Chapter 6: Islam

Today there are over -- Muslims throughout the world, concentrated in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Islam is the world's -- largest religion after Christianity and it is the fastest growing

1.8 billion, second largest

So what is Islam? The precepts of Islam in many ways are the revision and embellishment of Judaic and Christian beliefs and traditions. All three faiths trace their origins to -- (in Hebrew Abraham means "Father of Nations")

Abraham

According to tradition,-- and -- built a simple cube-like structure in what came to be the center of the city of Mecca (a large mosque has been built around the Ka'aba)

Abraham, Ishmael

Today the Ka'aba is about 43 feet high and about 40 feet wide. Its holiness as a divine presence comes mainly from its association with the lives of -- and --. It is covered by a black silk curtain made in Egypt, decorated with gold-embroidered calligraphy. This cloth is known as the --; and it is replaced yearly

Abraham, Muhammad, kiswah

As word of Muhammad's death spread through Medina, his followers were swept by a shock that verged on panic. His closest friend (and successor) -- -- kept his head and shouted "whichever of you worships Muhammad, known that he is dead. But whichever of you worships God, know that God is alive and does not die"

Abu Bakr

A delegation of Quraysh pursued the expatriates to -- and urged the king to expel the immigrants, for they claimed the Muslims had slandered Christianity. The Muslims were called in to refute the charges of the Quraysh so they read a passage from the Qu'ran's chapter on Mary. The Abyssinian king was satisfied that the Muslims were inoffensive and allowed them to stay (they lived peacefully in Ethiopia for nearly two decades)

Abyssinia

Muhammad was buried the next day where he died... in what is considered the second holiest site of Islam, the -- --- (or Prophet's Mosque). This was the second mosque built (622 CE) and is now one of the world's largest

Al-Masjid an-Nabawi

So in the year 613 Muhammad began preaching to his fellow Meccans that there was no god but --, that they must submit to God's will, and he pointed out their unjust and evil ways

Allah

-- armies carrying the banner of Islam invaded, conquered, and converted wherever they went. By 715 CE, Islam reached far into North Africa, into Spain, through the Transcaucasia, and into most of Southwest Asia. By 1000 CE, Islam had penetrated Southern and Eastern Europe, Central Asia (even reaching China), West Africa, East Africa, and Southeast Asia.

Arab

The Arab Oral tradition: From as early as the 5th century BCE, the --, originally a largely illiterate people who were proud of their tribal genealogies and histories, developed an incredibly descriptive and rhythmic language. This was achieved mostly through the custom of memorizing oral narratives and poetry from generation to generation

Arabs

--, the Angel of Death, appeared and offered him a choice: he could live forever on Earth or join Allah in Paradise. He had his few possessions given to the poor and then his soul was taken to Heaven by the angel

Azrail

Arabia before Islam: -Before the advent of Islam, the Arab civilization had little impact on neighboring Roman, Persian, or Abyssinian empires -Traditionally, the Arabs were two distinct peoples: one, the nomadic -- who roamed the desert plains and were loosely held together by tribal codes; and two, the -- --, whose tribal divisions were mostly social, not geographic

Bedouins, urban dwellers

The Ka'aba marked the location where the divine world intersected with the mortal. The embedded -- -- was a symbol of this intersection

Black Stone

Arabia was on the periphery of two established and rival civilizations of the time- the -- Empire (heir to Rome) and the -- Empire (heir to the imperial traditions of Persia). Because of its location and long-distance trade, many Arabs were familiar with the larger world, including the monotheism of Judaism, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism

Byzantine, Sassanid

For Arabs involved in trade, there was a widespread sense of spiritual inferiority as -- and -- taunted them for being barbarians, a people not worthy of receiving a revelation from God. Judaism and Christianity had made little headway in Arabia even though the Arabs believed both faiths to be superior to their own

Christians, Jews

The annual Hajj end with the -- -- (the Festival of Sacrifice), a day of commemorating Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his young son Ishmael in obedience to command from God. It is one of the holiest days of the Islamic calendar

Eid al-Adha

Ramadan ends with the three day holiday known as -- (Festival of Fast-Breaking)

Eid-al-Fitr

Khadija had already been married (and widowed) twice and was 15 years older than Muhammad. Still, he accepted her proposal and was faithful to her for the remaining 25 years of her life. She bore him three sons (all died in infancy) and four daughters. All the girls live, but only one, --, survived him and bore him descendants

Fatima

-- infanticide was also common, as daughters were considered an expensive liability. Women, whether married or not, like slaves, were often considered personal property that could be sold or exchanged. -- was a common practice, and some tribes allowed women to have several husbands

Female, polygamy

Islam dictated the observance of what became known as the -- --... they are how the beliefs of Islam are to be put into action every day

Five Pillars

According to tradition, after all his suffering Muhammad went to the Ka'aba where he fell asleep. -- awakened Muhammad, slit his body from his neck to his waist, and removed and washed his heart. As Gabriel returned Muhammad's heart to his body, he filled his soul with faith and wisdom

Gabriel

The -- occurs during the last month of the Islamic year (known as the Month of the Hajj)

Hajj

The final pillar is at least one pilgrimage in each Muslim's lifetime to Mecca-known as the -- to see the Ka'aba. This is one of the prerequisites for entering Heaven

Hajj

This moment, known as the -- ("migration"), was so important, it marks the starting date of the Muslim era, Year 1 on Islam's calendar (meaning we're now in 1396 of the Islamic calendar)

Hijira

The Judaic/Christian faiths followed his son -- while Islam traced itself to Abraham's first son --

Isaac, Ishmael

The word "--" comes from the Arabic words meaning "obedience and peace through submission to the one God. -- means "one who submits to the will of Allah"

Islam, Muslim

Muhammad was so successful that Muslims look back to this time as the creation of the standard or model for Muslim society to follow. But Muhammad had a problem with the -- settlers of Medina. They controlled the best agricultural lands and had a formal alliance with the Arab tribe that dominated the oasis

Jewish

So Muhammad would often retreat into the mountains outside Mecca to pray and contemplate the meaning and purpose of existence (Buddha and Jesus had similar experiences). Then in the year 610 CE, while praying in a cave called Hira on Mt. Jabal al-Nour, Muhammad believed that he began to receive revelations from the archangel -- (Gabriel)

Jibril

By 600 CE, many Arabs were religiously moving towards -- or that of --, the most rapidly growing religion in western Asia. As many Arabs were beginning to explore the possibility that Allah/Yahweh was the only God, the many other gods residing in the Ka'aba and in shrines across the peninsula were considered nothing more than "helpless and harmless idols"

Judaism, Christianity

Allah's shrine to Mecca, known since antiquity as the -- (or Kaabah), was the most important religious shrine in Arabia and a yearly destination for thousands of pilgrims. Islamic tradition states that the Ka'aba was built by Abraham (Ibrahim)

Ka'aba

Impressed with him as a person and his business savvy, when he was 25, -- (known as the Pure) asked Muhammad to marry her

Khadija

Muhammad was also known for his forceful personality and for being very handsome. Muhammad eventually came to work for --, a wealthy widow with considerable business interests, especially in trade. Being a merchant enabled him to travel throughout the Arabian Peninsula, where he would come into contact with several cultures and religions (including Judaism and Christianity)

Khadija

The supreme human virtue was manliness, expressed in the traits of loyalty, generosity, and courage. --, above all, was necessary in the struggle for survival in the harsh desert. Loyalty was the core of -- *(clan spirit)*; a man was expected to be valiant to the point of death to defend his tribe's rights (to pasture lands or water wells)

Loyalty, asabiyya

Even though Arab cities were widely scattered, the city of -- (Mecca) had long been established as a -- center between Arabia and Africa to the west, Yemen and India to the south, and Egypt and Syria to the north

Makkah, trading

Over and over the Qur'an denounced the prevailing social practices of --; the hoarding of wealth, the exploitation of the poor, corrupt business deals, usury, abuse of women, and the neglect of widows and orphans. Many of Islam's first followers came from the rank of the poor and down-trodden, who eagerly seized upon Muhammad's message of hope in this world and the next

Mecca

Still fearing for his life, in September, 622, he and several followers secretly fled from -- (he barely escaped another assassination attempt) to the safer haven of Medina about 200 miles north, where Muhammad established an Islamic community. It is in Medina that Islam became the foundation for an entire way of life

Mecca

When performing the Salat (prayer 5 times a day), you are to face towards -- (because that's where the Ka'aba is)

Mecca

While the spiritual capital remained in --, as the Arab-Islamic Empire expanded, the political/administrative capital went from its original location in Medina to Damascus (Syria) and then to Baghdad (Iraq). While the empire expanded, it matured and prospered

Mecca

-- became known as the "city of the Prophet" and from this time onward, Muhammad's role drastically changed. No longer merely the religious leader of a small group, in Medina he assumed full leadership of the city- reorganizing and reforming it politically, religiously, and militarily

Medina

In 621, Muhammad came upon some pilgrims from the city of Medina. They had heard of Muhammad and were aware of the Judeo-Christian claims of a "promised prophet". Muhammad explained Islam and these pilgrims converted. A year later, they invited Muhammad and his followers to settle in -- (Al Madinah- which means "the city" in Arabic)

Medina

Muhammad returned to Khadija and she immediately consulted a relative (also a hanif) who proclaimed Muhammad had been visited by the same heavenly spirit that visited --

Moses

Here is the tradition of the birth of Islam: In the year 570 CE, -- Ibn Abdullah (which means praiseworthy) was born in the city of Mecca

Muhammad

It is believed women had *more* freedom than their counterparts in most of the "civilized" world. Women did not wear veils and were not secluded. Some tribes traced ancestry through the mother (matrilineal), not the father. Changes were coming, as a result of --

Muhammad

Al-Buraq had a woman's face, a horse's body, and the tail of a peacock- and the ability to cover in a single bound, the distance as far as the eye could see. Known as the "-- --", Muhammad then flew upon al-Buraq from Mecca to Medina to Jerusalem

Night Journey

Like the Jewish prophets of the -- --, the Qur'an demanded social injustice for the poor, neglected, orphaned

Old Testament

-- believed death was the end of all existence... but according to Muhammad, every man would be held accountable in an afterword for his deeds on Earth. For those who accepted Allah and Muhammad as His Messenger, he said, there would be justice in this world and a glorious life after death

Paganism

During the night journey, Muhammad led patriarchs, Old Testament prophets and angels in prayer in a celestial mosque. While in --, Muhammad met Moses, Jesus, and Abraham. Of Abraham, Muhammad said "Never have I seen a man more like myself"

Paradise

*What are some of the fundamental beliefs?* Islam brought to the Arab world not only a unifying religious faith it had lacked but also a new set of values, a new way of life, a new individual and collective dignity. The core message of the Qur'an- following the law of God- was summarized as a set of requirements for believers, known as the -- -- --

Pillars of Islam

Muhammad was a compassionate conqueror, granting mercy to all who submitted to Islam. He became known throughout the land as the -- -- --. Muhammad provided such a powerful stimulus that Arab society was mobilized almost overnight

Prophet of God

The revelations Gabriel to Muhammad, recorded in the -- (which means Recitation), became the sacred scriptures of Islam, which to this day Muslims everywhere regard as the very words of God and the cord of their faith. Intended to be recited rather than simply read for information, the Qur'an, Muslims believe, when heard in its original Arabic, conveys nothing less than the very presence of the divine

Qur'an

As his popularity and power grew, the aristocratic -- refused to accept Muhammad as a prophet because he threatened their privileged way of life (as faith and piety were more important than wealth). The Quraysh also saw Muhammad's attack on their pagan gods leading to a loss of life profitable pilgrim traffic to the Ka'aba

Quraysh

Muhammad never knew his father, a trader name Abdullah, who died shortly before his birth. Even though Abdullah had little wealthy himself, his family was of noble lineage that belonged to the --. Following Meccan aristocracy, Muhammad's widowed mother sent him into the desert to be wet-nursed by a Bedouin mother

Quraysh

The leading tribe of Mecca were the --, whose bloodline stretched back to the prophet Ibrahim (Abraham). However for most (but not all), the religion taught and practiced by Abraham had long since been replaced by -- and/or --. The Quraysh controlled access to the Ka'aba and were able to grow extremely wealthy taxing pilgrims wishing to see it

Quraysh, polytheism, animism

Muhammad was told by Jibril (Gabriel) he was to be the -- (the Messenger of God), a prophet charged with delivering a message that would set straight misinterpretations of earlier revelations given through the Jewish and Christian prophets. The Qur'an mentions 25 prophets by name, 22 of these are also mentioned in the Bible

Rasulillah

The second pillar is the daily prayer-five times a day facing Mecca- known as the --. Prayer times are dawn, just after noon, mid-afternoon, just after sunset, and after dark

Salat

The third pillar is daytime fasting called --. This occurs during the ninth month of the Muslim calendar (lunar not solar) which is called -- (it is considered the holiest month of the Islamic year). From sun-up to sun-down, Muslims are not supposed to eat or drink anything

Sawm, Ramadan

The first pillar is the confession of faith-the repeated expression of the basic creed (belief in one God and the prophet hood of Muhammad)- known as --

Shahadah

Many Arabs increasingly identified Allah with Judaism's --, and regarded themselves also as the "children of Abraham". al-Lah simply means "-- --" in Arabic. Unlike their Christian, Jewish, or Zoroastrian neighbors, the Arabs were unhappily aware that al-Lah had never sent them a prophet (an Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, or Jesus) or a scripture in their own language even though there was a massive cube-like shrine in the heart of Mecca

Yahweh, the God

The year 619 is known as the "-- -- --" for Muhammad. His beloved wife and spiritual companion, Khadijah, passed away and a few months later, his uncle and protector, Abu Talib died. Adding to his humiliation, he visited a nearby village (Taif) to invite its people to Islam and its people set their children upon him, chasing him from the city and pelting him with stones

Year of Grief

The fourth pillar is the giving of alms (charity) to the poor-known as --. If you can afford it, you are to give 2.5% of your savings to the poor every year

Zakat

The Arabs had no notion of an --, resigning themselves to "fate"- an attitude essential to a society where the mortality rate and tribal violence was so high. By the time of Muhammad, most of the urban Arabs had acknowledged the preeminent position of al-Lah (--), the supreme god of the Arab pantheon (there were 300 gods, including Allah's three daughters)

afterlife, Allah

Orphaned at a young age (6), he would be raised mostly by his uncle Abu Taib (his father's younger brother). As a young man without money of his own, he did odd jobs, among them tending sheep, eventually becoming a merchant. As he grew, Muhammad was known as -- (the Trustworthy) because of his integrity and thoughtfulness

al-Amin

He was then awakened by the Archangel Jibril (Gabriel) who led him to a white, winged horse named -- (the Heavenly Steed of the Prophets)

al-Buraq

In --, --, -- , and --, the Arab/Islamic world far outpaced their European contemporaries. The Arabs established great universities and libraries in many cities, including Baghdad, Cairo, Timbuktu, Cordoba, and Toledo

architecture, mathematics, medicine, and science

It is estimated that by the second half of this century, Islam will become the world's largest religious groups due to a faster -- --

birth rate

In Muhammad's time, the Ka'aba was about 15 feet tall with a -- stone about the size of a bowling ball in one corner (believed to be a meteor of divine origin from the time of Adam and Eve). You are to make seven circuits around it

black

The Ka'aba was thought to the the -- of the world with the Gate of Heaven directly above it

center

According to tradition, when Muhammad reached 63, he developed sudden fever and violent headaches. He spoke of death, but most believed that as the Prophet of God, he was immune to --

death

As a human (he was *never* considered --), Muhammad naturally had his faults, but Muslims regard him as the finest our species has produced, the ideal family man and leader of humanity. Throughout his married life with Khadijah, Muhammad stayed away from adultery, drinking alcohol, gambling, and the rivalries which plagued pre-Islamic Mecca. He was known for his compassion and care towards orphans and the poor

divine

Muhammad preached that men must thank God for their existence and worship only Him. He proclaimed all believers were -- before God, and that the wealthy must share with the poor. He also said that man's destiny was in God's hands; there would someday be a Day of -- for all men

equal, Judgment

Seeing that he wouldn't win Jewish support, Muhammad focused on building an Islamic community made primarily of Arabs. One of the key ideas was that of -- -- -- (in the sight of Allah, there were no differences among believers). That meant in theory, no ethnocentrism or racism. In reality though, this only applied to Muslims. Others were considered inferior

equality among Muslims

How do Muslims regard Muhammad? Muslims believe Muhammad was singled out for his natural virtue and integrity to fulfill the role as the -- -- of divine communication

final intermediary

Then al'Buraq flew Muhammad to Heaven from the site of the rock (now the Dome of the Rock Mosque). Riding al-Buraq (tradition was several prophets rode before him) Muhammad passed through seven heavens and enjoyed the rarest privilege of all- seeing God's unveiled face. This was when God instructed Muhammad to pray -- times a day

five

By 1000 CE, Islam had become the world's first truly -- -- , stretching half way across the world (Iberian Peninsula to Indonesia). Muslims hold that the only genuine explanation for the rapid Islamic conquest of the Middle East outward was Divine Providence, Allah's help to those who worked/fought for the faith

global religion

Muhammad was a -- (one who followed the monotheistic teachings of Ibrahim). As a hanif, he would spend weeks at a time in the caves in the mountains outside Mecca, fasting, praying, deep in contemplation, grieving over what he saw as social injustices; infant daughters buried alive; women traded and bartered like chattel; and slaves were treated no better than livestock

hanif

During this period, every Arab tribe had its own (pagan) -- placed inside the Ka'aba (when Muhammad conquered Mecca in 630 CE, the city had over 360 idols, statues, and other pieces of devotion to various gods)

idol

Since Islam teaches that all people are equal before God, Muslims are required to shed any symbols of their social status when making the Hajj. The same -- (Hajj clothing) is worn by all. No jewelry or perfume is to be worn.

ihram

At first, Muhammad believed he was possess by demons and was so distraught, he set out to climb to the top of Mt. Jabal and -- himself

kill

Muhammad lived the life of a wealthy --. But he was a highly reflective man who was constantly troubled with religious and moral issues, as he disapproved of the lawlessness of his countrymen and was troubled because many were -- and superstitious

merchant, polytheistic

In 615, Muhammad sanctioned the -- of 80 Muslims to Abyssinia (Ethiopia) where they were welcomed and protected by the Christian king and his subjects

migration

Muhammad was particularly successful in -- affairs (followers believed he was led and protected by "the will of Allah"). He planned and led many successful military campaigns, and in 630 he led his followers to victory over Mecca

military

In its Arabian setting, the Qur'an's message, delivered through Muhammad, was revolutionary. Religiously, it was *radically* -- presenting Allah as not one god among many, but the all-powerful Creator; good, just, merciful' rejecting as utterly false and useless the many gods housed in the Ka'aba; and scorning the Christian notion of the -- (there is no God except the One God)

monotheistic, Trinity

Muhammad was not trying to create a new faith... he wanted to return to the old and pure religion of Abraham from which the Arabs, Jews, and Christians had deviated. According to the Qur'an, submission to Allah wasn't just an individual or spiritual act, it involved the creation of a whole -- --

new society

Children of Arab towns were often temporarily send to live with the -- to learn traditional Arab culture, such as desert living, camel rearing. goat herding, and pure Arabic language.

nomads

The Quraysh ridiculed Muhammad, calling him a liar and saying his revelations were hallucinations and merely the rantings of a mad man (he was known as the "mad poet"). So fearing that their -- beliefs and tribal social hierarchies were threatened by Islam, tribal elders began to persecute and torture Muslims and plotted Muhammad's assassination (his arch enemy was one of his own uncles)

pagan

Muhammad hoped the Jewish inhabitants of Medina would recognize him as a --, further strengthening his position within his new city. So in an effort to win their support, he adopted some of their religious practices, like fasting on the Day of -- (Yom Kippur) and praying while he faced Jerusalem

prophet, Atonement

These revelations would continue over the next 22 years. Convinced after some initial self doubt that he was chosen to be a --, Muhammad committed his life to fulfilling the divine commands he received, and he began publicly -- in Mecca in 613 CE.

prophet, preaching

But the Jews of Medina rejected Muhammad's claim of -- and bitterly criticized him, contending many of his revelations contradicted their scriptures and were therefore false. Muhammad countered that over time the Jews had distorted their scriptures and only the Qur'an was the true Word of God

prophethood

After his initial encounter with Gabriel, Muhammad went a long time without any further communications from God and he suffered fears and self doubt. He finally had a second revelation ordering him to begin his work, to "-- -- --" the people

rise and warn

In pre-Islamic Arabia, the life of the Bedouins was -- by the urban Arabs as pure, chivalrous, and unrestricted. They were considered to embody all the noble characteristics of the Arab peoples

romanticized

Muslims believe that performing the Hajj purifies them from --, and when they return home, there are usually great celebrations of their "sinless" status. The majority of Muslims do not manage to perform the Hajj, so during the Hajj period, they fast and pray at home

sin

Social and tribal hierarchies also meant the pre-Islamic period was marked by oppression, tyranny, and conflict. There was constant strife and hostility between various tribes (wars between clans was a continuous problem). -- was a common practice (seen as a sign of wealth and power)

slavery

The ancient tradition of -- continued, but one Muslim could not enslave another, and all slaves had to be treated humanely. Slaves were now allowed to marry and they could buy their freedom. In the Muslim world it was considered a good dead to give a slave their freedom (provide it wasn't the slave(s) of a good friend or relative)

slavery

In the early seventh century Arab society was in social and cultural disarray, but Muhammad forcefully taught Allah's lessons and began to transform his culture. He became the Prophet-ruler of a virtual Islamic state within the heartlands of pagan Arabia. In keeping with his new status, the nature of his continuing revelations changed from being purely religious to having great -- and -- content

social, legislative

Nomadic Bedouin tribesman lived in tents woven of goat's and camel's hair, and they lived on a frugal diet of dates and milk. These Bedouin worshiped --, -- and pieces of -- as the dwelling places of spirits whom they endowed with supernatural powers

stones, trees, wood

-- (omens, amulets, astrology) and -- (by the casting of arrows) were important in deciding serious matters like when to travel, marry, or go to war. In Islam, this pre-Islamic polytheistic period is knwon as jahiliyyah, or "the days of ignorance"

superstitions, divination

All three faiths believe in the same God, who occasionally communicated to humankind through prophets. Islam believes that God spoke to humankind beginning with Adam and continued through Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (and several others), but considered Muhammad as "-- --", the final and greatest of the prophets. Muslims believe Muhammad's mission was to bring God's final revelation to humankind

the seal

Over -- -- pilgrims attend the Hajj every year. Most stay in the "white tents at Mina" where they are arranged by nationality

three million

Islam sought to return to the older values of Arab tribal life- solidarity, equality, concern for the poor- which had been undermined in Mecca by its growing wealth and commericialism. The Qur'an also challenged the entire tribal and clan structure of Arab society, which was prone to feuding and violence. The just and moral society of Islam was the --, the community of all believers, which replaced tribal, ethnic, and racial identities

umma

Such a society would be a "witness over the nations" for according to the Qur'an, " You are the best community evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong". In this community, -- had a honored and *spiritually* -- place. The umma was to be a new and just community, bound by a common belief, rather than by territory, language, or tribe

women, equal