Islam Quiz 2

Which branch of Islam beleive Ali was the first true caliph?

Shi’ a Muslims

Which branch of Islam focus on Muhammad, rather than Ali and his sons?

Sunni Muslims

What does ‘ Allahu Akbar’ mean?

‘God is great’

What are the 5 roots of Usul ad-Din in Shi’a Islam?

1. Tawhid (Allah is the one an only God)

2. Adalat (Belief in divine justice)

3. Nubuwwah (Belief in prophethood)

4. Imamah (Belief in authority of imams)

5. Ma’ad (Belief in Day of Resurrection)

Which is the largest branch of Muslims making up 85-90%?

Sunni Muslims

How do Sunni Muslims beleive that caliphs (leaders) should be chosen?

Chosen by the community

How do Shi’a Muslims believe that caliphs (leaders) should be chosen?

They believe that all caliphs should be descendents of Muhammad

What second largest branch of Muslims make up 10-15% of the Muslim community?

Shi’a Muslims

What is the definition of ‘Tawhid’

Allah is the one and only God

Give 3 of Allah’s 99 names

Merciful

Beneficent

Just

Give a quote that helps Muslims understand what God is like?

He is Allah (who is) one, Allah the External Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to him and equivalent (Qur’an 112: 1-4)

What does Immanent a attribute of Allah mean?

Allah is close to every human and within all things on Earth

What does Transcendent a attribute of Allah mean?

Allah is above and beyond anything that exists in the world.

Evaluate this statement ‘It is impossible for God to be both immanent and transcendent at the same time’

To the humand mind these concepts seem totally opposed to each other, so it seems impossible to be both immanent and transcendent at the same time.

However for Muslims it is possible. As the creator of the Universe and everything Allah is outside if the physical relam and therefore not bound of limited.

Muslims believe Allah is far above the created world, but they believe that he can be experienced through it.

Name two of the most important angels in Isam and sum up their roles (Angels)

Jibril - Most important angel. He revealed Allah’s words to Muhammad and communicates between Allah and people

Mika’il - Gives spiritual and material help to humans and asks Allah to forgive people’s sins.

What is predestination?

Everything that happens has been decided already by Allah (God)

List one advantage and disadvantage about the belief that supernatural beings are recording your every thought, word and deed: ‘For each one are successive (angels) before and behind him who protected him by the decree of Allah (Qur-an 13:11)

Advantage - You are never alone

Advantage - Belief in angels is reassuring and comforting

Disantage - Belief in angels means you are accountable by God for every thought, word and deed. This can be unsettling

How is it possible for Muslims to believe in predestination and human free will at the same time?

Many Muslims believe that Allah knows everything that is going to happen without choosing what is going to happen.

Allah created people in such a way that they would make choices that they make. This means Allah knows the choices everyone wil make, even though they are provided with free choice.

This makes sense if Allah exists outside of time and is not limited by it.

According to Islam, what are the two possible external destinies for all people? (Akhirah)

Jannah - Heaven “gardens of pleasure” (Qur’an 31:8). A place of paradise the reward to all who perform good deeds and have fait in Allah

Jahnnam - A place of fire and tourment and seperation from Allah. All who do evil and reject the will of Allah wil be punished in hell

What is ‘barzakh’ according to the Qur’an? (Akhirah)

A barrier between this world and the next, where peoples souls stay from the time of death until Yawm ad-Din (the Day of Judgement)

Read this quote from the Qur’an about hell (Jahnnam). How does this influence Muslims today?

‘(They will be) in scourching fire and scalding water and a shade of black smoke, Neither cool nor beneficial’ (Qur’an 56:42-44) (Akhirah)

Encourages Muslims to avoid sin and live right before God

Encourages individual Muslims to take responsibility for their actions..

Empowers Mulims to cope with injustice and suffering in this life becuase they believe Allah will ensure justice is done in eternity.

What do Muslims believe will happen on the day of judgement? (Akhirah)

Angel Israfil will blow a trumpet and everyone who has ever lived will be resurrected and face judgement by Allah

The present world order will be transformed and Akhirah a new stage will begin

If people are given the book if their life in their right hand they will go to heaven (Jannah)

If people are given the book if their life in their left hand they will go to hell (Jahnnam)

Allah may forgive those who are truly sorry for their sins

What does ‘risalah’ mean? (Prophethood)

Risalah - Belief that Allah chose human messengers (prophets) to communicate the message of Islam to the rest of humanity

How did Allah usually communicate with human prophets? (Prophethood)

Angels (like Mika’il ) passed on his words on to the prophets

What prophet of Islam is the following religious teaching referring to and how do you know?

‘ …….. is not the father of (any) one of your men, but (he is) the Messsenger of Allah and the last of the prophets. And ever is Allah, of all things knowing’ (Qur’an 33:40) (Prophethood)

‘ Muhammad is not the father of (any) one of your men, but (he is) the Messsenger of Allah and the last of the prophets. And ever is Allah, of all things knowing’ (Qur’an 33:40)

He is ‘the last of the prophets’

Which prophet was, The first prophet of Islam, who was created by Allah from the dust of the ground)?

Give one more fact about this prophet? (Prophethood)

Adam - He was the first man created by Allah in his image

Which prophet was, An orpahn born of Mecca, to whom Jibril (angel) appeared with a message from Allah? (Prophethood)

Muhammad - He performed several miracles

Which prophet was, A man of faith, believed to have rebuilt the Ka’aba (The cube-shaped building in the centre of Makkah (Mecca), which is the most sacred site in Islam) (Prophethood)

Ibrahim -He proved faith by being willing to sacrifice his own son

What is the name of the holy book revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by the angel Jibril, Allah’s final revelation to humankind? (Holy Books)

The Qur’an

What are the hadith and sunnah? (Holy Books)

Hadith - Writtern records of Muhammad’s words and teachings

Sunnah - Reveals Muhammad’s way of life accordning to the Hadith

Both are important but the Qur’an has final authority

What does this text tell Muslims about the importance of their sacred texts?

‘This is the book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah’ (Qur’an 2:2)

Muslims believe the Qur’an is the literal word of Allah containing no errors (‘no doubt’)

It is the (‘guidance for those conscious of Allah’) suggests it is the authority for Muslims on matters of faith, practice and law.

How many key books of revelation in islam are there?

There are five key books of revelation in Islam.

Each of them was given to a different prophet by Allah. Muslims believe that these holy books all conveyed the same message from Allah to the humanity, giving guidance to Muslims on how to live their daily life.

The Tawrat (Torah) was revealed to which prophet by Allah?

Musa (Moses) It contains the Ten Commandments which are key rules on how to live life.

The Zabur was revealed to which prophet by Allah?

Dawud (David) It is also known as the Psalms of David. It is important within the Christian Bible.

The Suhuf scrolls are now lost, but it is the first holy book said to have been revealed to who?

Ibrahim. Some sections have been preserved and are mentioned in the Qur’an.

The Injil was revealed to which prophet by Allah?

Isa (Jesus). Isa is believed to have predicted the coming of Muhammad.

Why are the five pillars of Islam referred to as pillars? (5 Pillars and 10 Obligatory acts)

They support the structure of Islam

They do this by encouraging the development of good character, attitude and behaviou

Muslims observe the five pillars as a duty

What are the five pillars of Islam?

Shahadah is the Muslim declaration of faith

Salah is prayer

Zakah is charitable giving

Sawm is the obligation to fast during Ramadan

Hajj is the pilgrimage to Makkah

Which Islamic tradition observes the 10 obligatory acts?

Shi’a Islam

What are the 10 obligatory acts followed by Shi’a Muslims?

Shahadah is the Muslim declaration of faith

Salah is prayer

Zakah is charitable giving

Sawm is the obligation to fast during Ramadan

Hajj is the pilgrimage to Makkah

Also with Jihad -individual struggle against evil while following the way of Allah and defence of the Muslim community.

Jihad the struggle to keep belief in Allah and follow his rules

Khums 20% annual tax given to charity.

Amr-bil-Maroof encouraging people to do what is good

Nahil Anril Munkar discouraging people from doing what is wrong.

Tawalia – showing love.

Tabarra – disassociation. Shi’a Muslims should not associate with God’s enemies.

What is the Shahadah?

First pillar of Islam. A declaration of faith that consists of the statement "There is no god except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." The First Pillar of Islam.

This is the Sunni version of the Shahadah…

‘There is no God but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah’

How is the Shi’a version different? What does this show about the difference in their beliefs?

Shi’a Muslims add ‘ Ali is the helper of Allah’ to the end of the Shahadah.

It shows that the Shi’a believe Ali is the true successor to Muhammad

What pillar does this refer to…

At least once in their lifetime, Muslims should perform pilgrimage to Makkah

Hajj

What pillar does this refer to…

Muslims must fast during daylight house in the month of Ramadan

Swam

What pillar does this refer to…

Muslims should give away some of their wealth each year (usually 2.5%)

Zakah