Introduction to Islam | World History | Khan Academy

Summary

The video script delves into the core tenets of Islam, highlighting its meaning as 'surrender to God's will'. It underscores the Quran as the central text believed to contain God's words through Prophet Muhammad. The script clarifies misconceptions, emphasizing Muhammad's human status and the reverence for Abraham, Moses, and Jesus in Islam. It outlines the Five Pillars of Islam—faith, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage—and contrasts Islamic beliefs with Christianity, particularly regarding Jesus. The script promises further exploration of Islam's origins and global spread.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Islam translates to 'surrender', referring to the surrender to the will of God.
• 🕌 A Muslim is an individual who submits to God's will and practices Islam.
• 📜 The Quran is the central text in Islam, believed to be the word of God as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.
• 🚫 Muslims do not view Muhammad as divine but as a messenger of God, and they avoid creating images of him to prevent idolatry.
• 📚 Muslims believe in a tradition that includes figures like Moses and Jesus, who also submitted to God's will, and are mentioned frequently in the Quran.
• 📖 The Torah, Psalms, and the Gospel are considered by Muslims to be earlier revealed texts from God through various prophets.
• 📝 Sunnah and Hadith are significant parts of Islamic tradition, detailing the practices and sayings of Muhammad, with Hadith being second-hand accounts.
• 🕋 The Kaaba in Mecca, believed to be built by Abraham and Ishmael, is the direction Muslims face during their five daily prayers.
• 🕉 The Quran acknowledges the continuity of the Islamic faith with that of earlier prophets, including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.
• 🕌 The five pillars of Islam include Shahadah (faith), Salah (prayer), Zakat (charity), Sawm (fasting during Ramadan), and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).

Q & A

What is the meaning of the word 'Islam' in English?

The word 'Islam' can best be translated into English as meaning 'surrender,' referring to a surrender to the will of God.

Who is considered a Muslim?

A Muslim is someone who practices Islam, one who submits to the will of God.

What is the central text in Islam?

The central text in Islam is the Quran, which Muslims believe is the revealed knowledge or the revealed words of God through the messenger Muhammad.

Why are Muslims sensitive to the term 'Muhammadism'?

Muslims are sensitive to the term 'Muhammadism' because they do not view Muhammad as a divine figure, but as a human messenger who revealed God's words through the Quran.

What is the significance of the Kaaba in Islam?

The Kaaba is viewed as the house of God in Mecca and is believed to have been built by Abraham and Ishmael. It is the direction all Muslims pray towards during their ritual five times a day prayer.

How do Muslims view other significant Judeo-Christian figures like Moses and Jesus?

Muslims view Moses and Jesus as significant prophets who have submitted to the will of God, and they are frequently mentioned in the Quran.

What are the other revealed texts in Islam besides the Quran?

Muslims believe that the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament), Psalms, and the Gospel are also revealed texts from God, through the prophets Moses, David, and Jesus respectively.

What are Sunnah and Hadith in the context of Islamic tradition?

Sunnah refers to the practices, life, and sayings of Muhammad, many of which are accounted for in the Hadith. Hadith are second-hand accounts of people who lived during Muhammad's time, and there is debate within the Muslim community about which Hadiths are more trustworthy.

What are the five pillars of Islam?

The five pillars of Islam are: 1) Shahadah (faith), 2) Salat (prayer), 3) Zakat (charity), 4) Sawm (fasting during Ramadan), and 5) Hajj (pilgrimage to the Kaaba).

What is the significance of Abraham in Islam?

Abraham plays a central role in Islam, being seen as a friend of God and a model of submission to His will. The Kaaba, which is central to Islamic prayer, is believed to have been built by Abraham and his son Ishmael.

How do Muslims view the life of Jesus compared to Christians?

Muslims view Jesus as a significant prophet but do not believe in his crucifixion, resurrection, or divinity as Christians do. They believe Jesus was a prophet before Muhammad, who received the Gospel as a message from God.

Outlines

00:00

🕌 Understanding Islam: Surrender to God's Will

The paragraph introduces the term 'Islam,' which translates to 'surrender' in English, signifying a surrender to the will of God. A Muslim is defined as someone who practices Islam, submitting to God's will. The central text of Islam is the Quran, believed to be the direct revelation from God through the prophet Muhammad. The paragraph clarifies that Muslims do not view Muhammad as divine, but as a human messenger. It also explains the Muslim perspective on other religious figures like Moses and Jesus, who are seen as part of the same tradition of submission to God's will, with the Quran frequently mentioning them as significant prophets. The concept of Sunnah and Hadith is introduced, with Sunnah referring to the practices and sayings of Muhammad, and Hadith being second-hand accounts of his life. The Quran is highlighted as the ultimate source of divine guidance in Islam.

05:01

📿 Core Practices of Islam: The Five Pillars

This paragraph delves into the five pillars of Islam, which are fundamental to a practicing Muslim's life. The first pillar, Shahadah, is the declaration of faith, stating 'There is no God but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God.' This declaration is required for conversion and is a cornerstone of Islamic belief. The second pillar is prayer, with Muslims praying five times a day facing the Kaaba in Mecca, a practice that mirrors Zoroastrian rituals. The third pillar, Zakat, involves giving 2.5% of one's wealth to charity, emphasizing the importance of social responsibility. The fourth pillar is fasting during Ramadan, a lunar month where Muslims abstain from food and water from dawn to dusk. The final pillar is the pilgrimage to the Kaaba, known as Hajj, which takes place during the 12th month of the Islamic calendar. The paragraph also mentions the two major Islamic holidays, Eid-al-Fitr marking the end of Ramadan and Eid-al-Adha, which commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God.

Keywords

💡Islam

Islam is a monotheistic faith that translates to 'surrender' in English, signifying a surrender to the will of God. It is the second-largest religion globally, with followers known as Muslims. The video script emphasizes that Islam is not to be confused with 'Muhammadism,' as Muslims view Muhammad as a messenger, not a divine figure. The central text of Islam is the Quran, which Muslims believe to be the word of God as revealed to Muhammad.

💡Muslim

A Muslim is an adherent of Islam, someone who submits to the will of God. The term is used in the script to describe individuals who practice the religion and follow the teachings of the Quran. Muslims are sensitive about the depiction of Muhammad and do not view him as divine, aligning with the video's theme of understanding the correct perspective on Islamic beliefs.

💡Quran

The Quran is the holy book of Islam, considered by Muslims to be the revealed word of God as communicated through the prophet Muhammad. It is the central religious text and a source of guidance for Muslims. The script mentions that the Quran is not the only text Muslims revere, but it holds a unique status as the direct word of God.

💡Muhammad

Muhammad is recognized in Islam as the final prophet and messenger of God, through whom the Quran was revealed. The video script clarifies that while Muslims revere Muhammad's life and teachings, they do not view him as divine, distinguishing him from figures like Jesus in Christianity. His role is central to understanding the Islamic faith.

💡Sunnah

Sunnah refers to the practices, sayings, and life of Muhammad, which serve as a model for Muslims to follow. The script mentions that Sunnah is a significant part of the Muslim tradition, alongside the Quran. It is considered a secondary source of guidance after the Quran.

💡Hadith

Hadith are the second-hand accounts of the sayings and actions of Muhammad and his companions. They are an important source of Islamic jurisprudence and tradition, as detailed in the script. The authenticity of different Hadiths is a subject of debate within the Muslim community, reflecting the video's theme of the diversity of interpretations within Islam.

💡Five Pillars of Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam are the core acts of worship and the foundation of a Muslim's faith and practice. They include Shahadah (faith), Salat (prayer), Zakat (charity), Sawm (fasting), and Hajj (pilgrimage). The script outlines these pillars, emphasizing their centrality to the Islamic faith and practice.

💡Shahadah

Shahadah is the declaration of faith in Islam, stating 'There is no God but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.' It is the first of the Five Pillars and is required for conversion to Islam. The script uses Shahadah to illustrate the fundamental belief of Muslims in the oneness of God and the prophethood of Muhammad.

💡Salat

Salat, or prayer, is the second pillar of Islam and involves Muslims praying five times a day facing the Kaaba in Mecca. The script highlights Salat as a key practice that demonstrates a Muslim's submission to God's will, aligning with the theme of surrender central to Islam.

💡Zakat

Zakat is the practice of charitable giving in Islam, typically involving giving 2.5% of one's wealth to those in need. It is one of the Five Pillars and is mentioned in the script as a way for Muslims to purify their wealth and help the less fortunate, reflecting the theme of community and social responsibility in Islam.

💡Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar during which Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. The script describes Ramadan as a time of increased devotion and self-discipline, culminating in Eid-al-Fitr, a major Islamic holiday marking the end of the fasting period.

Highlights

Islam translates to 'surrender', referring to a surrender to the will of God.

A Muslim is someone who submits to the will of God as per the Islamic faith.

The Quran is the central text in Islam, believed to be the revealed words of God through the messenger Muhammad.

Muslims view Muhammad as a human messenger, not a divine figure, and avoid creating images of him to prevent idolatry.

Muslims follow in the tradition of Judeo-Christian figures like Moses and Jesus, who are also considered to have submitted to God's will.

The Torah and Psalms are also considered revealed texts from God through Moses and King David, respectively.

The Gospel is seen as a revealed message through Jesus in the Islamic tradition.

Sunnah and Hadith are significant parts of Muslim tradition, detailing the practices, life, and sayings of Muhammad.

The Quran is central to all Muslim sects, viewed as the actual word of God.

Quranic quotes emphasize the continuity of Islamic tradition with that of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.

Muslims believe the Kaaba, located in Mecca, was built by Abraham and Ishmael.

The direction of all Muslim prayers is towards Mecca, known as the city of Abraham.

Muslims do not believe in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, viewing him as a prophet but not divine.

The five pillars of Islam include faith (Shahada), prayer, charity (Zakat), fasting during Ramadan, and pilgrimage to the Kaaba.

Converting to Islam involves stating the Shahadah in the presence of witnesses.

Muslims pray five times a day, facing the Kaaba, and perform ritual washing before each prayer.

Zakat involves giving 2.5% of one's wealth to charity.

Ramadan is a month of fasting from dawn to dusk, ending with the Eid-al-Fitr festival.

The pilgrimage to the Kaaba and the Eid-al-Adha festival commemorate Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son.

Transcripts

- [Voiceover] The world Islam can best be

translated into English as meaning surrender,

and the context of the Islamic faith

is referring to a surrender to the will of God.

Now, a Muslim is someone who practices Islam,

one who submits to the will of God,

and the central text in Islam is the Quran,

which Muslims believe is the revealed knowledge

or the revealed words of God through the messenger Muhammad.

Now, it's very important,

sometimes, especially in older texts, older western texts,

you might see Islam referred to as Muhammadism

the same way that Christianity refers to Christ.

Now, Muslims are very sensitive to this,

because they don't view Muhammad as a divine figure

the way that Christians view Christ.

They view Muhammad as a human,

a human whose practices and whose life they view,

they revere, but they don't view him as a divine figure.

They view him as the messenger

who revealed God's words through the Quran,

and they take this so seriously in most Muslim traditions,

they don't create images of Muhammad

for fear that people would start to

worship it as some type of an idol.

Now, on this timeline,

you see other significant Judeo-Christian figures,

and that's because according to Muslims,

they are following in the same tradition of these figures.

They view these other figures as people

who have submitted to the will of God,

and Moses and Jesus in particular

are the most frequently mentioned prophets in the Quran.

Now, Muslims also believe that the Quran

isn't the first book that God had revealed to mankind.

They also believe that the Torah,

which is the first five books of the Hebrew bible,

and also the first five books of

the Christian Old Testament,

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy,

they believe that to be a revealed text from God

through the prophet Moses.

They also believe that Psalms is a revealed text from God

through King David, so through the prophet David,

who lived around 1000 BCE,

and they think that the Gospel

is a revealed message through Jesus.

Now, above and beyond these revealed texts,

another significant part of the Muslim tradition or faith

are the notions of Sunnah and Hadith,

and Sunnah are the practices and life

and sayings of Muhammad,

and many of them are accounted for in the Hadith.

Hadith are second hand accounts of other people

who lived at the time of Muhammad,

although many of them were written decades

or sometimes hundreds of years later,

and so it is a debate in the Muslim community

on which Hadiths are considered

more trustworthy than others.

The one commonality, regardless of sect,

is a centrality of the Quran

and viewing that as the actual word of God.

To see this a little bit more concretely

in terms of how much Muslims view themselves

as the same tradition that we see

from the Old and New Testament,

here are some Quranic quotes,

and the first one essentially speaks to

this core idea of being in that same tradition.

"He has ordained for you of religion

"what He enjoined upon Noah

"and that which we have revealed to you, O Muhammad,

"and what we enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus,

"to establish the religion and not be divided therein."

And this is speaking to the importance of Abraham.

"And who is better in religion than

"one who submits himself to God while being a doer of good

"and follows the religion of Abraham,

"inclining toward truth?

"And God took Abraham as a friend."

And Abraham in particular plays a very central role.

The Kaaba, which Muslims view as the house of God,

based in Mecca, right over here,

is viewed as being built by Abraham and Ishmael,

and so Medina, which is where in future videos

we'll talk more about,

where the early Muslims sought exile to escape persecution,

that's often viewed as the city of Muhammad,

but Mecca, which is the direction

that all Muslims pray in during

their ritual five times a day prayer,

which we'll talk about in a little bit,

that's often referred to as the city of Abraham.

And now here is reference to Moses.

"And before it was the scripture of Moses

"to lead and as a mercy.

"And this is a confirming book in an Arabic tongue, so this"

this being the Quran.

This is a quote from the Quran.

"And this is a confirming book in an Arabic tongue

"to warn those who have wronged

"and as good tidings to the doers of good."

So once again, a very clear message,

in at least the Islamic tradition,

that this is the same faith or tradition as that of Moses.

And now here's reference to Jesus.

"Then we caused our messengers to follow in their footsteps

"and we caused Jesus, son of Mary,

"to follow and gave him the Gospel

"and placed compassion and mercy

"in the hearts of those who followed him."

The key difference between Muslims and Christians

in terms of the life of Jesus,

is that Muslims do not believe

in the crucifixion and the resurrection,

and they do not believe that

Jesus was God or the son of God.

They believe him to be a very significant prophet,

the prophet before Muhammad came to reveal to the Quran.

Now, for a practicing Muslim,

there are often considered to be five pillars,

and this is especially the case

for the majority of Muslims, for Sunni Muslims.

Shia Muslims have a slightly different

combination of pillars, but there's a lot of commonality.

So the five pillars, the first is this notion of faith,

which is referred to Shahadah.

Shadahah can also be interpreted as testifying or testimony,

and it's this notion that a Muslim needs to believe and say

that there is no God but God.

Muhammad is God's messenger.

And in fact, to convert to Islam,

you need to say this, and you have to say it

in the presence of at least two witnesses,

and that's all that's necessary in order to convert.

Now, the other key element of Islam,

the second you could say of the five pillars,

is this notion of prayer.

So Muslims pray five times a day

at dawn, noon, in the afternoon, evening, and night,

and they face in the direction of the Kaaba,

which is based in Mecca, which once again,

they believe that Abraham constructed with his son Ishmael,

who they believe that the Arab people are descendant from.

Now, what's interesting about this,

this has a lot of parallels with

the five times a day prayer of the Zoroastrians,

including the ritual washing of your body

before each prayer.

Now, the third pillar is charity, and it's called Zakat,

and this is customarily two and half percent of wealth.

Now, two and half percent might not sound like a lot,

but this isn't of income, this is of wealth.

The fourth pillar is the notion of fasting dawn to dusk

during the ninth month of the Islamic calender,

and that month is Ramadan,

and it's fasting without food or water,

once again, from dawk to dusk,

and the Islamic calender is a lunar calender,

and the notion of a month,

in fact in English, it comes from the word moon,

because it's referring to a full cycle of the moon.

Now, the end of this month ends with the Eid-al-Fitr,

which is the Festival of Breaking the Fast,

which is considered one of the two major holidays in Islam.

Now, the fifth pillar of Islam is

the notion of pilgrimage to the Kaaba during the 12th month,

and it's during a certain period in that 12th month,

and then also in that 12th month,

you have the second major holiday in Islam,

and that's Eid-al-Adha, the Festival of the Sacrifice,

and that once again is making reference to Abraham

and his willingness to sacrifice his son

before God stops him.

So this is the general idea of Islam.

In other videos, we're going to go into much more detail

in terms of how it started,

the life of the Muslim prophet Muhammad in Mecca and Medina,

and then how it spread through the world

shortly after or even during the life of Muhammad

in the sixth and seventh centuries of the common era.