islam

• Pre Islamic Arabia peninsula was socially disorganised and consisted of nomadic tribes with no united form of governance and included unethical social practices of mistreatment of women, slavery and infanticide.
• Polytheism dominated Mecca but Muhammad's monotheism was faced with persecution, hate and rejection from the people of Mecca.
• The Ka ba was a dedicated shrine to multiple gods in Mecca.
• Mecca was a commercial trade hub and pilgrimage sites for polytheistic tribes
• The Quraish tribe was able to control much of the economy in Mecca, they regulated activities of traders and of the kaaba. 
• Prophet Muhammad Born 570 CE in Mecca
• Muhammad married Khadija at age 25 and had six children together
• Call to prophethood: Muhammad would isolate himself for days, he was then visited by Angel Jibril who told him to preach the message of Islam, Muhammad then became the last prophet.
• Muhammad then memorised these revelations and compiled them into the Qur'an over the course of 23 years.
• When Muhammad started to preach in Mecca he was outcasted and prosecuted because of his beliefs
• Muhammad left Mecca and gathered a small band of followers to migrate to Medina. The Hijra was the journey in which Angel Jibril took the prophet through the air to Jerusalem and made to the heaven past the great prophets who had preceded him, to the presence of God. During this journey he was also taught the ritual of five daily prayers.
• When muhammad arrived in Medina (yathrib) he took on the role of being a meditator. He became a wise and capable leader for the people of Medina and this is where the first Islamic community flourished and the revelations became specific rules of behaviour with muslims ways of life
• Muhammad was a prophet for muslim life because of he surrendered to the will of allah, he was wise and capable leader, he had faith, trust and patience in Allah, he was a fearless preacher, he cared for the poor.
• Abu Bakr was the first caliph and was known for uniting the muslims tribe and keeping them united after the prophets death. He restored stability to the reign that had broken out. He had also started the progress to write the quran. Ruled 632-634 CE
• Omar was the second rightly guided caliphs. He oversaw the great expansion of the muslim empire and went on a conquest to jerusalem and found out an old jewish temple was being used as a rubbish dump, he then cleared it until the holy rock was uncovered. The site is now known as the dome of the rock. Rules from 634-644 CE
• Uthman was the was the third caliph and oversaw the inscription of the Qur'an, he continued to extend the muslim empire and despite his military success, the caliphate of ‘Uthman continued to be controversial. RULED FROM 644-656 CE
• Ali was the fourth rightly guided caliph, he was Muhammad's son in law. Ali ruled from 656-661 CE. During this time the internal tensions in the Muslim community came to a head resulting in a kind of civil war and political upheaval which ultimately split Muslim allegiances. Created division between mainstream Islam (Sunni) and the followers of Ali (Shi’a)
• Sunni muslims believe that the leader should be chosen from among the descendants of the tribe of muhammad, the quraish tribe but not necessarily from the family of muhammad. So they chose abu bakr to be the first caliph. Sunni muslims are contemporary. They believe the shi'a group is extremist and fanatical. Makes up 85% of the muslims.
• Shi'a muslims belive that theleader of muslims must be descedent of the prophet muhammad. They believed that Ali should have been chosen after the prophets death. They think sunnis are too accustomed to the comfort of the world. Shia's are very conservative.
• The Quran is the sacred text of Islam. It is the literal word of Allah, the most divine authority and is incontestable and incorruptible. It is the first souce of guidance to any ethical dilemma, overrides any form of authority, and is uncorrupted as it is the final and literal word of Allah. It is the source of the five pillars and is used for informal (education, calligraphy, khutbah) and formal worship (salat, friday prayer). Muhammad received revelations from Allah over the course of 23 years in which his followers memorised it and was later put into the Quran.
• The Hadith are the recorded sayings and actions of the prophet Muhammad. The hadith makes up the sunnah (written, recorded actions and saying of the prophet muhammad). This allows muslims to emulate his behaviour and teach the appropriate behaviour as as well as provide guidance on topics or ethical dilemmas that are not outlined in the Quran. This is not as important as the quran as it does not contain the literal word of Allah.
• To ensure accuracy, a structure and system of authentication was set in place to verify hadiths, a chain of transmission is followed and if the chain can be proved to go back to the prophets time, the hadith is considered authentic. Scholars have spent their entire lives authenticating hadiths and compiling them.
• Angels/Malaikah: "Praise be to Allah, the creator of the heavens and the Earth, who made the angels have wings."
• Prophethood/Rusul: the belief in the prophets and messengers of Islam. Six Prophets are considered most important as they received special revelations and introduced new teachings. They were Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammed. Muhammed is the last and greatest of the Prophets. Prophets are important as they depict the perfect life and guide humanity away from sin and toward the rightly guided path, they are role models to Muslims.
• Prophethood/Rusul: Quran 4:80 "he who has obeyed the messenger has obeyed Allah."
• Al Qadr: " And if your lord has willed. He could have made mankind one community but they will not cease to differ. Except whom your lord has given mercy." Surah 11:118