The Kite Runner
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Transcript The Kite Runner
The Kite Runner
Background Information:
Geography, Ethnicity, Religion
Afghanistan: Where is it?
Basic Afghanistan Timeline
• 300s Afghanistan is a trading center along the Silk Roads that connect
China in the East with the Mediterranean in the West
• 500s The giant Bamiyan Buddha statues were built, later to be destroyed
by the Taliban
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6Uv5LJ0Gb4
• 700s Afghanistan is conquered by Muslims from Arabia
• 1300s Afghanistan is conquered and made a part of Genghis Khan’s
Mongol Empire
• 1700s Afghanistan begins to form as an independent nation, after freeing
itself from rule by Persia
• 1800s Afghans win several wars against Russians and British trying to
imperialize the area
• 1960s Afghanistan influenced by USSR during the Cold War
Communists overthrow the King
• 1979 Soviet Union invades to keep Communists in power
• 1980s Mujahedeen (Islamic militants) fight off Soviet power with the help
of the USA
• 1990s Taliban (extreme Islamic militants) take over Afghanistan’s
government and horribly oppress the people
• 2001 USA invades to kick out the Taliban – we feared they were helping
Bin Laden to hide
• …instability still exists today
The Five Pillars of Islam
1. The Shahada
The
declaration of faith:
There is no god except God,
and Muhammad is His
Messenger.
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2. The Salat
Prayers performed 5 times a day:
* dawn
* noon
* late afternoon
* sunset
* before going to bed
Wash before praying.
Face Mecca and use a prayer rug.
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2. The Salat (continued)
The call to prayer by the
muezzin in the minaret.
Pray in the mosque on Friday.
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3. The Zakat
Almsgiving (charitable
donations).
About 2.5% of your wealth.
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4. The Sawm
Fasting during the holy month
of Ramadan.
No eating or drinking from
sunrise to sunset during
Ramadan.
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5. The Hajj
The pilgrimage to Mecca.
Must be done at least once in a
Muslim’s lifetime.
2-3 million Muslims make the
pilgrimage every
year.
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Pilgrims On
The Road to
And Camped
Outside of Mecca
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