Islam="submission" to God
Muslims="submitters"/adherents
Founder=Muhammad
7th century A.D. (570-632 A.D.)
Saudi Arabia (Mecca-key city in trade
routes, very wealthy)

no distinction between church and state(Islam)
Shariah-Islamic law
(Quran and Muhammad's teachings)

Quaryesh tribe "controlled Mecca"-Muhammad's tribe

Abraham 2000 B.C.
Jesus approx. 4-27 A.D.
Muhammad c 600 A.D.

Sacred texts: Quran-"Recitation" in Arabic
Hadith-"traditions" of Muhammad
(teachings, life, written by
family, friends, followers)
Bible with qualifiers
(esp. New Testament)
Muhammad-not literate, understood Judaism and Christianity from travelers, businessmen

Background 7th Cent. Arabia
-warring desert tribes
-uneasy truces for the sake of trade/commerce
-polytheism, pantheon of gods
Moon god=Allah
Allah=God (in Islam)
=Patron God of Quaryesh tribe
Allah--3 daughters (AlLat, Al-Uzza, Manat)--Jinn (nature spirits)

The Kabah-"cube"
huge stone temple in Mecca
=Bazaar, 360 idols

Superstition--astrology, fortune telling
Gambling and drinking
=General immorality

Muhammad
-orphaned at early age
-mother "spiritualist"
-cave exploration
vision=insides stirred (early age)
-25-40 years old, married Khadijah
-becomes owner of caravan business
-age 40, Prophetic Call-"The Night of Power"
met Gabriel in cave
-visions, epilepsy?
-Muhammad doubts his own revalations-demons
-Suicide attempts thwarted by Gabriel