2.  A religion is an organized system of beliefs and
practices often centered around one or more gods.
Most religions began in order to bring order to one’s
life.
 Top 5 Religions Christianity
 Islam
 Hinduism
 Buddhism
 Judaism
World's Top Religions
Judaism
Buddhism
Hinduism
Nonreligious
Other
Islam
Christianity

3.  A monotheistic religion revealed to Muhammad ibn
Abdullah between 610-632 C.E.
 Islam literally translates to “The peace that comes
when one surrenders to God”.
 Islam teaches there is only one God and the God is
Allah.
Who are Muslims?
 “one who willfully submits to God”- Someone who
willfully follows the principles and guidelines of Islam
 Islam teaches that everything is Muslim

4.  One of the fastest growing religions in the world
From the Pew Research Center, 2011

5. Myth
All Muslims are Arabs / All Arabs
are Muslim
Truth
o Arabs only 15% of the Muslims
population
oThe country with the most Muslims is
Indonesia
oMuslims make up 1/5 of the world’s
population
All Muslims are terrorists
Terrorism is not justified in the Qu’ran
Islam oppresses Women
•Most of the violence against women is
based on local culture w/o basis in Islam
Muslims don’t believe in Jesus
Jesus is a prophet in Islam

6.  Islam had existed on the Arabian Peninsula since God
starting sending messages to Abraham cast out Hagar
and Ishmael.
 In 610 C.E. Muhammad, a merchant from
Mecca, began receiving visions from the angel Gabriel.
In Islam Muhammad is known as the “Seal of the
Prophets”. The last true prophet of Allah.

7.  Allah is God. The word Allah is derived from the
words “The” and “God” in Arabic.
 Allah is the creator found in the Qu’ran
 Arabic speaking Christians and Jews also use the term
Allah to reference God – which means followers of
Christianity, Judaism, and Islam believe in a common
monotheistic creator and prophets
(Jesus, Abraham, Moses, Noah, etc.)

8.  The holy book of Islam is known as the Qur'an.
 In Arabic Qur'an means “recitation”
 The Qur'an was created from literally from the words
spoken to Muhammad from God.
 The Qur’an is the primary source for Islamic beliefs
 The Qur'an is the most memorized book in the world.

9.  Before Muhammad began to
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



spread the word of Islam people
living on the Arabian peninsula
were known as Arabs and spoke
Arabic
Arabs were traders, farmers, town
dwellers, and nomads
Some desert Arabs practiced
polytheism, the belief in many
gods, and eventually worshipped
at the Ka’aba
Mecca became a sight for many
religious pilgrimages
Jews and Christians also lived in
Mecca
Arabs blended many beliefs and
rituals

10.  The Arabian Peninsula
is located in South
West Asia.
 Includes the modern
day countries of Saudi
Arabia, Yemen, Qatar, I
srael, Jordan, Syria, Ira
q and Lebanon

11.  The Arabian Peninsula is
surrounded on three sides
by water
 Arid region of South West
Asia between the Red Sea
and Persian Gulf ¼ the size
of the U.S.
 Farmland is sparse and is
located in the southern
mountains and along the
coastline

16.  To adapt to the climate the




people of the Arabian Peninsula
either settled on fertile oases or
became nomads
Nomads – herders who move
from place to place seeking
grazing land and water (oases or
coastlines)
Arab nomads were/ are known
as Bedouins
Oases became trade centers
nomads would interact with
Oasis based groups
Nomads lived in family based
groups known as clans

17.  An advantage for the people of
the Arabian Peninsula was that
it was at the crossroads of three
continents: Africa, Asia, and
Europe
 Bordered by the
Mediterranean, Red, and
Arabian seas, and the Persian
Gulf which aided in trade access
 By 600 C.E. nomads settled in
market towns near coasts for
trade
 Oases with good soil became key
trade stops

18.  Mecca became an important
trade and religious center in
Western Arabia
 Caravans brought trade goods
and worshippers to the Ka’aba
shrine at the center of Mecca
 The Ka’aba is linked to
Abraham
 Built as a temple to God or
Allah