Historical Context

• Polytheism and monotheistic religions (Judaism and Christianity)

• Blood feuds, violence, and immorality

• Muhammad was a merchant

• Saudi Arabia

FACES OF ISLAM

FACES OF ISLAM

Islam:

Myths and Reality

Terminology:

The religion is called ISLAM(submissiveness).

The people are MUSLIMS.

6

Myth #1: Most Muslims are Arabs

who live in the Middle East.

3

Reality: Of more than 1 billion Muslims worldwide, only about 1/5 are

Arabs.

4

Try to Guess:

Which country has more Muslims than any other

country in the world?

5

Answer:

Indonesia - with over 200 million Muslims.

Note: The U.S. has about 5 million Muslims.

6

7

Myth #2: Muslims have a strange religion and worship a

god called Allah.

8

Reality: Muslims are monotheistic.

Muslims believe they are

worshipping the same God as Jews

and Christians. 9

Note:

‘Allah’ is the Arabic word for ‘God.’

10

Myth #3:

Muslims believe it is o.k. to kill civilians in a holy war (“jihad”).

11

Reality:

Jihad-refers to the internal struggle of

right and wrong

Only Muslim extremists believe

this. 12

Myth #4:

Most Muslim women wear veils

over their faces and are treated very

badly.13

Reality:

• Muslim women have many different styles of dress. (Very few cultures require women to cover their faces.)

• The treatment of women varies from country to country and family to family.

• Some Muslim countries, like Pakistan, have had female prime ministers. The U.S. has never had a female president.

14

MUSLIM BELIEFS• ONE GOD

• BELIEVE IN THE PROPHETS OF JUDAISM AND BELIEVE JESUS WAS A PROPHET

• MUHAMMAD IS A PROPHET- MESSENGER OF GOD

• KORAN- HOLY SCRIPTURES

• FIVE PILLARS

• HEAVEN AND HELL

Muslim sacred text:

QURAN (or KORAN):

Message from God revealed through the Prophet Muhammad

Guides Muslims how to live life, morals, values,

etc 44

The Quran

45

Main Beliefs of Islam

5 Pillars of Islam

22

Declaration of Faith in God-Shahada:

Belief in one God and that Muhammad is His prophet.

23

Salat-Prayer:

5 times a day – facing Mecca

24

Almsgiving-Zakat

Giving money to the poor is REQUIRED, not optional

25

Fasting-Sawm

During the month of Ramadan, Muslims cannot eat or drink

anything during the daylight hours.

26

Pilgrimage-Hajj

Once in their lives – IF they can afford it, Muslims make a

pilgrimage to Mecca

27

In Mecca during the pilgrimage

28

kabahkabah

Place of Worship

MOSQUE: a Muslim place of worship

29

Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia

30

Mohammed Ali mosque, Cairo, Egypt

31

Inside the Mohammed Ali Mosque

32

Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque), Istanbul Turkey

34

Dome of a mosque, Esfahan, Iran

36

Mosque in Djenne, Mali (West Africa)

38

North African mosque

39

Indonesian mosque

40

Islamic architecture in Spain

http://www.islamservices.org 41

Muslim mosque and tombstone in Sarajevo, Bosnia

42

Mosque in Tempe, Arizona

43

TWO MUSLIM SECTS

Sunni- Orthodox-traditional

Elect caliphs, or

successors to lead

Shia(Shiah)- Imam, or leader must have direct lineage to the Prophet Muhammad

46

Symbols

Muslim Holidays:Ramadan• One month of fasting (No food or drink during daylight

hours)• Humility and submissiveness before God

Eid• Marks the end of Ramadan• Prayer and celebrations• Money is given to the poor or a charity• Sometimes gifts are exchanged

50

Pakistani dress (left); Saudi Arabian (right)

15

Iranian woman

16

Somali (left); West African (right)

17

Malaysian (left); Indian/Bangladeshi (right)

18

HijabHijab

Afghani women wearing burqas

19