Islam Vocab- Social and Ethical

Mosque

pronounced “masjid”, place of prostration (to God)

• it is a place for congregational prayer especially for required communal prayer on Fridays

• mosques are connected to tombs and shrines for important rulers and holy people in many muslim countries

• all who enter must take off their shoes and wash themselves in preparation for prayer

• women are often not allowed to pray in the same area as men so many mosques separate areas for women

imam

means “leader”

a leader of prayer in a mosque

• spiritual leaders in the islamic community who guide followers through the Qur’an and Sunnah

• lead prayers, conduct ceremonies, and educate on Islamic teachings

• on friday’s they give a sermon while standing on a pedestal

umma

means “community”

the global community of Muslims bonded together by the faith of Allah

first established in Medina after the hijra

earlier sources of the umma can be found in a collection of docs of the constitution of Medina in addition to the Qur’an

caliph

means “successor”

the leader of the umma after Muhammad

• religious and political leader- not a prophet or divinely inspired

• SUNNI: abu bakr and his 3 immediate successors are known as the “rightly guided caliphs”

• SHI’A: no caliph is legitimate unless he is a lineal descendant of Prophet Muhammed

Sunni

means “custom”

• the largest brach of Islam

• followers adhere to the prophet muhammad’s example

• believe abu bakr and his 3 immediate successors are known as the “rightly guided caliphs”

• recognize the 6 sound books of the hadith

• 85% of muslim population

Shi’i

means “partisan”

• a branch of islam established by the followers of Ali who viewed Ali as the successor to the prophet in contrast to those who believe it should be Abu Bakr, Sunnis.

• they believe that there were 12 imams beginning with Ali and the twelve imam is to return

• muhammad personally selected Ali

• an important event: battle of karbala where imam hasyen was killed and became a martyr

Sufi

means “wool”

• an individual who follows the mystical traditions of Islam

• seek union with Allah through the extinction of the self, fana

• sufisim is the islam of inward vision and an individual religous experience

jihad

means “struggle”

• islamic concept of struggling in the path of God which can include personal, spiritual, and military efforts to hold faith and justice

• greater jihad: spiritual struggle to one’s own passions, desires, and evil inclinations to live a more virtuous life→ it focuses on personal and communal efforts to improve oneself and the community by performing good deeds, upholding moral values, and preaching

• lesser jihad (jihad of the sword): religious - sanctioned violence

sharia

means” path”

• fundamental relgious law of Islam based on the Qur’an,hadith, and interpretations from relgious experts

• the law revealed by God and the humans,especially Muslim judges, interpret it

• throughout history one of the important duties of a Muslim ruler was to uphold Sharia

• important parts of the sharia: daily prayer, alms giving,fasting, and pilgrimage

akhlaq

mean disposition

islamic ethics that guide how Muslims should behave and treat others

emphasizes values such as honesty, kindness, patience, humility and respect

it is essential for muslims to practice good akhlaq in daily life as it reflects their faith

Muhammad is described as the best example of this

zikat

means “that which purifies”

• one of the 5 pillars of Islam and is a mandatory tax that requires muslims to give 2.5 % of their annual income to charity

• recipients of the zakat can consist of poor, new muslims, or those entering the community and organizations that work to spread Islam

• in early Muslim world, it was up to the individual to give zakat, but now it has been implemented in governments in some places

• Zakat is seen as a way to purify the soul by getting rid of undeserved earnings and giving to those in need

halal

means “lawful”

• anything, especially food, considered lawful or permissible by the Sharia (Islamic law)

• animals must be slaughtered in a specific manner to be considered halal

• muslims must only eat halal foods

• allah will reward Muslims for doing and eating things that are considered halal

haram

means “forbidden”

• anything forbidden by Sharia (Islamic law)

• haram includes ritual laws, family laws, and dietary laws

• muslims believe Allah will punish them for doing haram

• also used to describe sacred spaces like the Ka’ba because violence is forbidden there

hijab

means “cover”

• head covering worn by Muslim women as a sign of faith and modesty

• generally considered required by sharia law

• different countries have different types of head coverings

• for some, the hijab is a point of cultural and religious pride