Origins of Islam

I missed last Sunday School lesson b/c I was at the Chinese Service as well. The scope is as follows:

Recent events between the Middle East and U.S. has brought the religion of Islam into the public eye and has generated much interest....
1. The hostage crisis in Iran in the late 70's
2. The war w/ Iraq in the early 90's
3. The attack on the World Twin Towers and Pentagon in 2001
4. The U.S. war against international terrorism in response
5. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict over the past 50 years

Interesting Facts:
1. Estimated that there were 1.6 Billion Muslims in 1998 (1/4 of the world's pop)
2. 120 million live in the Arab world (India, Pakistan, Banlgadesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, China, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Sudan, just to name a few)
3. It is the world' s fastest growing religion.
4. Between 1935 and 1983 it has grown 235%.

The growth can be attributed to higher birth rates, militant and evangelistic fervor, wealth, among others...

Early history of Islam
The life of Muhammad...
-Born in 570 into the leading tribe of Quraysh of the town of Mecca
-Father died b4 his birth, and mother died when he was six years old, raised by relatives
-name means "highly praised" and many have taken the name since
-As a youth, travelled w/ tranding caravans, exposed to many teachings including Judasim & Christianity
-In year 595, married a widow, named Khadija, 15 years his senior
-In year 610, claims to receive the first revelations of the Qur'an from the angel Gabriel
-In year 612, began teaching in a religiously volatile atmosphere
-In year 615, encouraged 80 Muslims to emigrate to Abyssinia(Ethopia) for safety
-In year 625, The battle of Uhud, outside Medina
-In year 627, The Battle of the Trench
-In year 628, The treaty of Hudaybiyyah (peace between Medina & Mecca)
-In year 630, Meccans violate the treaty
-In year 632, Muhammad dies; Abu Bakr elected as his Khalifah(representative)

Of course, there are more notes and facts...it's six pages...so if u want to know more, I encourage you to attend Pastor Nelson' s Sunday school class. I also have a copy of his handouts too...Courtesy of Pastor Nelson.