I

S
L
A
M
(Abrahamic Religion)

ISLAM
•established around seventh century C.E
•Islam is the youngest among the world's major
religions.
•With more than 1.5 billion adherents
comprising almost one-fourth of the entire world
population,
•Islam is the second largest group and one
of the fasting growing religions in the world.
•Majority of Muslims, the followers of Islam, live
in Asia and Africa.
•There are 49 countries in the world that are
Muslim-majority or comprise 50% of the population.
The 1.2 billion Muslims in these countries
equivalent to 74% of the entire Muslim population
worldwide
.
• More than 60% of the world's Muslims can be
found in Asia, including Indonesia, Pakistan, India,
Bangla- desh, Turkey, and Iran.

• Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim-

majority country with almost 87% of the population
practicing the Islam religion. In Africa, sizeable
Muslim communities are found in Egypt and
Nigeria.

SYMBOLS
•The star and crescent has become the
acknowledged representation of the Islamic
faith. The symbol can be seen in the national
flags of states that came about following the
collapse of the Ottoman Empire in the 20th
century.
•Around the 1970s, it was adopted by
movements that advocated Arab nation-
alism. Traditionally, the crescent moon or
the hilal has early connections with
royalty. It is also closely linked to the
lunar calendar that orders the religious
life of the Muslims (Bowker 1997).

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

•Islam began with the Arabian desert

people around early seventh century C.E.
These people had developed their own set
of beliefs prior to the formal establishment
of Islam and had been influenced by other
religions for a long period of time, including
Byzantine Christianity, Judaism, and
Zoroastri- anism.
•Judea, the home of Christianity, was not
too far away from Arabia, and the great
cities of Damascus, Antioch, and
Alexandria were neighbors to Mecca and
Medina (Hopfe 1983).
•On the oter hand, the Arabian people
were also familiar with Judaism. For
one, several desert tribes were Jewish
in origin. When the Muslim forces
entered Medina in 622 C.E., many
citizens of the city were Jewish (Hopfe
1983).

•Pre-Islamic people worshipped a

variety of gods. While they recognize
the existence of one supreme god, local
and tribal gods were mostly venerated
by the people. Carved images were
done to represent these gods that were
often revered and given blood sacrifices
(Hopfe 1983).
•Apart from the presence of these
gods, there were also angels,
fairies, demonic creatures, and evil
spirits in pre-Islam religion.
 •A meteoric stone that had fallen in Mecca
centuries before became an object of
veneration to the animistic people. Pilgrims
then built an enclosure around the stone
and called it Kaaba. Various images and
relics gradually filled the Kaaba, including a
painting of Jesus and Mary.
•The "Black Stone," which according to
Muslim tradition dates back to the time of
Adam and Eve,eventually became a very
important object for the Meccans at the
time when various clans struggled to
control the Kaaba.

The Life of Muhammad

•Around the year 570 C.E., Muhammad ibn
Abdullah was born in the oasis town of Mecca
just off the western coast of the Arabian
Peninsula (Karabell 2007).
•Muhammad's father died before he was born
while his mother died before he was six years
old. He belonged to the clan of Hashim of the
Quraysh tribe that controlled the Kaaba and
the camel trade that passed through Mecca.
When his mother died, Muhammad was
raised by his grandfather Abd al-Muttalib
(Renard 1992).
 •later on, Muhammad was taken into
custody by his paternal uncle, Abu Talib,
who was chief of the Quraysh tribe. Life
must have been very diffcult for the young
Muhammad. • With no formal schooling,
Muhammad worked as a caravan worker
travelling across the Arabian Peninsula as
a camel driver.

•Muhammad soon learned the various

ways and means of their belief system
that may have led him to question the
faith of his own people, especially with
regard their animistic practices and
reverence given to numerous gods and
idols (Hopfe 1983).

•he used to retreat to Mount Hira

near Mecca in search of truth about
God.
•Around the year 610 C.E., Muhammad
later married an older wealthy widow
named Khadija, fifteen years his senior.
Muhammad was twenty-five years old
when he married Khadija who was
about forty years old at the time.
Khadija managed her own caravan and
Muhammad was working for her. He
was married only to Khadija as long as
she lived even though it was acceptable
for men to have multiple wives then.

•Muhammad began hearing the voice of

God in a cave on the summit of Mount
Hira, just outside Mecca in the Arabian
Hijaz. God was speaking to Muhammad
in the Arabic language (Armstrong 2000;
Karabell 2007).

•He was preaching a new order built

upon God's will and human submission
to this belief.
•The term "Islam" originated from an
Arabic word meaning "submit." In other
words, Islam means to "surrender or
submit oneself for obedience to
God" or to"enter into a condition of
peace and security with God
through allegiance and surrender to
him" (Armstrong 2000; Bowker 1997).
On the other hand, the word "Muslim"
is the Arabic word for a person who
submits.

•A Muslim, therefore, is a "person who

surrenders or submits himself to obey God"
(Brown 1975). In Arabic, the word "Allah" is
a compound of al (the definite article, the)
and ilah (god or deity). Joined together, the
words signify "god" (Renard 1993).
Henceforth, he is called Allah or "the one
who is God." Muhammad was preaching
that there can only be one God.
•Beginning 613 C.E., Muhammad began
to impart these sacred messages to his
closest relatives and friends. However,
the polytheistic people of Mecca gave
him a tepid response.

•Muhammad's teachings, emphasizing

the absolute sovereignty of one God,
directly challenged the power structure
of the Quraysh tribe in Mecca. Their
traditional system prioritized tribal
authority and polytheistic beliefs,
making Muhammad's message a
significant threat to their established
order.
•In 622 C.E., Muhammad and his
group moved to Medina (then known
as Yathrib, 200 miles north of Mecca)
to escape persecution from the
Meccans. The flight of Muhammad
from Mecca to Medina is known as
hijra which marked the beginning of the
Islamic calendar. Mired in frequent
gridlock, Medinian tribes wanted
Muhammad to become their leader
(Karabell 2007).

•The Muslims who follow Muhammad in

his journey are known as Muhajirun
("those who made the hijra") while those
who supported him in Medina are known
as Ansar ("the helpers"). Their
descendants are honored in the Islam
religion (Bowker 1997).With local tribes
involved in frequent internal strife,
Muhammad restored peace and order in
Medina. Shortly after his arrival in 622 C.E,
he united the Medinian tribes under one
constitution.
•Muhammad and his followers waged
a constant battle against Meccan
tribes until 630 C.E. Finally, after
almost eight years of struggle,
Muhammad and his troops of around
ten thousand converts marched to
Mecca and took over the city almost
unopposed.

•In Kaaba, he tore down the three

hundred sixty pagan idols
displayed at the holy shrine.

•In 632 C.E., Muhammad died at the

age of 62 but his newly founded
religion had spread across the entire
Arabian Peninsula and the Muslims
had been united as one religious
community.

•He was a classic example of a just,

compassionate, honest, and brave
human being far removed from all
evil deeds.
 •Muhammad's actions were
solely for the sake of Allah as he
is ever mindful and fearful of his
one true god (Ibrahim 1997).
God has made all revelations to
Muhammad, the last of the
prophets and the seal of the
prophecy.

Sacred
Scriptures
The Q'uran
•The sacred writing of the Muslims is
called Quran (or Koran in English)
that literally means "recitation" or
"reading." The Quran is the
revelation from God of his speech
(kalam) and is the foundation of the
Islam religion (Bowker 1997). It is the
supreme authority in all matters of
faith, theology, and law (Parrinder
1971).
•In 610 C.E., when Muhammad
received the first revelations, he was
commanded by angel Gabriel to "iqra"
or "recite." All Muslims belleve that
the Quran is a copy of the eternal
scripture written in heaven but made
known to Muhammad chapter by
chapter (Hopfe 1983). As such, the
Quran is the word of God that is
binding, continuous, and supreme.

•The same message became known to

earlier prophets like Moscs and Jesus
but people gradually altered the
revelation entrusted to them by God
(Bowker 1997). Any translation of the
Quran, either in English or in any other
language, is neither a Quran nor a
version of the Quran; rather, it is only a
translation of the meaning of the Quran
(Ibrahim 1997).
•The Quran in Arabic, the only language in
which it was revealed, is considered the
perfect word of God. For about twenty-
three years, God revealed these
messages through Muhammad who
initially memorized these lines because he
was [Link] revelation spanned from
about 609 to 632 C.E., the year of the
proph- et's death.

•Muhammad relayed these messages to

his companion and secre- tary Zayd ibn
Thabit (c.610-c.660 C.E.) who wrote
them on leather scraps, stone pieces,
ribs of palm leaves, shoulder blades of
animals, and parchments (Parrinder
1971; Hopfe 1983).
•At that time, the art of papermaking
was still unknown to the Arab
people. Zayd became one of the
first converts of Muhammad to the
Islam fold.
•Twenty years after the death of
Muhammad, the Quran had officially come
to the form that was disseminated
throughout the centers of the Islamic world.
The Quran has remained virtually
unaltered since the time of Muhammad.

•To the Meccan townspeople,

Muhammad preached the messages
which were short and quite easy to
remember as these lines rhymed with
one another (Brown 1975).

•The Muslims recite and memorize the

Quran reflecting the profound influence
of the scripture on the daily lives of all
followers. Muhammad wanted the
Muslims to recite their scripture aloud
similar to the manner done by the Jews
and Christians.
•As time went on, the messages
increased as Muhammad kept on
receiving new revelations. The Quran
guides all Muslims in every stage of their
lives.
•In comparison, the Quran has almost the
same length as the New Testa- ment, the
Christian biblical canon (Parrinder 1971).
The chapters that compose the Quran are
called surahs while the verses are called
ayahs which mean "evidence" or "sign."
There are 114 chapters in the Quran, 86
of which are classified as Meccan while
28 are Medinian.

•The hijra or the journey of Muhammad

from Mecca to Medina serves as a pivot
point in the division of the Quranic verses
that belong before or after the said
emigration in 622 C.E. (Cragg 2004). The
Meccan verses generally pertain to
religious ideals while the Medinian
verses deal with the organization of the
Muslim commu- nity. While the chapters
are of varying lengths,..
 •the Quran is also divided into thirty
almost equal parts (with each part known
as juz) so as to enable a reader to
complete the reading of the scripture in
one month (Aziz 1993). Neither thematic
nor chronological, the Quran is arranged
based on the length of the surah in
descending order.

•The longest surah has about 286 ayahs,

the Al-Baqarah ("The Heifer").

•The shortest surah has only three

ayahs, the Al-Kawthar ("Abundance").

•The first of all the surah is called Fatihah

("The Opening") that is in the form of a
prayer to God for guidance.
•The Fatihah, written below, is the most frequently
recited segment of the Koran.

"In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most

Merciful Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and
Sustainer of the Worlds; Most Gracious, Most
Merciful; Master of the Day of Judgement.
You do we worship and Your aid we seek.
Show us the straight way, The way of those
on whom You have bestowed Your Grace,
those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who
go not astray."

•A person who is able to memorize the

Quran in its entirety is called hafız
("guardian"). The female counterpart is
called hafıza. Whatever denomination
Muslims may belong to, they always
have the same Quran written in Arabic
similar to the early days of Islam's
founding. No two copies of the Quran
anywhere in the world differ in any way
(Aziz 1993).
The Hadith
The hadith is the collection of the
deeds and sayings of Muhammad and
his followers ("traditional reports or
sayings") and is the second source of
shari'a law (Horrie & Chippindale 2003).
Unlike the Quran that was officially
compiled under the auspices of a
central authority (as initiated by the first
caliph Abu Bakr), the hadiths were
collected generations after the death of
Muhammad.

•The hadiths are recognized today

as second in authority after the
Koran (Parrinder 1971). Around the
ninth century C.E., Muslim scholars
undertook a number of great
systematic collections of hadiths that
are known as Kutub al-Sittah or the
Six Sahih ("Authentic") Books.
•The collections of Persian scholars
Muhammad al-Bukhari (810-870) and
Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj (c.815-875) are the
most respected and most often cited
among the said collections (Parrinder
1971).
•Imam Bukhari authored the Sahih al-
Bukhari while Imam Muslim compiled
the Sahih Muslim. From the six books,
these hadith records are the two most
authentic collections

•The word sahih in these titles

indicates that the authors of these
books sifted the authentic reports
about Muhammad from other
unsubstantiated narratives (Aziz
1993). The various rituals and
obligations embedded in the so-
called "Five Pillars of Islam" as well
as majority of criminal laws
originate from the hadiths (Horrie &
Chippindale 2003).
Beliefs/Doctrines
Islam began as a way of life (din) for
its followers which God intended for
his creation from the very beginning
(Bowker 1997). In time, God had to
send several prophets, including
Musa (Moses) and 'Isa (Jesus), to
summon people back to the din as a
result of human rebellion and
transgression. Ultimately, all prophets
were rejected, persecuted, or killed
except for Muhammad.

•While some religions may have room

for subjective or personal
discernment regarding matters of
conduct, Islamic beliefs are more
dominantly social in character.
Islamic religious laws cover the daily
life of all Muslims-from education,
dress, marriage, sexual relations,
justice, punishments, economics, diet,
and even rules of hospitality.
•While Islam's approach to life and
death, origins of the universe, and
the nature of mankind is simple, it is
also rigid and uncompromising
(Horrie & Chippindale 2003). For all
Muslims, there is only one
compassionate, everlasting, and
omnipotent God, being the lord of
everything in existence, including
humans.

•Around eight thousand years ago,

God created the universe and may
terminate it when he wills it so. A
"Day of Judgment" shall ensue
wherein all humankind will be
resurrected and individually
accounted for. Everyone will be fully
awakened and raised to a higher
spiritual life (Aziz 1193).
•Based on their own deeds and fully aware
of the effects of these deeds in this life,
everyone will then be sent to either
paradise or hell for perpetuity (Aziz 1993;
Horrie & Chippindale 2003). All these
knowledge had been revealed by God to
Muhammad and written down in the Quran.
Since all people originate from God and
return to him after death, there can never
be contending religions that may divide
people from one another

•Islam advocates for the establishment of

one single community or ummah
(Armstrong 2000; Bowker 1997). During
Muhammad's time, the ummah was a
community bigger than the tribe,
demanding a loyalty which came before
loyalty to kinsfolk (Fletcher 2003). In the
end, a Muslim must not fight a fellow
Muslim.
Five Pillars of Islam
•The basic obligations of Muslims are
called the Five Pillars of Islam or arkan
[Link] Muslims believe and accept the
entirety of these obligations that must be
strictly observed to avoid being sent to
hell on the "Day of Judgment."

•Foremost among all Muslims' obligations

is the declaration of their statement of
belief called shahada ("Witness") that is
recited during prayers and rituals.

•the four other duties that must be

performed by all Muslims are
collectively called as ibadah ("state of
submission").The ibadah is composed
of praying five times a day, fasting
during the time of Ramadan, giving of
annual charity, and undertaking a
pilgrimage to Mecca once in a
Muslim's lifetime.
The Creed (Shahada)
•The basic creed of Islam that "there is no
God but Allah; Muhammad is the
messenger of Allah" . In Arabic, the
shahada is recited as "La ilaha illa Allah;
Muhammadon rasul Allah."

•The shahada asserts that Allah is the

only divinity and that he has relayed
his will through Muhammad (Bowker
1997).

•One must recite the kalima or phrase with

two witnesses. The first half of the kalima is
known as tawheed ("the unity") which is the
most important statement of Muslim faith.
The second half is called risallah
("acceptance of prophethood") which
implies acceptance of prophets as
messengers of god (Horrie & Chippindale
2003).
•For a Muslim to deny any part of the
shahada is tantamount to the crime of
reversion to Islam that is punishable
under Quranic law.
Obligatory Prayer
(Salat)
•Just as the body requires food
for its daily sustenance,
prayers are done for spiritual
development so that a
Muslim's character and
conduct remain sound and
healthy (Aziz 1993).

•Facing in the direction of Mecca or

qiblah, Muslims must offer prayers or
salat five times each and every day
before sunrise (as-subh), noon (az-
•
zuhr), mid-afternoon (al-asr),
immediately after sunset (al-maghreb),
and before midnight (al-isha) (Horrie &
Chippindale 2003).
•In a mosque or masjid ("place of
prostration") where Muslims offer prayers in
congregation, men and women pray
separately.
•A structure of masjid can range from a
simple desert prayer ground (musalla) or
just any space whereby rules of ritual
purity are properly observed. Each prayer
session begins when the strong-voiced
muezzin or caller recites the call to prayer
(adhan) from the tallest point of a mosque,
often a minaret.

•Before any prayer commences, an

elaborate ritual washing (wudu) must be
performed to remove any impurities and
unclean substances from the body or
clothes of the faithful. Most mosques are
frequently equipped with facilities for
washing hands, feet, and face before
prayer (Hopfe 12983).

•Clean and potable water must be given

to any person who comes to a mosque
(Horrie & Chippindale 2003).
 •A Muslim stands on clean ground
without shoes or wearing clean
ones (Jomier 1999). A special
carpet may be provided to provide
the person a clean surface.
Nevertheless, aside from salat, a
Muslim can address a prayer to
Allah at any given time in any
circumstance using any words one
chooses (Aziz 1993).

Poor Tax (Zakat)

•Muslims who live above the subsistence
level must pay zakat or the poor tax to aid
the underprivileged Muslims. Affluent
Muslims must share their wealth to the
unfortunate ones.

•Originally, almsgiving was for the benefit

of the poor, widows, and orphans through
an act of charity. Later on, it became
mandatory amounting to a certain
percentage of a Muslim's total resources.
 •Zakat is not charity but an annual
wealth tax that serves as just and
lawful claim of the poor against the
affluent ones. The zakat is payable
the moment a Muslim has
accumulated sufficient resources
starting with a basic rate which is
fortieth (2.5 percent) of a person's
entire asset, including savings, jewels,
and land (Horrie & Chippindale 2003).

•It is a religious duty done out of

obedience to Allah and compassion to
poor Muslims. The spirit of self-
sacrifice is developed by paying zakat
that somehow curtails the feeling of
greed (Aziz 1993). The Quran states
that all worldly wealth is unclean
unless utilized in the service of Allah
and Islam.
•A horrible fortune awaits those people
who became wealthy as a result of
usurious activities and those who
neglect the welfare of poor Muslims.
By fulfilling to pay zakat, well-off
Muslims cleanse
• their material
possessions and can liberally enjoy
their fortunes with Allah's approval
(Horrie & Chippindale 2003). Hence,
zakat is viewed as purification of one's
resources (Frager 2002).

Fasting (Sawm)
•During the entire 30 days of Ramadan,
the ninth month of the Islamic calendar,
must be performed by all Muslims every
year.
•The Ramadan is believed to be the
month when Muhammad received the
first surah of the Quran.
•The sawm is done by all Muslims to
express obedience to Allah and the
readiness to relinquish pleasures in
their lives.
•By under- taking sawm, Muslims
observe discipline and experience the
deprivations of the poor (Bowker
1997). During this time, a Muslim must
refrain from eating, drinking, smoking,
and engaging in any sexual intimacy
from dusk until dawn. By resisting the
demands of the body during sawm,
the Muslims strengthen their will

•Muslims are reminded that they have

the capacity to ignore the longing of
the body or material gratification
(Frager 2002).

•The sawm culminates with the "Feast

of Breaking the Fast" ('Id al-Fitr)
wherein Muslims may celebrate and
partake in festivities.
 •They hold congregational
prayers and exchange presents.
Unlike the Jews or Catholics who
fast for a brief period of time in
observance of holy days, the
Muslims are obligated to fast the
longest and strictest of all.

•Any Muslim who has reached puberty and is

healthy must undertake sawm. Muslims who
are exempted from performing sawm include
small children, those who are on a journey,
sick persons, and mothers nursing infants.
For those who are temporarily unable to
observe sawm, they must perform the
missed fast after Ramadan. For those who
are permanently unable to fast, such as the
very old or persons those with long-term
illness, they can give charity to poor Muslims
instead (Aziz 1993).
Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)

•All Muslims must attempt to

undertake a pilgrimage to the holy
city of Mecca or hajj ("visitation of
Holy Places") at least once in their
lifetime during the twelfth Islamic
month. The "Grand Mosque" (Al-
Masjid al-Haram) in Mecca houses
the most sacred site of Islam, the
Kaaba ("House of Allah").

•The Kaaba is a cube-shaped ancient

stone building that dates back to the time
of Adam and Eve according to Muslim
tradition. Muslims believe that the Kaaba
was originally built for the worship of God
by Abraham and his son Ishmael (Belt
2001).
•The Kaaba represents the end of a
journey because it is the symbolic point
of origin of all creation wherein all things
turn around it and from it all things
radiate (Renard 1992).
•Inside the Kaaba is the "Black
Stone," twelve inches in diameter,
located on the eastern cornerstone of
the building that was set intact into the
wall by Muhammad himself in 605 C.E.
A fragmented dark rock often
described as meteorite, the "Black
Stone" has been polished smooth by
the pilgrims through time.

•Broken into a number of fragments,

it is now cemented into a silver
frame on the eastern corner of the
Kaaba. Some poets consider
Muhammad himself as the Kaaba of
prophetic revelation while the Kaaba
is the "seal of his prophethood"
(Renard 1992).
•For Muslim men to participate in hajj,
they must be sound, physically able,
and able to provide for their
dependents while they are on
pilgrimage to Mecca. On the other
hand, Muslim women may also take
part in hajj subject to a number of
restrictions.
-for example, women must be accompanied by a
male chaperon (mahram) who must be a man
they are legally unable to marry, such as their
father or brother (Horrie & Chippindale 2003).

•Before travelling to Mecca, pilgrims

(hajji) pray incessantly and perform
extended washing rituals. Pilgrims
also shave and cut their hair and
nails.
•For men, they wear a special
ihram outfit that consists of two
large pieces of white, unhemmed
clothes. One piece wraps around
the waist and the other goes over
the right shoulder.
•For women, they wear simple white
dresses (Frager 2002). They also
wear additional garments to
completely cover their face and legs
(Horrie & Chippindale 2003).

•Men and women pilgrims wear

sandals instead of shoes.

•Clad in simple pilgrim's garment

with no head covering, one cannot
distinguish a rich Muslim from a
poor one simply by looking at their
apparel (Hopfe 1983). Once
pilgrims are wearing their ihram,
they are prohibited from removing
this ritual dress, even when
sleeping.
•They are also forbidden from
clipping their nails, hunting,
arguing, or engaging in any sexual
activity (Belt 2001). In ihram,
Muslims cannot shave, wash
themselves, shampoo their hair,
scratch themselves, kill anything
(even a fly or mosquito), walk on
grass, or injure any living thing
(Frager 2002).

•Central to the pilgrimage is a full day

spent in the desert on the Arafat plain
considered sacred by the Muslims.
The mountain of Arafat was the site of
Muhammad's last sermon (Frager
2002). For many people located in
regions distant from the Arabian
Peninsula, the hajj serves as the
pinnacle of years of yearning to be
with God (Parrinder 1971).
Worship and Observances
•The Islamic calendar is composed of 12
lunar months of between 29 and 30 days.
A year in the Islamic calendar constitutes
a total of 354 days
•The difference between the solar and
lunar calendar is adjusted by adding one
day to the last month of the year 11 times
each 30 years. Nonetheless, 103 Islamic
years are the equivalent of 100 solar
years despite the periodic modifications
done on the calendar (Hopfe 1983).

:lists some of the most important festival celebrted by Muslims

worldwide.

Festivities/Significan
Month ce
• The Islamic year
starts in the day of
Month 1: the hijra,
Muharram(the Sacred Muhammad's journey
Month) from Mecca to
Medina in 622 C.E.
• Ashura: The
assassination of the
Imam Husayn at
Karbala' in 680 C.E.
is commemorated on
the 10th by Shi'ite
Muslims
 Festivities/Significan
Month ce

• Month 3:Rabi al-Awai • Birth of the Prophet:

(The spring") Muhammad's birthday is
celebrated on the 12th.

•Month 9:(The Month of •Muslims do not eat or

Great Heat drink during daylight
hours throughout the
month.
•Laylat al-Qadr. The
commemoration of the
first revelation to the
prophet is often
celebrated on the 27th.

Festivities/Significan
Month ce

• Month • 'Id [Link] festival

10 :Shawwal(The of breaking the fast at
Month of hunting the beginning of
Shawwal concludes
the fasting season.

•Month 12:Dhu al-Hijja •Month of pilgrimage

(month of Hajj) (Hajji)to Mecca.
•Yawn Arafat:On the
9th, fasting pilgrims
perform the wuquf,
standing before God on
Mount Arafat.
•Ramadan is the ninth month of the
Islamic calendar wherein Muslims are
expected to observe sawm. Muslims may
not eat, drink, or have sex during daylight
hours. The last 10 days of the month
may be spent by continuous prayers of
the most devoted Muslims. Finally, the
sawm ends with 'Id al-Fitr or the Festival
of Breaking the Fast marked by popular
rejoicing and festal prayer (Jomier 1999).

•Dhu al-Hijja is the twelfth month of

the Islamic calendar wherein able-
bodied Muslims perform the hajj or
pilgrimage to Mecca. Poor Muslims
sometimes use their entire savings
just to fulfill this obligation. The sick
and the elderly may begin their
pilgrimage without the certainty of
accomplishing this sacred duty.
•Upon entering the Grand Mosque, the hajji
performs the tawaf which involves circling
the Kaaba seven times in a counter-
clockwise direction. Most pilgrims attempt to
touch or kiss the sacred Black Stone.
However, the sheer number of pilgrims
inside the mosque prevents them from
touching the relic. They may instead raise
their arm and point in its direction. These
rites are known as umrah.

•Oncethe tawaf is completed, most pilgrims

drink from the well of Zamzam that was
established by Hagar and Ishmael. With its
rich mineral water, Ishmael and
Muhammad quenched their thirst here as
the tradition goes (Belt 2001).

•The stream flows through the basement of

the Grand Mosque (Horrie & Chippindale
2003). 'Id al-Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice is
the most important festival in the Muslim
calendar marking the end of the pilgrimage
season.
•On the tenth day of the hajj, Muslims
are required to slaughter a live animal
(a sheep or goat) to commemorate
Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his
son Ishmael and his obedience to God.
In the process, a ram was substituted in
place of Ishmael, thus, allowing him and
his offspring to live, including his
descendant Muhammad (Horrie &
Chippindale 2003).

•After their arduous journey in Mecca,

pilgrims may now visit other holy cities,
such as Medina or Jerusalem.
Returning home, the title hajj can now
be affixed to their names to indicate
completion of this religious
responsibility (Hopfe 1983).
 •Friday is the special day of worship
for the Muslims as commanded by
Muhammad. In mosques, Muslims
are required to pray with his fellows
and prayers are led by an imam. An
imam is a member of the community
selected to lead the congregation due
to the devoutness and religiosity he
manifests to the people (Hopfe 1983).

Islamic Law
•The concept of law and justice in Islam,
or the shari'a ("the road to the watering
place"), is based upon the Quranic
verses as revealed by God to
Muhammad. The universal laws passed
down by God govern both the affairs of
human and laws of nature (Horrie &
Chippindale 2003). Apart from the Quran,
the teachings of Muhammad or the
hadiths form the basis of Islamic legal
system.
 •The shari'a is a path of conduct
that must be followed by all
Muslims. It concerns almost the
totality of a Muslim's life from
home life, business interests,
marital relations, inheritance, and
various duties to the state and
community (Brown 1975).

Islamic Jurisprudence
•Islamic jurisprudence or the science of
Islamic law is called figh. All aspects of
Muslim way of life and actions are
covered through figh.

•Human behavior may be classified into

five categories: forbidden (haram),
discouraged (makruh), neutral (mubah),
recommended (mandub), and
obligatory (fard).
•Forbidden actions are both sinful and
criminal under pain of punishment.
Accordingly, it is forbidden for all Muslims
to eat animals that have died from natural
causes or those animals that were not
ritually slaughtered
•Pork is considered as the most unclean
of all meats and must not be eaten no
matter how the pig meat was produced.
Other haram behaviors include drinking
blood, eating dried blood, and taking
liquors.

•The Five Pillars is an example of an

obligatory category. These practices,
such as almsgiving, daily prayers, and
ritual fasting, are compulsory to all
Muslims. Failure to observe these
obligations is sinful and punishable as
crime. The three other categories
(makruh, mandub, and mubah)
concern chiefly on things, such as
etiquette, donations, personal habits,
and social life (Horrie & Chippindale
2003).
 •Reprehended actions but not
subject to punishments belong to
makruh. Meritorious or
recommended deeds fall under
mandub. Permitted behaviors
that are neither good nor bad but
neutral are classified as mubah.
The hadith collections can be
consulted to resolve these
matters.

Subdivisions
•Similar to most major religions, Islam
also has sects, which vary primarily
as to how these sects interpret some
aspects of the Islamic faith and of the
Quran. Inasmuch as Muslims agree
on the fundamental tenets of the
Islam religion, variations do occur in
many of their beliefs and practices
(Hopfe 1983).
Sunni Muslims (The
sunnis)
• Majority of Muslims, around 87% to
90% of the entirety of Islam believers,
belong to the Sunni denomination.
The Sunnis ("Followers of the Smooth
Path") are traditionalists and are
considered the orthodox of Islam as
they endeavor to follow the original
religion established by Muhammad
and guided by the first four righteous
caliphs (Hopfe 1983).

•These Muslims follow the sunnah

("customary practice") of Muhammad from
which their name origi nated. Sunnah
pertains to the orally transmitted record of
wisdom, conduct, and sayings attributed to
Muhammad and his earliest companions
as recorded in hadith The Sunnis believe
that any Muslim can be a ruler and he
does not need to prove his lineage to
Muhammad as long as he gets the
approval and confi- dence of the ummah
or community.
•He can be an elected ruler or a
hereditary monarch that should enjoy
the support of the ummah. All Sunnis
shall abide by his actions
unquestioningly regardless of whether
he is a fair or cruel ruler (Horrie &
Chippindale 2003).

•Within the Sunni sect of Islam are

groups of Muslims that also differ in
views and exercise of their faith.
Religious factions are often the
result of national or social
differences (Brown1975). Every
Muslim country has a Sunni
majority except Iran, Iraq,
Azerbaijan, Yemen, and some of
the Gulf States (Horrie &
Chippindale 2003).
Shi'a (The Shi'ites)

•are the largest faction within the

Islam religion that separated from the
rest of the community (Brown 1975).
Historically speaking, three close
associates of Muhammad became
successive leaders or caliphs of Islam
with the death of the founder in 632
C.E.

•The caliphate acted as a central

unifying agency in Islamic history.
Initially, caliphs were friends of
Muhammad that acted as virtuous
leaders of the believers. They may
be chosen by election or general
consent. Later on, the position
became heredi- tary resembling
that of a king (Hopfe 1983).
•Some Muslims believed that Muhammad
should have been immediately succeeded
by his direct relative, Ali ibn Abi Talib, who
was his cousin. Ali was also Muhammad's
son-in-law who married his daughter
Fatima.
•In 656 С.Е., Ali became the fourth caliph
but steadily lost control of the Muslim
world. that culminated in the takeover of
the caliphate by the Umayyad Dynasty at
the time of Ali's assassination in a mosque
at Kufa and his eventual death in 661 C.E.

•Known as rashiduns ("rightly-guided

caliphs"), the Sunnis accepted the
legitimacy of the first four successors
of Muhammad:

Abu Bakr (632-634 C.E.),

Umar ibn al-Khattab (634-644
C.E.),
Uthman ibn Affan (644-656 C.E.)
Ali ibn Abi Talib (656-661 C.E.)
•Other Muslims, however, believed that
Ali's descendants should become head
of the religious commu- nity. These
Muslims were called "Alids" that
became known as "Shia All" or "the
party of Ali." In time, they came to be
called "Shi'ites" (Hopfe 1983).

•For the Shi'ites, Ali was the first

imam and the rightful spiritual and
polit- ical successor of Muhammad.

•Ali's youngest son, Husayn,

challenged the Umayyad caliph
Yazid I but was later killed and
beheaded at the battle of Karbala
in 680 C.E. This event, called
Ashura or the tenth day of
Muharram, is commemorated each
year as a day of mourning for all
Shi'ites.
 •The main Shi'ite sects are the Seveners,
Twelvers, and 'Ibadis. The Seveners
believe that there were seven imams.
They are mostly found in India, Yemen,
and parts of Africa

•Meanwhile, the Twelvers claim that there

are twelve imams with most believers
located in Iran. Finally, the 'Ibadis believe
that the community may elect any
appropriate Muslim as imam. They are
mostly found in Oman (Brown 1975).

Selected Issues

•Islam has gone through two principal

periods of growth in its relatively young
history: first, at the onset of its founding,
and second, during the twentieth
century.

•As one of the fastest growing religions

in the world, Islam has affected every
facet of human society.
Islam and Women
•The role of women in Muslim
societies is a complicated subject
since their rights vary greatly
throughout Islamic nations. While
they may experience harsh
restrictions in terms of legal rights
and employment opportunities,
women rulers have emerged in the
twentieth century to lead Asian
countries such as Bangladesh,
Pakistan, and Turkey (Frager 2002).

•Women in Islam must accept

that their roles in society vary
greatly when compared to men.
Foremost, they must remain
obedient to their fathers and
husband. A surah in the Quran
depicts a woman's father or
husband as master and portrays
the superiority of men on women.
•All Muslims are required to observe the
Five Pillars of Islam. However,
congregational prayers tend to be
dominated by men while this activity
remains optional for women. It is
prohibited for any woman to lead prayers.
•When a woman is having her usual
menstrual period, she must not enter
any mosque. In some countries, Muslim
women are required to cover their face
and bodies when in company with men
other than their immediate kin.

•Meanwhile, with so many restrictions

imposed by society upon Muslim
women, the Quran assures women
the right to own, dispose, and inherit
properties and earnings, to participate
in political exercise, and to sue for
divorce. In other words, a complete,
legal identity is guaranteed by the
Quran to Muslim women (Horrie &
Chippindale 2003).
•Husbands are also encour aged to
treat their wives well. Mothers must
be treated in the best way possible
as stated in Quranic teachings.
While the West has labeled Islam as
anti-woman, the opposite may be
true because of the religion's pro-
equality stance on many issues.

For example, traditional Islamic law

holds that women cannot be denied of
education, cannot be forced into
marriage, can divorce their husbands,
and can vote and hold office.
Unfortunately, there are Muslim societies
that do not always measure up to Islamic
standards (Frager 200
 •The Quran views women as
spiritually equal to men. As both
shall be assessed during the "Day
of Judgment," they must both
perform good deeds.
Nevertheless, despite the
elevation in the status of women
in Muslim society. they remain
seemingly inferior to men.

•The Quran mentions the following with regard to the

position of women:
"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women,
because Allah has given the one more (strength)
than the other, and because they support them from
their means. Therefore, the righteous women are
devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's)
absence what Allah would have them guard. As to
those women on whose part you fear disloyalty and
ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (next), refuse to
share their beds, (and last) chastise them (lightly);
but if they return to obedience, seek not against them
means (of annoyance): for Allah is Most High, Great
(above you all) (Quran 4:34)."
The Holy War (jihad)

•One controversial requirement placed

upon Muslims by their faith concerns
holy war or jihad. A frequently
mistranslated term, jihad means "effort"
or "struggle" to convince unbelievers to
pursue the Muslim way of life (Fletcher
2003).
• Strictly speaking, it could mean a
Muslim going to war to wipe out the
infidels in the name of Allah (Hopfe
1983).

•However, the method of a jihadist

can be a peaceful one, such as living
a pious life or observing the required
obligations to his faith, or through
violent means, especially if the
infidels are obstinate (Fletcher 2003).
•Likewise, Islamic law opposes all
violent means except in cases of
war or legally sanctioned
punishment of criminals (Frager
2002).
•The Quran contains the following verse in reference
to Islam's opposition to violence:

"Fight in the cause of Allah those who

fight you, but do not transgress limits;
for Allah loves not transgressors.
(Quran 2:190)"

Militancy and Terrorism

•Islam is a religion of mercy that

prohibits terrorism. During
Muhammad's time, he proscribed
his soldiers to kill women and
children, and even listed murder
as the second of the major sins
(Ibrahim 1997). Punishment
through the use of fire was also
forbidden by Muhammad.
•Since Islam is a religion of peace and
mercy, terrorism in all its forms are abhorred
by Muslims. Destruction of human lives,
buildings, infrastructures, shrines, and other
properties are despicable in the light of
various Islamic texts (Ibrahim 1997).

•Muslims who promote terrorism and mass

slaughter of innocent and helpless civilians
do not embody Islamic ideals. Their blatant
disregard of Quranic teachings distorts the
very essence of Islam as a peaceful religion.

•The presence of violence in Islamic

society cannot be attributed to the
teachings of Islam but to the failings of
human adherents of the religion (Frager
2002).

•A person committing an act of

terrorism is guilty of violating Islamic
laws for that matter.
 •Migration The late nineteenth
century saw a significant
migration of Muslims from Syria,
Lebanon, and Jordan to the US.
After the Second World War,
European countries encouraged
emigration from former colonies
to augment manpower shortages.

•United Kingdom today is home to

more than two million Muslims;
France between four to five million
Muslims; and Germany four million
Muslims (Frager 2002). In 2010,
there were about 44 million
Muslims in Europe, excluding
Turkey. The Muslim population in
the US and Europe continues to
rise in the present century.
 •Islam has now become an
American religion with around
six million Muslims in
population. Muslim immigrants
and their American-born
children number about four
million in total. Meanwhile,
almost two million are
American converts that are
mainly African American
(Frager 2002).

Migration

•The late nineteenth century saw

a significant migration of Muslims
from Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan
to the US. After the Second
World War, European countries
encouraged emigration from
former colonies to augment
manpower shortages.
•United Kingdom today is home to more
than two million Muslims; France
between four to five million Muslims; and
Germany four million Muslims (Frager
2002). In 2010, there were about 44
million Muslims in Europe, excluding
Turkey.

•The Muslim population in the US

and Europe continues to rise in the
present century.

•Islam has now become an

American religion with around
six million Muslims in population.
Muslim immigrants and their
American-born children number
about four million in total.
Meanwhile, almost two million
are American converts that are
mainly African American (Frager
2002).
Thank you!!
Member:
Justin Jake Hito
Jeromel Marcial
Rechel Casaljay
Jeniell Gliponeo
Precious Pallones