1 Islam: Myths and Reality
2 The religion is called ISLAM. The people are MUSLIMS.Terminology: The religion is called ISLAM. The people are MUSLIMS. 2
3 Myth #1: Most Muslims are Arabs who live in the Middle East.3
4 Of more than 1 billion Muslims worldwide, only about 1/5 are Arabs.Reality: Of more than 1 billion Muslims worldwide, only about 1/5 are Arabs. 4
5 Which country has more Muslims than any other country in the world?Try to Guess: Which country has more Muslims than any other country in the world? 5
6 Answer: Indonesia - with over 200 million Muslims.Note: The U.S. has about 5 million Muslims. 6
7 7
8 Myth #2: Muslims have a strange religion and worship a god called Allah.8
9 Reality: Muslims are monotheistic and worship the same one God as Christians and Jews. 9
10 ‘Allah’ is the Arabic word for ‘God.’Note: ‘Allah’ is the Arabic word for ‘God.’ 10
11 Muslims believe it is o.k. to kill civilians in a holy war (“jihad”).Myth #3: Muslims believe it is o.k. to kill civilians in a holy war (“jihad”). 11
12 Reality: Only Muslim extremists believe this. (Just like most Christians do NOT believe in bombing abortion clinics.) 12
13 Myth #4: Most Muslim women wear veils over their faces and are treated very badly. 13
14 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. 14
15 Pakistani dress (left); Saudi Arabian (right)Shariah TV website 15
16 Iranian woman Green Cine.com 16
17 Somali (left); West African (right)Shariah TV website 17
18 Malaysian (left); Indian/ Bangladeshi (right)Shariah TV website 18
19 Afghani women wearing burqasInternational Medical Corps photo 19
20 Muslim girls in Texas protesting discrimination for wearing head scarves 20
21 Something to think about:Should women in a Western country be allowed to wear a headscarf if they choose? 21
22 Main Beliefs of Islam 5 Pillars of Islam 22
23 Belief in one God and that Muhammad is His prophet.Faith: Belief in one God and that Muhammad is His prophet. 23
24 5 times a day – facing MeccaPrayer: 5 times a day – facing Mecca 24
25 Giving money to the poor is REQUIRED, not optionalAlms Giving money to the poor is REQUIRED, not optional 25
26 Fasting During the month of Ramadan, Muslims cannot eat or drink anything during the daylight hours. 26
27 Pilgrimage Once in their lives – IF they can afford it, Muslims make a pilgrimage to Mecca 27
28 In Mecca during the pilgrimage 28
29 MOSQUE: a Muslim place of worshipVocabulary: MOSQUE: a Muslim place of worship 29
30 Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia 30
31 Mohammed Ali mosque, Cairo, Egypt 31
32 Inside the Mohammed Ali Mosque 32
33 Dome of the Mohammed Ali mosque 33
34 Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque), Istanbul Turkey 34
35 Interior of the Blue Mosque 35
36 Dome of a mosque, Esfahan, Iran 36
37 Interior of a mosque in Iran 37
38 Mosque in Djenne, Mali (West Africa) 38
39 North African mosque tunis.htm
40 Indonesian mosque 40
41 Islamic architecture in Spain 41
42 Muslim mosque and tombstone in Sarajevo, BosniaYugoslavia: Republics and Provinces 42
43 Mosque in Tempe, Arizona 43
44 QURAN (or KORAN): Muslim holy bookVocabulary: QURAN (or KORAN): Muslim holy book 44
45 The Quran 45
46 Muslim influences on secular art 46
47 Muslim profession of faith in the Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, Turkey 47
48 Arabic calligraphy in secular art palace/arabic.html 49
49 Stained glass windows in the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Turkey 48
50 Conclusions: Islam is an important religion, which shares many beliefs and practices with Christianity and Judaism. Muslims live in many different countries. Islam is especially widespread in Africa, Asia, and southeastern Europe (the Balkans). Islam has had a great impact on world art and culture. 50