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"Islam" is an Arabic word that means "submitting to God." A person who follows the teachings of Islam is called a Muslim: "One who submits to God and finds peace in him." Specifically, Muslims are adherents of Islam who submit to the will of God. Islamic belief is captured in their creed, the Shahada, which states: "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammed is his prophet." This unit will further examine the origin, beliefs, and practices of modern-day Islam.
Unit Expectations
Unit Expectations
SC1.05 - demonstrate an understanding of the foundational role of the prophet Muhammad in the story of Islam and the importance of the Qur’an in the faith and life decisions of Muslims;
PF1.03 - demonstrate an understanding of the human search for meaning and purpose as found in the belief systems of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam;
CM1.01 - demonstrate an understanding of the role morality plays in the human search for meaning and purpose;
CM3.07 - suggest both traditional and contemporary examples of moral living as found in the various religions of the world;
RB1.02 - identify the major influences in the development of various religions (e.g., social unrest, advances in technology, changing mores.
RB3.01 - Categorize the practices and rituals of various religions (e.g., almsgiving, asceticism, atonement, anointing, covenant, sacrifice, holy days, dietary laws, vision);
RB3.02 - Identify the origin and significance of various practices, rituals, symbols, and festivals;
RB3.03 - Demonstrate an understanding of the role of sign and symbol in Islam.
RB3.04 – Demonstrate an understanding of important rituals and milestones in Islam.
RB3.05 – Demonstrate an understanding of the life of Mohammed.
PSV.03 - understand the role of symbol, ritual, and celebration in the formation of religious communities;
RBV.04 - demonstrate how practice, ritual, and symbolism are external representations of the beliefs and principles of religion;
SSV.02 - analyse the influence of religion on artistic expression.
teacher led seminar
teacher led seminar
Be sure to watch the pre-recorded seminar on Islam. You can follow along with the slide show presentation. Please attach the completed exit card below for assessment purposes and attach it to your unit guide.
New Islam.pptxSEMINAR EXIT CARD.docxOrigins
Origins
How Islam Began (10 minutes)
In 7th Century Arabia, people held beliefs in a variety of different gods and practiced polytheism, which was demonstrated in their beliefs in idols. Idolatry is the worship of different objects, usually in the form of sculptures or pictures representing something spiritual. Many of these idols were placed in the Ka'bah, a cube-shaped structure that Abraham initially built to honour God. Read pp. 319 - 322 of Exploring World Religions (below) to learn more about the ancient Arabian society before the arrival of Muhammed.
The Ka'Bah in Mecca
Islamorigins.pdf
Muhammed had to flee (hijrah) Mecca in order to save his life and stayed in the city of his birth of Medina, where he established the practices of Islam. After several wars with the Meccans who opposed him, Muhammed finally marched triumphantly to the Ka'Bah where he destroyed all the idols saying "Truth has arrived and falsehood has perished for falsehood is by its nature bound to perish." (Qur'an 17:81)
You are required to answer all questions found throughout this unit using the Answer Recording Sheet found below. Download and save it to your Google Docs and work on your answers as you go through this page. You will need to print the questions and your answers as part of your unit submission.
ISLAM ANSWER RECORDING SHEET.docxQuestion:
1. Why was it important for Muhammed to destroy the idols at the Ka'Bah? Have you ever had to destroy or let go of something that was holding you back from personal or spiritual growth?
2. What do you feel was important advice from Muhammed that he gave in his Farewell Sermon?
Beliefs
Beliefs
The Creed of Islam (Shahadah) is central to all sects of Islam. It is a declaration of their monotheistic belief.
The belief in one omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent God is central to the Muslim faith.
Muslims believe that every person has a soul that will be judged by Allah on the Day of Judgement that will determine whether or not the soul is sent to Paradise of Hell.
Question:
3. Why is it important to have a statement of faith like the Shahadah?
4. Why is the belief in an afterlife so important to so many faiths? What is your own idea of Paradise or Hell?
Practices, rituals, symbols
Practices, rituals, symbols
Muslims place a great deal of importance on upholding the tenets of their faith. This is demonstrated through The Five Pillars of Islam.
Muslims gather at a Mosque for congregational prayers on Friday afternoons. Before entering the Mosque, Muslims remove their shoes and perform a cleansing ritual called "wuzu." It is both a hygienic practice and symbolic of spiritual cleansing. There are no seats in the Mosque, only carpets that designate prayer space, with men sitting apart from women.
Prayers are led by an Imam, who speaks from an elevated platform called a minbar.
An Iman leads the prayer service from the minbar. The Arabesque-shaped niche to the right is the Mihrab. The Mihrab is a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla; that is, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and hence the direction that Muslims should face when praying. The wall in which a mihrab appears is therefore called the "qibla wall".
The use of symbols as an expression of faith is not present in Islam. The most common symbol associated with Islam is the crescent moon and star. This symbol was the emblem of the Ottoman Empire in the 19th Century and was later adopted much more widely in the Muslim world. The colour green is also associated with Islam
The Crescent moon and star represents Miraj - The Night of Power and Excellence when the Archangel Gabriel revealed the Qur'An to the prophet Muhammed. See "Festivals" below to learn more about Miraj.
KAHOOT! Click on the link below to test your knowledge up to this point in the course:
The complex geometry of Islamic Design (5 min)
Question:
5. While most other religions use symbols and icons profusely, Islam strictly limits the use of symbols and icons so that people will focus on God instead of the image. How does Islamic architecture and art help devout Muslims keep the pure intent of their faith practice?
6. How is the setting of a Mosque similar or different to a place of worship that you are more familiar with?
Festivals
Festivals
Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr
Lights blink on in homes as night falls on a community. The scent of food begins to waft into the evening air. It smells extra delicious to the people in the homes, who haven’t eaten all day. They’re observing Ramadan, a sacred month in the religion of Islam. And the darkened sky is a signal that it’s time to feast!
For the hundreds of millions of Muslims around the world who observe Ramadan, the month is a time to focus on their faith and also perform generous acts. People raise money and donate supplies to help others in need. And many fast to remind themselves about those in the world who don’t have enough to eat.
Ramadan is the ninth month on the Islamic calendar, which marks important holidays and events for Muslims (people who practice Islam). During Ramadan people fast, or refrain from eating and drinking, while it’s light outside. Once the sun sets, families meet for big meals that may include stew, rice, dates, lentils, and more. People also have a morning meal before the sun rises.
After the last day of Ramadan, a three-day festival is held. Families and friends gather together to celebrate. They sometimes decorate homes with lights and exchange gifts. As for food, people eat all sorts of things including candies and pastries—and during this time, fasting is not allowed.
Class discussion questions:
What did you learn about how and why Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr is celebrated?
What part of the video made the biggest impression on you and why do you think that is?
milestones
milestones
Birth - The baby is washed and then the father whispers the Call to Prayer (called the Adhan) in his or her right ear. In the left ear the person whispers the Command to Rise and Worship. This is called the Iqamah.
Naming a Child - Seven days after birth, a name given ceremony called Aqiqah is performed. The ceremony starts with the father reading from the Qur’an. Then the announcement of the name of the child follows the reading.
First Hair Cut - After the Aqiqah, the hair of the child is cut or shaved for the ceremony, and its weight in silver is distributed to the poor. In most cases male circumcision, called Khitan, usually takes place in the hospital.
A Muslim whispering the Adhan in his child's ear
Marriage - Muslim marriage is a legally sanctioned union between a man and a woman designed to bring companionship and happiness to both parties. A Muslim marriage is based on a voluntary offer and acceptance by the bride and groom and not forced upon by parents.
Death - Muslims believe that the burial should take place on the day that the person has died. When the bodies are taken to the gravesite, the people throw handfuls of earth into the grave while reciting chapters from the Qur’an that obtain to the day of judgement. After the burial, there is a three day mourning period.
sacred writings
sacred writings
Qur'An - is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God and the final divine revelation. It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language.
The Hadith - are collections of Islamic traditions and laws (Sunna). This includes traditional sayings of Muhammed and later Islamic sages.
Watch the following Ted Talk on What it's like to be a Muslim in America and discuss the question below after the video
Discussion Question: After watching the video on "What do you think when you look at me?" discuss your understanding of the hijab. How do you relate to Muslims after watching this video? Have you experienced similar circumstances in your own life?
groups and institutions
groups and institutions
Shia - The faction of Muslims who believe that Ali, Muhammed's son-in-law, was the successor and that the Islamic leadership should stay within Muhammed's family.
Sunni - The faction of Muslims who believe that Abu Bakr, Muhammed's close friend, was the successor of Muhammed and that leadership should be elected.
Sufi - Sufism is a mystical branch of Islam that believes Allah can only be understood through experience. Rumi is a famous 13th century Sufi mystic whose writings are famous in various parts of the world and in various religious groups.
Optional video:
Unit Completion Assessment.docxUnit Task Options
Unit Task Options
Choose one of the following task ideas below to demonstrate your learning and complete this unit. It is always advisable to consult with your teacher while you work on this task to ensure you are meeting the expectations and getting the best possible mark. Be sure that all of your work is properly cited with appropriate analysis. As Mary Ward is a Self-Directed Learning system, you may also create and develop your own task in consultation with your teacher.
1. SELF DIRECT! Always recommended! Choose one topic in this unit that you were particularly interested in (i.e. Symbols, Rituals, History, Beliefs, etc . . . or a topic related to this unit that was not covered but worthy of exploring), then choose one style of presentation that you are confident with or would like to develop (i.e. written paragraph, website, documentary, video, slide presentation, art installation, podcast, etc . . . ) and consult/discuss with your teacher what the product will look like. You also have the option to make the task interdisciplinary with another course(s), and/or do a group project.
OR
2. One of the Pillars of Faith for Islam is a pilgrimage to Mecca to see the Ka'Bah. Have you ever travelled to a sacred site? Did you feel different about your relationship with your faith after visiting the site? How does a place visited by so many millions of devotees have such a powerful impact on faith practice? Using your own experience, or borrowing from video footage of others (your friends or Youtube), create a documentary or presentation on the impact of geographic place on faith practice.
OR
3. Many faiths have a core set of beliefs (i.e. The Five Precepts of Buddhism, the Ten Commandments, The Five Pillars of Faith) that define the fundamental principals of the faith. Create Five Pillars of your Personal Practices that define the fundamental practices of your own uniqueness. These may include extra-curriculars and how they enhance your character, family rituals, and time with your friends. This can be an artistic piece with explanation, or a 2 page write up describing the significance of each Pillar.
OR
4. Art and architecture does not necessarily have to be iconic, and can use geometric patterns to achieve a meditative or spiritual effect (i.e. Yantras in Hinduism, Mandalas in Buddhism, Islamic geometric art). Create your own artistic, geometric pattern and explain in a one-page write up why you chose particular shapes or movements in a particular direction describing how this creates a meditative effect.
NOTE: All of your work must be properly cited. Work that is not cited properly will be returned to you to be redone with a stronger sense of academic integrity.
Please see evaluation rubrics below for your task. Consult with your teacher for any clarification regarding your evaluation.
Please see evaluation rubrics below for your task. Consult with your teacher for any clarification regarding your evaluation.
Writing Rubric.docxPresentation Rubric.docxRubric for a Visual Product.docxUnit Completion Checklist
Unit Completion Checklist
Be sure you have answered the following questions and completed the following tasks before submitting your unit to your teacher. This checklist needs to be signed by the religion counter for your unit submission to be accepted.
ISLAM UNIT SUBMISSION CHECKLIST.docxadditional resources
additional resources
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