What is Islam?
Islam is the third religion that came from Southwest Asia. Islam is based on the teaching of Muhammad, who began teaching since about 613 A.D. It's followers are called Muslims. Islam is a monotheistic religion, where they worship one God, which is called Allah in Arabic. Islam has close ties with Judaism and Christianity, they all are a monotheistic religion. The holy book of the Islam religion is called the Qur'an. Islam spreads from Southwest Asia, to Africa, Central, South, and Southeast Asia, and parts of the Balkans in Europe. There are two major divisions of Islam: Sunni & Shiite.
What is the founding story behind Islam?
Allah (God) sent the angel Gabriel to a camel rider named Muhammad. Gabriel told Muhammad, that Allah has chosen him to become his prophet, who is to tell the world about Allah, and that Allah exists. In the city of Mecca, Muhammad tried to tell the town about Allah, but they all wanted him dead. Why? It's because Muhammad was bad for business, when people came to visit the town, and wanted to pray to a certain god. (Mecca was a henotheistic town.) Since Muhammad was telling the townspeople that there is one God, idol-worshiping business owners wanted Muhammad dead. Later on, Muhammad moved to Medina. Muhammad moving to Medina the mark of the beginning of the Muslim religion. In Medina, Muhammad had many Muslim followers. Eight years after moving to Medina, Muhammad moved back to Mecca, invading the town, and making Mecca an Islamic town. To this day, only Muslims are allowed in Mecca. After moving back to Mecca, Muhammad and his followers spread the word about the Islamic religion, allowing the religion to spread all over the Middle East, within only 40 years.
What are Islamic key figures?
Allah- 'God' in Arabic
Muhammad- a religious man who connected all of Arabia and spread the idea of the Islam religion.
This website explain more important and key figures of Islam. Link:
Muhammad- a religious man who connected all of Arabia and spread the idea of the Islam religion.
This website explain more important and key figures of Islam. Link:
What are important symbols and places of Islam?
One of the important Islamic symbols, is the color green. Why green? Green symbolizes nature, and life, along with the color spiritual people wear, which is green silk.
Another symbol of Islam, is the Star, and Crescent. The Muslim Ottoman Empire adapted the crescent and star, while at war with other empires.
The other symbol of Islam, is the symbol of Allah. Allah is 'God' in Arabic.
Another symbol of Islam, is the Star, and Crescent. The Muslim Ottoman Empire adapted the crescent and star, while at war with other empires.
The other symbol of Islam, is the symbol of Allah. Allah is 'God' in Arabic.
What are some important books/people/etc. that are involved with Islam?
The Quran is the most important book in the Islamic religion. It is believed to be God's words, which have been written out on paper. There are three books that supposedly came before the Qur'an.
-Tawrat
-unreliable, really old scripture about Moses
-Zabur
-Book of Psalms
-Injil
-the New Testament, it's about Jesus and his life throughout the New Testament
There are other texts as well, which is the Hadith (Muhammad's teachings,) and the Sharia (Islamic laws combining Qur'an and Sunnah.)
-Tawrat
-unreliable, really old scripture about Moses
-Zabur
-Book of Psalms
-Injil
-the New Testament, it's about Jesus and his life throughout the New Testament
There are other texts as well, which is the Hadith (Muhammad's teachings,) and the Sharia (Islamic laws combining Qur'an and Sunnah.)
What are some rules and customs of Islam?
There are daily rules that Muslims must follow, in their daily life. Pork and alcohol is forbidden. A woman must cover her hands, most of her face, and her clothing is not to show off the shape of her body. There are also rules as to who a person is allowed to marry. It all depends on inheritance, and deciding how much of the wealth shall be divided after someone dies. Gambling is also forbidden, excluding loans. Muslims also must wash before daily prayers. They are allowed to pray anywhere, as long as they face east, the direction where Mecca is located. On Fridays, some Muslims go to the mosque for their noon prayer. There is no priest, everyone recites the same prayers. Women and men pray separately. Most activities are for women and men separately.
What are the branches/sects that Islam divides into?
Islam divides into two branches: Sunni and Shiite.
Each branch has a significant leader they follow, and each branch has different things they believe in the most.
Sunni:
-leader after Muhammad was Abu Bakr
-mostly all Muslims are Sunni
-found in the Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia
-name means 'traditional'
Shiite:
-leader after Muhammad had to be a blood relative, which was Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law Ali
-belong to the Imami
-found mostly around Iran and Iraq
-name means 'party of Ali'
Each branch has a significant leader they follow, and each branch has different things they believe in the most.
Sunni:
-leader after Muhammad was Abu Bakr
-mostly all Muslims are Sunni
-found in the Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia
-name means 'traditional'
Shiite:
-leader after Muhammad had to be a blood relative, which was Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law Ali
-belong to the Imami
-found mostly around Iran and Iraq
-name means 'party of Ali'
What do the Islamic people believe in about the afterlife?
Muslims believe in the same afterlife that Christians and Jews believe in, where you end up in a good place if you die, and a bad place if you die. It all depends on how you live.
What are some goals in the Islam religion?
The goals the Muslims believe they need to fulfill, is to be a good person, and like any other religion, to be a good person, and in result, your soul will be in a better place, as if to reward you for being a good person when you were a human.
What are some Islamic holidays that Muslims celebrate?
Since the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, there is no exact date for each holiday.
These are the following festivals and holy days Muslims celebrate:
These are the following festivals and holy days Muslims celebrate:
- Muhammad's departure from Mecca
- Muhammad's ascension to heaven
- Ramadan
- Revelation of the Qur'an to Muhammad
- Eid-ul-Fitr, which is the festival of breaking the fast
- The Month of pilgrimages
- Eid-ul-Adha, which is the feast of sacrifice
How is daily Islamic life like? What are the Five Pillars of Islam?
Muslims must follow five duties, which are called the Five Pillars of Islam. The first duty, is to state the faith, meaning admitting and realizing that you are a Muslim. The second duty, is to pray, at least five times a day, facing east, the direction where Mecca is located. The third duty, is to give alms, or give money to the poor. You need to give 2.5% of your paycheck to the poor. The fourth duty, is to fast (not eat or drink anything) during Ramadan, from sun up, to sun down. After sun down, you are allowed to eat and drink then. The final fifth duty is to try to make a pilgrimage, or religious trip to Mecca at least once in your lifetime.
Everyday, you must pray five times everyday, facing Mecca.
Women must wear scarves, which cover their head, and sometimes their whole face, which is called a hijab. Women must cover their arms, legs, body shape, and sometimes, their face. The reason for a hijab, is because it covers your head and chest from men (since you start wearing a hijab, after puberty,) and to remain respectable to others, and God.
Everyday, you must pray five times everyday, facing Mecca.
Women must wear scarves, which cover their head, and sometimes their whole face, which is called a hijab. Women must cover their arms, legs, body shape, and sometimes, their face. The reason for a hijab, is because it covers your head and chest from men (since you start wearing a hijab, after puberty,) and to remain respectable to others, and God.
Allah- Islamic God that Muslims believe deeply in
Qu'ran (Koran)- Islamic sacred book
Jihad- war or struggle against non-believers
Mosque- Muslim place of worship
Muslim- Islamic follower
Mecca- Birthplace of Muhammad, and the holiest Islamic town
Muhammad- Prophet who established the Islamic religion
Ramadan- ninth month of the Islamic calendar, where there is strict fasting
Sharia- a law, where punishments for crimes are retributive
Qu'ran (Koran)- Islamic sacred book
Jihad- war or struggle against non-believers
Mosque- Muslim place of worship
Muslim- Islamic follower
Mecca- Birthplace of Muhammad, and the holiest Islamic town
Muhammad- Prophet who established the Islamic religion
Ramadan- ninth month of the Islamic calendar, where there is strict fasting
Sharia- a law, where punishments for crimes are retributive