Provinces 42

Mosque in Tempe, Arizona http: //www. 4 uth. gov. ua/usa/english/society/muslimlife/mosques. htm 43

Vocabulary: QURAN (or KORAN): Muslim holy book 44

The Quran http: //www. minhajsisters. com/home/articles/index. minhaj? id=8 45

1. Which of the following is a true statement: A. All Arabs are Muslims B. All Muslims are Arabs C. Iran is an Arab country D. None of the above

1. Which of the following is a true statement: A. All Arabs are Muslims B. All Muslims are Arabs C. Iran is an Arab country D. None of the above

2. During prayer a Muslim should face: A. Mecca B. Islamabad C. Jerusalem D. Washington, DC

2. During prayer a Muslim should face: A. Mecca B. Islamabad C. Jerusalem D. Washington, DC

Islam • • Founder: Muhammad Ibn (son of) Adballah Born: 571 AD in Mecca, Arabia Descendant of Abraham Nicknames: Almustapha (the chosen), Alamin (the faithful) Titles: The prophet, the messenger (Alrasul) Tribe: Quraiysh Holy Book: The Quran, derived from ‘read’

Abraham Ismail Adnan Quraiysh Qussaiy Abdmanaf Abdshams Hashem Adbelmuttalib (Amneh+) Abdallah Abutalib Hamzeh Alabbas Muhammad Ummayah Dynasty (661 -750) Abulahab Alhareth Ali Abbbassides Dynasty (750 -1258)

Islam by the death of Mohammed 632

632 -661: the Four Elected Successors (Caliphs) • Abu-Bakr - 632 -634 • The first elected official. • Omar Ibn Elkhattab - 634 -644 • Othman bin Affan - 644 -656 Collected and compiled the Quran • Ali Bin Abitalib - 656 -661

Islam at 644, the year Omar died

732, 100 Yrs after Mohammed

The Abbassides Dynasty, 750 -1258 • The center of the Empire moves to Iraq and Iran • Baghdad, built 762 AD by Almansur (2 nd Caliph). • With over 2 M, Baghdad becomes the glamorous center of the world Ø Science, art, architecture, learning, and wealth Ø Lighted streets, public baths, public libraries and hospitals everywhere • Cairo, built 968 AD

Islam as Monotheistic Religion

l l The Quran: 114 Chapters (chapter = Surah) l Special place for Virgin Mary, the only female (the Chapter of Mary) l God = Allah (Arabic) = Eluhim (Hebrew) = El (Aramaic) One and only one God, no trinity Arabic as the language of the Quran

Jihad and the Conduct of War • Jihad in Arabic does not mean "holy war”. It means "struggle” or “strive”. • The "greater jihad” in the Quran is that of the soul, of the tongue, of the pen, of faith, of morality, etc. The "smaller jihad" is that of arms. Ø Three levels: – Personal: That of the soul – Verbal: "The most excellent jihad is the speaking of truth in the face of a tyrant" – Physical: Combat waged in defense against oppression and transgression.

Jihad and the Conduct of War ã Since good and evil cannot be equal, repel thou evil with something that is better, and love he between whom and thy self was enmity may then become as though he had always been close unto thee, a true friend" (41: 34) • God does not allow harm of civilian, and requests the protection of women, children and the elderly during war (4: 96; 9: 91; 48: 16, 17) Ø “If any one slew a person--unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land--it would be as if he slew the whole people; and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. ” (5: 32)

Jihad and the Conduct of War Ø "Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loves not transgressors. " (2: 190). – Notice: Defensive war, fight back • ‘Martyrdom’: Those killed during fighting or while doing civic duties (martyrs) are promised a place in heaven (several passages, e. g. , 2: 154; 3: 169 -172) • However, suicide is not allowed; it is forbidden and condemned (e. g. , 6: 151, 17: 33, 25: 68) Ø 'Do not attack a temple, a church, a synagogue. Do not bring a tree or a plant down. Do not harm a horse or a camel’

Relation with other Faiths • Like the Torah, the Quran permits retaliation eye for eye, tooth for tooth. But, like the Gospels, it says “it is meritorious to forgo revenge in a spirit of charity (5: 45) • Acknowledges Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, Zacharia, Jesus, John the baptist, and others as the “the good prophets of God” • A special place for Jesus and Mary (e. g. , 3: 45, 46; 4: 156 -158; 19: 1 -98) • Accepts that Mary’s conception is from God’s soul. • Rejects the divinity of Jesus (no trinity). • Jesus was not killed (e. g. , 4: 155 -159; 5: 17 -19)

Relation with other Faiths Ø "And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except with means better, unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong: but say, 'We believe in the revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our Allah and your Allah is one; and it is to Him we bow. ” • In one of his last public sermons Muhammad said Ø “God tells all human beings, "O people! We have formed you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another" (49: 13). Do not conquer, convert, subjugate, revile or slaughter but to reach out toward others with intelligence and understanding”

Sunni and Shiha Sunni • 90% of Muslims • Follow the Quran and the Hadeeth as we have them today, and as interpreted by the Sunni scholars Shiha • Came to be as a sect after 680 A. D. • Believe in the Quran and Hadeeth, like Sunni • However, they place Ali very high as a holy figure, and think ‘main stream’ Islam discriminated against him • Today Shiah is mainly in Iran (90%), Iraq (55%) and Lebanon (~40%)

Important Holidays Al-adhaa (the sacrifice) • Symbolizes Abraham attempt to sacrifice his son Ishmael by God’s request. • Should sacrifice an animal and give the food to the poor. • The pilgrimage to Mecca Alfetr • Observed at the end of the holy month of Ramadan (the fasting month) The Islamic New Year • Yr 1, Islamic calendar = 622 A. D. Alisraa Walmaaraj • Symbolizes the ascending, in Jerusalem, of Mohammed's soul to heaven The Birthday of Muhammad Ashuraa day (Shiha only)

Islam Today • 1. 3 Billion worldwide, three continents Ø 0. 3 Billion Arabs Ø Indonesia (200 M) > India (180 M) > Pakistan (160 M) > Bangladesh (120 M) > China (80 M) > Egypt (70 M) • There about 20 M Christian Arabs Ø Egypt > Syria > Lebanon > Palestine > Iraq • About 7 M Muslims in the USA, 3 -4 M are Arabs Ø Roughly half of the Arab Americans are Christians