Islam

Muhammad story

• A merchant who went to a cave on Mt Hira to meditate on the urbanisation of Mecca aged 40

• Received the revelation of God and began preaching the words put on his lips

• Words given to him by God became the Qur’an

4 themes of Muhammad’s revelations

• Coming of judgement day

• Unity of God

• Denouncing dishonesty of merchants

• Denouncing abandonment of widows and orphans

Islam beginnings

Once Muhammad arrives in Medina after the Night journey where he meets god, Islam takes shape. Eventually returns to Mecca when people were more receptive.

6 Principal Beliefs

• Tawhid

• Belief in Angels

• Books of Allah

• Rusul

• Akhira

• Predestination

Tawhid

• One God, Allah- who is everything

• No idol worship

• Uttered daily in the Shahada

Belief in Angels

• Angels created from light, genderless, obedient to God

• 4 great angels: Gabriel, Mika’il, Israfil, Izra’il

• Everyone has 2 guardian actions- one records good actions and one records bad actions

Books of Allah

• That the Qur’an is a the revealed word of God over 22 years to Muhammad

• Chanted during prayers

Rusul (prophets)

• 25 prophets that are God’s messengers

• Special prophets- Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad

• Muhammad is the last great prophet

Akhira (Day of Judgement)

On the day of reckoning

• Angels will sound a trumpet and people raised from the dead

• Books of angels will be opened

• Allah will weigh up good and bad deeds- paradise or hell

Predestination

• Nothing happens unless it is the will of Allah- Allah opens the paths but the individual are responsible for the path they choose

The Sacred Texts

• The Qur’an and the Hadiths

The Qur’an summary

• Revelations of God received by Muhammad

• Unaltered and literal

• Has 114 chapters

• Source of Islamic beliefs and Islamic law

Treatment of the Qur’an

• Wrapped in special cloth

• Hands washed before reading

• No other books higher

Hadiths

• A narration on the life of Muhammad

• Includes Muhammad’s actions and also the Words of God not good enough for the Qur’an

• 6 key collections- accurate 6

Key ethical teaching

You must surrender to the will of Allah

Source for ethical teachings

• The Qur’an

• Hadiths

• Iijma- Muslim scholar takes

• Qiya- Qur’an analogies

Jihad

The struggle for righteousness and to be good- internally and externally (this has been used by terrorists)

Halal v Haram

Halal- Allowed

Haram- Forbidden

Shari’a law

Protects individuals and maintains Islam through regulating

• Morality

• Hygiene

• Etiquette

• Inheritance

• Commerce

Halal things

• Bathing once a day

• Staying quiet when speaking to women

• Animal slaughtered by a Muslim and killed with a cut to the throat

Haram things

• Pork, alcohol, meat containing blood

• Animals watching each other getting slaughtered

• Premarital sex

• Bribery, stealing, gambling

• Depriving wife of inheritance

5 Pillars of Islam

• Shahada

• Salat

• Zakat

• Sawm

• Hajj

Shahada

“There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet”

• Must say with conviction- said daily

• Confirmation of being Muslim

Salat

• Pray 5 times a day

• Must wash ankles, hands, mouth and face Mecca

• Do prostrations and wear correct dress

Zakat

• Charity- a compulsory contribution of 2.5% of wealth

• Help others and let go of ego

Sawm

• Fasting/ Ramadan- 9th month

• Abstaining from food, drink, smoking and sex during daylight hours

• Focus on prayer and Allah

• Why? Obedience to divine and those who have less

Hajj

• Pilgrimage- once in a lifetime

• Dress in white and perform rituals to honour prophets