The Muslim spreading to all the world

2. Words to Know
• Islam: Submission to God
• Muslim: Person who follows Islam
• Allah: “God” in Arabic
• Mosque: Muslim place of worship
• Quran (or Koran): Muslim holy book

3. Muhammad
• Founder of Islam
• Born in Mecca (city in
modern Saudi Arabia) in 570
• Successful businessman who
led camel caravans along
Arabian trade routes
• Probably learned about
Judaism and Christianity on his
trade missions

4. Muhammad
• Had visions of the Angel
Gabriel, who gave him
messages from Allah (God)
• Muhammad preached and
soon had many followers who
believed he was Allah’s
messenger, a prophet.
• Muhammad’s teachings
were collected and written
in the Quran

5. Beliefs/Traditions
• Five Pillars of Islam
• These are the main religious duties of
Muslims

6. Five Pillars of Islam
• Shahadah
Belief in one God – Allah
“There is no god but God, and Muhammad is
His messenger”

7. Five Pillars of Islam
• Salah
– prayer 5 times a day – dawn, noon, mid-afternoon,
sunset, dusk
– Facing towards Mecca

8. Five Pillars of Islam
• Siyam
– to fast from sunrise to sunset during the holy month of
Ramadan (commemorates the revelation of the
Quran to Mohammad)
– Iftar: Large feast held after sunset

9. Five Pillars of Islam
• Zakat (Almsgiving)
– giving to charity and the poor every year

10. Five Pillars of Islam
• Hajj
– pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia
once in a Muslim’s life

11. Spread of Islam
• Following the death of Muhammad, Islam
experienced rapid expansion in the Middle East,
Africa, and South & Central Asia
• Although some expansion was through conversion,
much was through military conquest
• Jihad: holy war. A warrior killed in jihad was
promised immediate entry into Heaven