ISLAM: A HISTORY
Introduction
"In the
name of Allah..."
In
the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
These words are called the exordium, or passage, which is the
start of every sura, or chapter, in the Qur'an, the holy book of
Islam. It is recited often, including every time a Muslim eats or
drinks, begins a journey, and enters a building. Though this
simulation is about the history and culture of the Arabs, it is
impossible to understand it without understanding the influence of
Islam. Today with more than a billion believers, Islam is the world's
second largest religion. Only Christianity is larger. Prophet Muhammad
has been called the most influential man in history. With this much
influence, the religion of Islam cannot be ignored.
Then where are the Christian beliefs about Jesus? Why is it that no
where is the simple fact that Christians believe Jesus died for our
sins? How are the Christian beliefs of America's forefathers expunged
from America's history books?
Arabia The area in southwest Asia, between the Red Sea and the
Persian Gulf, is called the Arabian Peninsula. The people who live
there are known as Arabs. Largely a desert region, the peninsula
stretches for about a million and a quarter square miles. Some areas,
such as Yemen, feature well-watered fertile mountains in its interior.
Bedouins Before and after the establishment of Islam, many Arabs
were Bedouins, or nomads of the desert. Bedouins lived in tents woven
from goat or camel hair and spent most of their time traveling in the
desert in search of good grass and water for their herds and camels,
sheep, and goats. Bedouins also staged raids on other desert peoples
and fought over pastures and wells. Arabs also were farmers,
craftsmen, and merchants. Today, Bedouins are but a small minority of
the Arab population, as most Arabs live in cities and surrounding
urban areas.
Religion Before God
revealed His message to Prophet Muhammad, the Arabs worshiped
many gods. They believed spirits dwelled in rocks and trees. Arabs
sometimes made statues of their gods. Each Arab town and tribe
believed in different gods. Each Arab town and tribe believed in
different gods and basically did what they thought was right. There
were organized religions in this region, however. Judaism and
Christianity had been present in Arabia for several centuries. Jews
and Christians had participated in many caravans and their influence
was strong throughout the Arabian peninsula. This was Arabia in 570,
the year in which the Prophet
Muhammad was born.
Muhammad - the prophet
of Islam Prophet
Muhammad was born in 570 in Mecca which is located about
halfway down western Arabia near the Red Sea. During
Prophet Muhammad's
time, it was important trading stop between the Arabian Sea and the
Mediterranean Sea. Prophet
Muhammad's father died a few months before he was born. When
Prophet Muhammad was
six, his mother died, and he was raised by his grandfather and
eventually by his uncle, Abu Talib. As a young man,
Prophet Muhammad
traveled in trading caravans between Mecca and Syria.
[acknowledged as Prophet six times in
one paragraph]
Angel Gabriel directs Prophet
Muhammad When Prophet Muhammad was 25, he married Khadija,
a rich widow. Prophet Muhammad became very successful in the caravan
business and was known for his honesty and wisdom. Prophet Muhammad,
however, was troubled by the drinking, gambling, and corruption in
Mecca and other Arabian cities. While meditating in a cave in the
desert, he had a vision of an angel. He was told by the angel Gabriel
to be the apostle of God and to "warn" the people. From this date,
around 610, Prophet Muhammad spent the rest of his life preaching the
faith of Islam. At first people laughed at him, but eventually Prophet
Muhammad became an important religious leader in the region. In 622 he
migrated to Medina, a central event in the establishment of Islam.
Eight years later he led an army into Mecca; the city surrendered
without bloodshed. He destroyed the idols inside the ancient Kaaba.
Mecca was now the center of Islam, and Prophet Muhammad was the
leader. God's revelations were written down over a period of 23 years
which today constitutes the Qur'an, the holy book of Muslims. When
Prophet Muhammad died in 632, Islam was a religion about to shake the
foundations of the Asian, African, and European worlds.
["God" indicates "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" which is NOT the
same as Allah! It is highly offensive every time "God" is used to
translate "Allah"!]
Islam: A Simulation
from Byron County
1.
Introduction "You will
become Muslims"
2.
Bribery, Grade Threats & Peer
Pressure
3. Islamic names children
chose to "become Muslims"
4. Glossary
5. Glossary2 Muhammad
factually defined as "Prophet of God"
6.
Quran/Koran - Children to
define its teachings into their life today
7.
Verses from the Qur'an
8. "Reading
Strategy" -
obvious brainwashing strategy!
9.
Lesson 2 Preview*- directs children to write that the Quran
is Allah's words!
10.
Lesson 2 Summary*-
"The Life of the Prophet"
11.
Islam History* -
more beliefs given as facts
* Teacher's Assignments, Across the Centuries
