INTRODUCTION TO

WORLD RELIGIONS AND

BELIEF SYSTEMS
CHAPTER 2: ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS
LESSON 5
ISLAM
 OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to;
1. Narrate the central events in the life of Muhammad as
founder of Islam;
2. Identify the sacred texts and beliefs and doctrines of Islam;
3. Distinguish the various sects of Islam;
4. Justify that the core teaching of Islam is there is only one God
and Muhammad is His final and greatest messenger; and
5. Create a poster spreading awareness about Islam.
 ACTIVITY
PHOTO ANALYSIS!
Ask the students to look deeply
at the pictures presented and
let them interpret about what
the picture is trying to say.
ACTIVITY
PHOTO ANALYSIS!
ACTIVITY
PHOTO ANALYSIS!
 ANALYSIS
THINK OF IT!
1.Do you think a better
understanding of Islam can lessen
the discrimination experienced by
Muslims in society? Why or why
not?
 HISTORY
SACRED TEXTS
ISLAM

BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES

SECTS
ISLAM AND THE MUSLIMS
Islam began with the Arabian desert people around
early seventh century BCE.
It is considered the youngest of the major religions
but the second largest religion in the world.
The word Islam literally means “surrender” or
“submission.” The word specifically means
“surrender or submission to God.”
ISLAM AND THE MUSLIMS
The followers of Islam are the Muslim or
Moslem, means “one who submits to God.”
Muslims refer to God in Arabic as Allah.
Allah is the same God that Abraham – a
common spiritual ancestor of the Jews,
Christians and Muslims – recognizes.
ISLAM AND THE MUSLIMS
Islam shares some of the accounts in the Bible of
the Jews and Christians and Muslims recognize
most of the prophets mentioned in the Bible.
Muslim Arabs trace their racial and spiritual roots
to Abraham through his son Ishmael.
Ishmael is said to have established a tribe called
Ishmaelites, who were later on called Arabs.
 GOD A covenant/contract has been established between
God and Abraham that He will bless and protect the
lives of those who obey Him.
SARAI/SARAH ABRAM/ABRAHAM HAGAR
Wife (Father of many Nations)
Sarai’s Egyptian Handmaid

REBECCA ISAAC ISHMAEL

Wife) (Son of Sirai and Abraham) (Son of Hagar
and Abraham)

JACOB/ISRAEL ESAU

RACHEL LEAH
(Wife) (Wife)

Sons and Daughter of Jacob to Rachel and Leah – Twelve Tribes of Israel)

REUBEN SIMEON LEVI JUDAH ZEBELUN ISSACHAR

DAN GAD ASHER NAPTHALI BENJAMIN JOSEPH

Sold by his jealous brothers and became a
slave in Egypt.
DINAH
He became the vizier and it was through him that
the Israelites were able to settle in Egypt and live in
peace and harmony.
 Founder: Muhhamad ibn Abdullah
Muhammad ibn Abdullah was born in the oasis town of
Mecca in 570 CE.
He was an orphan. He first lived with his grandfather, Abd
al-Muttalib. Later on, he lived with his uncle Abu Talib.
He got married at the age of 25 to Khadijah, who was then
40 years old that time.
They had 6 children, consisting two sons and 4 daughters.
 Founder: Muhhamad ibn Abdullah
Her daughter Fatima had two sons, Hassan and Hussein,
from her marriage to Muhammad’s cousin Ali ibn Abu
Talib (the son of his uncle Abu Talib), who became the
fourth Caliph of Islam and first of the twelve Imams
(Muslim Leaders) after Muhammad’s death.
Founder: Muhhamad ibn Abdullah
He was a deeply spiritual man, and often spent time in
meditation on Mount Hira.
At the age of 40, while meditating in a cave at Mount
Hira in about 610 CE, he received his first message from
God through a bright presence which Muhammad
identified as the angel Gabriel, this has been called the
“Night of Power.”
Founder: Muhhamad ibn Abdullah
One of the important messages Muhammad
received form God was that only the One God,
Allah, should be worshipped.
Muhammad and his followers moved form
Mecca to Yathrib in 622 CE. This migration is
called in Arabic the Hijrah (or Hegira). The
Muslims considered the Hijrah as the beginning
year of the Muslim calendar.
Founder: Muhhamad ibn Abdullah
Yathrib was later on called Medina.
Medina then became one of the most
sacred cities of Islam; the other two are
Mecca and Jerusalem.
Founder: Muhhamad ibn Abdullah
Such messages and instructions given to
Muhammad were later on written down
and became the doctrines of Islam, which
constitute its holy book, the Qur’an, and
bases of its religious practices.
 ISLAM
The core teaching of Islam is there is only one
God and Muhammad is His final and greatest
messenger.
Founder: Muhhamad ibn Abdullah
God: Allah
Followers: Muslim or Moslem
Symbols: Star and Cresent
 SACRED TEXT
Qur’an (“The Recitation”)
The making of this book was initaited by Abu Bakr,
who became the first caliph ( from khalifa which
means “successor”) or successor of Muhammad as
Islam’s spiritual leader.
The book was finished in 656 CE during the
caliphate of Usman.
 SACRED TEXT
Qur’an (“The Recitation”)
It consists of 114 chapters (surahs) which cover a
wide variety of topics which include the spiritual
origins of Islam in the persons of different prophets,
values, and specific instructions on how to live an
ethical life.
The verses are called ayahs.
 SACRED TEXT
Qur’an (“The Recitation”)
The Sura Al-Fatiha is the first chapter of the Qur’an.
It has a special role in a Muslim’s salat or daily
prayers since it is recited at the start of evrey rak’ah
(unit of prayer).
A person who is able to memorize the Qur’an in its
entirety is called hafiz (“guardian”). The female
counterpart is called hafiza.
 SACRED TEXT
Hadith (“reports” or “recollections”)
The Qur’an contains the main doctrines of Islam, but to
help themselves understand and interpret these doctrines,
Muslims rely on what is called the Hadith.
It consists of written narrations of Muhammad’s life, which
report his words, actions, decisions and characteristics as a
person, who is an ideal manifestation or a perfect model of
a life lived according to the teachings of Qur’an.
 SACRED TEXT
Hadith (“reports” or “recollections”)
It is generally called the Sunnah.
The Five Pillars of Islam as well as majority of
criminal laws originate fromm the Hadiths.
 BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES
Islam has Five Pillars which serve as the
bastion of their Faith. They are Shahadah,
Salat, Sawm, Zakat and Hajj. These are acts
that are mandatory among all Muslim.
 FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
1. Shahadah: Faith
The Shahadah is a Muslim’s declaration of faith.
A Muslim professes that “there is only one God
(Allah) and that the Prophet Muhammad is God’s
messenger.” The Shahadah is essential to be uttered
by a person who wants to become a Muslim and
convert to Islam.
 FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
2. Salat: Prayer
Salat is an Islamic prayer which consists of five
daily prayers. Muslims pray at Fajr (dawn), Dhuhr
(noon), Asr (afternoon), Maghrib (evening), and
Isha (night). All these prayers are recited while
facing in the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and
forms an important aspect of the Ummah
(community).
 FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
2. Salat: Prayer
Before praying, Muslims must perform a
“purification ritual” through washing of the face,
hand and feet. While it is allowed for Muslims to
pray anywhere - provided that they do it on the time
and direction prescribed, the mosque is still the
most preferred place.
 FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
3. Zakat: Alms-giving
Muslims are obligated to give alms and pay
religious tax. The act of alms-giving or Zakat is based
on income and the value of a Muslim’s possessions.
The practice of Zakat is also an act of purification
and growth for Muslims because it allows a believer
to achieve balance.
 FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
4. Sawm: Fasting
Muslims are also required to perform a ritual
fasting called Sawm. On the month of
Ramadan, Muslims must abstain from food and
drink starting from dawn to dusk during this
month and are to be especially mindful of their
sins.
 FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
4. Sawm: Fasting
Adherents to Islam believe that fasting allow
them to be near Allah and earn his
forgiveness. Fasting also allows a Muslim to
express gratitude to Allah, atone for past sins
and think of the people who are in need.
 FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
5. Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca
The Hajj is a pilgrimage that occurs during the
Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijah to the city of
Mecca, which houses the most sacred site of
Islam, the Kaaba (“House of Allah”). Inside the
Kaaba is the “Black Stone”, often described as
meteorite.
 FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
5. Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca
Every able-bodied Muslim (and those who can
afford it) is obliged to make the pilgrimage to
Mecca at least once. Upon completion of the
pilgrimage, a Muslim is called a hajji (male
pilgrim) or hajjiyah (female pilgrim) meaning
“one who made the pilgrimage to Mecca.”
 BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES
Muslims believe in afterlife and in the Day of
Resurrection and Day of Judgment. They believe in
Jannah (heaven or paradise), a place of eternal
happiness and Jahannam (hell), a place of suffering.
Muslims also believe in angels and jinn, who are
spiritual being created by God, as God’s messengers
to the people.
 BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES
Mulims believe in prophets or messengers of God
such as Adem (Adam), Ibrahim (Abraham), Ism’l
(Ishmael), Nu (Noah), Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus) and
Muhhamad.
Muslims are opposed to the practice of celibacy
(the state of not being married) even for their
Imams (religious leaders).
 BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES
Males are allowed to have four wives whom he
must treat equally, while women are allowed to
have only one husband.
Muslims are forbidden to eat pork, drink alcohol
and engage in usury and gambling.
Muslim also practice circumcision. Male Muslims
are circumcised between the ages of 7 days and 15
years, depending on local practice.
 BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES
Both men and women are required to
wear modest clothes required by the
Qur’an, the practice of covering the hair or
both hair and faces of women by a veil or
headscarf in varying ways in different
Muslim regions.
 BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES
In traditional Muslim societies, the
parents arrange the marriage of their
children. The bridegroom’s family provides
dowry, or an offer of money or property, to
the family of the bride as part of the
marriage contract.
 SECTS
Islam is composed of three denominations:
Sunni, Shia and Sufi Muslims.
The question of who should be the rightful
successor of Muhammad divided the Muslim
into two major groups, the Sunni and the Shia.
 SECTS
1. Sunni Muslims
Also known as “Ahl as-Sunnah” or “people of the tradition of
Muhhamad”. They believe that a caliph should be elected by the
ummah (community). Anyone who is righteous and just, and who
is living according to the teachings of the Qur’an and Hadith,
could be a caliph. Since God did not appoint a particular leader
after Muhammad’s death and the first four caliphs were Abu
Bakr, Omar, Usman and Ali.
 SECTS
2. Shia Muslims
They believe that the descendant or blood relative of
Muhammad could be his successor. And since only Ali was
Muhammad’s blood relative among the first four caliphs, the
Shias, believe that only Ali was the legitimate or rightful one.
The term “Shia” means “supporters or followers of Ali”. They
also believe that only the descendants or blood relatives of
Muhammad can be Imams or spiritual leaders of Islam.
 SECTS
3. Sufi Muslims
Sufism is not an Islam sect that is separate from Sunni and Shia
Muslim, for it can be found within the Sunni and Shia sects. Sufi
Muslims believe that through their mystical-ascetic practice of
Islam, they can seek the pleasure of God, be at peace with
themselves, live in harmony with all creation, and attain
attributes of prophets and saints.
 APPLICATION
DO IT!
Create a poster spreading awareness about Islam
– beliefs, rituals and practices. Make the poster
on paper, take a picture, and hand in your work in
our google classroom.