The Emergence of Islam and Its Pillars

The Emergence of Islam

• Islam is a theological system originating from the writings of Muhammad, an Arab religious, social, and political leader. It combines elements of Arab paganism, Zoroastrianism, and Judeo-Christian beliefs.
• Muhammad, the last prophet, received divine revelations from Allah (God) around 613 CE. These revelations are recorded in the Quran, Islam's central religious text.
• Followers of Islam, called Muslims, are monotheistic and believe in converting non-believers.
• The ummah, a community of believers, is a central tenet of Islam.
• Muslims follow religious laws, including the Five Pillars.

Five Pillars of Islam

• Shahadah: Belief in one God (Allah) and Muhammad as his messenger.
• Salah: Praying five times daily.
• Zakat: Giving charity to the poor (2.5% of income).
• Hajj: Making a pilgrimage to Mecca.
• Fasting: Abstaining from food and drink from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan.

Islam in the Arabian Peninsula

• Muhammad began preaching in 613 CE, emphasizing submission to Allah.
• He faced opposition in Mecca and later moved to Medina, where he rallied support and converted tribes.
• By 629 CE, Muhammad captured Mecca.
• By 631 CE, nearly all the Arabian Peninsula had converted to Islam and formed the Rashidun Caliphate.
• The Kaaba, a religious building in Mecca, became central to Islamic pilgrimage (Hajj).

The Rashidun Caliphate

• Following Muhammad's death, the Rashidun Caliphate (632-661 CE) ruled, overseeing expansion into the Levant, the Caucasus region, eastern Anatolia, parts of Central Asia, South Asia, and North Africa.
• The Rashidun Caliphate established precedence in how non-Muslim monotheists (Zoroastrians, Jews, and Christians) were treated (known as dhimmis), granting them protection but subject to secondary-class citizenship and limitations.
• One of the economic policies was the Jizya tax which could be avoided through conversion to Islam.