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All knowledge organisers
WJEC Eduqas GCE A LEVEL in - RELIGIOUS STUDIES
, Islam Revision
Theme 1 - Religious Figures and Sacred Text
1A Pre-Islamic Arabia and Night of Power
Intro:
● Described as the Jahiliyyah (days of ignorance)
● Rampant immorality including female infanticide, slavery and violence very common
in Bedouin tribes
● ‘Dog eat dog culture’ - Turner
● Prophet was born into the Quraysh tribe - one of the more powerful merchant tribes
● Allowed him to witness the idolatrous nature of the area of Makkah where he lived
● Kaabah was the centre of idol worship and trade of idols to travellers
● Being at the centre of trade allowed the Prophet to witness people of many religious
faiths and beliefs leading him to a monotheistic belief before the Night of Power
● Gambling, drunkenness and prostitution were very common.
Trade Roots:
● Prophet lived in Makkah which was the centre of many trade roots which attracted
traders from foreign countries to trade such as India bringing spices, Aksum and
Nubian States
● Fierce competition for these trade routes with clans and tribes fighting for control.
● Prophet saw how divided each of the regions were
1. Jews had lost their leader and forced to flee their holy land
2. Christians were divided into subgroups (monophysites, gnostics, Nestorians)each
with differing beliefs on the divinity of Jesus caused by influences of other religions
3. Within Bedouin tribes war was so common that a rule of no war for 4 months was
established
● Lack of unity throughout Arabia
Social and Political Structure of tribes:
● Hierarchical structure with Shaykh (leader), ulama (clan leaders) at the top
● Slaves and women at the bottom
● Women were completely marginalised in society - only viewed as useful if they could
bear children - when unable to they were abandoned or killed leading to many living
as sex slaves
● Female infanticide was a common practice as baby girls weren’t seen as useful so
were killed or became orphans
● ‘Life was cheap’ (Armstrong) as life had very little value for the marginalised
Urban Migration:
● Poor living conditions was catalysed by urban migration
● People began settling in cities and becoming more materialistic
● This meant that there was a less of a need for children as people didn’t need
additional help with trade
● Numbers of orphans drastically increased
,AO2:
- ‘Uncompromising monotheism’ (Turner)
- Disagreed with Makkan’s way of life in idol worship
- Spreading the message directly through Makkans didn’t develop Islam
- Many got their income through trade and selling of idols
- ‘Uncompromising monotheism’ would end their business and income
- So would refute the message to maintain their way of life
+ ‘Uncompromising monotheism’ was essential
+ Although he couldn’t convert everyone immediately, during the early stages of Islam
those that did convert including his wife Khadijah, his best friend Abu Bakr
+ They were able to support and encourage the Prophet even when they began to be
persecuted
+ Direct nature of Islam appealed to women, orphans and slaves who were oppressed
+ Islam provided them with rights and protection in which each of them could feel a
sense of belonging to a community
+ E.g Bilal as the first muadhin and became Muslim when the Prophet freed him as a
slave
- His direct message of Islam lead to the oppression of all Muslims
- Due to the rejection of his message, it lead to the year of sorrow in which the Prophet
lost both his first wife and uncle Abu Talib in the same year
- He was so oppressed he had to flee from Makkah to Yathrib
+ The Hijrah to Yathrib allowed Islam to fully establish itself as a religion
+ Allowed the free practise of their religion leading to sustained and increasing
followers
+ This meant they could engage in battles and ultimately take back Makkah and
remove the idols from around the Kaabah
1B Hijrah
Intro:
● During early Islam, Muslims were being persecuted and oppressed for their belief in
Allah
● Prophet Muhammed had to flee from Makkah to a safer place of Yathrib (a mainly
Jewish city) which welcomed him peacefully
● He brought with him many of the reverts and new Muslims on the journey including
previously Jewish and Christians
● This allowed for Islam to be freely practised and meant the first masjid to be built
(Quba Masjid)
The Prophet becoming the political leader of Madinah:
● Ibn Ishaq, an 8th century historian collated information on early Islam at Madinah
● Madinah was called haram - in which it was forbidden for blood to be spilt there
● All tribes were brought into one community (including Jews) - under 1 rule of the
Prophet
● Peaceful methods of conflict resolution were used
, ● Non-Muslims had the same rights as Muslims - no one was forced into Islam ‘There
is no compulsion in religion’ - 2:256
● Established the concept of the one Ummah (previously was anyone living in Madinah
but became all Muslims after)
● Here he had the opportunity to implement the reforms he had been preaching about
in Makkah
Constitution of Madinah:
● These were a set of laws established by the Prophet in the first 2 years after the
Hijrah
● This formed the basis of the Shariah and based on the Sunnah and Hadith
● The Constitution of Madinah contained rules on uncompromising monotheism,
Muhammed as the Seal of the Prophets, Risalah, being accountable for your own
actions, everyone as an equal to Allah and wealth should be shared for the good of
the community
●
AO2:
+ Madinah allowed Islam to flourish as Muslims no longer had to practise in secret
+ It meant many more people could hear the message and revert to Islam as there was
no persecution
+ Allowed Islam to develop and spread
+ Majority of Yathrib were Jewish or Christians so also had a monotheistic belief prior
to Prophet Muhammed’s Hijrah
+ Meant people could understand the message easily as it agreed with their beliefs
already
+ Allowed for more people to revert to Islam
- Many Jews disagreed and rejected Islam due to the allowance and reliance on usury
or riba for income
- In Islam this was forbidden so Jews that did convert ended up going back to Judaism
as it would mean losing their form of income.
+ Establishment of the first Masjid - Quba . Bruh why did they knock this down??
+ This acted as a hub or centre of Islam in which it was a social, political and military
base for Islam
+ Leading to a more unified group and allowed for Muslims to succeed in battle for
example Battle of Badr, Battle of Uhud in which the early Muslims fought for the
continuation of Islam
All knowledge organisers
WJEC Eduqas GCE A LEVEL in - RELIGIOUS STUDIES
, Islam Revision
Theme 1 - Religious Figures and Sacred Text
1A Pre-Islamic Arabia and Night of Power
Intro:
● Described as the Jahiliyyah (days of ignorance)
● Rampant immorality including female infanticide, slavery and violence very common
in Bedouin tribes
● ‘Dog eat dog culture’ - Turner
● Prophet was born into the Quraysh tribe - one of the more powerful merchant tribes
● Allowed him to witness the idolatrous nature of the area of Makkah where he lived
● Kaabah was the centre of idol worship and trade of idols to travellers
● Being at the centre of trade allowed the Prophet to witness people of many religious
faiths and beliefs leading him to a monotheistic belief before the Night of Power
● Gambling, drunkenness and prostitution were very common.
Trade Roots:
● Prophet lived in Makkah which was the centre of many trade roots which attracted
traders from foreign countries to trade such as India bringing spices, Aksum and
Nubian States
● Fierce competition for these trade routes with clans and tribes fighting for control.
● Prophet saw how divided each of the regions were
1. Jews had lost their leader and forced to flee their holy land
2. Christians were divided into subgroups (monophysites, gnostics, Nestorians)each
with differing beliefs on the divinity of Jesus caused by influences of other religions
3. Within Bedouin tribes war was so common that a rule of no war for 4 months was
established
● Lack of unity throughout Arabia
Social and Political Structure of tribes:
● Hierarchical structure with Shaykh (leader), ulama (clan leaders) at the top
● Slaves and women at the bottom
● Women were completely marginalised in society - only viewed as useful if they could
bear children - when unable to they were abandoned or killed leading to many living
as sex slaves
● Female infanticide was a common practice as baby girls weren’t seen as useful so
were killed or became orphans
● ‘Life was cheap’ (Armstrong) as life had very little value for the marginalised
Urban Migration:
● Poor living conditions was catalysed by urban migration
● People began settling in cities and becoming more materialistic
● This meant that there was a less of a need for children as people didn’t need
additional help with trade
● Numbers of orphans drastically increased
,AO2:
- ‘Uncompromising monotheism’ (Turner)
- Disagreed with Makkan’s way of life in idol worship
- Spreading the message directly through Makkans didn’t develop Islam
- Many got their income through trade and selling of idols
- ‘Uncompromising monotheism’ would end their business and income
- So would refute the message to maintain their way of life
+ ‘Uncompromising monotheism’ was essential
+ Although he couldn’t convert everyone immediately, during the early stages of Islam
those that did convert including his wife Khadijah, his best friend Abu Bakr
+ They were able to support and encourage the Prophet even when they began to be
persecuted
+ Direct nature of Islam appealed to women, orphans and slaves who were oppressed
+ Islam provided them with rights and protection in which each of them could feel a
sense of belonging to a community
+ E.g Bilal as the first muadhin and became Muslim when the Prophet freed him as a
slave
- His direct message of Islam lead to the oppression of all Muslims
- Due to the rejection of his message, it lead to the year of sorrow in which the Prophet
lost both his first wife and uncle Abu Talib in the same year
- He was so oppressed he had to flee from Makkah to Yathrib
+ The Hijrah to Yathrib allowed Islam to fully establish itself as a religion
+ Allowed the free practise of their religion leading to sustained and increasing
followers
+ This meant they could engage in battles and ultimately take back Makkah and
remove the idols from around the Kaabah
1B Hijrah
Intro:
● During early Islam, Muslims were being persecuted and oppressed for their belief in
Allah
● Prophet Muhammed had to flee from Makkah to a safer place of Yathrib (a mainly
Jewish city) which welcomed him peacefully
● He brought with him many of the reverts and new Muslims on the journey including
previously Jewish and Christians
● This allowed for Islam to be freely practised and meant the first masjid to be built
(Quba Masjid)
The Prophet becoming the political leader of Madinah:
● Ibn Ishaq, an 8th century historian collated information on early Islam at Madinah
● Madinah was called haram - in which it was forbidden for blood to be spilt there
● All tribes were brought into one community (including Jews) - under 1 rule of the
Prophet
● Peaceful methods of conflict resolution were used
, ● Non-Muslims had the same rights as Muslims - no one was forced into Islam ‘There
is no compulsion in religion’ - 2:256
● Established the concept of the one Ummah (previously was anyone living in Madinah
but became all Muslims after)
● Here he had the opportunity to implement the reforms he had been preaching about
in Makkah
Constitution of Madinah:
● These were a set of laws established by the Prophet in the first 2 years after the
Hijrah
● This formed the basis of the Shariah and based on the Sunnah and Hadith
● The Constitution of Madinah contained rules on uncompromising monotheism,
Muhammed as the Seal of the Prophets, Risalah, being accountable for your own
actions, everyone as an equal to Allah and wealth should be shared for the good of
the community
●
AO2:
+ Madinah allowed Islam to flourish as Muslims no longer had to practise in secret
+ It meant many more people could hear the message and revert to Islam as there was
no persecution
+ Allowed Islam to develop and spread
+ Majority of Yathrib were Jewish or Christians so also had a monotheistic belief prior
to Prophet Muhammed’s Hijrah
+ Meant people could understand the message easily as it agreed with their beliefs
already
+ Allowed for more people to revert to Islam
- Many Jews disagreed and rejected Islam due to the allowance and reliance on usury
or riba for income
- In Islam this was forbidden so Jews that did convert ended up going back to Judaism
as it would mean losing their form of income.
+ Establishment of the first Masjid - Quba . Bruh why did they knock this down??
+ This acted as a hub or centre of Islam in which it was a social, political and military
base for Islam
+ Leading to a more unified group and allowed for Muslims to succeed in battle for
example Battle of Badr, Battle of Uhud in which the early Muslims fought for the
continuation of Islam
