Study of Religion; Islam

Four functions of a Sacred Text

• Ritual Use

• Ethical Justification

• Direction for Spiritual Life

• Gender Roles

Ritual Use

Qur’an plays vital role during worship such as Ramadan or Salar

Ethical Justification

• Provide basis for ethical system called Sha’ria Law

• Five pillars are a summary of ethical behaviour

Direction for Spiritual Life

submission to the will of Allah is essential way of life as outlined in the Qur’an

Gender Roles

Qur’an emphasises equality

Branches

• sunni

• Shi’ite

Suni Branch

ultimate source of authority is Muslim community

Shi’ite Branch

authority resides in the divinely appointed leader (the Imam).

Key Beliefs

• God’s absolute supremacy

• submission will bring believers to salvation (Day of Judgement)

Key teachings

• one god

• angels

• prophets

• resurrection and the last judgement

• the divine decree (order) of predestination

One God

• oneness of God in the Shahadah

• there is no God but Allah

Shahadah

• first pillar of Islam

• Declaration of faith

Predestination

• all muslim has free will; their actions result in reward or punishment

• god predestines but human kind is responsible for for their own actions

Islam in Action

submission to God

Five Pillars of Islam

• Shahadah

• Salat - Prayer

• Zakat - Charity

• Sawn - Fasting

• Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca

Sharia Law

• The Path

• divine and can’t be questioned (belief)

the Greater Jihad

• idea of ‘struggle’ and ‘exertion’

• must occupy all muslims at all times

Twofold Jihad

• internal war within an individual’s own heart

• external fight against enemies of islam