Islam:
• Foundations
– Faith in Allah
– Faith in his prophet, Muhammad (the last and greatest of prophets)
– Observance of the 5 Pillars
Foundational Belief
• “There is no God by Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet”
• No other god stands besides Allah
History
• 622 C.E. (A.D.) - brought to life in Saudi Arabia
• People were struggling:
– 1. People began believing that their lives were subjects to the jinn
– 2. With the desert marauders (the Bedouins)
– 3. With the ruling class
– 4. Exploitation by the merchants
• Contact with Judaism and Christianity, had occurred for centuries before (even to the point of war)
– Christians for Near East, Egypt, and N. Africa
• Muhammad’s message in the beginning: not monotheism --> Practical Monotheism vs. Idiological Monotheism
Differences & Similarities Bwtn Islam/Christianity/Judaism
Koran -- What is its importance? Who provides it? Who shares it with the people of the Arabian Penninsula?
Ancestry:
• Direct line of Abraham (Ibrihim) and Islam through the Patriarch, Ishmael
• Who is Isaac?
• Who is Sarah?
• Who is Hagar?
• What was the promise given to Hagar? Who is the fulfillment of this promise?
• What city becomes important to both Judaism and Islam? What city is considered the center for Islam today?
Muhammad
• “The Seal of the Prophets” & 3 Other titles given in class lecture
• Born 571 C.E. in Makkah (Mecca)
• Parents: were members of the Quraish, a leading tribe in the city
• Age 9
• Age 25: Hired by wealthy woman to manage business
Muhammad: Messenger of Allah
7 Acheivements of Muhammad:
The Dome of the Rock
The Quran
• Islam: cannot be understood without the Quran
• The Hadith: a collection of Muhammad’s words, sayings, explanations, and examples for one to follow the Quran (accurately)
4 Major Themes of the Quran:
• 1. Allah is the all-powerful one who created the world
• 2. Allah, who created people for Himself, will do with them as He wishes.
• 3. People, therefore, must perform the tasks Allah has assigned to them.
• 4. The day of judgment will find people deserving of reward in heaven or punishment in hell.
Theology Today
Marriage
• There is no ritual, just a signing of a piece of paper and traditionally, a recitation from the Quran
• Following this - there is a celebration which really marks the wedding
• Men: allowed to have 4 wives in traditional countries
• Men & Women can divorce
– However, it is easier for men to do so.
Jihad
• Islamic ‘holy war’ to spread Muslim rule…
• Read page 109…
• Darrell Cole’s chapter eight from When God Says War is Right
Supplemental Information Provided in Class on Tuesday, November 14, 2006.
