islam - st thomas episcopal school · 1/20/15 5 islam – an introduction 25 1. declaration...

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Islam An Introduction

By Mohamed Esa McDaniel College

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Ira G. Zepp a mentor, a friend, a companion, and above all. a dear Christian brother.

The 10 Golden Rules of Dialogue

Islam – An Introduction © 2015 Mohamed Esa McDaniel College

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1. Questions unite and answers divide. 2. Don’t ask of another a question you are not

prepared to ask yourself. 3. Compare the best with the best, worse with

worse, ideal with ideal, practice with practice. 4. Try to distinguish religion from culture; faith

from practice; ethics from doctrine. 5. If you think you have the truth, you’ll never

know the truth when it comes.

The 10 Golden Rules of Dialogue


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6.  I want to see the error in my truth and the truth in the other’s error.

7.  We do not see things as they are; we see things as we are.

8.  “The more I get to know you, the more of myself I see in you and the less strange you are to me.” (by Rabbi Jacob Neusner)

9.  A fish never discovers water. Learning requires a trip, travelling, getting “outside our box.” This helps us to see the eye through which we see.

10. “If you never travel, you think your mother is the best and only cook.” (African proverb)

Questions Unite

☪  What do you want to know about Islam & the Arab World?

☪  Think about 1 or 2 Questions you have about Islam & the Arab World, and which I will try to answer in the Q&A period.


5 Islam – An Introduction © 2015 Mohamed Esa McDaniel College

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Islam is a world religion which has approximately 1.3 billion followers. That means that one in every five people on the planet is a Muslim. In short, Islam is not a minority phenomenon. [Countries]


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© 2015 Mohamed Esa McDaniel College

Islam – An Introduction

The Arab World & The Middle East


Islam – An Introduction


Islam – An Introduction Islam – An Introduction © 2015 Mohamed Esa McDaniel College

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What is Islam?

The word Islam is best translated into English as ‘commitment’. Followers of Islam, called Muslims, commit their lives to truthfulness, good works, charity, harmony, neighborliness, almsgiving, acceptance of religious pluralism, and diversity. Islam is a way of life. Islam is a religion of peace, mercy and forgiveness. One of the basic precepts of Islam is the equality of all people regardless of race, ability, or gender.

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What does the word “Allah” mean?

“Allah“ is an Arabic word used by Arabic-speaking Christians, Muslims, and Jews as the word for God. As a matter of fact the fusion of the definite article Al (the) with the word ilah (God) is done in a unique way to emphasize the uniqueness of God in Islam.


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Muslims believe the Qur’an is God’s word as revealed through the Prophet Muhammad. Statements by Muhammad himself are collected in the Hadith, not the Qur’an. Recounting many Judaic and Christian traditions such as those about Abraham and Isaac, Joseph, Mary and Jesus, the Qur’an also states that Christians and Jews are “People of the book“ (Ahl al-Kitab) who, as believers, hold juridical rights under Islamic law to live as protected people. The Qu'ran accepts religious pluralism as a fact of life and sees strength in diversity.

What is the Qur’an?


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Food For Thought II

Excerpt from the film “The Message”


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Ø  Tawheed or Oneness of God (monotheism): God (Allah in Arabic) is indivisible, has no equals, no partner, no parents, and no offspring. „Say, He is Allah, The one and Only! Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He did not give birth (to anyone), nor did anyone give birth to Him and there is no one equal (similar) to him.“ (Sura 112:1-4)

Ø  Allah (God) is transcendent, omnipotent, omniscient, eternal, perfect, just, compassionate, and merciful. He is the provider and protector of humanity and the universe. “Say ye: ‘We believe in God and the revelation given to us and to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to all prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and it is unto Him that we surrender ourselves.” (Qur’an 2:136)

Muslim Beliefs


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Ø  God created the universe (visible and invisible) and all life at a definite point in time.

Ø Muhammad is the Messenger of God and the Qur’an is the final revelation.

Ø  Believe in the Angels, Day of Judgment, Resurrection, and Afterlife in Paradise or Hell

Ø  Everyone is responsible for her/ his own deeds. Muslims don’t believe in the original sin. Everyone is saved by leading a moral and ethical life.

Muslim Beliefs

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Ø  Believe in all previous prophets: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus

Ø  Respect the People of the Book: Jews (Torah and Psalms) and the Christians (Injil or the Gospel of Jesus), and others (Zoroastrians, Hindus and Buddhists).

Ø  Sanctity of life, social justice, equality of all human beings in the eyes of God, giving to the poor, respecting your parents and elders.

Muslim Beliefs


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Ø  All three religions are “monotheistic.” Ø  The Middle East is the birthplace of all three. Ø  Many individuals and places sacred to Jews and

Christians are equally sacred to Muslims. Ø  Accept the Ten Commandments as a law code. Ø  Accept the story of Adam and Eve as part of their

tradition. Ø  Have a creation story about God creating the

universe out of nothing. Ø  They are universal in scope, claiming to transcend

differences of race, ethnicity, nationality, and color. Ø  The Events of the Day of Judgment will occur in

Jerusalem.

Shared Beliefs of Judaism, Christianity and Islam


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Ø  All three faiths make absolute claims to perfect truth about God. In this way they resemble most religions founded on divine revelation.

Ø  They all believe in the sacred Rock in Jerusalem, where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son.

Ø  Arabs are descendents from Abraham, prophet and father of the Jews (and Christians)

Ø  John the Baptist and Jesus are accepted and revered to by Moslems as prophets.

Ø  The need for total submission to God’s will. Ø  The clash of Good and Evil.

Shared Beliefs of Judaism, Christianity and Islam


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Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; I believe in the Holy Catholic Church; The Communion of Saints; The forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.


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The Muslim Version

I believe in God, the Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; He ascended into heaven; From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.


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1.  Declaration (Shahadeh): 2. Prayer (Salăt): 3. Fasting (Siyam): 4. Giving to the Poor (Zakat): 5. Pilgrimage (Haj):

What are the “five pillars” of Islam?

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Islam – An Introduction 25

1. Declaration (Shahadeh)

Since Islam is a monotheistic religion, i.e. Muslims believe in only one God, each Muslim declares that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is his final prophet. Islam recognizes the prophethood of Jesus, Moses, Abraham, Noah, etc.



2. Prayer (Salăt) Muslims perform ritual prayer five times per day.


27 The Kabaa, Mecca


3. Fasting (Siyam)

During the ninth month of the lunar Islamic calendar, Ramadan, Muslims who are old enough and healthy enough fast for 29 or 30 days from sun-up to sun-down.



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Ramadan is the holiest month of the Muslim year, for it is the month ”in which the Qur’an was revealed for the guidance of mankind.“ It is a month of seclusion, generosity and charity. It is the annual period of personal and spiritual renewal. Ramadan is also a joyful month. The daily fast is broken at sunset with a meal called iftar. Two hours before sunrise, Muslims have an early light meal called suhur.

Ramadan


4. Giving to the Poor (Zakat)

It is incumbent upon every Muslim to donate a certain portion of his or her earnings to the less fortunate. It is 2,5% of what is left of your earning after expenses.


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5. Pilgrimage (Haj)

Each Muslim should make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in his or her lifetime if he

or she has the means to do so.



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Strictly speaking, the only holidays, which are considered “religious,” are Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha. Ramadan ist not a holiday. Eid Al-Fitr is the feast/ festival that marks the end of the month of Ramadan Eid Al-Adha, or Feast of the Sacrifice, commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael, in obedience to God. This feast is part of the Hajj (pilgrimage), and takes place in the 10th of Dhu Al-Hijja of the Islamic calendar.

Muslim Holidays

Food for Thought II


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Muslim and Arab Contributions to World Civilization

Respecting other beliefs and religions does not mean compromising your own. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said once: “There is no compulsion in religion.” We have been given the freedom of religion by God to believe in what we want.

You would be surprised to learn that it was due to the Muslim practice of Islamic ideals of respect and tolerance that the key to the holiest Christian Shrine in Jerusalem, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, remains entrusted with a Muslim family, as it has been for over 1400 years.

Hope for the Future


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Shukran!

Thank You! May God

Bless You All

islam - st thomas episcopal school · 1/20/15 5 islam – an introduction 25 1. declaration...

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