Basic outline of Islam for middle school students.

1. Muhammad, Mecca, the Five Pillars,
Women
Islam

2. First of all…
 Islam is the 3rd of the Great Western Religions
that come from the Middle East
 Judaism being first, Christianity being
second…
 Islam acknowledges Abraham as the first to
receive the message of God
 Acknowledges Jesus as a Prophet of God
as well.
 Considered by followers to be the last word
of God that was perfectly submitted to the
final prophet Muhammad.

3. Remember Abraham???
 God asked him to
sacrifice his son,
Isaac, to demonstrate
his obedience and
faith?
 Remember him?
 According to Islam,
Abraham’s other son,
Ishmail, was cast out
into the wilderness
and that Ishmail was
the first Muslim.

4. Muhammad the Prophet
 570-632 AD
 “The last of the
prophets”
 A trader who traveled
the Middle Eastern
world and saw all the
corruption and
problems.
 According to Islam, at
age 40, started
receiving the word of
God
 Memorized them, his
followers wrote them
down in the Qur’an, the
holy book of Islam.

5. Muhammad and Mecca
 Left his town of Mecca
with his followers when he
was persecuted.
 Fought many campaigns
for dominance in rival
towns, unifying the many
tribes of Arabia into one
united clan under Islam.
 Returned to Mecca in 630
with “tens of thousands of
soldiers” and, according to
the Qur’an, took the city
without a person dying.
 Passed away in 632 AD
 Islam= “surrender”

6. Who Will Rule?
 The next few leaders of Islam were
called the “Rightly Guided Caliphs”
or “Kings”
 Expanded the world of Islam
through Asia, Middle East, Africa,
and even parts of Europe.
 And then they were being
assassinated…
 Islam, at this point, splits…

7. Expansion of Islam

8. Check for Understanding
 Who was the father of all 3 religions that we are
talking about?
 What was the name of Abraham’s son that,
according to Islam, was the first Muslim?
 Who is the last and most important of the Islamic
prophets?
 What is the name of the Islamic holy book?
 What city is the holiest city for Islam?
 What group of people ruled after Muhammad
passed?

9. Division
 Sunni
 The leader of Islam
should be elected
 Should be chosen as
the most capable
 Most common of
Muslims (85%)
 Shi’a
 The leader of Islam
should be one of
Muhammad’s
decendents.
 If Muhammad is
chosen by God, his
family members and
his line have also
been chosen.
 Or others believed to
be chosen by God.
 Fewer followers
(15%)

10. Differences Between the
Groups?
 Practices are almost
identical.
 Division over who
should be the Imams,
or the leaders of the
religion (think a Priest
or Rabbi)
 The two groups DO
NOT get along in
MOST parts of the
world.
 Iraq, Jordan, Syria,
Sudan, Lebanon,
Bahrain, Nigeria…

11. Islamic Practices and Terms
 The Five Pillars of Islam
Shahada: The Islamic Creed, or words
 There is no God but Allah and Muhammad
is his Prophet.
Salah: Prayer 5 times daily facing
Mecca (Holiest City)
Zakat: almsgiving, or donating to the
poor.
Sawm: Fasting during the month of
Ramadan.

12. Salah- Prayer

13. Shahada- The Creed
 There is no God but Allah and
Muhammad is his Prophet.

14. Zakat- giving to the poor

15. Sawm- Fasting during Ramadan

16. Hajj- Pilgrimmage to Mecca

17. Check AGAIN
 What are the two groups of Islam
that exist today?
 What is the main difference
between the two groups?
 What are the major practices of
Islam called?
 What are the 5 pillars of Islam?

18. Women in Islam
 Women are seen
wearing Hijab
 Covering of all parts
that are not the face
including hair, hands,
feet.
 Some cases, only the
eyes are visible.
 Islam is very
protective of women.
 Can only be seen
without hijab by
closest of family
members inside their
house.

19. Spread of
Islam
 After Muhammad
returned to Mecca,
Islam became fastest
spreading religion in the
history of the world.
 Stretched everywhere
until the Caliphs and
Muhammad passed
 The spread stopped in
the Dark Ages (1100-
1400 CE) and the
Middle East and
Northern Africa formed
the Ottoman Empire
 Largest and most
powerful empire in the
world at the time.
 Full of knowledge,
wealth, goods,
medicine…
 Best place in the world
to live at the time.