Islam

Essential Understanding
Islam is one of the youngest and fastest-growing religions in the world, founded by
Muhammad in the 7th century C.E.
Muslims adhere strictly to their faith by universally following the "Five Pillars of Islam."

Essential Question
What were the various societal and religious developments in the Arabian region that
necessitated Muhammad's founding of a new religion?
Why are the "Five Pillars of Islam" integral in the unity of the Muslim people?

Historical Background
Origins: Islam began among the Arabian desert people around the early 7th century C.E.
Pre-Islamic Influences: The Arabian people were influenced by Byzantine Christianity,
Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Proximity to Judea and major cities like Damascus, Antioch,
and Alexandria exposed them to these faiths. Many desert tribes were Jewish in origin, and
the city of Medina had a significant Jewish population when Muslims arrived in 622 C.E.
Native Pre-Islamic Religion:
Worshipped a variety of gods, recognizing a supreme god but venerating local and tribal
deities through images and blood sacrifices.
Believed in angels, fairies, demonic creatures, and evil spirits.
Practiced animism, revering spirits in rocks, trees, and wells.
Mecca: Became a sacred shrine due to animistic associations. A meteoric stone that fell
in Mecca became an object of veneration, enclosed in a structure called the Kaaba. The
Kaaba gradually filled with images and relics, including a painting of Jesus and Mary. The
"Black Stone" within the Kaaba was a significant object of veneration.
Mecca's Importance: Situated on a major north-south caravan route, Mecca was a center of
trade.

The Life of Muhammad

Birth: Born around 570 C.E. in Mecca. Orphaned at a young age.
Upbringing: Belonged to the clan of Hashim of the Quraysh tribe, which controlled the Kaaba
and trade in Mecca. Raised by his grandfather Abd al-Muttalib and later his uncle Abu Talib.
Early Life and Travels: Worked as a caravan worker, traveling across the Arabian Peninsula.
These travels exposed him to Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism, potentially leading
him to question his people's polytheistic and animistic practices. He sought truth about God
by retreating to Mount Hira.
Marriage: Married Khadija, a wealthy widow fifteen years his senior. She was a staunch
supporter and one of his first converts.
Revelations: Around 610 C.E., in a cave on Mount Hira, Muhammad began experiencing divine
revelations from the angel Gabriel, speaking to him in Arabic.
Preaching:
Initially, he disclosed these revelations only to his wife, fearing disruption of the tribal
social order.
He preached a new order based on God's will and human submission.
 "Islam": From an Arabic word meaning "submit" or "surrender to God."
"Muslim": A person who submits to God.
"Allah": The Arabic word for "God."
Muhammad preached monotheism – the belief in one God.
Opposition in Mecca: His preaching of monotheism was met with a tepid response from
polytheistic Meccans. The Quraysh tribe viewed his message as a threat to their tribal
authority.
Hijra (Migration to Medina): In 622 C.E., to escape persecution, Muhammad and his followers
moved to Medina (then Yathrib). This event, the hijra, marks the beginning of the Islamic
calendar.
Muhajirun: Emigrants who made the hijra.
Ansar: Helpers who supported Muhammad in Medina.
Unification in Medina: Muhammad restored peace and order, uniting Medinian tribes under
one constitution.
Conquest of Mecca: After years of struggle, Muhammad and his followers conquered Mecca
in 630 C.E. He destroyed the pagan idols in the Kaaba.
Death: Muhammad died in 632 C.E. at the age of 62. By this time, Islam had spread across
the Arabian Peninsula, uniting Muslims into one religious community. He is considered by
Muslims to be the last prophet.

Sacred Scriptures
The Quran (Koran):
Literally means "recitation" or "reading."
Considered the revelation of God's speech (kalam) and the foundation of Islam.
Supreme authority in matters of faith, theology, and law.
Muslims believe it is a copy of an eternal scripture written in heaven, revealed to
Muhammad chapter by chapter.
The original Arabic text is considered the perfect word of God; translations are only
interpretations of its meaning.
Revelations spanned approximately 23 years (609-632 C.E.).
Muhammad, being illiterate, memorized the revelations, which were then written down by
companions like Zayd ibn Thabit on various materials.
Officially compiled about twenty years after Muhammad's death.
Remains virtually unaltered.
Structure:
Composed of 114 chapters called surahs.
Verses are called ayahs ("evidence" or "sign").
Divided into Meccan (86) and Medinian (28) revelations, with the hijra as the dividing
point.
Further divided into thirty almost equal parts called juz for monthly recitation.
Arranged by length of surah in descending order (longest to shortest), not
chronologically or thematically.
The longest surah is Al-Baqarah ("The Heifer") with 286 ayahs.
The shortest surah is Al-Kawthar ("Abundance") with 3 ayahs.
The first surah, Fatihah ("The Opening"), is a prayer for guidance and is frequently
recited.
Hafiz/Hafiza: A person who has memorized the entire Quran.

The Hadith:
Collections of the deeds and sayings of Muhammad and his followers.
The second source of shari'a law.
 Collected generations after Muhammad's death.
Kutub al-Sittah (Six Sahih Books): Systematic collections compiled around the 9th century
C.E. The most respected are by Muhammad al-Bukhari (Sahih al-Bukhari) and Muslim ibn
al-Hajjaj (Sahih Muslim).
The hadiths are the basis for many rituals, obligations (like the Five Pillars), and criminal
laws.

Beliefs/Doctrines
Din (Way of Life): Islam is considered a complete way of life intended by God.
Monotheism: Belief in one compassionate, everlasting, and omnipotent God (Allah).
Creation and Judgment: God created the universe and will terminate it. A "Day of Judgment"
will occur where all humankind will be resurrected, accounted for, and sent to paradise or hell
based on their deeds.
Ummah: Islam advocates for a single community of believers, transcending tribal loyalties.
Muslims should not fight fellow Muslims.
Social Character: Islamic beliefs are predominantly social, with religious laws covering daily
life (education, dress, marriage, justice, economics, diet, hospitality).
Rigidity: Islamic principles are considered rigid and uncompromising regarding life, death,
origins, and human nature.

The Five Pillars of Islam (Arkan al-Din)

These are the basic obligations of Muslims, providing structure and unity to believers.

1. Shahada (Declaration of Faith):

"There is no God but Allah; Muhammad is the messenger of Allah." (In Arabic: "La ilaha illa
Allah; Muhammadon rasul Allah.")
Asserts the oneness of Allah and the prophethood of Muhammad.
The first words uttered to a newborn and often the last words for a dying Muslim.
Recited with two witnesses to be accepted into Islam.
Comprises tawheed ("unity") and risallah ("acceptance of prophethood").

2. Salat (Obligatory Prayer):

Performed five times daily at specific times: before sunrise (as-subh), noon (az-zuhr), mid-
afternoon (al-asr), after sunset (al-maghreb), and before midnight (al-isha).
Performed facing the direction of Mecca (qiblah).
Ritual Purity (Wudu): An elaborate washing ritual must be performed before prayer.
Mosque (Masjid): A place of worship, where men and women pray separately. Can range
from simple prayer grounds (musalla) to larger structures.
Adhan: The call to prayer recited by the muezzin from a minaret.
Prayer is a spiritual discipline for character and conduct.

3. Zakat (Poor Tax/Almsgiving):

An annual wealth tax paid by affluent Muslims to aid the underprivileged.
A mandatory obligation amounting to a certain percentage (typically 2.5%) of a Muslim's
total assets if they meet a minimum threshold.
Considered a "just and lawful claim of the poor against the affluent."
 Serves as a contributory factor of solidarity and unity.
Purifies one's resources and ensures wealth is used in the service of Allah.

4. Sawm (Fasting):
Performed during the entire 30 days of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.
Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual intimacy from dusk until dawn.
Aims to express obedience to Allah, relinquish pleasures, observe discipline, and
experience the deprivations of the poor.
Strengthens willpower by resisting bodily demands.
Exemptions: Children, travelers, the sick, and nursing mothers are exempt but may need to
make up the fast later or provide charity.
Culminates in the 'Id al-Fitr ('Feast of Breaking the Fast').

5. Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca):

An attempt to undertake a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a Muslim's lifetime, during
the twelfth Islamic month.
Kaaba: The most sacred site in Islam, located in the Grand Mosque (Al-Masjid al-Haram) in
Mecca. Believed to have been built by Abraham and Ishmael.
Black Stone: Located in the Kaaba's eastern cornerstone, it is a fragmented dark rock
polished smooth by pilgrims.
Requirements: Pilgrims must be sound, physically able, and able to provide for their
dependents. Women must be accompanied by a male chaperon (mahram).
Rituals:
Tawaf: Circling the Kaaba seven times counter-clockwise.
Umrah: Rituals including tawaf.
Drinking from the well of Zamzam.
Spending a day on the Arafat plain.
Ihram: A state of ritual purity and simple dress (two white unhemmed cloths for men,
simple white dresses for women). Pilgrims in ihram are prohibited from shaving, cutting
nails, hunting, arguing, or engaging in sexual activity.
'Id al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice): Occurs on the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijja, commemorating
Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son. Muslims slaughter an animal.
Hajji: A title given to a person who has completed the Hajj.

Worship and Observances

Islamic Calendar: 12 lunar months, totaling 354 days. Adjusted periodically to align with solar
years.
Key Festivals:
Muharram: The first month; commemorates the hijra. Ashura (10th day) is commemorated
by Shi'ites for the assassination of Imam Husayn.
Rabi al-Awai: Birth of the Prophet Muhammad (12th day).
Ramadan: The ninth month; month of fasting (sawm). Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Power)
commemorates the first revelation.
Shawwal: The tenth month; begins with 'Id al-Fitr.
Dhu al-Hijja: The twelfth month; month of pilgrimage (Hajj). Yawm Arafat (9th day)
involves fasting pilgrims standing before God on Mount Arafat. 'Id al-Adha (10th day) is
the Festival of Sacrifice.
Friday: The special day of worship for Muslims, with congregational prayers led by an imam.
Islamic Law (Shari'a)
Shari'a: "The road to the watering place"; a path of conduct based on the Quran and the
hadiths.
Fiqh: Islamic jurisprudence, the science of Islamic law.
Categories of Human Behavior:
Forbidden (Haram): Sinful and criminal (e.g., eating pork, drinking alcohol).
Discouraged (Makruh): Reprehensible but not punishable.
Neutral (Mubah): Permitted, neither good nor bad.
Recommended (Mandub): Meritorious deeds.
Obligatory (Fard): Compulsory (e.g., the Five Pillars). Failure to observe is sinful and
punishable.

Subdivisions
Sunni Muslims (Sunnis):
Majority (87-90% of Muslims).
"Followers of the Smooth Path," traditionalists, considered orthodox.
Follow the sunnah ("customary practice") of Muhammad.
Believe any Muslim can be a ruler if they have the community's approval.
Dominant in most Muslim countries except Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Yemen, and some Gulf
States.

Shi'a (Shi'ites):
Separated from the main community.
Believe Muhammad should have been succeeded by his relative, Ali ibn Abi Talib (his
cousin and son-in-law).
Imam: Ali was considered the first imam (spiritual and political successor).
Ashura: Commemorated as a day of mourning for the death of Ali's son, Husayn, at the
Battle of Karbala.
Main Shi'ite sects: Seveners, Twelvers, and 'Ibadis.

Sufi:
Concerned with mystical union with God.
Name may derive from suf ("woolen") due to their simple robes.
Can be Sunni or Shiite.
Focus on discipline, poverty, abstinence, and mystical experience.
Monastic orders developed around saints.

Selected Issues
Islam and Women:
Roles and rights vary significantly across Islamic nations.
Quran assures women rights to own property, participate in politics, and sue for divorce,
with a complete legal identity guaranteed.
Quranic verses (e.g., 4:34) describe men as protectors and maintainers of women, and
address issues of obedience and discipline within marriage.
Women are spiritually equal to men in the eyes of God for the Day of Judgment.
Congregational prayers are often dominated by men, and women are generally prohibited
from leading prayers.
 Restrictions exist regarding women's presence in mosques during menstruation.
Despite some restrictions, the Quran champions equality on many issues, and some
societies do not always measure up to Islamic standards.

Jihad (Holy War/Struggle):

Means "effort" or "struggle."
Can refer to a peaceful effort to convince others to follow Islam, living a pious life, or
observing religious obligations.
Can also refer to violent means, particularly if non-believers are obstinate.
Quranic verses (e.g., 2:190) emphasize fighting in the cause of Allah but not transgressing
limits.
Islamic law opposes violence except in cases of war or legally sanctioned punishment.

Militancy and Terrorism:

Islam is a religion of mercy that prohibits terrorism.
Muhammad proscribed killing women and children and listed murder as a major sin.
Terrorism, destruction of lives and property, are abhorred and considered a distortion of
Islamic ideals. Violence in Islamic societies is attributed to human failings, not Islamic
teachings.

Migration:
Significant migration of Muslims to Europe and the US, particularly after WWII.
Islam is considered an "American religion" with a substantial Muslim population.