RE Short Course Islam.

Islam is a religion, followers must take part in:

• Ramadan - This is a month where Muslims all over the world do not eat food and drink and do not have any other physical needs during daylight hours. It is a time to purify the soul, refocus attention on God, and practice self-sacrifice. It shows obedience and their dedication to Allah. Ramadan is also known as Sawn which is one of the five pillars of Islam.
• Praying five times a day and face Makkah when praying, this also known as Salah.
• Pilgrimage to Makkah this is also known as the Hajj.
• Muhammad was the prophet.
• The Qur'an is the Islamic holy book.
• They believe in only one God.

Names of Allah include:

• Creator.
• Supreme.
• Great.
• Sustainer.
• Transcendence.
• 99 different names.

The five pillars of Islam are:

• Salah - To pray five times a day.
• Zakah - Giving money to the poor.
• Shahadah - There is one God and Muhammad is his messenger.
• Sawn - Fasting during Ramadan,
• Hajj - The pilgrimage to Makkah.

Tawid - This means that Muslims should put Allah first and not material items or money. It is an Arabic word that means 'belief in the Oneness of Allah.'

Muhammad - Was born in Makkah, he denied legends and said he was just a messenger. He had a hard life as his father died before he was born and his mother died when he was six. He was known as the trustworthy and worked as a shepherd before working for his uncle. Muhammad had six children, four girls after the two boys died in infancy, he got married to a woman called Khadijah who died 25 years later.

Muhammad is very important to the Islamic religion because he is a prophet, a messenger of Allah. At the age 40, whilst meditating in the Cave of Hira' near the summit of Jabal al Nur, the 'Mountain of Light' near Makkah, Muhammad received his first revelation from God through the Archangel Gabriel. This revelation, which contiued for 23 years is known as the Qur'an.

When the angel Jibril appeared to Muhammad in 611 CE, Muhammad was praying when the angel told him to recite and that he was the messenger of Allah. The first person to believe Muhammad was a prophet was his Christian cousin called Waraqa.

The people of Makkah rejected Muhammad's message because they did not appreciate his criticisms of their idolatry and their behaviour. During Muhammad's night journey he travelled on a creature called Buraq. He then visited Allah and past prophets. They told him about praying 5 times a day. 

Muhammad and his followers moved to Yathrib because of persecution on him and his followers. Al-Hijra means the departure of Muhammad and his followers from Makkah to Al-Madiha.

The Hijrah is so important because it took Muslims to Yathrib where the first Muslim community was started. It is important and many Muslims visit it during Hajj going to where he lived, the prophets mosque and his burial place.

There were many battles…