Chapter 6 The Story of Islam

1. Chapter 6The Story of Islam

2. Islam after Muhammad The Expansion of Islam • Abu Bakr became the Muslim caliph after Muhammad died. • Islam spread rapidly through Arabia; by 637 CE, Muslims occupied Jerusalem. • Muslim rulers did not generally force conquered people to convert to Islam. • Within 150 years of Muhammad’s death, Islam had spread across northern Africa to Spain and as far east as central Asia. Shi’ite and Sunni • Islam split early on into Shi’ite and Sunni, because people could not agree on who should succeed Muhammad. • Ali, Muhammad’s cousin, thought he should succeed because he was a direct relative. • Ali’s followers chose leaders based on their blood relationship to Muhammad. • Muslims who follow this branch of Islam are called Shi’ite. • Other Muslims thought the person best suited for the position should lead, regardless of ancestry. • Muslims who follow this branch of Islam are called Sunni. • Sunnis emphasize a person’s direct relationship with Allah; Shi’ites place greater emphasis on the role and the authority of religious leaders. • Today, about 90% of Muslims are Sunni, and about 10% are Shi’ite.

3. Pilgrimage Clothing • On their way to Mecca, pilgrims wear special clothing called ihram. • Men wear two seamless garments made from white cloth. • Women wear clothes that leave only their faces and hands uncovered. • Ihram emphasizes equality and reminds pilgrims that in death they will leave all material things behind. The Kaaba • The Kaaba is the cube-shaped shrine in the centre of the Great Mosque in Mecca. • It is the holiest place for Muslims. • On entering the Great Mosque, pilgrims circle the Kaaba seven times.

4. Marking Time Life-Cycle Rituals Birth • The first sound a newborn hears is the call to prayer, spoken into the baby’s right ear. • A naming ceremony is held in the presence of family and friends. • Hair is often cut from the baby’s head or its head is shaved. • The hair is weighed and the equivalent amount in silver is given to the poor. • The naming ceremony is also used as an entrance rite for adults converts to Islam. • Sometimes converts receive an Islamic name in Arabic, but this is not a requirement. • Muslims believe males should be circumcised (seven days after birth or naming ceremony)

5. Marriage • Some marriage practices are traced back to Muhammad, but many are the product of local cultures. • The Qur’an allows males to practise polygamy, but most male Muslims do not practise it. • Marriage establishes a bond between the families of the bride and groom, as well as between the spouses. • For this reason, many marriages are arranged. • Islamic law sets the rights and responsibilities between the husband and the wife and their families. • Divorce is permitted but is strongly discouraged. • The wedding ceremony (nikah) is simple. • The Qur’an is read, vows are exchanged in front of witnesses for both partners, and the leader of the mosque often performs the ceremony.

6. Death • The last words of a dying Muslim should be the Shahadah, the proclamation of faith. • After the person dies, the corpse is washed, covered, and buried as soon as possible. • The body is buried with the face toward Mecca, imitating the direction of prayer.

7. The Muslim Community (Umma) and the Rituals of the Five Pillars The Worldwide Community of Islam • The Five Pillars help Muslim believers express membership in the umma, or Muslim community. • Islam has no central authority, hierarchy, or priests; the imam is not a priest. • Salvation is achieved through community, like in the Catholic Church. • Wherever Muslims live, the rituals of the Five Pillars bind them together. The Mosque • Muslims gather to pray in a mosque. • Muhammad built the first mosque at the end of the hijra from Mecca to Medina. • Muslims have since built mosques wherever there is a Muslim community that gathers for worship.

8. Friday Prayer • Men perform the Friday prayer after midday, together at a mosque. • Women may join them or pray at home. • After the call to prayer, the imam leads the congregation and gives a sermon that shows how the Qur’an can be applied to everyday life. • In countries such as Canada, many employers grant Muslim workers time on Friday to pray. Features of the Mosque • Muslims are called to prayer 5 times a day by a prayer caller from the top of a tower beside or in the mosque. • Worshippers perform ritual washing in a courtyard and remove their shoes before entering the prayer area. • The prayer hall is a large open area that is usually carpeted. • Sometimes the hall is divided, with one section for men and one for women. • Salat involves movement, and mixing men and women in these actions could lead to distractions or impure thoughts. • When praying, Muslims must face the direction of Mecca. • This direction is shown by the MIHRAB an alcove or recessed area.

9. Hagia Sophia Ayasofya Mosque • From the date of its dedication in 360 until 1453, it served as the cathedral of Constantinople, • except between 1204 and 1261, when it was converted to a Roman Catholic cathedral under the Latin Patriarch of Constantinople of the Western Crusader established Latin Empire. • The building was a mosque from 29 May 1453 until 1934, when it was secularized. • It was opened as a museum on 1 February 1935.

10. History of the Building • Emperor Justinian chose physicist Isidore of Miletus and mathematician Anthemius of Tralles as architects • Upon the capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade, the church was ransacked and desecrated by the Latin Christians. The Roman Catholic Mass was now celebrated in the church • After the recapture in 1261 by the Byzantines, the church was in a dilapidated state. • Earthquakes cracked the dome and caused sections of the roof to fall in. • Immediately after the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople in 1453, the Hagia Sophia was converted into a Mosque. • Many of the mosaics inside the church were plastered over and the altar, tabernacle and 47 foot high silver iconostasiswere removed • The Mihrab was placed where the altar was located facing east • Minarets were built to call people to prayer

12. Sacred Space 360 -1453 Byzantine Cathedral 1204 -1261 Roman Catholic Church 1453 -1934 Mosque 1934- today Museum

13. http://www.nelson.com/worldreligions/studentsource/chapter6.htmlhttp://www.nelson.com/worldreligions/studentsource/chapter6.html Virtual Mosque tours Research one of the historic mosques See tab on bottom of the screen http://www.3dmekanlar.com/en/3d-historic-mosques.html Where is this mosque located? When was it built? Why is it an important mosque? Describe the carpet. Are there chairs or benches? What is on the walls? How has the mihrab or alcove been identified? How many minarets?