The origins of Islam

3. THE ORIGINS OF ISLAM WHERE DID ISLAM BEGIN? -

Muslims believe in a single God. That is to say, Islam is a monotheistic religion.

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It began in the Arabian Peninsula in the 7 th century.

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The Arabian Peninsula is a flat region covered by deserts.

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At this time, it was populated by nomadic tribes, ho herded animals and traded in caravans.

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The inhabitants were polytheistic until Islam spread across it.

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Mecca amd Medina were important cities on the peninsula.

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Mecca was a religious centre where the Black Stone was worshipped in the Kaaba sanctuary.

3. THE ORIGINS OF ISLAM MUHAMMAD, THE FOUNDER OF ISLAM -

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He was born in a leading family of Mecca and worked in the caravan trade and travelling around he learnt about the odeas of Judaism and Christianity.

According to the Muslim belief, the angel Gabriel visited Muhammad to tell him that he had been chosen as the prophet of a new religion.

This religion was based on submission to Allah, or God, and was called Islam.

Muhammad promote the new religion and as a consequence he was persecuted and he had to escape to Medina in 622.

This is event, called Hegira (“escape” in Arabic), marks the beginning of the Muslim era.

When Muhammad died in 632 nearly all the peninsula was under Muslim control and the majority of its inhabitants had conerted to Islam.

The sacred book of Islam is the Quran, which has a compilation of Muhammad’s sayings.

3. THE ORIGINS OF ISLAM -

ISLAMIC RELIGION It is a monotheistic religion that shares some beliefs with Judaism and Christianity.

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Muslims worship figures from the Bible: Abraham, Moses and Jesus, who are considered to be prophets.

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This religion has five key religious actions, known as the five pillars of Islam:

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The declaration of faith.

- this is made following the principle that “only Allah is God and Muhammad is Allah’s prophet.

2. Daily prayers: - They pray five imes a day facing Mecca.

3. Fasting: - During the month of Ramadan, Muslims do not eat from morning until night.

4. Charity: - This is the obligation to help poor people.

5. Pilgrimage: - each Muslim should make the pilgrimage to Mecca once their lifetime.