Islam is the second largest world religion with over 1.2 billion followers. It began in the 7th century and is growing rapidly. The foundations of Islam are the Qur'an, the primary sacred text, and the teachings and life of the Prophet Muhammad. The five pillars of Islam are the basic framework for the Muslim life and consist of the confession of faith, prayer, fasting, wealth sharing, and pilgrimage to Mecca. Islam plays a major role globally making it important to understand.

1. ISLAM
Submission to the one God

2. ISLAM
 Began in the 7th Century - 1.2 billion
followers
 Second largest world religion, and fastest
growing
 Plays a major role in world affairs, making it
important to gain a proper understanding of it

3. ISLAM
 “Surrender” or “Submission”
 Monotheistic; “Allah”- The God
 Islam: Submission of every moment of one’s
life to Allah
 “Muslim” means “one who submits”

4. THE FOUNDATIONS OF ISLAM
 Qur’an – the primary sacred text of Islam
 The Prophet Muhammad (~570-632)
 The primary teachings – from the Qur’an and
the life of Muhammad (the Sunna)
 The Muslim community or Umma

5. ISLAM VS. CHRISTIANITY
 Share many elements – for example, one
God, the figures of Abraham, Moses, Jesus
 Abba vs. Allah
 Dr. Scott Hahn’s Blasphemy with Breakfast

6. THE STORY OF NOAH
Questions Answers from the
Qur’an (handout)
Answers from the
Bible (Gen 6:5-
9:17)
Who is Noah?
What is God’s
command to him?
Why is humanity
punished?
What are Noah’s
feelings?
How does the
destruction occur?
Who survives?

7. QUR’AN
 “Recitation”
 Ultimate authority and divine in nature
 Offers a system of faithful living or way of life:
Pious devotion (faith) and;
Moral behavior (actions)
 Consists of 114 Surahs (Chapters)

8. THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
 Born in Mecca (Saudi Arabia) around 570 AD
 Mecca – Ka’ba: the ancient shrine
traditionally associated Abraham

9. THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
 Orphaned at a young age, raised by an uncle
 Enjoyed comfortable social status
 Married a wealthy widow at age 24
 Became a prosperous merchant

10. THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
 Age 40 – Summoned by God to become a
prophet
 Proclaim the word of the supreme and single
God, Allah
 Slowly, Islam gained influence

11. THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
 622 – Muhammad moved to Yathrib (Medina
– “City of the Prophet”)
 Quickly rose as a leader and instituted Islam
 In 630, Medina overtook Mecca (and the
Ka’ba), resulting in the growth of Islam
 632 – Muhammad dies in Medina

12. PILLARS VS. DISTRACTIONS
 What distractions might each pillar guard
against?

13. FIVE PILLARS
 Qur’an outlines 5 obligations essential to
lives of Muslims
 1 - Confession of one’s faith in God and in
his prophet Muhammad
 Basis for Islamic culture
 Shahada – “There is no god except God.
Muhammad is the messenger of God.”
 Stating this freely and with conviction makes one
a Muslim.

14. FIVE PILLARS
 2 – Prayer
 Conducted in a mosque on Fridays, otherwise
individually
 Formal periods of worship 5 times a day, with
ritual movements like prostration
 Consists of recitations and petitions directed
toward the city of Mecca and the Ka’ba

15. FIVE PILLARS
 3 – Fasting
 Observed during the holy month of Ramadan,
the ninth month of the Muslim year
 Refrain from eating/drinking from dawn to sunset
during this month
 What are the spiritual benefits of fasting?

16. FIVE PILLARS
 4 –Wealth Sharing
 A “purification” tax on property for the benefit of
the poor. The poor are exempt from the tax.
 Fixed amount, usually about 2.5% of one’s
wealth
 Considered a form of worship

17. FIVE PILLARS
 5 – Pilgrimage: Hajj
 Every Muslim capable is expected to travel to
Mecca at least once in their lifetime.
 Allah forgives the sins of those who make the
journey with reverence
 Includes a ritual circling of the Ka’ba
 Men wear white clothing, symbolic of equality
and purity. Women wear simple colorful clothing
representing their homeland.

19. FIVE PILLARS
The Five Pillars of Islam provide a
basic framework for life. State in
your own words how they do so.

20. SIXTH PILLAR?
 Jihad – “exertion” or “struggle”
 Sometimes counted as the sixth pillar
 A principle carried out on a personal and societal
level.
 Personally: the individual struggles against
distractions
 Societally: preserving the order Allah wills for the
world. Expanding Islam.
 Interpreted by some to mean holy war.

21. SUNNISM VS. SHI’ISM
 What characterizes Sunnism? Shi’ism?
 What is the difference between them?

22. TEST
 Nostra Aetate questions from class
 P. 19 #1-6
 Monotheistic
 Basics of Islam (slides)
 Five Pillars of Islam
 Shar’ia, Sunnism, Shi’ism, jihad
 P. 263 #1-7, 16