There are over a billion followers of Islam in the world, making it the second largest religion. Prophet Muhammad is the founder of Islam. He was born in Saudi Arabia. People who follow Islam are called Muslims. They believe in Allah, which is their god. The religion is most popular in the Middle East, North Africa and Asia. Muslims worship at a mosque, which is a place where people gather to study their religion and worship Allah. Most mosques have a roof which is dome shaped with towers that are referred to as minarets. Islamic holy men, called muezzins, climb the minaret to call Muslims to pray. In a mosque, there are no statues or paintings of holy figures. Instead, there are decorations with patterns and texts from the Qur an, the holy book. Inside a mosque, there are no places for Muslims to sit, they use little prayer mats to pray to Allah. When people enter a Mosque, they need to take off their shoes and wash themselves to keep the place clean for prayer. There are special places where people can put their shoes and there is a little pool or fountain where people can wash. Women have a separate area in the Mosque and are not allowed to go to the men s side. Quran The Qur an is the holy book of Islam; Muslims believe the Qur an is the word of God. All Muslim practices and beliefs are written in the holy book and it is treated with great respect. They believe that the book is from Allah, so every word is considered to be sacred. The Qur an is often placed on a special wooden stand when it is being read. Muhammad is the prophet of Islam, he was born in 570 A.D. in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. He is regarded as the founder of the religion. Muslims believe that he was the last prophet who was sent by Allah. The first prophet was Adam. Muslims are required to: pray five times per day (the times are fixed by the position of the sun and changes every day) wash themselves before praying face the direction of Mecca while they say their prayers Islam has 5 duties that every Muslim must follow, they are also called the Five Pillars of Islam. Mosque 1. Shahada This is the main belief of all Muslims and is a declaration of their faith. 2. Salah Salah is prayer and all Muslims must pray 5 times a day and follow the specific rituals. 3. Zakat Muslims are required to look after people in need. Every follower must give a part of his or her wealth to help people who really need it. 4. Hajj All Muslims have to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their life time. 5. Saum During the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims cannot eat or drink during the daylight hours. This period is called the Ramadan. The fast is to remind people how difficult it is to be poor and hungry. It teaches people to think about the essentials of life and not to be greedy.
Exercise 1: Answer the questions about Islam. 1) In which country did Islam originate? 2) In which parts of the world do most Muslims live? 3) In which place do Muslims worship? How is it different from a church? 4) How many Muslim countries do you know? Write them down. 5) name of the god for Muslims? 6) Who is Muhammad? 7) How do Muslims pray? 8) Why do Muslims wash themselves before going inside the mosque? 9) What is Mecca and why is it special to Muslims? 10) What are the 5 pillars of Islam? Write them down in your own words. Exercise 2: The table below contains words that have been chopped in half. Find the pieces that fit together. LAH SHA QUR HADA MUS AN LAM AL PRO IS MUEZ LIM ZIN PHET RET MOS QUE MINA MEC CA 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10)
Headscarves are a very noticeable part of clothing worn by Muslim women. Islam has no specific dress or uniform for female Muslims. However, there are two requirements that are mentioned in the Quran. The first requirement is that women have to cover their whole body apart from their face, hands and feet. Secondly, the clothes must be loose so that the shape of the woman s body is not visible. The idea of covering the body is not the main purpose of wearing veils. Muslims believe that women should look and behave modestly and wearing a veil is just one part of that. According to the Quran, women must wear modest clothes and a headscarf. Nonetheless, not all Muslims agree with this. Some people believe that it is not a requirement but just a suggestion. Several passages from the Quran mention this topic. But this can and has been interpreted in different ways. In most cases, it is a personal decision to wear a headscarf and modest clothing. Some modern Muslim women believe that modesty has nothing to do with clothing while some others say that it is written in the Quran and hence they feel it is necessary to cover up. Some countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran require all women to wear veils. Moreover, many Muslim families all over the world insist that their women follow the Islamic dress code. There are many different kinds of coverings worn by female Muslims. Some people only cover their hair, while other women cover their whole body including the face. The following veils are some of the most commonly worn coverings by Muslim women: A hijab is the most commonly worn headscarf by Muslim women in the West. The scarf covers the head and neck but leaves the face clear. The word hijab comes from the Arabic language and means veil. It is often used to describe headscarves worn by Muslim women. A Niqab is a kind of veil that only leaves the area around the eyes visible. It is usually combined with a headscarf. The veil is mostly worn by traditional Muslims in Saudi Arabia. A burqa is a veil that covers the whole body, including the eyes. It is the most concealing kind of veil in Islam and is mostly worn in Afghanistan. However, in some western countries, women are not allowed to wear a burqa. A chador is a veil that is mostly worn in Iran. It is a full-body cloak and is often worn with a smaller headscarf underneath. A shayla is a long scarf that is wrapped around the head and pinned in place at the shoulders. A khimar is a long veil that is similar to a chador. It covers only half the body and hangs down to the waist.
Exercise 3: Answer or complete the sentences about Islamic veils. 1) Muslim women not allowed to.. a. show their body shape b. wear a skirt c. show their hair d. all of the above 2) Most Muslims believe that Muslim women.. a. should behave modestly b. do not have a good body shape c. should cover their face d. should wear the uniform of Islam 3) The Quran.. a. is interpreted in different ways b. clearly states that women must wear veils at all times c. says that it is a personal decision to wear a headscarf d. has a traditional and a modern version 4) A Muslim woman can wear a veil because.. a. it is her personal decision b. her family requires her to wear it c. it is written in the Quran d. All of the above 5) In most cases, a woman.. a. decides herself to wear a headscarf b. is forced to wear a headscarf by her family c. prefers to wear a burqa d. None of the above 6) Countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran.. a. are very liberal in terms of wearing a veil b. do not allow women to wear sexy clothes c. are requiring Muslim women to behave modestly d. All of the above 7) Which veil covers the entire face? a. niqab b. burqa c. chador d. shayla 8) Which veil is most common in the United Sates? a. hijab b. niqab c. khimar d. shayla 9) Which of the following veils is the most concealing? a. khimar b. chador c. niqab d. hijab 10) Which statement(s) about veils are true? a. A burqa is a commonly worn veil by Muslim women all over the world. b. According to the Quran, Muslim women should not only wear modest clothes, but also behave modestly. c. Some countries require all women to wear a veil. d. Most Muslim women in Western countries wear a Hijab. Exercise 4: Match the name of the veil with the pictures below. HIJAB NIQAB BURQA CHADOR SHAYLA KHIMAR 1 2 3 4 5 6 Exercise 5: In some Western countries, people don t like to see women wearing veils, why do you think this is so?
Islam is divided into two main groups, Sunni and Shia. The 2 groups are not very different from each other and they both agree on the fundamentals of Islam and share the same Qur an. The main differences between Sunni and Shia Muslim are in the politics of early Islam and the interpretation of the Qur an. After Prophet Muhammad died in the early 7 th century, there was a debate over who should become the new leader of the religion. Most Muslims believed that Muhammad had not assigned a successor. They wanted Abu Bakr to become their new spiritual leader. Bakr was the closest advisor and a good friend of the prophet. But other Muslims did not agree with this and instead believed that Muhammad had assigned Ali ibn Abi Talib to become his successor. Ali was the son-in-law of Muhammad and was the closest male relative. The supporters of Ali became known as Shia and they believed that direct descendants of Muhammad were the rightful spiritual leaders of Islam. The Sunnis, who supported Bakr, had the opinion that the most capable person should become the leader. Finally, Abu Bakr was appointed as the first Caliph (ruler of the Muslim community). In order to keep peace in the Muslim community, Ali accepted the leadership of Bakr. Umar ibn al-khattab became the second Caliph since he was assigned by Bakr on his deathbed. The third spiritual leader was Uthman ibn Affan. Eventually, Ali was chosen as the fourth Caliph after Uthman was murdered. He moved the capital of the Islamic state from Saudi Arabia to Iraq. Muslims accused Ali for not bringing Uthman s murderers to justice. Violent clashes followed which divided the community once again. The Sunnis are the largest group in Islam and make up around 85% of all Muslims in the world. Most Shi as live in Iraq and Iran. Around 90% of the Iranian population is Shia. Exercise 6: Are the following statements true or false? Exercise 7: Complete the sentences with the words below. 1) Abu Bakr was a prophet. 2) Muhammad was the last prophet of Islam. 3) Sunni and Shia are two different religions. 4) Uthman was a Sunni Muslim. 5) The differences between Sunni and Shia are mentioned in the Qur an. 6) Most Muslims are Sunni. 7) There are no major differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims. 8) A Caliph is a Muslim spiritual leader. 9) Saudi Arabia has a majority of Sunni Muslims. 10) The main difference between Sunni and Shia is based on the successor of Prophet Muhammad. Caliph Muhammad Qur an Prophet Iran Saudi Arabia Abu Bakr Ali ibn Abi Talib Shia 1) was the first Muslim leader after Muhammad. 2) was the of Islam 3) Prophet Muhammad lived in. 4) has a majority of Shia Muslims. 5) was a leader. 6) Sunni and Shia interpret the differently. 7) A is a spiritual leader of a Muslim community.
Exercise 8: Complete the text by filling up the gaps with the right words from the box. 1) built designated created designed 5) Mosque Church Museum Square 2) mosque spirit Qur an direction 6) Arab religious clean Muslim 3) pray travel worship read the Qur an 7) mosque country Ka aba city 4) Books Teachings Pillars Principles 8) inspections laws police people The holy city of Islam is Mecca. It is located in the west of Saudi Arabia. Prophet Muhammad lived and taught in the city more than 1,300 years ago. The prophet (1) Mecca as the holy city of Islam and the (2) in which all Muslims must (3). According to one of the Five (4) of Islam, every Muslim should make a pilgrimage to the holy city (Hajj). Around 3 million Muslims from all over the world gather for the Pilgrimage during the Muslim month of Dhu l-hijja every year. The Ka aba is another reason why Muslims believe that Mecca is a holy place. It is a stone structure with one room and is the Islam s holiest building. Muslims believe that this structure was built by Abraham. The Ka aba is located inside the Masjid al Haram, which is the Grand (5) of Mecca. Ka aba People who are not (6) are not allowed to enter or live in Mecca. There are special road signs and roadblocks that separate Muslims from non-muslims. Non-Muslims are directed to other roads that go around the (7). The local authorities of Mecca have regular (8) to check that visitors are actually Muslim. Muslims inside Mecca must follow special rules on how to behave inside the holy city. Exercise 9: Answer the questions about Mecca. 1) Why is Mecca the holy city of Islam? 2) Why do many Muslims make a pilgrimage to Mecca? 3) Why do you think that non-muslims are not allowed to enter Mecca? Masjid al haram
Al Qaeda is a terrorist network of radical Muslims that has declared the Jihad, or holy war, on the West. The organization is responsible for many terrorist attacks all over the world, including the September 11 attacks in the United States. Until 2011, the group was led by Osama bin Laden. Al Qaeda is believed to be a network of several terrorist groups, which are mainly located in the Middle East. Al Qaeda wants to punish Jews and Christians for all their wrongdoings against Muslims. They want to create a Muslim world with Islamic political leadership, which is also referred to as Sharia. The organization was founded in Afghanistan in the 1980s when the country was fighting against the Soviet Union. Their aim was to expel the occupying Russian forces and they were backed by the United States. After the Russian Army left Afghanistan, Al Qaeda continued their Jihad against enemies of the Islam. Currently, Al Qaeda operates in around 50 countries around the world. Osama bin Laden After the death of Osama Bin Laden in 2011, it is believed that Ayman al-zawahiri is the leader of Al Qaeda. The United States has killed many top members of the Al Qaeda group through drone strikes or by use of Special Forces. Despite this, the terrorist group still has major operations in Somalia, Syria, Libya and Yemen. Exercise 10: Choose the best answers for the questions below. 1) Al Qaeda is.. a. led by Osama bin Laden. b. responsible for the September 11 attacks. c. fighting against the Soviet Union. d. B and C are correct. 2) Who are enemies of Al Qaeda? a. the United States b. Israel c. Christians d. All of above 3) Al Qaeda was.. a. formed during the Soviet Afghan War. b. once backed by the United States. c. founded by Muslims. d. All of the above 4) Sharia is.. a. the wrongdoings of Christians. b. the holy war of Muslim radicals. c. the army of the Soviet Union. d. a political system based on the Qur an. 5) The United States.. a. has eliminated Al Qaeda. b. killed several leaders of Al Qaeda. c. use drones to fight terrorism. d. B and C are correct. 6) Which statement(s) below are true? a. The word Al Qaeda means holy war. b. Al Qaeda was defeated in 2011 when Osama bin Laden was killed. c. Al Qaeda wants to create a Muslim world. d. Al Qaeda was formed in the Soviet Union in the 1980s. Exercise 11: Match the words on the left with the definitions on the right. Afghanistan Sharia Al-Zawahiri Soviet Union Jihad Al Qaeda Drone Bin Laden A war against unbelievers The founder of Al Qaeda A network of Muslim militants Islamic law based on the Qur an A former communist country The country where Al Qaeda was founded The current leader of Al Qaeda A remote-controlled aircraft
The holy places of Islam Mecca is the holiest city for Muslims. It is the site where all Muslims make their pilgrimage (Hajj). Mecca is also the birthplace of Muhammad. The Ka aba is the most sacred point within the most sacred mosque of Islam, Masjid al Haram. All Muslims face the direction of the Ka aba when they pray, no matter where they are. Ka aba Jerusalem Medina Mecca Medina is the second most important place in Islam. When Muhammad was persecuted in Mecca, he fled to Medina. Medina is called the City of the Prophet of Allah. Dome of the Rock Jerusalem is the third most important city of Muslims. Muslims believe that Muhammad travelled to Jerusalem by night and ascended into heaven from there. The Dome of the Rock is considered holy by Muslims who believe it was built over a sacred stone. The stone is sacred to Jewish people as well who further believe that it was the place where Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac. Islamic Holidays During Ramadan, Muslims all over the world fast during daylight hours. The event takes place during the 9 th month of the Islamic calendar and is one of the five pillars of Islam. The fasting is intended to teach self-discipline and devotion to Allah. Eid Al-Fitr is a 3-day celebration to mark the end of Ramadan. During the Ramadan, Muslims do not eat or drink during the sunlight hours for a month. The word Eid means festivity and Fitr means breaking the fast. During the Eid Al-Fitr, Muslims get together at a mosque early in the morning and perform the Eid prayer. After the prayer, they visit family members and friends and exchange gifts. Eid Al-Adha is the end of the Hajj. The Hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims from all over the world celebrate this day. It starts around mid-october and lasts three days. During Eid Al-Adha, Muslims honor Abraham, who wanted to sacrifice his youngest son, Ishmael, to Allah. Instead, Allah provided Abraham with a lamb to offer instead.
Top 5 biggest Mosques: 1) Masjid al-haram (Saudi Arabia, Mecca) Capacity: 4,000,000 2) Masjid al-nabawi (Saudi Arabia, Mecca) Capacity: 1,000,000 3) Imam Ridha shrine (Iran, Razavi Khorasan) Capacity: 700,000 Muhammad (570 632) Muhammad was the last prophet of Islam. His father died before he was born and is mother died when he was six years old. He was raised by his grandfather and uncle. When Muhammad was nine years old, his uncle took him on a trading trip. When he was 40, Muhammad had an encounter with an angel on a trading trip. After this miracle, Muhammad returned home and began to spread the teachings he learned. There are no pictures of Muhammad and Muslims believe that the Qu ran is against it. 4) Istiqlal Mosque (Indonesia, Jakarta) Capacity: 120,000 5) Hassan II Mosque (Morocco, Casablanca) Capacity: 105,000 Fast Facts Islam means peace through submission of god. Only 22% of Muslims live in the Arabic countries. The Abraj Al-Bait Towers are massive hotel towers that were built in 2012. The complex is located behind the world s most sacred Mosque, the Masjid al-haram. The giant structure holds several world records. It is the largest clock tower and has the largest clock face in the world. The towers were built to host the many thousands of pilgrims that visit Mecca during the pilgrimage. Muhammad is the most common name in the world. The country with the most number of Muslims is Indonesia, with 207 million Muslims. Muslims are not allowed to drink alcohol or eat pork. Jesus is a prophet in Islam, he is mentioned 25 times in the Qur an. A typical Muslim greeting is "as-salam Alaikum". It means God's peace be upon you.
Exercise 12: Are the following statements true or false? 1) Medina is the birthplace of Muhammad. 2) The Dome of the Rock is a sacred place for several religions. 3) Muhammad is the most common name in the United States. 4) Islam originated in Saudi Arabia. 5) The Abraj Al-Bait is the tallest mosque in the world. 6) Mecca is known as the City of the Prophet of Allah. 7) Muslims are not allowed to eat hotdogs. 8) Eid al-fitr is a pilgrimage to Mecca. 9) The Ramadan lasts 9 months. 10) Saudi Arabia has the highest Muslim population. 11) Ramadan is a celebration. 12) During Eid al-adha, Muslims honor Muhammad. 13) The biggest 5 mosques in the world are located in Asia. 14) Jesus was a Muslim. Exercise 13: Complete the crossword puzzle. Across 4.... is the most common name in the world. 5. Islam means peace through... of god. 6. A time of fasting during the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. 8. Muslims are not allowed to eat... 9. A Muslim pilgrimage. 10. The largest mosque in the world is located in.... Down 1. Jesus is a... in Islam. 2. When Muslims pray, they face the direction of the.... 3. The celebration at the end of Ramadan. 5. The Dome of the Rock was built over a sacred.... 7. During Eid Al-Adha, Muslims honor.... 8. There are no... of Muhammad.
Exercise 14: What are the differences between Islam and the religion(s) that are most common in your country? Exercise 15: Why are there so many Muslim terrorists who want to attack the West? How do you think this situation can be improved?
Exercise 16: Match the words to the corresponding photos and complete the crossword puzzle. Burqa Islam Dome of the Rock Mosque Extremist Mecca Niqab Praying Sheikh Muezzin Qu ran Osama bin Laden Allah Minaret Hijab Ka aba Abraj Al-Bait T A N T V H H S N I A Y K E G L B P E K A I Z B Y C M U H I H R I R Q L A M O B E Q E Y S E A A A A L R Y A C S X R H L B J K N E A P J C O T S R L A H A H I R G I A M R D R H S M T L A M Z H W R E W R O L F G Y B N A R U Q M S D B O R I S M A I E T E I F A E Z N N E F K I I N C S B M M G B U R Q A D T J E T O S A M A B I N L A D E N D N I Z Z E U M Z N X V H U 8 17 15 16 12 9 5 7 2 3 10 14 1 6 13 11 4
Exercise 17: Write the names of the things related to Islam below and find the hidden word. 1) _ 2) _ 3 3) _ 4) _ 6 1 5) _ 6) _ Answer: 5 4 2 Exercise 18: Match the different parts to form complete sentences. Prophet Muhammad wanted Abu Bakr to succeed Muhammad. Muslims pray five times founded in Afghanistan has the largest mosque. The Five Pillars of the holiest city and in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Islam are duties that Muslims every Muslim must make. In a mosque Muslim women must paintings of holy figures. Hajj is the pilgrimage that by Osama bin Laden. According to the was born in 570 A.D. must follow in life. Qur an there are no the direction of Mecca. Sunni Muslims per day and face wear modest clothing.
START What is a prophet? Who was Muhammad? How many times a day do Muslims pray? Which Muslim veil is most conservative? Exercise 19: Play this board game with your partner or in a group. Your instructor decides how the game is played. largest group of Muslims called? Name 6 Islamic countries. Which religions do you know? Which language do most Muslims speak? What is a sheikh? What is Al Qaeda? What is a pilgrimage? Is there discrimination against Muslims in your country? Why? Jihad? name of the tower on the left? To which direction do Muslims pray? What is a Muslim extremist? most holy city in Islam? Why? Which kind of veil do Muslims mostly wear in the west? In which country did Islam begin? holy book of Muslims? name of the veil above? How do Muslims call their god? symbol of Islam? In which country did Al Qaeda start? Who is the founder of Islam? name of the veil above? place of worship for Muslims? What is special about the way Muslims pray? What are the 2 main groups in Islam? What are the Five Pillars of Islam? Who is Osama bin Laden? In which country in Mecca located? Why can non-muslims not go to Mecca? What is an Imam? difference between Sunni and Shia Muslims? In which 2 countries are a majority of Shia Muslims? name of the man above? Why do Muslim women wear veils? Why is Jerusalem an important city in Islam? In which country do some Muslim women wear burqas? END
Exercise 1: Islam 1) Saudi Arabia 2) In northern Africa and the Middle East. 3) Muslims worship in a mosque. It is different from a Christian church because it has a domed roof and minarets. There are no statues and paintings of holy figures. Women have a separate area in the mosque. 4) Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Egypt, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc. 5) Allah 6) Muhammad is the prophet of Islam. He was born in Mecca 570 years ago. 7) Muslims pray in a mosque, they wash themselves before entering the mosque. There are separate areas for women and men. 8) To keep the mosque clean for prayer 9) Mecca is the birthplace of Muhammad and is the holiest place of Islam. 10) Shahadah: declaration of faith Salah: prayer Zakat: giving to charity Saum: Ramadan Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca Exercise 2: Word chop 1) Allah 6) Shahada 2) Muslim 7) Quran 3) Prophet 8) Islam 4) Muezzin 9) Minaret 5) Mosque 10) Mecca Exercise 3: Veils 1) d 2) a 3) a 4) d 5) a 6) c 7) b 8) a 9) c 10) b,c,d Exercise 4: Veils Exercise 6: Sunni vs Shia Exercise 7: Sentences Exercise 8: Mecca Exercise 9: Mecca 1) false 6) true 2) true 7) true 3) false 8) true 4) true 9) true 5) false 10) true 1) Abu Kabr 2) Muhammad Prophet 3) Saudi Arabia 4) Iran 5) Ali ibn Abi Talib Shia 6) Qur an 7) Caliph 1) designated 2) direction 3) pray 4) Pillars 5) Mosque 6) Muslim 7) city 8) inspections 1) Because it is the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad and the place where the Ka aba is located. 2) Because this is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and every Muslim is required to make the pilgrimage. 3) Exercise 10: Al Qaeda Exercise 12: Islam Exercise 13: Crossword 1) b 3) d 5) d 2) d 4) d 6) c Exercise 11: Al Qaeda Afghanistan The country where Al Qaeda.. Sharia Islamic law based on the Qur an Al-Zawahiri The current leader of Al Qaeda Soviet Union A former Communist country Jihad A war against unbelievers Al Qaeda A network of Muslim militants Drone A remote-controlled aircraft Bin Laden The founder of Al Qaeda 1) false 8) false 2) true 9) false 3) false 10) false 4) true 11) false 5) false 12) false 6) false 13) false 7) true 14) false Across: 4) Muhammad 5) Submission 6) Ramadan 8) Pork 9) Hajj 10) Mecca Down: 1) Prophet 2) Kaaba 3) EidAlFitr 5) Stone 7) Abraham 8) Pictures
Exercise 16: Word search 1) Mecca 2) Osama bin Laden 3) Ka aba 4) Burqa 5) Abraj Al-Bait 6) Niqab 7) Minaret 8) Hijab 9) Extremist 10) Sheik 11) Mosque 12) Quran 13) Praying 14) Dome of the Rock 15) Islam 16) Muezzin 17) Allah Exercise 17: Revision 1) Minaret 2) Osama bin Laden 3) Dome of the Rock 4) Islam 5) Niqab 6) Ka aba Answer: Medina Exercise 18: Revision 1) Prophet Muhammad was born in 570 A.D. in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. 2) Muslims pray five times per day and face the direction of Mecca. 3) The Five Pillars of Islam are duties that Muslims must follow in life. 4) In a mosque there are no paintings of holy figures. 5) Hajj is the pilgrimage that every Muslim must make. 6) According to the Qur an Muslim women must wear modest clothing. 7) Sunni Muslims wanted Abu Bakr to succeed Muhammad. 8) Mecca is the holiest city and has the largest mosque. 9) Al Qaeda was founded in Afghanistan by Obama bin Laden. EXTRA : ISIS Exercise: ISIS 1) false 6) false 2) false 7) false 3) true 8) true 4) true 9) true 5) false 10) true Exercise: ISIS 1) Islamic 2) Al Qaeda 3) Baghdadi 4) Militant 5) Caliphate 6) Jihad
EXTRA The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is a group of Sunni militants. The organization self-proclaimed a state in Iraq and Syria in the Middle East. This state is also called the caliphate, which is an Islamic state that is led by a supreme religious and political leader (a caliph). The group has attacked numerous military and government targets in Iraq and Syria and claims to have killed thousands of Iraqi civilians. Apart from that, ISIS is also known for carrying out mass killings by killing dozens of people at a time and having public executions. The group was founded in 1999 and was a branch of Al Qaeda in Iraq. In 2013, ISIS gained a lot of support in Iraq as a result of discrimination against Sunni Muslims in Iraq. After ISIS entered the Syrian Civil War, it established a large presence in several Syrian regions. According to estimates, ISIS had over 30,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq in late 2014. Al Qaeda cut all ties with ISIS in 2014 because of the group s brutality. Abu Bakr al-baghdadi ISIS wants to establish an Islamic State in the Sunni regions of Iraq. However, since the group got involved in the Syrian Civil War, they got control over the Sunnimajority areas in Syria. In June, 2014, ISIS proclaimed a worldwide caliphate with Abu Bakr al-baghdadi as the supreme leader (caliph). ISIS claims to have religious authority over all Muslims in the word and wants to control all Muslim inhabited regions all around the world. ISIS is extremely ruthless against minorities who live in ISIS controlled areas. Many people have been brutally murdered. Christians, Yazidis and other minorities have fled to other areas. Even Muslims who do not follow ISIS interpretation of Islam are murdered by the militants. Many Muslims from all across the globe have criticized the actions and the activities of this extremist group. The United Nations and many other countries designated ISIS as a terrorist organization. Moreover, despite all such stringent measures against the group, ISIS has recruited many foreign fighters. It is estimated that more than 10,000 foreign fighters have joined the Jihad (Holy War) in Iraq and Syria. In September 2014, there were more than 100 Americans and over 2,000 European fighters who joined ISIS. The foreign fighters are often treated with less respect than the Arabic fighters. Most foreign fighters lack combat skills and are often placed in suicide units. ISIS territory, September 2014
Exercise: Are the following statements true or false? 1) ISIS wants to dominate the world. 2) Most Muslims all over the world support ISIS. 3) ISIS has control over areas in Syria and Iraq. 4) A caliphate is an Islamic state ruled by a religious leader. 5) ISIS is tolerant towards people with different religious ideas. 7) ISIS consists of Sunni and Shia Muslims. 8) The Syrian Civil war played an important role in the expansion of ISIS territory. 9) Some people from western countries go to Iraq and Syria to join ISIS. 10) The United States considers ISIS to be a terrorist organization. 6) ISIS is a branch of Al Qaeda. Exercise: The table below contains words that have been chopped in half. Find the pieces that fit together. MIC DADI CALI AL MILI HAD QAEDA TANT ISLA JI PHATE BAGH 1) 3) 5) 2) 4) 6)