Transcript A. Mecca
ISLAM
Islam ~ submission to divine will
Muslim ~ one who submits to divine will
Which of the following is a true statement:
A. All Arabs are Muslims
B. All Muslims are Arabs
C. Iran is an Arab country
D. None of the above
Which of the following is a true statement:
A. All Arabs are Muslims
B.All Muslims are Arabs
C.Iran is an Arab country
D. None of the above
During prayer a Muslim should face:
A. Mecca
B. Islamabad
C. Jerusalem
D. Washington, DC
During prayer a Muslim should face:
A. Mecca
B.Islamabad
C.Jerusalem
D. Washington, DC
Which of the following is a true statement:
A. Muslims believe Jesus is the son of God
B. Muslims believe Jesus is a prophet
C. Muslims do not believe Jesus existed
Which of the following is a true statement:
A. Muslims believe Jesus is the son of God
B. Muslims believe Jesus is a prophet
C. Muslims do not believe Jesus existed
Myth #1:
Most Muslims are Arabs who
live in the Middle East.
Reality:
Of more than 1 billion Muslims
worldwide, only about 1/5 are
Arabs.
Myth #2:
Muslims have a unfamiliar religion
and worship a strange god.
Reality:
Muslims are monotheistic and worship
the same one God as Christians and
Jews-the Arabic word for God is Allah
Myth #3:
Muslims believe it is ok to kill
civilians in a holy war or jihad.
Reality:
Only Muslim extremists believe
this. In Arabic Jihad does not
mean "holy war”. It means
"struggle” or “strive”.
Myth #4:
Most Muslim women wear veils over
their faces and are treated very badly.
Reality
Muslim women have many different styles of
dress- very few cultures require women to
cover their faces.
The treatment of women varies from country
to country and family to family.
Some Muslim countries, like Pakistan, have
had female prime ministers. The U.S. has
never had a female president.
The religion is called ISLAM.
The people are MUSLIMS.
ALLAH is the Arabic word for God.
MOSQUE is the place of worship.
QURAN is the book of prayer.
Mecca-Most Holy Site in Islam
The Muslims trace their ancestors to
Abraham and his son Ishmael, who were
believed to have built a shrine in Mecca
on the spot where Adam laid a stone
The Kaaba
The Kaaba-cornerstone is a
sacred stone called the
Black Stone
Muhammad the Prophet
571~Muhammad born in Mecca
610~Claims to receive visions and messages
622~Hijra or Escape. Muhammad and his
followers escape prosecution and go to
Medina.
This marks Year 1 in the Islamic calendar.
Current year in Islam: 1431
The Hijra
Muhammad the Last Prophet
Muhammad came to believe that Allah
had revealed himself partially through
Moses-Judaism and Jesus-Christianity
and that Allah’s final revelations were
to him.
Muhammad
629 ~ Muhammad conquers Mecca
632 ~ Muhammad dies in Medina.
Ascends into Heaven from Jerusalem
Jerusalem is the third most holy site in Islam
The Teachings of Muhammad
Islam is monotheistic.
Allah is the all-powerful creator of
everything.
Islam offers salvation and the hope of an
afterlife to its followers. PARADISE.
How is Muhammad Viewed?
Muhammad is not considered divine, as
Jesus is in the Christian religion.
He is a prophet who conveys Allah’s
final revelations through the Quran.
The Holy Quran
Muslims believe the Quran is the
direct word of Allah revealed to
Muhammad
Written and read in Arabic
Characteristics of the Koran
About as long as the New Testament
114 suras, arranged from longest to shortest
Most suras are collections of Mohammed’s
teachings with no overall theme
Suras are labeled by distinctive or unusual
words found in each
No historical chapters
Considered the definitive form of Arabic
Strictly speaking, cannot be translated, only
paraphrased
Imam
The leader of a mosque and the community.
Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the
one who leads the prayer during Islamic
gatherings.
The Five Pillars of Islam
Profession of Faith: There is no god but Allah,
and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
Daily Prayer: Pray five time times each day in
the direction of the holy city of Mecca.
Charity: Give alms to the poor.
Fasting: No food or drink from dawn until
dusk during the holy month of Ramadan.
Hajj: Pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca.
Shahadah
Profession of Faith
There is no god but Allah,
and Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah.
The Flag of Saudi Arabia
Salat
Daily Prayer
Pray time times each day in the
direction of the holy city of Mecca.
God is Great.
God is Great.
God is Great.
God is Great.
I testify that there is none worthy of worship except
God.
I testify that there is none worthy of worship except
God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
Come to prayer!
Come to prayer!
Come to success!
Come to success!
God is Great!
God is Great!
There is none worthy of worship except God
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Zakat
Charity
Give alms to the poor.
http://salamcenter.org/zakat-ul-mal.html
Sawm
Fasting
No food or drink from dawn until dusk
during the holy month of Ramadan.
Eid al-Fitr means the Festival of
Breaking the Fast
The beginning of Ramadan is based on
the Islamic calendar and observing
the first waxing crescent moon.
Hajj
Pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca.
Dome of the Rock
Important to the Three
Monotheistic Faiths
Muhammad died in 632 and rose into heaven
from a holy rock in Jerusalem.
Christians believe Jesus gave sermons on the
rock.
Jews believe Abraham prepared the sacrifice
of his son Isaac on the same rock.
On the site Muslims built a mosque called the
Dome of the Rock.
Dome of the Rock
Interior of the Dome of the Rock
The Muslim World
Major groups of Muslims: Sunnis and Shiites
Most Muslims are Sunnis
Shiites are the majority in Iraq and Iran
Sunnis and Shiites
Sunnis
The caliph may be elected from the
Muslim community.
Shiites (Shia)
The caliph must be a descendant of
the family of Muhammad
END
The Hajj
1. Pilgrims perform cleansing rituals at designated stations outside Mecca. Men and
women exchange their street clothes for hajj garments - stripping themselves of
social distinctions and embracing their dedication to God.
2. Among other rites, pilgrims circle the Kaaba, a shrine at the center of the Grand
Mosque - built by Abraham and his son - seven times counterclockwise in a
procession called the Tawaf. It symbolizes placing God's House at the center of their
lives. (Map)
3. On the first official day of the hajj, pigrims take a three-mile journey into Mina,
where they spend the night in a massive tent city.
4. In the morning, pilgrims continue east to the Plain of Arafat, where Muslims believe
Adam and Eve were reunited after leaving Eden. A daylong group vigil, in which
pilgrims stand in the presence of God, marks the zenith of the hajj.
5. At sundown, the hajj loops back toward Mecca, halting at a patch of hills called the
Muzdalifah, where pilgrims stop for the night, participate in a nightlong vigil, and
collect stones for the next day.
6. At dawn, pilgrims cast pebbles at the Jamraat, three stone pillars that symbolize
temptation - places where Satan tried to tempt Abraham from the path of God. They
first throw seven stones at the largest pillar, and then stone the other two over the
course of two or three days.
7. Back in Mecca, pilgrims can perform the seven turns around the Kaaba one last time
before heading home. The end of the hajj is celebrated with a three-day feast.
Historical Overview
Islam:
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”Surrender”, related to ‘salaam’, or peace.
Abraham, father of all prophets, is the first Muslim
Islam is also a code for social conduct
Quran plus the authentic statements of Muhammad (Hadith) = Shareeha (constitution),
as Interpreted by Islamic scholars
• Muhammad is the last prophet (33: 40).
• Gabriel highest ranking angel
The Quran:
• Islam’s holy book, an inspired scripture. God’s word inspired to his messenger,
• 114 Chapters (chapter = Surah), 4 to >200 verses/chapter (verse = Aiyah)
• Confirms most narratives and prophets of the Jewish and Christian faiths
Special place for Virgin Mary, the only female (the Chapter of Mary)
• Allah is the word for God used by Christian and Muslim Arabs
God = Allah (Arabic) = Eluhim (Hebrew) = El (Aramaic)
• One and only one God, no trinity
• Arabic as the language of the Quran
The Levant
Mesopotamia
The fertile Crescent
EGYPT
•Medinah
•Mecca
Dynasties
of the
South
Middle East, 7th Century
• The Arabian Peninsula
The source of Arabs and the Semitic race
Mostly desert, few urbanized areas
Urban centers, Mecca
Mainly tribal society
First mention of ‘Arabs’, 854 B.C.
Arabs of the North and Arabs of the South
Dynasties in the south
Religions
– Christianity (inclusive), Judaism (exclusive), polytheism
• The Sassanid or Persian Empire
Ailing
• The Byzantine or Eastern Roman Empire
Christianity is the state religion, 3rd century
A foreign occupying power
Sectarian conflicts with the locals
Byzantine
Empire
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Persian
Empire
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An Arabian
dynasty
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An Arabian
dynasty
Islam by the death of Mohammed 632
632-661: the Four Elected Successors (Caliphs)
Abu-Bakr - 632-634
• The first elected official. Wise leader, crisis manager
Omar Ibn Elkhattab - 634-644
• A first-rate statesman. Honest, modest and just.
• Conquered the Levant, Egypt, Iraq, Persia
Damascus (9 / 635) and Jerusalem (5 / 638) surrender peacefully
– Omar’s pledge to the Jerusalemites
• A modern state: Treasury, communication, defense. Engraved currency.
Othman bin Affan - 644-656
• Collected and compiled the Quran
• Emergence of power struggle
Ali Bin Abitalib - 656-661
• Power struggle escalated to armed conflict
• Emergence of political parties
• End of democracy. Ummayah Dynasty in Damascus, Muawyia (661-680)
Islam at 644, the year Omar died
The Ummayah Dynasty, 661-750
• Empire center and capital move to Damascus
• Expansion: All N. Africa (Atlantic), W. Europe, much of C. Asia, the wall of China
711: Conquer of Spain and Portugal. Tariq Bin Ziyad
• Expansion into W. Europe blocked in France by Charles Martial, 732
• Power Struggle continues, but the Caliphs brutally liquidate all rivals
Karbalaa in S. Iraq (10 Nov, 680) and the emerge of the Shiha
• Addelmalek builds Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem (691)
• Massive translation of Greek and Indian writings
• Arabization of the empire
• Bloom of architecture, arts, agriculture, and science
732, 100 Yrs after Mohammed
The Abbassides Dynasty, 750-1258
• The center of the Empire moves to Iraq and Iran
• Baghdad, built 762 AD by Almansur (2nd Caliph).
• With over 2 M, Baghdad becomes the glamorous center of the world
Science, art, architecture, learning, and wealth
Lighted streets, public baths, public libraries and hospitals everywhere
• Other dynasties in Egypt, Spain, and parts of the Levant.
• A 2nd Ummayah dynasty in Spain, 9th century
Qurtoba (Cordova) competes with Baghdad
• Cairo, built 968 AD
Islam as Monotheistic Religion
The 'Five Pillars' of Islam
The framework for Muslim life. Essential practices
1. The declaration of faith:
• "There is no deity but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God"
2. Prayer:
• Five obligatory prayers each day.
• A direct link between the worshiper and God.
• No hierarchical authority or priesthood
3. Zakat:
• Obligatory charitable giving.
• Wealth belong to God and it is held in trust by humans.
• Zakat, or, "purification" by setting aside a portion (2.5%) for the needy
4. Fasting:
• From sunrise to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan
5. Pilgrimage:
• A pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca, Arabia. Only those who can
Jihad and the Conduct of War
• Islam is not addicted to war, and jihad is not one of its "pillars”
• Jihad in Arabic does not mean "holy war”. It means "struggle” or “strive”.
• It is the difficult effort needed to put God's will into practice at every level
• The "greater jihad” in the Quran is that of the soul, of the tongue, of the pen, of
faith, of morality, etc. The "smaller jihad" is that of arms.
• Many directives in the authentic statements of Muhammad (Hadiths):
He told his companions as they go home after a battle "We are returning from
the lesser jihad [the battle] to the greater jihad, at home"
Three levels:
– Personal: That of the soul
– Verbal: Raising one's voice in the name of Allah on behalf of justice.
"The most excellent jihad is the speaking of truth in the face of a tyrant"
(Hadith)
– Physical: Combat waged in defense against oppression and transgression.
» Profoundly misunderstood in today's world.
Jihad and the Conduct of War
• Much of the Koran revealed in the context of an all-out war imposed on early
Muslims by the powerful city of Mecca, and many passages deal with the conduct
of armed struggle.
While one finds "slay [enemies] wherever you find them!" (e.g., 4: 89),
in almost every case it is followed by something like "if they let you be,
and do not make war on you, and offer you peace, God does not allow you
to harm them" (2:90; 4: 90; 5: 2; 8: 61; 22: 39)
Since good and evil cannot be equal, repel thou evil with something that is
better, and love he between whom and thy self was enmity may then become
as though he had always been close unto thee, a true friend" (41:34)
• God does not allow harm of civilian, and requests the protection of women,
children and the elderly during war (4:96; 9: 91; 48: 16,17)
“If any one slew a person--unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief
in the land--it would be as if he slew the whole people; and if anyone saved
a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.” (5:32)
• You shall feed and protect prisoners of war, and you shall not expect a
reward (4: 25,36; 5:24)
Thus, the only permissible war in the Quran is one of self-defense, you
cannot kill unarmed (civilian), and you have to protect prisoners of war
Jihad and the Conduct of War
• Warfare is always evil. Sometimes you have to fight to avoid persecution. e.g.,
the one Mecca inflicted on early Muslims (2: 191; 2: 217), or to preserve decent
values (4: 75; 22: 40)
• Muslims may not begin hostilities
"Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits;
for Allah loves not transgressors." (2: 190).
– Notice: Defensive war, fight back
• Hostilities must be brought to an end as quickly as possible, and must cease the
minute the enemy sues for peace (2:192-3; 41:34)
• ‘Martyrdom’: Those killed during fighting or while doing civic duties (martyrs) are
promised a place in heaven (several passages, e.g., 2:154; 3:169-172)
• However, suicide is not allowed; it is forbidden and condemned (e.g., 6:151,
17:33, 25:68)
• One of my favorite Hadiths
'Do not attack a temple, a church, a synagogue. Do not bring a tree
or a plant down. Do not harm a horse or a camel’
Relation with other Faiths
• Like the Torah, the Quran permits retaliation eye for eye, tooth for tooth.
But, like the Gospels, it says “it is meritorious to forgo revenge in a spirit of charity
(5: 45)
• Acknowledges Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses,
David, Solomon, Zacharia, Jesus, John the paptist, and others as the “the good
prophets of God”
• A special place for Jesus and Mary (e.g., 3:45,46; 4:156-158; 19:1-98)
• Accepts that Mary’s conception is from God’s soul.
• Rejects the divinity of Jesus (no trinity).
• Jesus was not killed (e.g., 4:155-159; 5:17-19)
Relation with other Faiths
• Islam did not impose itself by the sword.
"There must be no coercion in matters of faith" (2: 256)
• Muslims have to respect Jews and Christians, the "People of the Book,"
who worship the same God (e.g., 2:62; 29:46).
"And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except with means better,
unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong: but say, 'We believe in
the revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down
to you; Our Allah and your Allah is one; and it is to Him we bow.”
• In one of his last public sermons Muhammad said
“God tells all human beings, "O people! We have formed you into nations
and tribes so that you may know one another" (49: 13). Do not conquer,
convert, subjugate, revile or slaughter but to reach out toward others with
intelligence and understanding”
• The Levant remained mainly Christian for almost 200 Yrs.
No one was forced to convert to Islam
• The right of all faiths to warship was respected
• Sites of warship, holy places and shrines of all faiths were protected
Social Justice
• Charity, Charity, Charity ….
On top of the Zakat. Help the orphan, the poor, the ill, the lost, the homeless,
the elderly
Endless times in the Quran (16 times in Chapters 2-5 alone)
• Freedom, Integrity, Equality, Justice ….
“An hour of justice by a ruler is better than sixty days of hard work” (Hadith)
Endless request for justice in the Quran (e.g., 2: 282; 6; 152)
– “O mankind, We’ve created you from a male and a female and have made
you nations and tribes that you may know and interact with each other.
The noblest of you in the sight of God is the best in conduct” (49:13).
– No Arab is privileged over non-Arab but by his or her conduct (Hadith)
– All people are equal like the teeth of a comb (Hadith)
– “You are not considered faithful in the sight of God unless you like for
your brother (read, others) what you like for yourself” (Hadith)
– when you are greeted with a greeting of peace, answer with an even
better greeting, or at least the like thereof" (4: 86).
Other Values
Right and Status of Women
• Eliminated many pre-Islamic discriminatory practices
• Gave women rights (e.g., inheritance) and equality to men, both were made
from a single soul (e.g., 4:1)
• Limited the number of wives a man can marry
• Treat women with kindness and respect their rights as equal to men
The hijab or head scarf
• Modest dress apply to women and men equally (Quran and Hadith).
• Women are required to cover their bodies so that their figure is not revealed.
• Women are not required to cover their faces.
• The forbidden or ‘taboo’ (muharramat) include pork, blood, improperly butchered
animals, baby animals, gambling, and charging interest
• Alcohol drinking was gradually disallowed
Science and Civilization
• A dedicated quest for knowledge and a burst of scientific innovation
in a multi-ethnic and multi-faith society
• Lasted for over 8 centuries, and produced a plethora of knowledge and
discoveries in all disciplines
• Induced the later European renaissance
• The Arabic tong, invigorated by the Quran, was the vehicle, and tolerant,
inclusive, and knowledge-advocate Islamic faith was the culture
• Repeated requests in both the Quran and the Hadith for seeking
knowledge, and application of rational thinking
Seek knowledge even in China
Seek knowledge from crib to grave
On judgement day, the ink of scientists is valued by God higher
than the blood of martyrs
The two important disciplines of science are theology and Biology
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Initially, massive translation of Greek and Indian writings
preserved all literary and scientific works and transmitted them to Europe
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Medicine and Pharmacy
Chemistry and Physics
Mathmatics
Astronomy
Medicine and Pharmacy
• Institutionalized and regulated the practice of Medicine and Pharmacy
The modern concept of clinics
Board exams and license to practice. Regulatory boards (FDA's!!!)
Classification of plants and Algae for their medical use, and outlined
possible side effects (PDR’s!!)
Hospitals:
• Tens, including specialized, in each of Baghdad, Qurtoba, and Damascus.
• Mobile hospitals for emergency.
• Departments and University Hospitals.
• Patients records and vital signs, urine tests, family history.
Surgery:
• Threads from animals intestine.
• Opium and Hashish for Anesthesia.
• Alcohol as disinfectant.
• Treatment of cataract, and removal of kidney and gallbladder stones
Autopsy !!!
• Students training (Anatomy)
• Cause of death
Known Physicians
• Abu-bakr Elrazzy; 9th Century
• Father of Physicians, great clinician and experimentalist
• Many books including “Smallpox and Measles”
• Ibn-Elhaytham: 10th Century
• Multidisciplinary scientist. Ophthalmologist
• Mechanism of sight. Function of the eye
• Over 100 books in Med. and Math.
• Ibn-Seena (Avisai): 10th Century
• The “Qannun”, the medical text book in Europe till 19th Cen.
• Described the medical use of over 2700 plants
• Light has a finite speed, which is much faster than the speed of sound
• Ibn-Rushd (Aviros): 13th Century
• Philosopher and Physician. Many books
• Ibn-Elnafees:
• Blood circulation and the role of lungs
• Abulkassim Alzahrawi (Abulcasis or Albucasis): 11th Century
• One of the greatest surgeons. A good dentist and GP.
• Removal of breast cancer.
• Hemophilia and its hereditary transmission (female to male)
Chemistry and Physics
• Arabic terms and methods of preparation for Alkali, Alcohol, Tartarate
• Discovered and prepared in pure form 28 elements (Ibn Elhaytham)
• The processes of crystallization, fermentation, distillation, sublimation,
• Preparation of acids (H2SO4, HCl, HNO3) and bases (NaOH)
• Light travels in straight lines. Laws of refraction, reflection and illusion of light.
• Eluded to the Magnetic properties of some objects
Mathematics
• Arabic numeral and the decimal system of numbers.
Right Left. English. But 1000
• Arithmetic. Roots and powers
• Algorithm = Alkhawarismi
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The mathematical ZERO
Algebra (combining fractions).
The Use of (x, y, z) to solve complex arithmetic/geometric problems
Trigonometry (Albairuni and Albuzjani), differential and Integral.
p = 3.141596535898732.
Some known Mathematicians:
• Abu-bakr Alkhawarismi
• Thabit Ibn Qarra (9th Century). Calculus.
• Ibn-elhaytham
• Albairuni (10th Century)
• Albuzjani
• Omar Elkhayam (2° & 3° equations)
Astronomy
• Astrology (myth) Astronomy (science)
• Movement, path, and location of planets and stars
• The Asturlab
• Earth is spherical and rotates along its axis and around the sun.
• Calculated earth circumference (Albairuni)
• Calculated the time needed for one rotation around the sun (solar year), with
an error of 2’ 22” only (Albattani)
• Calculated the equinoxes
• Current names of most constellations, and many stars are from Arabic
Some known astronomists:
• Alkindy (9th Century)
• Albattani (9th Century)
• Ibn-elhaytham (11th Century)
• Thabit Ibn Qarra
• Almajreeti
Sunni and Shiha
Sunni
• 90% of Muslims
• Follow the Quran and the Hadeeth as we have them today,
and as interpreted by the Sunni scholars
Shiha
• Came to be as a sect after 680 A.D.
• Believe in the Quran and Hadeeth, like Sunni
• However, they place Ali very high as a holy figure, and think ‘main stream’
Islam discriminated against him
• Today Shiah is mainly in Iran (90%), Iraq (55%) and Lebanon (~40%)
Important Holidays
Al-adhaa (the sacrifice)
• Symbolizes Abraham attempt to sacrifice his son Ishmael by God’s request.
• Should sacrifice an animal and give the food to the poor.
• The pilgrimage to Mecca
Alfetr
• Observed at the end of the holy month of Ramadan (the fasting month)
The Islamic New Year
• Yr 1, Islamic calendar = 622 A.D.
Alisraa Walmaaraj
• Symbolizes the ascending, in Jerusalem, of Mohammed's soul to heaven
The Birthday of Muhammad
Ashuraa day (Shiha only)
Islam Today
• 1.3 Billion worldwide, three continents
0.3 Billion Arabs
Indonesia (200 M) > India (180 M) > Pakistan (160 M) > Bangladesh (120 M) >
China (80 M) > Egypt (70 M)
• There are about 20 M Christian Arabs
Egypt > Syria > Lebanon > Palestine > Iraq
• About 7 M Muslims in the USA, 3-4 M are Arabs
Roughly half of the Arab Americans are Christians
Arab Americans
• Farouq Elbaz (Egypt), NASA, the moon mission
• Ahmed H. Zewail (Egypt) Winner of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry,
Cal. Tech.
• Saleh Wakeel (Iraq), member of the Nat’l Acad. Sci., Biochemistry
• Qais Elawqati (Iraq), member of the Nat’l Acad. Sci., Microbiology
• Majdi Yacub, first open heart surgery
• Michael Debakee (Lebanon), chief cardiologist of the White House
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Ralph Nader (Lebanon), consumer advocate, Green Party founder,
and 2000 presidential candidate
John Sununu (Palestine), White House Ex-Chief of Staff
John Sununu JR., current state governor
• Donna E. Shalala (Lebanon), Ex secretary of HHS
• Helen Thomas, Ex dean of the White House press corps.
• Edward Attiyeh (Syria), Ex governor of OR
• Spencer Abraham (Lebanon), Secretary of Energy
• George Mitchell
Arab Americans
• Casey Kasem and Don Bustany (Lebanon) creators of radio's American
Top 40
• Mustapha Elaqqad (Syria), Hollywood movie director
(director of the ‘Halloween’ series)
• Tom Shadyac (Lebanon), Hollywood movie director
• Salma Hayic (Lebanon), a Hollywood star
• Yasser Seirawan (Syria), US Chess Champion
• Jacques Nasser, president and CEO of Ford Motor Co
• Ray Irani CEO of Occidental Petroleum (Exxon Mobil) Co
• The Hyatt, Hagar, and Farah enterprises
• Christina McAuliffe, an astronaut who died aboard the space shuttle
Challenger
• Candy Lightner, founder of MADD
Suggested Reading
• “History of the Arabs”, Philip Hitti
• “The Arab People”, Albert Hourany
• “Islam, An Empire of Faith”, PBS Video, 2001
• “Islam: A Short History”, Karen Armstrong, 2000
• “Muhammad”, Karen Armstrong, 1998
• “Jihad: A Commitment to Universal Peace”, Marcel A. Boisard, American Trust
Publications, 1988
• “The Oxford History of Islam”, John L Esposito, ed. 1999
• “Islam: The Straight Path”, John L Esposito, ed. 1998
• “The Meaning of the Holy Quran”, Abdullah Yusif, Ali, 1997
• “Lives of the Prophets”, Leila Azzam, 1995
• “From Difference to Equas”, George Kindy, and Philip Saliba, eds., NYAS, 1994
• Science in Medieval Islam, Howard R Turner, 1997
• Arab American Encyclopedia, Anan Ameri, and Dawn Ramey, eds., 2000
The Holy Quran
114 suras, arranged from longest to shortest
Most suras are collections of Mohammed’s
teachings with no overall theme
Suras are labeled by distinctive or unusual words
found in each
No historical chapters
Considered the definitive form of Arabic
Strictly speaking, cannot be translated, only
paraphrased
Abraham
Ismail
Adnan
Quraiysh
Qussaiy
Abdmanaf
Abdshams
Hashem
Adbelmuttalib
(Amneh+) Abdallah Abutalib Hamzeh Alabbas
Muhammad
Ummayah Dynasty
(661-750)
Abulahab Alhareth
Ali
Abbbassides Dynasty
(750-1258)
Islam
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Founder: Muhammad Ibn (son of) Adballah
Born: 571 AD in Mecca, Arabia
Descendant of Abraham
Nicknames: Almustapha (the chosen), Alamin (the faithful)
Titles: The prophet, the messenger (Alrasul)
Tribe: Quraiysh
Holy Book: The Quran, derived from ‘read’