Islam

Islam

Islam at a glance  Began in Mecca Arabia over 1400 years ago  Islam is the second largest religion in the world with over 1

billion followers today  The word Islam means submission to the will of God  Those who follow Islam are called Muslims  Muslims believe there is only one God, whom they call Allah  Allah revealed Islam to humanity through the Prophet Muhammad  The religious text of Islam is called the Qur’an; Muslims believe it is Allah’s final revelation and provides guidance and direction for mankind  Worship takes place in a Mosque

Rules inside the Mosque Worshippers remove their shoes outside Everyone sits on the floor and everywhere in the

Mosque is equal in status There are no pieces of furniture or images One of the walls is a Mihrab, it shows the direction that the worshippers should face in order to face Mecca If women are in the Mosque they must sit separately from the men to prevent distraction, but women generally worship at home

Five Pillars of Islamic Practice Shahada = declaration of faith – no one is worthy of

worship but God and Muhammad is God’s messenger Salat = ritual prayer or worship – performed 5 times a day and facing towards Mecca Zakat = alms-giving – required of all those who can afford it Sawm = fasting during Ramadan – Muslims must not eat or drink from dawn to dusk and be mindful of other sins as well Hajj = pilgrimage to Mecca – every able bodied Muslim who can afford it, should make the trip to Mecca at least once in their lifetime

Islamic Images and Symbols 1. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul 2. A crescent- a common symbol of Islam

5. The Qur’an- Islamic religious text 6. Muslims in prayer facing Mecca

Islamic Images and Symbols