Core Concepts of Islam

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary related to the core concepts of Islam and key notes from the lecture.

Islam

Submission or surrender to God.

Muslim

One who submits to God.

Allah

The Arabic word for God.

Salaam

Peace; root word related to Islam.

Orthopraxy

Emphasis on correct practice over belief.

Umma

The global Muslim community.

Tawhid

Absolute oneness of God.

Shirk

Associating partners with God; greatest sin.

Allahu Akbar

God is great.

Islamic view of God

One, eternal, merciful, all-powerful.

Islam and Trinity

Rejected; God is not incarnate.

Articles of Faith

Core beliefs of Islam, including belief in one God, angels, holy books, prophets, the Day of Judgment, and predestination.

First Article of Faith

Belief in one God.

Second Article of Faith

Belief in angels.

Third Article of Faith

Belief in holy books.

Fourth Article of Faith

Belief in prophets.

Fifth Article of Faith

Belief in Day of Judgment.

Sixth Article of Faith

Belief in predestination.

Prophet Muhammad

Final prophet of Islam.

Seal of the Prophets

Title meaning Muhammad is last messenger.

Birthplace of Muhammad

Mecca.

Muhammad's birth year

c. 570 CE.

Muhammad's first revelation

610 CE.

Hijra

Migration from Mecca to Medina (622 CE), marking the start of the Islamic calendar.

Importance of Hijra

Start of Islamic calendar.

Muslim phrase after Muhammad’s name

Peace be upon him.

Quran

Literal Word of God revealed in Arabic.

Meaning of Quran

Recitation.

Who speaks in the Quran

God alone.

Sura

Chapter of the Quran.

Ayah

Verse of the Quran.

Meccan suras

Theology, judgment, spirituality.

Medinan suras

Law and community rules.

Why Arabic matters for the Quran

Only Arabic text is considered sacred.

Hadith

Sayings and actions of Muhammad.

Sunna

Customary practices of Muhammad.

Authority of Hadith

Second only to Quran.

Purpose of Hadith

Guides law, ethics, daily life.

Sunni vs Shia Hadith

Different collections.

Five Pillars of Islam

Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, and Hajj.

Shahada

The declaration of faith.

Salat

The five daily prayers.

Prayer direction in Islam

Toward Mecca.

Shia prayer practice

Often combine prayers into three times a day.

Zakat

Required charity.

Sawm

Fasting during Ramadan.

Hajj

The pilgrimage to Mecca.

Masjid

Place of prostration.

Mihrab

Niche in a masjid pointing toward Mecca.

Physical posture in prayer

Knees, hands, forehead on ground.

Meaning of prayer posture

Physical submission to God.

Hajj month

Dhu al-Hijjah.

Ihram

State of ritual purity entered for Hajj.

Kaaba

Sacred shrine in Mecca.

Tawaf

Circling the Kaaba seven times during Hajj.

Standing at Arafat

Central ritual of Hajj.

Stoning Satan ritual in Hajj

Rejection of temptation.

Eid al-Adha

Festival of Sacrifice, celebrated during Hajj.

Themes of Hajj

Equality, unity, submission.

Jihad

Struggle, with greater jihad as an inner struggle and lesser jihad as external struggle.

Greater jihad

Inner struggle against ego and pride.

Lesser jihad

External struggle or defense.

Common misconception about Jihad

Jihad means holy war.

Sunni and Shia Islam

Split in Islam after Muhammad's death based on leadership.

Cause of Sunni-Shia split

Disagreement over leadership after Muhammad’s death.

Sunni Muslims on leadership

Leader chosen by community.

Shia Muslims on leadership

Leader from Muhammad’s family.

Imam (Sunni)

Prayer leader.

Imam (Shia)

Divinely guided leader.

Karbala

Site of Husain’s martyrdom.

Ashura

Shia day of mourning.

Sharia

Islamic law meaning 'path to water'.

Scope of Sharia

Worship, family, ethics, economics.

Sources of Sharia

Quran, Hadith, reasoning.

Hanafi school of law

Most flexible.

Maliki school of law

Based on Medina practice.

Shafi’i school of law

Emphasizes Hadith.

Hanbali school of law

Most conservative.

Sufism

Mystical tradition in Islam, aiming for closeness to God.

Goal of Sufism

Closeness to God.

Inner jihad in Sufism

Struggle against ego.

Sufi practices

Poetry, fasting, chanting.

Global Muslim population

Around 1.9 billion.

Region where most Muslims live

Asia.

Country with largest Muslim population

Indonesia.

Islamic diversity

Encompasses many cultures and practices.

Islam in the United States

Comprises about 1-2% of the U.S. population.

Muslim population percentage in the U.S.

About 1-2%.

Major U.S. Muslim groups

Immigrants, African Americans, converts.

Nation of Islam

An African American Islamic movement.

Malcolm X

An influential Muslim leader.

Spiritual status of women in Islam

Equal to men.

Hijab

Modesty practice in Islam, debated in terms of cultural vs religious significance.

Cultural vs religious practices in Islam

They are not always the same.

Role of women in Islam today

Scholars, leaders, activists.