Religious History of the Middle East

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Religious History of the Middle East

• Ingrid Gero
• 7th Grade world Studies

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Monotheism

• Three major religions were born in the Middle
  East.
• Judaism
• Christianity
• Islam
• These religions are all monotheistic- the believe
  in one G-d.
• This G-d is the same in all 3 religions
• What differs is their approach

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Abraham

• The first prophet- someone to directly hear the
  word of G-d.
• Was told to smash all the idols in his fathers
  shop and teach monotheism
• Originated in Sumer-modern day Iraq
• Was told by G-d to go to Canaan-modern day Israel
• Land is promised to his descendants as long as
  they believe

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Early History

• Much of Judaisms earliest history is chronicled
  in the Torah (Old Testament).
• Torah is the five books of Moses. Chronicles
  history from the beginning of the earth until the
  death of Moses.
• Jews were enslaved in Egypt, freed by Moses, and
  then return to the land around 1250 BCE.
• The Jews established the Kingdom of Israel around
  1000 BCE.
• In 950 BCE, the Holy Temple is built by Solomon.
  It is the center of Jewish worship.

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The Jews are expelled

• There were two major expulsions of the Jews in
  history
• 586 BC- Babylonians- the temple is destroyed and
  people are exiled
• The people return 50 years later and rebuild
  their temple
• 70 AD- Romans- the Jews are kicked out a second
  time and the temple is again destroyed
• Known as the Diaspora, or the scattering of the
  people
• Jews spread throughout Europe and Russia over the
  years.

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What the Temple Looked Like
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The Layout of the Temple Mount
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Christianity Begins

• Christianity begins 2000 years after Judaism
• A scholar or rabbi named Jesus began to teach
  Judaism throughout Judea and Samaria (current day
  Israel).
• His ideas gained him many faithful followers.
• He taught for three years before being crucified
  by the Roman government who administered the land
  at the time.
• The story of his arrival in Jerusalem for
  Passover through his crucifixion is celebrated
  during Holy Week for Christians every year.

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Christianity Spreads

• Jesus had 12 disciples- they spread the message
  when he died
• Gospels- Books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and
  John-tell the story of Jesus
• Epistles- The letters to the faithful from Paul
  of Tarsus
• These together are known as the New Testament
• Christian Bible- The Old and New Testament
  Combined
• Why Christ?- Christos means messiah in Greek.

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Acceptance By Rome

• Christians were persecuted in its earliest days.
• 312 AD- Roman Emperor Constantine had a vision
• Preparing for battle, envisioned a fiery cross in
  the sky
• Decided if he was victorious, he would convert to
  Christianity.
• Edict of Milan- Signed by Constantine and
  Licinius promising freedom of worship
• Christianity became the official religion of the
  empire
• Eventually, Constantine would establish the
  Byzantine Empire with its capital at
  Constantinople (present day Istanbul)

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Jesus
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The Last Supper
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Station of the Cross
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Islam Begins

• Islam begins with the prophet Mohammed
• In 610 AD, he began to have visions
• The Quran states that he was visited by the
  angel Gabriel, and given messages directly from
  G-d.
• These visits were transcribed and became the
  Quran

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Early History

• Mecca was a city run by wealthy merchants
• It was the home of a pagan site known as the
  Kabaa
• Merchants were angry because the idea of 1-g-d
  would interfere with trade as people came to make
  pilgrimage to lay their idols.
• Muhammad to the neighboring city of
  Medina-gathered many followers
• 622 AD- Returned to Mecca, fought and reclaimed
  the city with his followers- the Islamic Calendar
  begins here
• Cleared the Kabaa of all the idols and
  established it as holy.

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The Great Divide

• Muhammad died- 632 AD- left no successor
• Two differing thoughts-
• The Ummah should decide- community decision-Sunni
• Dynastic- successor should be part of the
  prophets family-Shia
• Sunni choice- Abu Bakr- the first convert outside
  of the prophets family
• Shia choice- Ali- Muhammads cousin and
  son-in-law.
• Abu Bakr-first caliph

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The Earliest Caliphs

• None of the first caliphs lived long
• Abu Bakr ibn Qhuhafah (632634)
• Umar ibn al-Khattab (634644)
• Uthman ibn Affan (644656)
• Ali ibn Abi Talib (656661)
• Hasan ibn Ali (661)
• The only caliphs that the Sunni and the Shia
  agree on are Ali and Hasan (4th and 5th)

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Ali becomes Caliph

• Uthman- third caliph is murdered. Ali is chosen
  by the community
• Governor of Damascus- Muawiyah wants power for
  himself. From the family of Uthman and feels
  entitled
• Ali is murdered in 661 AD.
• Alis son Hassan is chosen as the next caliph

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The end of the rightly guided caliphate

• Muawiya begins to revolt, claiming the caliphate
  for himself.
• To try and preserve Islam from destruction,
  Hassan agrees to a treaty and relinquishes power.
• Muawiya -temporary head of the caliphate.
• When he died- community would be allowed to
  choose
• Muslims would live free from oppression.
• Tribe of Muhammad would be protected.

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Muawiyas betrayal

• Muawiyah breaks the terms of the treaty.
• On his deathbed, he appoints his son, Yazid, as
  the next caliph.
• Yazid -not believed to be a righteous man.
• Alis other son, Hussein, refused to swear
  allegiance to Yazid.
• Yazid -Hussein must swear allegiance or be
  killed.

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The Death of Hussein

• Hussein learned about the assassination plot
  while on his way to Mecca.
• To avoid bloodshed in the holy city, he decided
  to go to Iraq instead.
• Yazids army surrounded Hussein and his family in
  the desert near Karbala.
• They murdered Hussein, along with 71 other men,
  including Husseins infant son.
• They took the remaining women and children
  hostage.

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The divide cannot be repaired

• For the Shia-ultimate betrayal. The bloodline of
  the family of the prophet had been ended
  mercilessly.
• Hussein- considered a martyr by both Sunni and
  Shia. Believe he gave his life to preserve the
  sanctity of Islam.
• Shia commemorate his death on the day of Ashura,
  where the people openly mourn in the street.

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Islams territory
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The Shrine of Ali in Najaf
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Imam Husseins Shrine at Karbala
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So, where are the similarities?

• All three of these religions have things in
  common.
• All monotheistic- believe in only one G-d.
• Jews and Muslims father to both religions
• Christians also believe Abraham to be the first
  prophet.
• Israel is holy-especially Jerusalem

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This gets a little complicated

• Both Jews and Muslims believe that Abraham was
  the father to their people.
• Abraham had two sons.
• Ishmael- first born with handmaiden Hagar.
  Considered first Arab
• Isaac- born to wife Sarah. Begins Jewish lineage

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The Torah and the Quran

• According to both holy books, Abraham was told by
  G-d that his descendants would be as numerous as
  the stars, and that the land of Canaan was
  promised to them.
• Quran speaks of Ishmael, Torah of Isaac
• Is it any wonder that both Jews and Muslims feel
  that the land of Israel belongs to them?

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The City of Jerusalem

• Each of the three monotheistic religions have a
  holy site within the old city of Jerusalem.
• Western Wall- Judaisms holiest site- all that is
  left of the Second Temple
• The Church of the Holy Sepulchre- Christian holy
  site- Tomb of Jesus, spot of crucifixion, rock of
  Golgatha all inside
• The Dome of The Rock- Islams 3rd holiest site-
  Mosque on the Temple Mount where Muhammad
  ascended to heaven

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All that is left is the Western Wall
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Soldiers praying at the Wall
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Prayers placed in the Wall
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Why the Temple Cannot be Rebuilt
Dome of the Rock
Wailing Wall
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The Dome of the Rock
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A birds-eye view insideThe Dome of the Rock
Muslims believe that Muslim ascended to heaven
here to speak to the Angel Gabriel. He flew from
Mecca to Jerusalem on a winged horse known as
Buraq.
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The Temple Mount
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Al-Aqsa Mosque
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An Aerial View of the Temple Mount
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The Church of the Holy Sepulchre
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The Stone of the Unctionwhere Jesus was prepared
for burial
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The tomb of Jesus
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What are some of the key differences?

• Each of the three religions has a distinct holy
  book.
• Judaisms -Torah. 5 books of Moses, also referred
  to as the Old Testament.
• Christianity -Old Testament and New
  Testament-includes the Gospels and the Epistles
  of Paul
• Islams -Quran. Believed to be the word of G-d,
  revealed to Muhammad by Gabriel.

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Houses of Worship and Religious Leaders

• Judaism-house of worship-synagogue ,religious
  leader-rabbi
• Christianity- house of worship- church, religious
  leader- priest or minister
• Islam- house of worship- mosque, religious
  leader- imam

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Holy Days

• In Judaism, two of the holiest days are Rosh
  Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur
  (the day of atonement).
• In Christianity, two of the holiest days are
  Christmas (marking the birth of Jesus) and Easter
  (the celebration of the resurrection)
• Islam has two holy days. Eid al-Fitr, marks the
  end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Eid al-Adha
  coincides with the dates of the yearly pilgrimage
  to Mecca.

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Each Religions View on Jesus

• Judaism- Jesus has no role. Not mentioned in the
  Torah. Still waiting for the Messiah to come.
• Christianity- Jesus was the son of G-d. He is the
  Messiah who will return at the end of days.
• Islam- Jesus is only a prophet. Not elevated
  above Moses, Noah, or any others.
• In Islam, Muhammad is the final prophet. None
  will come after him

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In conclusion

• All three of these religions have their
  foundations in Southwest Asia. Despite their
  differences, it is important to see the
  similarities that each of these religions share.
• These religions are all part of what shapes the
  culture of the Middle East.

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In Mecca- The Kabaa
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The pilgrimage site of the hajj
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Casting stones at the 3 Pillars at the Hajj