Islam

Of all the world's great religions, Islam is the youngest, emerging on the world scene in 622 CE with the Hegira (migration) of the Prophet Muhammad, its founder, and his small band of followers, from Mecca to Medina in northwest Arabia. 150 years later the Muslim theocracy (government where deity is seen as the ultimate authority) had become the Islamic Empire. The empire encircled the Mediterranean Sea from Syria and the Tigris and Euphrates Valley east to southern China and western India, south through Egypt and across North Africa, and north through Spain to the Pyrenees Mountains. With the founding of the city of Baghdad and the establishment of the Abbasid Caliphate (Muslim religious/political leaders, successors of the Prophet) in the mid-8th century, Islam's golden age began to emerge. For 400 years, from the mid-9th century until the sack of Baghdad by the Mongols in 1256, Arabic culture was unparalleled in its splendor and learning.

Background Information on Islam Lesson 1 - The Roots of Islam Lesson 2 - Islamic Beliefs and Practices Lesson 3 - Islamic Empires Lesson 4 - Islamic Cultural Achievements

Lesson Plan for Monday, November 23, 2009
November 3, 2009 Assignment 1 - The Roots of Islam November 5, 2009 Assignment 2 - The Prophet Muhammad November 5, 2009 Quiz on Muslims terms November 9, 2009 Assignment 3 - Islamic Beliefs and Practices November 10, 2009 Assignment 4 - Teachings of Islam November 12, 2009 Assignment 5 - Islamic Empires November 12, 2009 Quiz on Muslims teachings and practices November 16, 2009 Present Dialogues November 16, 2009 Assignment 6 - Muslims around the world today

November 23, 2009 Assignment 7 - Islamic Cultural Achievements November 24, 2009 Assignment 8 - Muslim Contributions November 26, 2009  Mobile of Islam December 2, 2009 Review; First three caliphs, Sunni/Shi'a, and Umayyad/Abbasid (Quiz canceled) 