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What is Islam and Who are the Muslims?. Overview of Islam. Today, Islam is the world’s fastest growing religion with more than 1 billion followers throughout the world. What was Arabia like before Muhammad ?. Islam.
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Overview of Islam Today, Islam is the world’s fastest growing religion with more than 1 billion followers throughout the world
Islam • Islam is a monotheistic religion that began in city of Mecca located on the Arabian Peninsula near the Byzantine Empire • Arabians were polytheistic & came to visit Mecca to pray to the Kabba, a shrine containing idols of 360 different gods (including Allah)
Islam • Mohammad was born in Mecca & was interested in monotheism of Jews & Christians who traded in Mecca • At age 40, Mohammad had a vision that told him he was a messenger of Allah (Arabic word for “god”; the same god as Christians & Jews) • Muhammad called his religion Islam (“surrender to God”) & destroyed the other idols in the Kabba
Islam • Mohammad identified rules all Muslims should live by, called the Five Pillars of Islam: • Faith—believe in 1 god, Allah • Prayer—five times every day • Alms—give money to the needy • Fasting—eat no food from sunrise to sunset for 1 month (Ramadan) • Pilgrimage—one in life, go to Mecca
Muezzin Pilgrims in Mecca
Islam Islam became a very popular religion in Mecca and Medina.
Expansion of Islam • Muslims began to expand; idea of jihad taught that Muslims would go straight to heaven if died fighting for Allah; so they fought very hard to expand. • Holy wars were considered okay in God's eyes.
Islam expanded into a huge empire including Spain, Northern Africa, Persia, and Arabia.
Expansion of Islam • Expanded Arabic language and cultural innovations. • Islamic rulers proved mostly tolerant, they offered new subjects three choices: • convert to Islam • pay a tax or • die
Islam • Like Christianity, Islam split into 2 sects; after Muhammad died, caliphs (followers of Muhammad) lead Islamic faith, but confusion over the “correct” leadership (caliph): • Sunni—caliphs should be chosen by vote (95% Muslims are Sunni today) • Shiite—caliphs should come directly from Muhammad’s family tree (more radical; 3% of all Muslims today)
BYZANTINES MUSLIMS
Ottoman Turks • Turks are nomads from Asia; contact with Muslim Empire led to conversion of Turks to Islam • Ottoman Turks—Most powerful group of Turks began to grow strong as Byzantine Empire and Islamic Empire began to weaken • Defeated both Islamic Empire & Byzantine Empire; created Ottoman Empire