Islam

Exploring ideas, beliefs, and people related to Islam.

Lets set the scene (600 C.E.)
Byzantine Empire
Muhammad
570 C.E.- 632 C.E.
The Angel Gabriel came to
him in 610 C.E., told him to
teach the word of God.
Initially he was rather freaked
out; it took him 3 years to
begin spreading the word of
God in Arabia.

Most art depicting
Muhammad portrays him with
a veil or without a face to
prevent idolatry.
Escape to Medina
622 C.E. ( Year 0 in Islamic Calendar (Hijri))
Islam under Muhammad
Muhammad dies
(632 C.E., 10 I.C)
Now What?
4 candidates
The Rashidun
The Rightly Guided Ones
The first 4 Califs
(rulers) of Islam
after
Muhammad

All 4 knew
Muhammad
personally

Abu Bakr vs. Ali
Sunni Muslims and Shia Muslims
Abu Bakr
Caliph from 632-634
Umar
634- 644 C.E (42 I.C.)
Uthman
644-656 C.E.
Member of the Umayyad clan
(remember this)
Ali
656-661 C.E.
His ascension to Calif caused
the Muslim Ummah (community)
to throw a fitna (Fitna is an
Arabic word, used to describe
the first Civil War in the Islamic
community)

Ali fought against Muawiyah
(Uthmans fellow clansman) in
the first Fitna.
The Umayyad Caliphate
Height of power 750 C.E
Mosque in Cordoba,
Spain
The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey
Agree or Disagree?
1.All Muslim women have to wear a veil (and
have no power and fewer rights than men)
according to the Quran
2.Muslim and Arab mean the same thing.
They are interchangeable.
3.Islam is stuck in the dark ages in regards to
science, government, and other civilization
characteristics.
4.Muslims are violent and bloodthirsty, more
violent than their Western counterparts.

Actually
1. All Muslim women have
to wear a veil (and have
no power)

The Burqa/Niqab is only required
by law in 2 countries (Saudi
Arabia and Iran).
Only 5% of all Muslim women in
the world wear a Burqa/Niqab.

Also, 4 of the 5 countries with the
highest populations of Muslims
have elected female heads of
state (something the USA has yet
to do).
Actually
2. Muslim means Arab

Only 20% of all Muslims are actually
Arabian or from North Africa.

The universal language for Islam is
Arabic. The Quran is written in Arabic, as
are sacred texts, and the prayers are in
Arabic.

Actually
3. Islam is stuck in the Dark Ages
The Quran leaves a lot of room for interpretation on
modern issues, particularly when science is involved.

For example, 48% of Americans (apx. 150 million)
believe in evolution. 48% of ALL Muslim people (apx.
768 million) believe in evolution.

(just a few) Innovations and inventions that we wouldnt
have without Islam (and its Golden Age):
Algebra, Experimental Physics, anesthesia, the internal-
combustion engine, the cowpox vaccine, Universities, hospitals,
Braille, photography, Chemistry, various architectural techniques
Actually
4. Muslims are violent and bloodthirsty

Muhammad had very progressive rules of warfare,
rules that all real Muslims are to follow in combat:
No killing or harming of women, children, or innocents.
No wanton killing of livestock
No burning or destruction of trees or orchards
No destruction of wells.

So, while Christian crusaders were beheading enemies and
tossing their heads like oversized hacky sacks, their Muslim
counterparts had a whole honor code that led them to feed the
armies of their defeated enemies. And they STILL conquered
nearly everyone.
(Also women could fight and lead armies, as well; such as
Muhammads wife Aisha, who fought along side him many
times)