Summarizing Islam

Brianna Campbell

Origins of Islam

• Islam was officially formed in 622 C.E.

• Originated in the Arabian Peninsula

• Sacred text is within the Quran

• Monotheistic

• Founded on the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.

• Allah is the one true God, the creator of all things

• The beginning of the Islamic calendar is when Muhammad traveled from Mecca to Medina and began the Islamic State.

Central Beliefs Within Islam

• "Righteous is he who believes in Allah and the Last Day and the Angels and the Scriptures and the Prophets." -- Quran 2:177

• Six Articles of Faith - There is no official creed to which one must adhere to be considered a Muslim. All that is required is to believe and recite the Shahada: "There is no God but God, and Muhammad is his Prophet." Beyond this core belief, however, Muslim doctrine is often summarized in "Six Articles of Faith." Many Muslims believe that one must adhere to the six articles to be considered a Muslim.

• Islam is the one true religion

Central Beliefs Continued…

• The one true God is Allah (means “god” in Arabic)

• Muhammad, the founder of Islam, is revered as “The Seal of the Prophets" - the last and greatest of the messengers of God. He is not divine in any way, for the strict monotheism that characterizes Islam does not allow for such an interpretation

• Man is the best creation and mans purpose is to serve and live by the guidelines of Allah. Anyone, no matter race or origin is invited to be a part of the Islamic faith

• After death, it is decided if the soul should be sent to Paradise or Hell

How Islam Expanded

• After the prophet Muhammad died, lands surrounding the Islamic State such as Persia, Egypt, Syria, and Palestine were conquered

• Many historians look at the conquests of the rulers who came after the Prophet as a proof of “conversion by force to Islam”.

• The Muslim/Arab empire was spread through military force through out the Middle East but it is uncertain if Islam as a religion was spread that way

• Muslim conquerors signed treaties to allow people to practice their own religion as long as they paid the required tribute to the Caliphs treasury

Citations

• Davies-Stofka, B.. N.p.. Web. 1 Jul 2013. <http://www.patheos.com/Library/Islam.html>.

• . N.p.. Web. 1 Jul 2013. <http://www.religionfacts.com/islam/beliefs.htm>.

• . N.p.. Web. 1 Jul 2013. <http://www.al-islam.org/how-did-islam-spread/5.htm>.