Concepts - G07: Islam - Social Studies - ASD Libraries at American School of Dubai

Islam

The religion of Muslim people, founded in 610 CE by the Prophet Muhammad in the city of Mecca on the Arabian Peninsula.

Islam (Britannica)
A major world religion, Islam is based on the revelations of the Prophet Muhammad and was first established in Mecca (now in Saudi Arabia). From the Atlantic Ocean across North Africa, the Middle East, and South and Central Asia to the Pacific Ocean, the world’s predominantly Muslim countries form a long, continuous band. (Muslims are those who practice the religion of Islam.)

Qur’an (or Koran)

The holy book of the Islamic religion, written down from the speeches of the Prophet Muhammad.

The Qur'an by Mohammad Abu-Hamdiyyah
Call Number: 297.1 ABU
ISBN: 0415225086
Publication Date: 2000
The glorious Kur'an
Call Number: 297.12 KOR

Sunnah

Along with the Qur’an, the Sunnah has become the source of important traditions, practices, and ways of living for Muslims around the world

Pilgrimage

Hajj
One of the five pillars of Islam central to Muslim belief, Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim must make at least once in their lifetime if they are able; it is the most spiritual event that a Muslim experiences, observing rituals in the most sacred places in the Islamic world. Mecca is the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad.

Shari’ah

Monotheism

All three of these religions believe in one God; for example, Allah is the name of God for Muslims.

God (Britannica)
The name God has been applied to the supreme being who is variously understood in the many different religious traditions. Even within a single tradition, there is often great diversity of thought about God, which has resulted from changing conceptions of God’s nature as they have evolved over the centuries.

This diversity leads to the conclusion that there is no direct knowledge of God based on perception—seeing, hearing, and the other senses. Knowledge of God is based on intuition, deduction, or induction. This knowledge is a result of perception of the way the world itself is constituted.

Polytheism

Prior to Islam, most people on the Arabian Peninsula practiced polytheistic religions, and the Kaaba in Mecca housed many icons and idols for people to visit during their stay. The Hindu religion has numerous gods, which are also called deities.

Segregation

The forced separation of one group from the rest of a community.

Cultural Diffusion

Jihad

Though commonly misinterpreted today (as can be seen on the news), jihad actually refers to an internal and personal struggle to be a good Muslim.

G07: Islam - Social Studies: Concepts