[RELS 161] - Final Exam Guide - Comprehensive Notes for the exam (28 pages long!)

• School: Queen's University
• Department: Religious Studies
• Course: RELS 161
• Professor: Ian Alexander Cuthbertson

Document Summary

A person who professes islam is called a muslim. Non-muslims historically referred to muslims as mohammedans (one who worships muhammad) Islam emerged in the 7th century ce in the arabian peninsula. Islam emerged in a specific religious and cultural context. Pre-islamic arab culture= polytheistic, no vision of afterlife. Pre-islamic arabs worshipped allah as the supreme creator god but allah was not the central recipient of worship. Worship took place at a central shrine called the ka"bah located at mecca (makkah) The ka"bah was thought to have been built by abraham. Muhammad was born in mecca about 570 ce. At 40 muhammad visited by an angel (gabriel) who commands him to recite / read. Recitation is the qu"ran: word of god. Islamic vision of a single god, an afterlife, and focus on social justice conflicts with religious and socio-economic norms. Muhammad and early muslims leave mecca for yathrib (medina) 622 ce. After he dies the caliphate is formed.