Gabriel Arquilevich. Author

Transcription

1 Editor Karen Tam Froloff Editor/Consultant Comilita M. Salah Managing Editor Karen J. Goldfluss, M.S. Ed. Editor-in-Chief Sharon Coan, M.S. Ed. Illustrator Agnes S. Palinay Cover Artist Lesley Palmer Art Coordinator Kevin Barnes Art Director CJae Froshay Imaging James Edward Grace Product Manager Phil Garcia Publishers Rachelle Cracchiolo, M.S. Ed. Mary Dupuy Smith, M.S. Ed. Author Gabriel Arquilevich Teacher Created Materials, Inc Industry Way Westminster, CA ISBN Teacher Created Materials, Inc. Made in U.S.A. The classroom teacher may reproduce copies of materials in this book for classroom use only. The reproduction of any part for an entire school or school system is strictly prohibited. No part of this publication may be transmitted, stored, or recorded in any form without written permission from the publisher.

2 Table of Contents Introduction Origins of Islam Abraham and the Ka bah The Life of Muhammad The Early Years Muhammad s Revelation Flight to Medina and the Birth of Islam... 9 Life in Medina and the Growth of Islam.. 10 Muhammad s Last Years Islamic Territory During Muhammad s Lifetime Review The Koran The Teachings of Muhammad Reading from the Koran Place of Worship The Mosque Rites of Passage Birth and Childhood Marriage Death Passing of Time The Islamic Calendar Symbols of Islam The Crescent and the Star The Ka bah Islam Today Stereotypes World Population Pillars of Islam Art of Writing The Five Pillars Calligraphy The First Pillar: Shahada Vocabulary The Second Pillar: Salat Wordsearch The Third Pillar: Zakat Cumulative Review The Fourth Pillar: Sawn Quiz The Fifth Pillar: Hajj When Did It Happen? After Muhammad Answer Key The First and Second Caliphs The Third and Fourth Caliphs The Shi ah and Sunni Sects More on the Spread of Islam The Ottoman Empire #3680 Exploring World Beliefs: Islam 2 Teacher Created Materials, Inc.

3 Introduction Why Teach Religion? If your students were asked what they know about Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Sikhism, or Christianity, they would likely respond with an overwhelmingly limited amount of information. Although they are impacted almost daily with information related directly or indirectly to religious issues, they often know little about the religions themselves or the lives of the great spiritual leaders. Why has the study of religion been neglected? In the early 1960s, the Supreme Court declared state-sponsored religious activities within the schools to be unconstitutional. However, the Court emphasized that learning about religion is essential. Despite the importance of religion in history and culture, most schools have traditionally kept their distance. Fortunately, this distance is being bridged. As our world becomes more interdependent, there is a need for everyone to be aware of others spiritual heritage. To a great degree, the world has been shaped by religion. To teach history without religion is equivalent to teaching biology without reference to the human body. School boards across the nation now recognize this and have begun to advocate religious studies within the framework of history. Religious studies foster tolerance. This is, perhaps, the most valuable lesson. Racism and stereotypes are born largely out of ignorance. How wonderful, then, to give students the opportunity to listen to a Buddhist speaker or to visit a synagogue and ask questions of a rabbi. These kinds of direct contact are invaluable. Meeting Standards The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) developed curriculum standards in the mid 1990s. These standards have since become widely used in districts and states as they determine essential knowledge and skills acquisition for students. At least two of the ten themes that constitute the social studies framework standards address the study of institutions, cultures, and beliefs. Theme I (Culture) for example, asks students to consider how belief systems, including religion, impact culture. Theme V (Individuals, Groups, and Institutions) challenges students to study the ways in which institutions, religions, or beliefs develop and how they influence (and are influenced by) individuals, groups, and cultures. Within the NCSS framework, these themes are addressed for all students (early grades, middle grades, and high school). Therefore, support materials such as the books in this series are important resources for teachers to use as they work toward meeting standards in the classroom. Teacher Created Materials, Inc. 3 #3680 Exploring World Beliefs: Islam

4 Introduction The Semitic Religions When we speak about the Semitic religions, we are referring to Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. The word Semitic describes the people who came from the Middle East and their languages. Arabs and Jews are both Semitic. Christianity is a Semitic religion because it originated in the Middle East. Another feature Semitic religions share is monotheism. The prefix mono means one while theism means belief in God or gods. So although these religions differ greatly, they each believe in only one God. Later, you will be reading about polytheism, or the belief in more than one God. Look at the map below of the Middle East. The writings of the Hebrew Bible originated in the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. As you will see, both Judaism and Christianity are rooted in these writings. This area is now the modern state of Israel. Its capital, historic Jerusalem, is sacred to all three Semitic religions. Now, find the cities of Mecca and Medina in the Arabian Peninsula. The prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca, now the world center of Islam. Every year, millions of Muslims, members of Islam, make pilgrimages to this sacred city. Medina is where Muhammad set up the first Muslim state. These cities are now part of Saudi Arabia. About Date References The abbreviations BCE, BC, AD, and CE are common terms used to reference time. (In this series, BCE and CE are used.) Some students may not be familiar with one or more of these terms. Use page 47 to introduce or review the abbreviations with students. Constantinople Chalcedon Myra TURKEY MEDITERRANEAN SEA Nazareth Jerusalem Alexandria Nicaea Cairo ISRAEL BLACK SEA Harran Antioch Euphrates River ARMENIA Tigris River SEA OF GALILEE Jordan River Karbalá DEAD SEA Tabriz Baghdad Ur CASPIAN SEA Tehran PERSIAN GULF EGYPT Medina RED SEA Mecca SAUDI ARABIA ARABIAN SEA #3680 Exploring World Beliefs: Islam 4 Teacher Created Materials, Inc.

5 Origins of Islam Abraham and the Ka bah Islam is the youngest of the Semitic religions. It began in 630 CE when Muslims believed that Muhammad (born in 570 CE) began receiving revelations from God. Followers of Islam are called Muslims, which means one who submits (to) Allah. Allah is the Arabic name for God. Islam means submission to God. The map on page 12 shows the spread of Islam during Muhammad s lifetime. The roots of Islam, however, go all the way back to Abraham around 2000 BCE. You may remember Abraham as the father of the Jewish religion. Interestingly, Muslims also regard Abraham as the forefather of their religion. According to both the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible) and the Koran (the Islamic holy scripture), Abraham had fathered a son before the birth of Isaac. The boy was Ishmael, whose mother was Abraham s servant, Hagar. Abraham s wife, Sarah, was childless and became jealous. So God told Abraham to bless the child and to send him and his mother south into the desert. They wandered the desert until they ran out of water. Hagar rested Ishmael on the sand and then searched desperately between two high rocks. She ran back and forth seven times. Finally, resting on one of the rocks, she heard an angel s voice tell her not to be afraid. Miraculously, water spouted from where Ishmael s heels touched the sand. This became the famous well, Zamzam, where the city of Mecca was born. Toward the end of his life, Abraham traveled into Arabia to visit Ishmael. Muslims believe that God told Abraham to build a holy sanctuary there. This site was called the Ka bah, meaning cube. It is also known as the House of God. Teacher Created Materials, Inc. 5 #3680 Exploring World Beliefs: Islam

6 Origins of Islam Abraham and the Ka bah (cont.) The Ka bah is about forty feet (12 m) in height, width, and length. The door is seven feet (2.1 m) from the ground and must be entered by a moveable staircase. Curtains and carpets cover most of the outside of the Ka bah. Inside the sanctuary are some silver and gold lamps. But the most important object is an oval black stone about seven inches (18 cm) in size. Muslims believe that this stone was part of the original structure built by Abraham. They say the stone was white but turned black with the kisses of worshippers seeking forgiveness. According to the Koran, God instructed Abraham to tell all worshippers of Allah to make a pilgrimage to the Ka bah. As you will see, the Ka bah plays a central role in the history of Islam. You will learn more about its significance later in this chapter on Islam. #3680 Exploring World Beliefs: Islam 6 Teacher Created Materials, Inc.

7 The Life of Muhammad The Early Years Muhammad ibn Abd Allah, commonly known as Muhammad, was born in the city of Mecca in 570 CE. At the time, Mecca was a busy marketplace crowded with residents and nomads buying and selling goods. Not a great deal is known of Muhammad s early life. Both his mother and father were dead by the time he turned six. He was first cared for by his grandfather, but when he passed away, Muhammad s uncle, Abu Talib, raised him. Abu Talib was the head of the Hashim clan, one of many clans making up separate Arabic tribes. It is believed that as a young adult Muhammad worked as a caravan trader. He traveled the Arabian Peninsula with his uncle, making contact with various cultures and religions, including Judaism and Christianity. Because idol worship had come to dominate Mecca, this contact was important. The Ka bah itself housed many idols, including those representing the three main goddesses. At the age of twenty-five, Muhammad was working for a widow named Khadijah who was a wealthy merchant. Though he was much younger, she admired his intelligence and maturity so much that she proposed to him. They married, and in the fifteen years that followed, Muhammad lived a comfortable life. He continued traveling, encountering different faiths and customs. But Muhammad was not interested in riches. In Mecca, powerful merchants controlled both the flow of goods and the religious life. As the gap between the rich and the poor widened, Muhammad began to question his life and the world around him. Teacher Created Materials, Inc. 7 #3680 Exploring World Beliefs: Islam