thinking focus question why did muhammad introduce a new religion?

THINKING FOCUS QUESTION

• Why did Muhammad introduce a new religion?

CONTENT LEARNING OBJECTIVE

• SWBAT to trace the origins of Islam and the life and teachings of Muhammad.

LANGUAGE LEARNING OBJECTIVE

• SWBAT to list and discuss the origins of Islam and the life and teachings of Muhammad.

WHAT DO THESE TWO WHAT DO THESE TWO HAVE IN COMMON?HAVE IN COMMON?

HOW ON EARTH WILL I HOW ON EARTH WILL I CONNECT THEM TO ISLAM?CONNECT THEM TO ISLAM?

ISLAMISLAM

• IslamIslam means “to submit to God”. means “to submit to God”.

• A follower of Islam is called a A follower of Islam is called a MuslimMuslim..

Origins of Islam

What symbol is used to represent Christianity?

The cross.

• Raise your hand if you know why the cross is the symbol of Christianity.

Christianity began with Jesus, or Christ.

• Jesus died on the cross. The symbol of the cross is to remind Christians of that.

JESUSJESUS

• Unlike Christianity, Muslims do not Unlike Christianity, Muslims do not believe that Jesus was the son of God.believe that Jesus was the son of God.

• They do believe many stories about his They do believe many stories about his life.life.

The symbol associated with Islam is the crescent moon and star.

Not everyone is in agreement about the symbol for Islam.

• The symbol itself was around for several thousand years before it became a Muslim symbol.

• It had been the flag of Constantinople BEFORE the Ottoman Turks invaded.

• Some believe it represented Greeks gods or goddesses and others think the star represents the five pillars of Islam.

• Many Muslims today reject using the symbol because it lacks religious significance.

Sooo…Christianity began Sooo…Christianity began with Christ. with Christ.

Raise your hand if you knowRaise your hand if you knowhow the Islamic faith began.how the Islamic faith began.

PROPHET MUHAMMADPROPHET MUHAMMAD

• Muslims believe that God had spoken Muslims believe that God had spoken to Muhammad through the angel and to Muhammad through the angel and had made him a prophet (a person who had made him a prophet (a person who tells of God’s messages).tells of God’s messages).

MUHAMMAD’S CONCERNSMUHAMMAD’S CONCERNS

• Mecca became a rich city because of Mecca became a rich city because of the caravan trade.the caravan trade.

• Poor people had hard lives. Poor people had hard lives.

• Many rich merchants began to ignore Many rich merchants began to ignore the poor and keep their wealth for the poor and keep their wealth for themselves.themselves.

THE PROPHET MUHAMMADTHE PROPHET MUHAMMAD

• Muhammad was concerned about the Muhammad was concerned about the changing values in Mecca.changing values in Mecca.

• He would go to a cave outside the city He would go to a cave outside the city to pray and meditate.to pray and meditate.

The Angel GabrielThe Angel Gabriel

• An angel appeared and spoke to An angel appeared and spoke to Muhammad, telling him to “Recite! Muhammad, telling him to “Recite! Recite!”Recite!”

ARE PEOPLE CONCERNEDARE PEOPLE CONCERNEDABOUT CHANGING VALUES ABOUT CHANGING VALUES

TODAY?TODAY?

• What are some of the concerns of What are some of the concerns of today’s world?today’s world?

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

• What happens when a person says they What happens when a person says they have seen something that no one else have seen something that no one else has seen? (It could be an angel, God, has seen? (It could be an angel, God, aliens…)aliens…)

• Would tell anyone if you believed God Would tell anyone if you believed God spoke to you through an angel?spoke to you through an angel?

POLYTHEISMPOLYTHEISM

Muhammad’s ideas seemed new to mostMuhammad’s ideas seemed new to most

Arabs. At the time, most people in Arabs. At the time, most people in

Arabia believed in many different gods, aArabia believed in many different gods, a

belief called polytheism.belief called polytheism.

A BELIEF IN ONE GODA BELIEF IN ONE GODMONOTHEISMMONOTHEISM

ARABS WORSHIPPED THEIR ARABS WORSHIPPED THEIR GODS AND GODDESSESGODS AND GODDESSES

AT A SHRINE.AT A SHRINE.

HOW WOULD YOU FEEL?HOW WOULD YOU FEEL?

• What if someone told you to stop What if someone told you to stop worshipping in the way you had for worshipping in the way you had for your entire life?your entire life?

• Instead of many gods, they were told Instead of many gods, they were told you now were to worship only one god.you now were to worship only one god.

HE DIDN’T STOP THERE!HE DIDN’T STOP THERE!

• Muhammad’s new religion seemed like Muhammad’s new religion seemed like a threat to people who made money a threat to people who made money from the yearly pilgrimages to the from the yearly pilgrimages to the Kaaba.Kaaba.

• Mecca’s powerful merchant leaders Mecca’s powerful merchant leaders thought they would lose business if thought they would lose business if people didn’t worship the gods at the people didn’t worship the gods at the Kaaba.Kaaba.

PILGRIMAGEPILGRIMAGE

• A journey to a sacred or holy place.A journey to a sacred or holy place.

HE STILL DIDN’T STOP THERE!HE STILL DIDN’T STOP THERE!

• Muhammad wanted everyone who Muhammad wanted everyone who believed in Allah to become part of a believed in Allah to become part of a community where rich and poor would community where rich and poor would be equal. be equal.

• He taught that people should give He taught that people should give money to help the poor.money to help the poor.

REMEMBER THESE TWO?REMEMBER THESE TWO?

Not surprisingly, at first Not surprisingly, at first Muhammad did not have Muhammad did not have

many followers.many followers.

They even made Muhammad They even made Muhammad leave Mecca. leave Mecca.

This departure came to be This departure came to be known as the “hegira”.known as the “hegira”.

Muhammad moved to Medina Muhammad moved to Medina which was named after him.which was named after him.

Translated Medina means Translated Medina means “prophet’s city”.“prophet’s city”.

In Medina, Muhammad In Medina, Muhammad became a spiritual AND became a spiritual AND

political leader. political leader.

His house became the first His house became the first mosque mosque or building for or building for

Muslim prayer.Muslim prayer.

Muhammad was welcomed Muhammad was welcomed back to Mecca and the people back to Mecca and the people

accepted Islam as their accepted Islam as their religion.religion.

In Mecca, the statues of gods In Mecca, the statues of gods and goddesses in the Kaaba and goddesses in the Kaaba

were destroyed.were destroyed.

Muhammad died not long Muhammad died not long after returning to Mecca.after returning to Mecca.

Islam continued to grow.Islam continued to grow.

THINKING FOCUS QUESTION

• Why did Muhammad introduce a new religion?

THINKING FOCUS ANSWER

• God (Allah) spoke to Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel.

• He was told to “recite” that there was only one God , Allah.

• He wanted everyone, rich and poor, to be treated equally.