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Islam

Islam. Understanding the Middle East. A story from Raed Al-Zubi. Know Your Customers. A disappointed salesman of a cola company returned from his Middle East assignment. A friend asked, "Why weren't you successful with the Arabs?" . Know Your Customers. The salesman explained:

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Islam

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  1. Islam

  2. Understanding the Middle East A story from Raed Al-Zubi

  3. Know Your Customers A disappointed salesman of a cola company returned from his Middle East assignment. A friend asked, "Why weren't you successful with the Arabs?"

  4. Know Your Customers The salesman explained: When I got posted in the Middle East, I was very confident that I would make a good sales pitch as cola is virtually unknown there. But, I had a problem. I didn't speak Arabic. So, I planned to convey the message through three posters . . .

  5. Know Your Customers 1 2 3 A man lying in the hot desert sand...totally exhausted and fainting. The man is drinking our cola. Our man is now totally refreshed.

  6. Know Your Customers And then these posters were pasted all over the place. "Then that should have worked!" said the friend. "It should have!" said the salesman.

  7. Know Your Customers 3 2 1 "But I didn't realize that Arabs read from right to left."

  8. Islam

  9. Civilizations that succeeded the Roman Empire Byzantium • Western Europe Islam • Retained titles, government, and culture of Rome • Became the most vigorous successor • Based on religion and culture • Least cultured and progressive • Needed Renaissance (800 years later) to recapture Roman culture

  10. Islam

  11. Mohammed • Lived in Mecca • Got along well with people • Story of the replacement • of the Ka'ba stone • Worked as a merchant and took trade caravans throughout the Middle East • Married his boss, a widow named Khadijah

  12. Mohammed Religious/contemplative young man who was confused about religion and went into the mountains to pray.

  13. Mohammed’s Vision

  14. Islamic Beliefs • The Qur’an • Exact words of God in Arabic (as recited to Mohammed by the Angel Gabriel) • Means "reading" or "recitation“ • No plot or story • It is a collection of revelations arranged in 114 sections (surahs). • Discusses doctrine, social behavior, afterlife.

  15. Qur’an

  16. Mohammed History • Began to preach what the angel told him. • Worship only one god and give up idols. • Other religions had departed from the truth. • Converted his wife and a few others.

  17. Mohammed History Most people in Mecca were strongly opposed. These people threatened to kill Mohammed He was protected by his uncle – the head of the tribe Eventually he was forced to flee

  18. Higera

  19. Mohammed History • The Higera • First year of Muslim calendar • Yathrib renamed Medina (city of the Prophet) • First Muslim community • First mosque still exists • Followers became members of a "tribe of believers” • Islam = the religion • Muslim = a person who practices Islam

  20. Prayer and Return to Mecca

  21. Mohammed’s Teachings • Taught a new way of praying • Open hands before the face • Taught a dietary law that included prohibition of alcohol and pork • Taught modesty in dress • Medieval tribal customs have taken this to extremes in some cultures

  22. Mohammed’s Teachings • People of Mecca assembled to attack Mohammed's followers • Mohammed attacked Mecca

  23. Victory in Mecca

  24. Islamic Beliefs Five Pillars 1 2 3 4 5 • Belief in Allah and Mohammed as his prophet • Pray 5 times daily • Pay alms of 2.5% of income • Fast during month of Ramadan • Haj or pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime

  25. Death of Mohammed

  26. Succession • The choice of successor: • A relative • or • From among the elders • The four good Caliphs • Abu Bakr—Best friend elected by Mohammad’s followers (but disputed by Shi'ites) • Umar—great military leader • Uthman—elected • Ali—Mohammad’s cousin/son-in-law (assassinated) 3

  27. Succession Sunnis and the Shi’ites 3 • Discussion • Compare Sunnis and Shi’ites to Protestants and Catholics.

  28. Moslem Advance 3

  29. Islamic Beliefs Jihad • Definition: Suffering or struggle • Personal Repentance or striving for righteousness • Defense of the faith People must unite Must not kill innocents Must not be suicide 3 "Jihad in the path of Allah" and "Allahu Akbar"

  30. Islamic Beliefs Interactions with Christians and Jews • People of the book • Believe in the same God • Christ is “word of God” • He will come again • He did not die and was not resurrected • All prophets (including Christ) treated with respect • Muslims believe there was a restoration through Mohammed • Others accept Mohammed 3

  31. Islamic Beliefs • Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave . . . verily the men of knowledge are the inheritors of the prophets. • —Mohammed (from the Hadith) 3

  32. Islamic Beliefs • Rituals • Washing before prayer • Prayer is simple (5-10 minutes) • Prayer recites the glories of God • Friday noon prayer done at Mosque • Men kneel • Women stand behind • The leader must say a talk • Dress and modest 3

  33. Islamic Beliefs • Umayyad Dynasty • Damascus • Against Byzantines • Spain (conquest and then exile) • Caliphate (but not related to Mohammed) • Sunni 3

  34. Islamic Dynasties • Abbasid Dynasty • Bagdad • Caliphate (related to Mohammed) • Little interest in conquest • Signed agreement with Byzantine emperor • High cultural point for Islam • Sunni (initially supported by Shi’ite) 3

  35. Islamic Dynasties • Fatimids • Cairo • 900 AD • Shi’ite • Seljuk Turks • Cut off access to Jerusalem • 1100 AD • Defeated by the crusaders 3

  36. Islamic Dynasties • Kurdish Dynasty • Saladin • Conquered Crusaders • Defeated by Mongols 3

  37. Islamic Dynasties Ottoman dynasty • Turkey • 1300 AD • Conquered Constantinople in 1453 AD 3

  38. Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam Come, fill the Cup and in the Fire of Spring The Winter Garment of Repentance fling: The Bird of Time has but a little way To fly—and Lo! The Bird is on the Wing. Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse—and Thou Beside me singing in the Wilderness— And Wilderness is Paradise now.

  39. Islamic Architecture Dome of the Rock

  40. Dome of the Rock

  41. Islamic Architecture • The Alhambra (Granada, Spain)

  42. The Alhambra

  43. Islamic and LDS • First Presidency: Mohammad had portion of the truth • Raised the level of spirituality of Arabs • Was his doctrine changed? • Qur’an • Hadith • Did he have all doctrine? • People not willing to accept full gospel? • School teacher to the eventual full gospel?

  44. Islam Discussion • With such a rich heritage, why aren't Muslims playing major role in culture today? • Case 1: They are but we are not aware of it. • Case 2: Muslims have different values. • Case 3: Domination by Turks and others. • Case 4: Muslims missed Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution.

  45. Thank You SeekUnderstanding

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