Introduction to Islam

1. Introduction to Islam Mohammed M. Hafez, Ph.D. National Security Affairs Department Naval Postgraduate School NS3330 Middle East 2009

2. Islam – Definitions and Demographics • Islam - Submission to Allah, which is Arabic for God • Approximately 1.1 to 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide

3. Most Muslims Are Not Arabs

4. Islam – Demographics • 85-90% of Muslims are Sunnis • 10-15% are Shiites

5. Origins of Islam - Muhammad • Pre-Islamic Arabia - Jahiliyyah • Social inequality • Internecine fighting among tribes • Polytheistic (idol worshiping) society • 570 A.D. - Ordinary man, Muhammad, was born • 610 A.D. - Muhammad receives a revelation from God • 632 A.D. - Muhammad dies after spreading Islam to Arabia

6. Origins of Islam - Successors • After Muhammad’s death, he was succeeded by four leaders: • Abu Bakr al-Siddiq • Umar Ibn al-Khattab • Uthman Bin `Afan • Ali Bin Abi Talib • Sunnis consider these to be Al-Khulafa al-Rashidun (Rightly-Guided Caliphs) • Majority of Shiites (Twelver) only see Ali as the legitimate leader

7. Origins of Islam – Five Pillars • Shahada ~ Confession of faith:“There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet” • Salaat ~ Prayer toward Mecca observed five times a day • Zakat ~ Almsgiving or purification tax (approximately 2.5 percent of one’s wealth) for the poor • Siyaam ~ Fasting from food, water, and all other pleasures of life from sunrise till sunsetobserved during the holy month of Ramadan • Hajj ~ Pilgrimage to Mecca once during a lifetime

8. Origins of Islam – Essential Beliefs • Monotheism -In line with the Judeo-Christian tradition, Islam is a monotheistic creed that believe there is only one God. The unity of God (tawhid) is central to Islam • People of the Book -Muslims recognize the divine origins of Jewish and Christian doctrines, but believe the original message has been subverted by Jews and Christians. Islam is the final prophecy

9. Origins of Islam – Essential Beliefs • Universalism -Islam is a religion for all humanity and applies at all times and places • Judgment Day -Muslims believe that one day – when the world comes to an end – everyone will stand for judgment in front of God. • Eternity in Heaven or Hell -Muslims believe in life after death, when believers and sinners will live in heaven or hell based on their deeds as well as God’s mercy and compassion

10. Shariah – Islamic Law • Shariah as “the way” of God and His divine laws for humanity • Shariah has come to denote specific rules and laws that could be implemented by Muslims in personal lives as well as in public matters and disputes

11. Sources of Sunni Shariah • Qur’an- Revealed word of God sent to the Prophet Muhammad, the final of all monotheistic apostles that began with Abraham, Moses, Jesus, etc. • Sunna - Sayings (hadith) and outward conduct of the prophet Muhammad as recalled through a chain of oral transmission from one person to another beginning with the companions of the Prophet • Sahih (Bukhari, Muslim) • Da`iif (Apocryphal, weak) • Ijma`a - Consensus of the companions, scholars, Muslims • Qiyas – Analogical reasoning based on accepted sources

12. Schools of Islamic Jurisprudence Four major Sunni schools of jurisprudence: Hanafi, Shafi`i,Maliki, Hanbali; Shia have their own jurisprudence, the best known is the Ja’afari school

13. Sunni-Shiite Divide • Shiite comes from Shia of Ali … “Followers of Ali”…”Partisans of Ali” • Shiites are a minority in Islam, but majority in Iran, Iraq, Bahrain • 10-15% of Muslims worldwide

14. Origins of the Sunni – Shiite Divide • Origins is a political dispute over who should lead the Muslim community after the death of the Prophet Muhammad – Who has the legitimate authority to rule? • Should rule go to any Muslim? • Should it go only to the companions of the Prophet? • Should it go only to Prophet’s family and blood descendants?

15. Origins of the Sunni – Shiite Divide • Shiite view is that only those who are from the Prophet’s family and their direct male descendants should rule • After death of the Prophet, Shiite view is that Ali should have been chosen as leader • Sunni view is that Abu Bakr al- Siddiq was correctly chosen

16. Sunni View Prophet Muhammad • Sunni view is that the four caliphs that came after the Prophet are legitimate leaders and are considered Rightly-Guided • After the four, Muslim rulers were not so great (or as great) Abu Bakr Sunni View as Legitimate Rulers Umar Uthman Ali

17. Twelvers (Imamis) • Largest Shiite sect; largest number of Muslims after Sunnis • Iran (90%) • Iraq (60%) • Lebanon (South and Beirut, 35%) • Bahrain (80%) • Kuwait (35%) • Saudi Arabia (Eastern province 10-15%)

18. Prophet Muhammad Fatima married to… 1. Ali (d. 661) 2. Hassan (d. 669) 3. Hussein (d. 680) 4. Ali Zayn al-Abidin (d. 714) Shiite Divisions Twelvers Zaydi Isma`ili Druze Alawites 5. Muhammad al-Baqir (d. 731) Zayd (d. 740) 6. Jafar al-Sidiq (d. 765) 7. Musa al-Kazim (d. 799) Isma`il (d. 760) 8. Ali al-Rida (d. 818) 9. Muhammad al-Jawad (d. 835) 10. Ali al-Hadi (d. 868) 11. Hasan al-Askari (d. 874) 12. Muhammad al-Mahdi (occultation)

19. Key Terms You Must Know • Tawhid(verb: Affirming God’s monotheism; No God but Allah) • Sunna(Way of the Prophet Muhammad) • Hadith (Saying of the Prophet Muhammad) • Khulafa al-Rashidun (Rightly-Guided Caliphs) • Sahaba(Companions of the Prophet Muhammad)

20. Key Terms You Must Know • Ijtihad(Reasoning or deriving an Islamic ruling based on Islamic texts) • Fatwa(Islamic legal ruling based on a question or issue) • Hijra (Migration; referring to Prophet Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina) • Fiqh (Jurisprudence) • Ulema(Muslim scholars of Islamic jurisprudence)

21. Key Terms You Must Know • Fitna(civil discord, chaos, fighting among Muslims) • Imam (Person who leads prayer; for Shiites it has the added meaning of ultimate religious authority after the Prophet Muhammad and source of religious knowledge) • Kafir (Infidel; unbeliever) • Takfir(verb: Act by one Muslim calling another Muslim kafir, infidel)

22. Key Terms You Must Know • Murted (Apostate; person who abandons Islam by renouncing the faith or converting to another religion) • Jahiliyyah(Literally means ignorance; when Islam came, the period preceding the rise of Islam came to be known as the age of jahiliyyah. Sometimes defined as paganism) • Shirk (Polytheism or belief in multiple Gods; opposite of monotheism)