Islam
THE RISE OF ISLAM
Who are the Bedouin?
Some arabs were nomadic desert herders. They went from oasis to oasis to water their herds. They were called Bedouins. They lived in tents and ate dried fruit and nuts. They drank milk from their animals. They rarely ate meat because their animals were to valuable to use as food.
What was Muhammed's message?
Muhammed was born in 570 A.D in Mecca. He was an orphan and was raided by his uncle. He became a successful merchant after working with his uncle in a caravan. He married and had children but he was not happy. He felt that people should honor their families, be fair in business, and help the poor. He went to the hills to pray and was visited by an "angel" and told to preach Islam. Islam mean, "Surrendering to the Will of Allah." Allah is the arabic word for god. He traveled around Mecca and told people to only worship Mecca and destroy statues of false gods. He became popular with poor people because he said that people should be treated equally and rich people should share their goods. He also said wealth Isn't as important as a good life.
Why was Islam not liked at first?
At first the only people that became muslims were his family. However many poor people were attracted to his message. Wealthy merchants and religious leaders did not like Muhammed's message. They thought he was trying to take away their power. Muslims were beat and tortured. In 622 Muhammed and his followers left mecca and went north to Yathrib. This journey became known as the Hurah. Later Muslims made the year 622 the first year of a new calendar. Yathrib welcomed Muhammed and his followers. The city was renamed Medina, which means, "the city of profit."
What does Islam teach?
Islam, Judaism, and Christianity all have some beliefs in common. They all believe in one god, that god created the universe, god determines right and wrong, people are expected to follow God's laws if they want an after life, and that God spoke to people through profits. For muslims, early prophets were Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammed. For Christians, Jesus is more then a prophet. He was the son of god. In Islam, Muhammed is seen as a prophet and a very good person.
What is the Quran?
Muslims wrote down the message of Muhammed said he received from Allah. These writings became known as the Quran, or Holy book of Islam. For muslims this is gods written word. The Quran tells muslims to be honest and treat others fairly, to honor their parents, show kindness to neighbors, and give fairly to the poor. Some things that are forbidden in the Quran are murdering, lying, stealing, eating pork, drink liquor, or gamble. The Quran also has rules about marriage, divorce, family life, property rights, and business practices.
What are the 5 Pillars of Islam & Sunna?
Muslims are expected to follow the 5 pillars of faith. They are 1. (belief) Muslims must declare Allah is the only god and that Muhammed is his prophet. 2. (prayer) Muslims must pray 5 times a day facing toward mecca. 3. (Alms) Muslims must give to the poor. 4. (Fast) They must not eat from dusk till dawn during Ramada. 5. (Hajj) They must visit Mecca once in their life. Scholars of Islam created a law on society based on the Quran and the Sunna. The Sunna is the name given to Muhammed's works and deeds. Islam's law codes cover all areas of daily life.