Shaquille

O'neal
Zayn
Malik
Muhammad
Ali
Freddie
Aguilar
Robin
Padilla
Lesson 6
Islam
Islam
• established around seventh century
C.E.
• the youngest among the world’s major
religions.
• with more than 1.5 billion adherents
comprising almost one-fourth of the
entire world population.
Islam
• the second largest group and one
of the fasting growing religions in
the world.
• majority of Muslims, the followers
of Islam, live in Asia and Africa.
• There are 49 countries in the world
that are Muslim-majority or
comprise 50% of the population.
• The 1.2 billion Muslims in these
countries equivalent to 74% of the
entire Muslim population
worldwide.
• More than 60% of the
world’s Muslims can be
found in Asia, including
Indonesia, Pakistan, India,
Bangladesh, Turkey, and
Iran.
• Indonesia is the world’s most
populous Muslim-majority country
with almost 87% of the population
practicing the Islam religion.
• In Africa, sizeable Muslim
communities are found in Egypt and
Nigeria.
 Islam

Symbols Sacred Worship and Selected

Scriptures Observances Issues

Historical
Background
Beliefs/ Subdivisions
Doctrines
SYMBOLS
 Star and Crescent
• become the
acknowledged
representation of
the Islamic faith.
• The symbol can be
seen in the national
flags of states that
came about following
the collapse of the
Ottoman Empire in
the 20th century.
• Around the 1970s, it was adopted by
movements that advocated Arab
nationalism.
• Traditionally, the crescent moon or the
hilal has early connections with royalty.
• It is also closely linked to the lunar
calendar that orders the religious life of
the Muslims.
 Islam

Symbols Sacred Worship and Selected

Scriptures Observances Issues

Historical
Background
Beliefs/ Subdivisions
Doctrines
 HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND
• Islam began with the Arabian desert people
around early seventh century C.E.
• These people had developed their own set of
beliefs prior to the formal establishment of
Islam and had been influenced by other
religions for a long period of time, including
Byzantine Christianity, Judaism, and
Zoroastrianism.
• Judea, the home of Christianity, was not
too far away from Arabia, and the great
cities of Damascus, Antioch, and
Alexandria were
neighbors to
Mecca and
Medina (Hopfe
1983).
• Byzantine rulers, however, antagonized
Arab Christians that provided
motivation for their acceptance of a new
Arab religion that started with the
establishment of Islam.
• On the other hand, the Arabian people
were also familiar with Judaism.
• For one, several desert tribes were
Jewish in origin.
• On the other hand, the Arabian people
were also familiar with Judaism.
• When the Muslim forces entered
Medina in 622 C.E., many citizens of
the city were Jewish (Hopfe 1983).
• Perhaps the single most important factor that
accelerated the development of a new religion
in the Arabian interior was the native religion
practiced by the Arabs.
• Pre-Islamic people worshipped a variety of
gods.
• While they recognize the existence of one
supreme god, local and tribal gods were
mostly venerated by the people.
• Carved images were done to represent
these gods that were often revered
and given blood sacrifices.
• Apart from the presence of these
gods, there were also angels, fairies,
demonic creatures, and evil spirits in
pre-Islam religion.
• Apart from worshipping a pantheon
of gods, pre-Islamic religion was also
animistic in character.
• Spirits found in rocks, trees, and wells
had to be revered at their sanctuaries
and placated for assistance.
• In time, the city
of Mecca
became a sacred
shrine because
of these
animistic
associations.
• A meteoric stone that
had fallen in Mecca
centuries before
became an object of
veneration to the
animistic people.
• Pilgrims then built an
enclosure around the
stone and called it
Kaaba.
• Various images and relics gradually filled the
Kaaba, including a painting of Jesus and Mary.
• Pilgrims travelled to Mecca to worship at the
shrine. The “Black Stone,” which according to
Muslim tradition dates back to the time of Adam
and Eve, eventually became a very important
object for the Meccans at the time when various
clans struggled to control the Kaaba.
• Mecca, situated
on the central
western coast of
Arabia is
positioned on the
major north-
south caravan
route.
 The Life of Muhammad
Muhammad ibn Abdullah
• around the year 570 C.E., was
born in the oasis town of Mecca
just off the western coast of the
Arabian Peninsula.
• Muhammad’s father died before
he was born while his mother died
before he was six years old.
Muhammad ibn Abdullah
• He belonged to the clan of Hashim of the
Quraysh tribe that controlled the Kaaba and
the camel trade that passed through Mecca.
• Following the tradition, he was sent to be
reared among the Bedouins.
• When his mother died, he was raised by his
grandfather Abd al-Muttalib.
 Abd • Later on,
al- Muhammad was
Muttalib taken into custody
by his paternal
uncle, Abu Talib,
who was chief of
Abu the Quraysh tribe.
Talib
• Life must have been very difficult for the
young Muhammad.
• With no formal schooling, Muhammad
worked as a caravan worker travelling across
the Arabian Peninsula as a camel driver.
• From his travels in the Arabian Peninsula to
the different Byzantine cities, he may have
met and spoken with Christians, Jews, and
Zoroastrians alike.
• He soon learned the various ways and
means of their belief system that may
have led him to question the faith of his
own people, especially with regard their
animistic practices and reverence given to
numerous gods and idols.
• He used to retreat to Mount Hira near
Mecca in search of truth about God.
• Later married an older
wealthy widow named
Khadija, fifteen years
his senior.
• He was twenty-five years
old when he married
Khadija who was about
forty years old at the
time.
• Around the year 610
C.E., Muhammad
began hearing the
voice of God in a cave
on the summit of
Mount Hira, just
outside Mecca in the
Arabian Hijaz.
• God was speaking to Muhammad in the
Arabic language.
• He used to retreat to Mount Hira near
Mecca in search of truth about God.
• Mostly auditory but occasionally in
visual form, he began to experience
divine revelations delivered by the angel
Gabriel.
• Muhammad first disclosed these
revelations only to his wife since revealing
these messages to his tribe could disturb
the social order that was primarily
anchored on clan and kinship.
• He was preaching a new order built upon
God’s will and human submission to this
belief.
ISLAM
• originated from an Arabic word
meaning “submit.”
• means to “surrender or submit oneself
for obedience to God” or to “enter into
a condition of peace and security with
God through allegiance and surrender
to him”.
MUSLIM
• the Arabic word for a person
who submits.
• is a “person who surrenders
or submits himself to obey
God”.
ALLAH
• In Arabic, it is a compound of al
(the definite article, the) and ilah
(god or deity).
• Joined together, the words signify
“god”.
• “the one who is God.”
• Muhammad was preaching that there
can only be one God.
• Beginning 613 C.E., Muhammad
began to impart these sacred messages
to his closest relatives and friends.
• However, the polytheistic people of
Mecca gave him a tepid response.
• As the revelations became known to
members of his clan, the Quraysh
tribe began to consider Muhammad
and his radical view of submission
to one god as one major threat to the
long established tradition and
absoluteness of tribal authority.
• While god and deities (known as
jinn) were admired, tribes and clan
reigned supreme on all societal
issues.
• Quite evidently, Muhammad was
challenging the supremacy of the
Quraysh system.
MUHAMMAD
• the Muslims consider him as a
messenger and the last
prophet sent by God to
humankind who was visited
by the angel Gabriel.
MUHAMMAD
• While he gained the loyalty of
several followers who were
convinced by his religious ideals,
the Meccan tribes eventually grew
antagonistic to Muhammad’s
emerging group.
MUHAMMAD
• While he gained the loyalty of several
followers who were convinced by his
religious ideals, the Meccan tribes
eventually grew antagonistic to
Muhammad’s emerging group.
• his radical teachings angered local tribes
so they began persecuting him and his
loyal followers.
• In 622 C.E.,
Muhammad and his
group moved to
Medina (then known
as Yathrib, 200 miles
north of Mecca) to
escape persecution
from the Meccans.
Hijra
• The flight of Muhammad from Mecca to
Medina.
• marked the beginning of the Islamic
calendar.
Stuck in frequent gridlock, Medinian
tribes wanted Muhammad to become their
leader.
Muhajirun
• The Muslims who follow Muhammad in
his journey.
• “those who made the hijra”.
Ansar
• those who supported Muhammad in
Medina.
• “the helpers”.
 With local tribes involved in
frequent internal conflict,
Muhammad restored peace and
order in Medina. Shortly after his
arrival in 622 C.E, he united the
Medinian tribes under one
constitution.
 Muhammad and his followers waged a
constant battle against Meccan tribes until 630
C.E. Finally, after almost eight years of
struggle, Muhammad and his troops of around
ten thousand converts marched to Mecca and
took over the city almost unopposed. In Kaaba,
he tore down the three hundred sixty pagan
idols displayed at the holy shrine.
 In 632 C.E., Muhammad died at
the age of 62 but his newly founded
religion had spread across the entire
Arabian Peninsula and the Muslims
had been united as one religious
community.
 He was a classic example of a just,
compassionate, honest, and brave human
being far removed from all evil deeds.
Muhammad’s actions were solely for the
sake of Allah as he is ever mindful and
fearful of his one true god.
God has made all revelations to
Muhammad, the last of the prophets and the
seal of the prophecy.
 Islam

Symbols Sacred Worship and Selected

Scriptures Observances Issues

Historical
Background
Beliefs/ Subdivisions
Doctrines
 SACRED
SCRIPTURES
Q’ uran (Koran)
• The sacred writing
of the Muslims.
• literally means
“recitation” or
“reading.”
Q’ uran (Koran)
• the revelation from God of his
speech (kalam) and is the
foundation of the Islam religion.
• It is the supreme authority in all
matters of faith, theology, and law.
• In 610 C.E., when Muhammad
received the first revelations, he was
commanded by angel Gabriel to “iqra”
or “recite.”
• All Muslims believe that the Quran is a
copy of the eternal scripture written in
heaven but made known to
Muhammad chapter by chapter.
Q’ uran (Koran)
• the word of God that is binding,
continuous, and supreme.
• The same message became known to
earlier prophets like Moses and Jesus
but people gradually changed the
revelation entrusted to them by God.
• Any translation of the Quran, either in
English or in any other language, is
neither a Quran nor a version of the
Quran; rather, it is only a translation of
the meaning of the Quran.
• The Quran in Arabic, the only language
in which it was exposed, is considered the
perfect word of God.
• For about twenty-three years, God
revealed these messages through
Muhammad who initially memorized
these lines because he was illiterate.
• The revelation covered from about
609 to 632 C.E., the year of the
prophet’s death.
Zayd ibn Thabit (c.610-c.660 C.E.)
• The companion and secretary of
Mohammad were he relayed his
messages who wrote them on leather
scraps, stone pieces, ribs of palm leaves,
shoulder blades of animals, and
parchments.
 At that time, the art of papermaking
was still unknown to the Arab people.
Zayd became one of the first converts of
Muhammad to the Islam fold. Twenty
years after the death of Muhammad, the
Quran had officially come to the form that
was disseminated throughout the centers of
the Islamic world.
Q’ uran (Koran)
• has remained virtually intact since
the time of Muhammad.
• To the Meccan townspeople,
Muhammad preached the messages
which were short and quite easy to
remember as these lines rhymed
with one another.
 The Muslims recite and memorize
the Quran reflecting the profound
influence of the scripture on the daily
lives of all followers.
Muhammad wanted the Muslims to
recite their scripture aloud similar to the
manner done by the Jews and
Christians.
 As time went on, the messages
increased as Muhammad kept on
receiving new revelations.
The Quran guides all Muslims
in every stage of their lives.
 In comparison,
the Quran has
almost the same
length as the New
Testament, the
Christian biblical
canon.
Surahs
• The chapters that compose
the Quran.
Ayahs
• The verses which mean
“evidence” or “sign”.
• There are 114 chapters in
the Quran.
• 86 - which are classified
as Meccan.
• 28 - are Medinian.
Hijra
• the journey of Muhammad from
Mecca to Medina serves as a
pivot point in the division of the
Quranic verses that belong
before or after the said
emigration in 622 C.E.
Meccan verses
• generally pertain to religious
ideals.
Medinian verses
• deal with the organization of
the Muslim community.
 While the chapters are of
varying lengths, the Quran is also
divided into thirty almost equal
parts (with each part known as
juz) so as to enable a reader to
complete the reading of the
scripture in one month.
 Neither thematic nor
chronological, the Quran is
arranged based on the
length of the surah in
descending order.
The Al-Baqarah
(“The Heifer”)
• The longest
surah has
about 286
ayahs.
Fatihah (“The
Opening”)
• The first of all
surah that is in
the form of a
prayer to God
for guidance.
 The Fatihah, written below, is the most
frequently recited segment of the Koran.
“In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the
Worlds;
Most Gracious, Most Merciful;
Master of the Day of Judgement.
You do we worship and Your aid we seek.
Show us the straight way, The way of those on whom You
have bestowed Your Grace, those whose (portion) is not
wrath, and who go not astray.”
Hafiz (“Guardian”)
• A person who is able to
memorize the Quran in its
entirety.
Hafiza
• The female counterpart.
 Whatever denomination Muslims
may belong to, they always have the
same Quran written in Arabic similar
to the early days of Islam’s founding.
No two copies of the Quran
anywhere in the world differ in any
way.
Hadith
• the collection of the deeds and
sayings of Muhammad and his
followers (“traditional reports
or sayings”) and is the second
source of shari’a law.
 Unlike the Quran that was
officially compiled under the
supports of a central
authority (as initiated by the
first caliph Abu Bakr).
 Around the ninth century C.E.,
Muslim scholars undertook a
number of great systematic
collections of hadiths that are
known as Kutub al-Sittah or the Six
Sahih (“Authentic”) Books.
 The collections of Persian
scholars Muhammad al-Bukhari
(810-870) and Muslim ibn al-
Hajjaj (c.815-875) are the most
respected and most often cited
among the said collections.
Muhammad al-Bukhari Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj
(810-870) (c.815-875)
 The word sahih in these titles indicates
that the authors of these books examined the
authentic reports about Muhammad from
other unsubstantiated narratives.
The various rituals and obligations
embedded in the so-called “Five Pillars of
Islam” as well as majority of criminal laws
originate from the hadiths.
Lessons Activity
Answer the following questions. Your
answer MUST be minimum of five (5)
sentences.
1. Why is Muhammad the essence of a
just and compassionate religious
leader?
2. How do Muslims respect Quran?
 Islam

Symbols Sacred Worship and Selected

Scriptures Observances Issues

Historical
Background
Beliefs/ Subdivisions
Doctrines
 BELIEFS/
DOCTRINES
 Islam began as a way of life (din) for its
followers which God intended for his creation
from the very beginning. In time, God had to
send several prophets, including Musa (Moses)
and ‘Isa (Jesus), to call people back to the din
as a result of human rebellion and wrongdoing.
Ultimately, all prophets were rejected,
persecuted, or killed except for Muhammad.
 While some religions may have room for
particular or personal judgment regarding
matters of conduct, Islamic beliefs are more
dominantly social in character. Islamic
religious laws cover the daily life of all
Muslims—from education, dress, marriage,
sexual relations, justice, punishments,
economics, diet, and even rules of hospitality.
 While Islam’s approach to life and death,
origins of the universe, and the nature of
mankind is simple, it is also firm and
uncompromising.
For all Muslims, there is only one
compassionate, everlasting, and omnipotent
God, being the lord of everything in
existence, including humans.
 Around eight thousand years ago, God
created the universe and may terminate it
when he wills it so. A “Day of Judgment”
shall follow wherein all humankind will be
resurrected and individually accounted
for. Everyone will be fully awakened and
raised to a higher spiritual life.
 Based on their own deeds and fully
aware of the effects of these deeds in
this life, everyone will then be sent to
either paradise or hell for infinity. All
these knowledge had been revealed by
God to Muhammad and written down
in the Quran.
 Since all people originate from
God and return to him after death,
there can never be contending
religions that may divide people from
one another. As such, Islam advocates
for the establishment of one single
community or ummah.
 During Muhammad’s time, the
ummah was a community bigger
than the tribe, demanding a
loyalty which came before loyalty
to kinsfolk. In the end, a Muslim
must not fight a fellow Muslim.
 FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
• The basic obligations of
Muslims.
• Also called arkan al-din.
• give structure and unity to all
believers of Islam.
 While differences may occur in
the interpretation of Islamic law,
all Muslims believe and accept the
entirety of these obligations that
must be strictly observed to avoid
being sent to hell on the “Day of
Judgment.”
Shahada (“Witness”)
• the declaration of statement of belief
among all Muslims obligations.
• that is recited during prayers and rituals.
Apart from shahada, the four other
duties that must be performed by all
Muslims are collectively called as Ibadah
(“State of Submission”).
Ibadah (“State of Submission”)
• aims to discipline the followers and
eliminate impostors to the Islamic faith.
• composed of praying five times a day,
fasting during the time of Ramadan,
giving of annual charity, and undertaking
a pilgrimage to Mecca once in a Muslim’s
lifetime.
 A. The Creed (Shahada)
• The basic creed of Islam that “there
is no God but Allah; Muhammad is
the messenger of Allah”.
• In Arabic, it is recited as “La ilaha
illa Allah; Muhammadon rasul
Allah.”
 These are the very first words
uttered into an infant’s ear and perhaps
the last words given to a dying Muslim.
The Creed (Shahada)
• asserts that Allah is the only divinity
and that he has relayed his will
through Muhammad.
Kalima
• To be accepted into the Islam fold,
one must recite this phrase with two
witnesses.
Tawheed (“The Unity”)
• The first half of the kalima which is
the most important statement of
Muslim faith.
Risallah (“Acceptance of
Prophethood”)
• The second half which implies
acceptance of prophets as
messengers of god.
For a Muslim to deny any
part of the shahada is
tantamount to the crime of
reversion to Islam that is
punishable under Quranic
law.
 B. Obligatory Prayer (Salat)
• Just as the body requires food for
its daily sustenance, prayers are
done for spiritual development so
that a Muslim’s character and
conduct remain sound and healthy.
 Facing in the direction of Mecca or
qiblah, Muslims must offer prayers or salat
five times each and every day
• before sunrise (as-subh),
• noon (az-zuhr),
• mid-afternoon (al-asr),
• immediately after sunset (al-maghreb),
• and before midnight (al-isha)
 In a mosque or masjid (“place of
prostration”) where Muslims offer
prayers in congregation, men and
women pray separately. A structure of
masjid can range from a simple desert
prayer ground (musalla) or just any
space whereby rules of ritual purity are
properly observed.
 Each prayer session begins
when the strong-voiced muezzin
or caller recites the call to
prayer (adhan) from the tallest
point of a mosque, often a
minaret.
Minaret
• a tall structure
or thin tower
that is used to
call the people
to prayer.
Adhan
• composed of rhythmic Arabic phrases
devised by Muhammad himself, is often
recorded and broadcast through
speakers.
Quite regrettably, muezzins have been
slowly replaced by amplified voices and
tape recordings.
 Before any prayer commences,
an elaborate ritual washing (wudu)
must be performed to remove any
impurities and unclean substances
from the body or clothes of the
faithful.
 Most mosques are frequently
equipped with facilities for washing
hands, feet, and face before prayer.
Clean and potable water must be given
to any person who comes to a mosque.
Muslim men often pray in mosques
while women pray at their homes.
 To pray, a Muslim stands on clean
ground without shoes or wearing clean
ones. A special carpet may be provided to
provide the person a clean surface.
Nevertheless, aside from salat, a Muslim
can address a prayer to Allah at any given
time in any circumstance using any words
one chooses.
 C. Poor Tax (Zakat)
Muslims who live above the
subsistence level must pay zakat or the
poor tax to aid the underprivileged
Muslims. Rich Muslims must share
their wealth to the unfortunate ones.
 Originally, almsgiving was for the
benefit of the poor, widows, and
orphans through an act of charity.
Later on, it became mandatory
amounting to a certain percentage of a
Muslim’s total resources. Islam has
never viewed begging as dishonorable.
Zakat
• is not charity but an annual wealth tax that
serves as just and lawful claim of the poor
against the rich ones.
• is payable the moment a Muslim has
accumulated sufficient resources starting
with a basic rate which is fortieth (2.5
percent) of a person’s entire asset, including
savings, jewels, and land.
 The Quran states that all worldly
wealth is unclean unless utilized in the
service of Allah and Islam. A horrible
fortune awaits those people who
became wealthy as a result of usurious
activities and those who neglect the
welfare of poor Muslims.
 By fulfilling to pay zakat, well-off
Muslims cleanse their material
possessions and can liberally enjoy
their fortunes with Allah’s
approval. Hence, zakat is viewed as
purification of one’s resources
 D. Fasting (Sawm)
• during the entire 30 days of
Ramadan, the ninth month of
the Islamic calendar, must be
performed by all Muslims
every year.
Ramadan
• believed to be
the month when
Muhammad
received the first
surah of the
Quran.
Sawm
• done by all Muslims to
express obedience to Allah
and the readiness to
relinquish pleasures in their
lives.
 By undertaking sawm, Muslims
observe discipline and experience the
deprivations of the poor. During this
time, a Muslim must refrain from
eating, drinking, smoking, and
engaging in any sexual intimacy from
dusk until dawn.
 By resisting the demands of
the body during sawm, the
Muslims strengthen their will.
Muslims are reminded that they
have the capacity to ignore the
longing of the body or material
gratification.
“Feast of Breaking the Fast”
(‘Id al-Fitr)
• Culmination of sawm wherein
Muslims may celebrate and
partake in festivities.
 They hold congregational
prayers and exchange presents.
Unlike the Jews or Catholics who
fast for a brief period of time in
observance of holy days, the
Muslims are obligated to fast the
longest and strictest of all.
 Any Muslim who has reached
puberty and is healthy must
undertake sawm. Muslims who are
exempted from performing sawm
include small children, those who are
on a journey, sick persons, and
mothers nursing infants.
 For those who are temporarily unable
to observe sawm, they must perform the
missed fast after Ramadan.
For those who are permanently unable
to fast, such as the very old or persons
those with long-term illness, they can give
charity to poor Muslims instead
E. Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)
All Muslims must attempt to undertake
a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca or
hajj (“visitation of Holy Places”) at least
once in their lifetime during the twelfth
Islamic month.
“Grand Mosque”
(Al-Masjid al-
Haram) in Mecca
• houses the most
sacred site of Islam,
the Kaaba (“House
of Allah”).
Kaaba
• is a cube-shaped ancient stone building
that dates back to the time of Adam and
Eve according to Muslim tradition.
• Muslims believe that it was originally
built for the worship of God by Abraham
and his son Ishmael.
Kaaba
• Inside is the “Black Stone,” twelve
inches in diameter, located on the
eastern cornerstone of the building
that was set intact into the wall by
Muhammad himself in 605 C.E.
A fragmented dark rock
often described as meteorite,
the “Black Stone” has been
polished smooth by the
pilgrims through time.
Broken into a number of
fragments, it is now
cemented into a silver frame
on the eastern corner of the
Kaaba.
 Some poets
consider Muhammad
himself as the Kaaba
of prophetic
revelation while the
Kaaba is the “seal of
his prophethood”.
 For Muslim men to participate in
hajj, they must be sound, physically
able, and able to provide for their
dependents while they are on
pilgrimage to Mecca. On the other
hand, Muslim women may also take
part in hajj subject to a number of
restrictions.
 For example, women must be
accompanied by a male
chaperon (mahram) who must
be a man they are legally unable
to marry, such as their father or
brother.
 Before travelling to Mecca, pilgrims
(hajji) pray incessantly and perform
extended washing rituals. Pilgrims also
shave and cut their hair and nails. For
men, they wear a special ihram outfit
that consists of two large pieces of
white, unhemmed clothes.
One piece wraps around the waist and
the other goes over the right shoulder.
For women, they wear simple white
dresses. They also wear additional
garments to completely cover their face
and legs Men and women pilgrims wear
sandals instead of shoes.
Covered in simple pilgrim’s garment with no
head covering, one cannot distinguish a rich
Muslim from a poor one simply by looking at
their apparel. Once pilgrims are wearing their
ihram, they are prohibited from removing this
ritual dress, even when sleeping. They are also
forbidden from clipping their nails, hunting,
arguing, or engaging in any sexual activity.
 In ihram, Muslims cannot
shave, wash themselves, shampoo
their hair, scratch themselves, kill
anything (even a fly or mosquito),
walk on grass, or injure any living
thing.
 Central to the pilgrimage is a full day
spent in the desert on the Arafat plain
considered sacred by the Muslims. The
mountain of Arafat was the site of
Muhammad’s last sermon. For many people
located in regions distant from the Arabian
Peninsula, the hajj serves as the pinnacle of
years of yearning to be with God.
 Islam

Symbols Sacred Worship and Selected

Scriptures Observances Issues

Historical
Background
Beliefs/ Subdivisions
Doctrines
WORSHIP AND
OBSERVANCES
 The Islamic
calendar is composed
of 12 lunar months of
between 29 and 30
days. A year in the
Islamic calendar
constitutes a total of
354 days.
 The difference between the
solar and lunar calendar is
adjusted by adding one day
to the last month of the year
11 times each 30 years.
 Nonetheless, 103 Islamic
years are the equivalent of
100 solar years despite the
periodic changes done on the
calendar.
Month 1: Muharram (“The Sacred
Month”)
• The Islamic year starts in the day of the
hijra, Muhammad’s journey from Mecca
to Medina in 622 C.E.
• Ashura: The assassination of the Imam
Husayn ibn Ali at Karbala’ in 680 C.E. is
commemorated on the 10th by Shi’ite
Muslims.
Month 3: Rabi al-
Awwal (“The Spring”)
• Birth of the Prophet:
Muhammad’s
birthday is
celebrated on the
12th.
Month 9: Ramadan (“The Month of
Great Heat”)
• Muslims do not eat or drink during
daylight hours throughout the month.
• Laylat al-Qadr: The commemoration of
the first revelation to the prophet is
often celebrated on the 27th.
Month 10: Shawwal (“The
Month of Hunting”)
• ‘Id al-Fitr: The Festival of
Breaking the Fast at the
beginning of Shawwal
concludes the fasting season.
Month 12: Dhu al-Hijja (“The Month of Hajj”)
• Month of pilgrimage (Hajj ) to Mecca.
• Yawn Arafat: On the 9th, fasting pilgrims
perform the wuquf, standing before God on
Mount Arafat.
• ‘Id al-Adha: The Festival of Sacrifice on the 10th
recalls the sacrificial ram God gave to Abraham
in place of his son, and coincides with the end of
Hajj.
Ramadan
• the ninth month of the Islamic calendar
wherein Muslims are expected to observe
sawm.
• Muslims may not eat, drink, or have sex
during daylight hours.
• The last 10 days of the month may be spent
by continuous prayers of the most devoted
Muslims.
Ramadan
• Finally, the sawm
ends with ‘Id al-Fitr
or the Festival of
Breaking the Fast
marked by popular
rejoicing and festal
prayer.
Dhu al-Hijja
• the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar
wherein able-bodied Muslims perform the
hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca.
• Poor Muslims sometimes use their entire
savings just to fulfill this obligation.
• The sick and the elderly may begin their
pilgrimage without the certainty of
accomplishing this sacred duty.
 Upon entering the Grand Mosque, the hajji
performs the tawaf which involves circling the
Kaaba seven times in a counter-clockwise
direction. Most pilgrims attempt to touch or kiss
the sacred Black Stone. However, the sheer
number of pilgrims inside the mosque prevents
them from touching the relic. They may instead
raise their arm and point in its direction. These
rites are known as umrah.
 Once the tawaf is completed, most
pilgrims drink from the well of Zamzam
that was established by Hagar and
Ishmael. With its rich mineral water,
Ishmael and Muhammad quenched their
thirst here as the tradition goes. The
stream flows through the basement of the
Grand Mosque.
‘Id al-Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice
• the most important festival in
the Muslim calendar marking
the end of the pilgrimage
season.
• On the tenth day of the hajj, Muslims are
required to slaughter a live animal (a sheep
or goat) to commemorate Abraham’s
willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael and
his obedience to God.
• In the process, a ram was substituted in
place of Ishmael, thus, allowing him and his
offspring to live, including his descendant
Muhammad.
• After their difficult journey in
Mecca, pilgrims may now visit other
holy cities, such as Medina or
Jerusalem. Returning home, the title
hajj can now be affixed to their
names to indicate completion of this
religious responsibility.
• Friday is the special day of
worship for the Muslims as
commanded by Muhammad.
• In mosques, Muslims are
required to pray with his fellows
and prayers are led by an imam.
Imam
• is a member of the
community selected
to lead the
congregation due to
the devoutness and
religiosity he
manifests to the
people.
Islamic Law
• The concept of law and justice in Islam,
or the shari’a (“the road to the watering
place”), is based upon the Quranic verses
as revealed by God to Muhammad.
• The universal laws passed down by God
govern both the affairs of human and
laws of nature.
• Apart from the Quran, the teachings of
Muhammad or the hadiths form the basis of
Islamic legal system.
The shari’a is a path of conduct that must
be followed by all Muslims. It concerns almost
the totality of a Muslim’s life – from home life,
business interests, marital relations,
inheritance, and various duties to the state and
community.
Islamic Jurisprudence
• the science of Islamic law is
called fiqh.
• All aspects of Muslim way of life
and actions are covered through
fiqh.
 Forbidden actions are both sinful
and criminal under pain of
punishment.
Accordingly, it is forbidden for all
Muslims to eat animals that have died
from natural causes or those animals
that were not ritually slaughtered.
 Pork is considered as the most
unclean of all meats and must not
be eaten no matter how the pig
meat was produced. Other haram
behaviors include drinking blood,
eating dried blood, and taking
liquors.
 The Five Pillars is an example of
an obligatory category. These
practices, such as almsgiving, daily
prayers, and ritual fasting, are
compulsory to all Muslims. Failure to
observe these obligations is sinful and
punishable as crime.
 The three other categories
(makruh, mandub, and mubah)
concern chiefly on things, such
as etiquette, donations,
personal habits, and social life.
Makruh
• Reprehended actions but not
subject to punishments.
Mandub
• Admirable or recommended
deeds.
Mubah
• Permitted behaviors that are
neither good nor bad but neutral
are classified.
• The hadith collections can be
consulted to resolve these
matters.
 Islam

Symbols Sacred Worship and Selected

Scriptures Observances Issues

Historical
Background
Beliefs/ Subdivisions
Doctrines
SUBDIVISIONS
 Similar to most major religions, Islam
also has sects, which vary primarily as to
how these sects interpret some aspects of
the Islamic faith and of the Quran. In as
much as Muslims agree on the fundamental
views of the Islam religion, variations do
occur in many of their beliefs and practices.
 I. Sunni Muslims (The
Sunnis)
• Majority of Muslims, around
87% to 90% of the entirety of
Islam believers, belong to the
this denomination.
 Sunni Muslims (The Sunnis)
• “Followers of the Smooth Path”.
• traditionalists and are considered the
standard of Islam as they endeavor
to follow the original religion
established by Muhammad and
guided by the first four righteous
caliphs.
Sunni Muslims (The Sunnis)
• These Muslims follow the
sunnah (“customary practice”)
of Muhammad from which their
name originated.
Sunnah
• pertains to the orally
transmitted record of wisdom,
conduct, and sayings attributed
to Muhammad and his earliest
companions as recorded in
hadith.
 Sunni Muslims (The Sunnis)
• believe that any Muslim can be a
ruler and he does not need to prove
his lineage to Muhammad as long
as he gets the approval and
confidence of the ummah or
community.
 Sunni Muslims (The Sunnis)
• He can be an elected ruler or a
hereditary monarch that should
enjoy the support of the ummah.
• All shall abide by his actions
unquestioningly regardless of
whether he is a fair or cruel ruler.
 Within the Sunni sect of Islam are
groups of Muslims that also differ in views
and exercise of their faith. Religious
factions are often the result of national or
social differences. Every Muslim country
has a Sunni majority except Iran, Iraq,
Azerbaijan, Yemen, and some of the Gulf
States.
 II. Shi’a (The Shi’ites)
• are the largest section within
the Islam religion that
separated from the rest of
the community.
 Historically speaking, three close
associates of Muhammad became
successive leaders or caliphs of Islam
with the death of the founder in 632
C.E. The caliphate acted as a central
unifying agency in Islamic history.
 Initially, caliphs were friends of
Muhammad that acted as virtuous
leaders of the believers. They may be
chosen by election or general
consent. Later on, the position
became hereditary resembling that
of a king.
Ali ibn Abi Talib
• direct relative (cousin)
of Muhammad wherein
some Muslims believed
that he have been
immediately succeeded
Muhammad.
Ali ibn Abi Talib
• was also Muhammad’s son-in-law who
married his daughter Fatima.
• In 656 C.E., he became the fourth caliph but
steadily lost control of the Muslim world that
culminated in the takeover of the caliphate by
the Umayyad Dynasty at the time of Ali’s
assassination in a mosque at Kufa and his
eventual death in 661 C.E.
Rashiduns (“rightly-guided caliphs”)
• the Sunnis accepted the legitimacy of the
first four successors of Muhammad:
1. Abu Bakr (632-634 C.E.),
2. Umar ibn al-Khattab (634-644 C.E.)
3. Uthman ibn Affan (644-656 C.E.)
4. Ali ibn Abi Talib (656-661 C.E.)
 Other Muslims, however, believed
that Ali’s descendants should become
head of the religious community. These
Muslims were called “Alids” that
became known as “Shia Ali” or “the
party of Ali.” In time, they came to be
called “Shi’ites”.
 For the Shi’ites, Ali was the first
imam and the rightful spiritual and
political successor of Muhammad.
Ali’s youngest son, Husayn, challenged
the Umayyad caliph Yazid I but was
later killed and beheaded at the battle
of Karbala in 680 C.E.
 This event,
called Ashura or the
tenth day of
Muharram, is
commemorated each
year as a day of
mourning for all
Shi’ites.
The main Shi’ite sects are the:
a. Seveners
• believe that there were seven
imams.
• They are mostly found in India,
Yemen, and parts of Africa.
b. Twelvers
• claim that there are twelve imams with
most believers located in Iran.
c. ‘Ibadis
• believe that the community may elect
any appropriate Muslim as imam.
• They are mostly found in Oman.
 III. Sufi
• Muslims whose concern mainly dwell for
a mystical union with God.
• Their name originate from the word suf
that means “woolen” since they wore
coarse wool garments or robes to
symbolize poverty and denunciation of
worldly pleasures.
 Around the twelfth century, monastic
orders were established within the Sufi
movement that focused around a saint.
Fakir (“a poor man”) or dervish (“one who
comes to the door”)
• A convert who joins the order.
The new recruits studied under their
master to develop their heightened sense of
spirituality.
• Most Sufi practitioners practice
discipline, poverty, abstinence,
and celibacy in some instances.
• They insist that it is possible to
have union with God through
mystical experience.
 Islam

Symbols Sacred Worship and Selected

Scriptures Observances Issues

Historical
Background
Beliefs/ Subdivisions
Doctrines
SELECTED
ISSUES
 Islam has gone through two principal
periods of growth in its relatively young
history: first, at the onset of its founding,
and second, during the twentieth century.
As one of the fastest growing religions in
the world, Islam has affected every
surface of human society.
 Islam and Women
The role of women in Muslim societies is a
complicated subject since their rights vary
greatly throughout Islamic nations. While they
may experience harsh restrictions in terms of
legal rights and employment opportunities,
women rulers have emerged in the twentieth
century to lead Asian countries such as
Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Turkey.
 Women in Islam must accept that their
roles in society vary greatly when
compared to men. Foremost, they must
remain obedient to their fathers and
husband. A surah in the Quran depicts a
woman’s father or husband as master and
portrays the superiority of men on
women.
All Muslims are required to observe
the Five Pillars of Islam. However,
congregational prayers tend to be
dominated by men while this activity
remains optional for women. It is
prohibited for any woman to lead
prayers.
 Meanwhile, with so many
restrictions imposed by society upon
Muslim women, the Quran assures
women the right to own, dispose, and
inherit properties and earnings, to
participate in political exercise, and
to sue for divorce.
 While the West has labeled Islam as
anti-woman, the opposite may be true
because of the religion’s pro-equality stance
on many issues. For example, traditional
Islamic law holds that women cannot be
denied of education, cannot be forced into
marriage, can divorce their husbands, and
can vote and hold office.
 Unfortunately, there are Muslim societies
that do not always measure up to Islamic
standards.
The Quran views women as spiritually equal
to men. As both shall be assessed during the
“Day of Judgment,” they must both perform
good deeds. Nevertheless, despite the elevation
in the status of women in Muslim society, they
remain seemingly inferior to men.
 The Holy War (Jihad)
• One controversial requirement placed upon
Muslims by their faith.
• means “effort” or “struggle” to convince
unbelievers to pursue the Muslim way of life.
• Strictly speaking, it could mean a Muslim
going to war to wipe out the infidels in the
name of Allah.
However, the method of a jihadist
can be a peaceful one, such as living
a spiritual life or observing the
required obligations to his faith, or
through violent means, especially if
the infidels are determined.
 Presently, jihad has remained a
unclear issue especially now that
Arab nations have been less than
apprehensive to commit to war as
unified Muslims versus non-
Muslims.
 Likewise, Islamic law opposes all
violent means except in cases of war
or legally sanctioned punishment of
criminals. The Quran contains the
following verse in reference to Islam’s
opposition to violence:
 “Fight in the cause of Allah
those who fight you, but do not
transgress limits; for Allah loves
not transgressors. (Quran
2:190)”
 Militancy and Terrorism
Islam is a religion of mercy that
prohibits terrorism. During Muhammad’s
time, he proscribed his soldiers to kill
women and children, and even listed
murder as the second of the major sins.
Punishment through the use of fire was also
forbidden by Muhammad.
 Since Islam is a religion of peace
and mercy, terrorism in all its forms
are abhorred by Muslims.
Destruction of human lives, buildings,
infrastructures, shrines, and other
properties are despicable in the light
of various Islamic texts.
 Muslims who promote terrorism
and mass slaughter of innocent and
helpless civilians do not embody
Islamic ideals. Their obvious
disregard of Quranic teachings
changes the very essence of Islam as a
peaceful religion.
 The presence of violence in Islamic
society cannot be attributed to the
teachings of Islam but to the failings of
human supporters of the religion. A
person committing an act of terrorism
is guilty of violating Islamic laws for
that matter.
 Migration
The late nineteenth century saw a
significant migration of Muslims from Syria,
Lebanon, and Jordan to the US. After the
Second World War, European countries
encouraged emigration from former colonies to
expand manpower shortages. United Kingdom
today is home to more than two million
Muslims;
France between four to five
million Muslims; and Germany
four million Muslims. In 2010,
there were about 44 million
Muslims in Europe, excluding
Turkey.
 The Muslim population in the US and
Europe continues to rise in the present century.
Islam has now become an American religion
with around six million Muslims in population.
Muslim immigrants and their American-born
children number about four million in total.
Meanwhile, almost two million are American
converts that are mainly African American.
POSTER MAKING
• In a short coupon bond make a poster
spreading awareness about Islam and
the good things about their religion to
get rid of the people’s perceptions and
biases against them then you will present
and explain your poster in front of the
class.
 Rubric for Poster Making
Criteria Description Points

Organization The concept was clearly

and creatively conveyed.
40

Content The illustrations were

appropriate to the theme.
30

Visual Presentation The idea was clearly

presented based on the
30
pictures and words used.
SHORT VIDEO REVIEW
Write your review based on the short clip
you’ve watch. Your answer MUST be
minimum of 5 sentences.
1. What is the video all about?
2. How does Muhammad introduce Islam
as a religion?
3. Do you think Muhammad become a great
leader of Islam? Why?