Islamic Origins

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Islamic Origins

• Muhammad (570-632)

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Muhammads Career

• Mecca (611-22)
• Allah
• Kabah
• Quran
• Medina (Yathrib)
• Hijrah 622
• 630 Conquest of Mecca

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Islam at Muhammads Death
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Prophets Messengers

• 5 Messengers
• Noah
• Abraham
• Moses
• Jesus
• Muhammad

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Sacred Writings

• Quran Recite
• 114 Suras
• ca. 650(?)
• Dome of the Rock (691-2)
• Sunna (Hadith) Traditions of Prophet
• Isnad
• Tafsir Commentaries

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Dome of the Rock (691-2)
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Revisionist / Skeptical Approaches

• Meccan Trade and the Rise of Islam, Patricia
  Crone (1987)
• What did the Quranic Pagans Do for a Living?
• An Aramaic Quran?
• Apocalyptic?

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Apocalyptic?

• Quran teaches about impending Hour
• Q 43.61 It is knowledge of the Hour doubt not
  concerning it, and follow me. This is a straight
  path.

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Quran the Hour

• Q 79.42-6 They ask you about the hour, when it
  will come. About what! You are one to remind of
  it. To your Lord is the goal of it. You are only
  a warner to him who would fear it. On the day
  that they see it, it will be as though they had
  not tarried but the latter part of a day or the
  early part of it.

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Quran the Hour

• Q 54.1 The hour has drawn nigh and the moon is
  rent asunder.
• Q 16.1 Allah's command has come, therefore do
  not desire to hasten it glory be to Him, and
  highly exalted be He above what they associate
  (with Him)

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Apocalyptic in Hadith

• This hadith has been reported by Sahl b. Sa'd
  that he heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be
  upon him) as saying I and the Last Hour are
  (close to each other) like this (and he, in order
  to explain it) pointed (by joining his)
  forefinger, (one) next to the thumb and the
  middle finger (together)
• Muslim, Sahih

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Apocalyptic in Hadith

• Aisha reported that when the desert Arabs came
  to Allahs Messenger (may peace be upon him) they
  asked about the Last Hour as to when that would
  come. And he looked towards the youngest amongst
  them and said If he lives he would not grow very
  old that he would find your Last Hour coming to
  you the would see you dying).
• Muslim, Sahih

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Apocalyptic in Hadith

• Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar The Prophet
  prayed one of the lsha prayer in his last days
  and after finishing it with Taslim, he stood up
  and said, "Do you realize (the importance of)
  this night? Nobody present on the surface of the
  earth to-night would be living after the
  completion of one hundred years from this night.
• Buhkari Muslim

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Apocalyptic in Hadith

• My coming and that of the hour, the prophet had
  said, are concomitant even that one has almost
  come before me.
• Maqrizi

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Apocalyptic in Hadith

• There has been no prophet after Noah who has
  not warned his audience of the Dajjal, and I
  (Muhammad) warn you of him as well. The
  Messanger of God described him to us and said,
  Some of those who see me or hear my words will
  live to see him.
• Ibn Abi Shayba ( many others)