Islam n Arabian Peninsulabetween Red Sea Persian Gulf

Islam

n Arabian Peninsula--between Red Sea & Persian Gulf (Arabian Desert) n Bedouins—nomadic herders n Tribes—Everyone obeys rules=survival

n Blood feuds n Mecca —important trading city n Kaaba (housed statues of many Arab gods)

Muhammad n Born in Mecca 570 AD n HONEST caravan leader n Married wealthy widow n Devoted time to reflecting on life

n 610—Muhammad had revelations n Allah (Arabic word for God) told Muhammad to “Recite!” – Warned against idol worship & sin – Allah was one true god

n Wealthy merchants feared Islam would stop tourism to Kaaba & threaten profit n Mecca’s Muslims merchants threatened

n 622—Muhammad & Muslims fled from Mecca to Yathrib—Hijrah (flight) n City’s name changed to Medina n 622—beginning of Muslim calendar

n 624—Medina Compact –place loyalty to Islamic community over tribe

n 630—Muhammad invaded Mecca n Muhammad destroyed idols in the Kaaba

n Qur’an (Koran) which means “recital” is the Muslim holy book –Conversations between Muhammad & angel Gabriel

n Qur’an Moral Values: – Honor their parents – Kindness to neighbors – Protect orphans & widows – Give generously to the poor – Murder, stealing, and lying, and adultery are condemned – Gambling, eating pork, & drinking alcohol are NOT ALLOWED – The Quran also has rules for divorce & marriage

5 PILLARS OF ISLAM 1. ) Faith – belief in Allah— 1 true God 2. ) Prayer – 5 times a day facing Mecca— sunrise, noon, afternoon, sunset, & evening (mosques have minarets, towers, where people made call to prayer)

3. ) Fasting – Occurs during month of Ramadan— 9 th month in the Muslim calendar 4. ) Alms giving – Charity 5. ) Pilgrimage – Trip to Mecca – Called a hajj

Halal Word means lawful n Refers to foods that are OK for Muslims to eat n Similar to Jewish “kosher” food n Mammals that both chew their cud and have cloven hooves can be kosher. Animals with one characteristic but not the other (the camel, the hyrax and the hare because they have no cloven hooves, and the pig because it does not ruminate) are specifically excluded (Leviticus 11: 3– 8)

n Caliphs=Muhammad’s successors n 632: Abu Bakr (Muhammad’s old friend) 1 st caliph n 634: Umar – Added Iraq, Syria, Jerusalem, & Egypt

What is jihad? n Struggle for Islam

644: Ali (Muhammad’s son in law & cousin) lost caliph to Umayyad clan – Umayyad killed & Ali became caliph n CIVIL WAR – Ali’s forces vs. Umayyads – Ali KILLED & Mu’awiya made caliph starting Umayyad Dynasty n

Sunni Shiite (Shi’a) n Majority of n Mostly in Iraq & world’s Muslims Iran n Caliph can be n Caliph should be any devout descendant of Muslim Muhammad accepted by the people