R Islam

Key terms

• Tawhid: The oneness of Allah

• Prophethood: Messengers of Allah, communicated to by angels

• Halal: Actions that are permitted within Islam

• Haram: Actions that are forbidden within Islam

• Jihad: The struggle to be a good Muslim (Greater and Lesser)

• Mosque: Islamic place of worship and prostration

• Shariah: The straight path to Allah

• Ummah: The worldwide community of Muslims

• Khalifah: God’s representative on Earth

Characteristics of Allah

• Immanent - Close by; "closer to us than the veins on our necks"

• Transcendent - Beyond all things and not limited by the rules of nature

• Beneficent - Always kind and always loving

• Just - Always acts with correct justice and not affected by human emotion

• Fair - Ever patient and gentle

• Merciful - Always forgives those who are sorry

• Omnipotent - All powerful and nothing is beyond his limit

• Depiction is offensive as he is beyond human comprehension

• "There is no deity except him, the Exalted in Might, the Wise." - Qur'an 3:18

• "[God] has the power to will anything" - Qur'an 46:33

Nature of prophethood

• Chosen by God to communicate his message to humans

• God's wisdom was being given, not that of the prophets

• Thought to be thousands, but only 25 are named in the Qur'an

• Begins with Adam, ends with Muhammad

Prophets - Adam

• First human

• Formed from clay

• Taught everything by God

• Rib created Eve

• Tempted by Iblis (Djinn that later becomes Shayton, committed first sin)

Prophets - Ibrahim

• Destroyed idols at the Ka’ba

• Willing to sacrifice son (Leads to Eid-ul-Adha)

• Left family in the desert and they found the water source

• Promised to be the “Father of all nations”

Prophets - Isa

• Born to the virgin Maryam

• Will return on Judgement Day

• Not the son of God or resurrected

Prophets - Muhammad (PBUH)

• "Role model human being"

• Troubled by idolatry and corruption

• Couldn't read until ordered to by Jibril to reveal the Qur'an

• Holy Qur'an revealed to him over 23 years, beginning on the night of power in 610 CE

• Cannot be depicted as it is seen as idolatry --> Charlie Hebdo controversy

• Angered many and was forced to travel far away

• Known as "the seal of the prophets"

Nature of Angels

• Immortal beings made out of light

• No free will, without sin, and can enter God's presence

• Acts as God's messengers, making humans aware of God's laws, and are always in contact with humans

• Can take on many forms to carry out God's commands, usually invisible but are often said to have wings

• Each have specific functions

• Countless amount but some are named

• In Shi'a Islam, they do have free will and are not made of light

Angels - Jibril

• Angel of revelation

• Revealed the Qur’an to Muhammad and God’s message to believers

• “Gabriel who has brought the Qur’an down upon your heart [O Muhammad]

Angels - Mika’il

• Responsible for keeping the devil out of heaven

• Protects worshippers

• In charge of plants and rain

Angels - Israfil

• Will blow the trumpet on Judgement Day to signal the dead being resurrected

Akhirah - Janna

• State of peace, joy and happiness

• Full of beautiful gardens, sparkling fountains, flowing rivers, reclining sofas, delicious food, and delightful serving maidens

• Given to those that have either: Lived a moral and faithful life, suffered persecution because of faith, or fought for the cause of God

• It is also possible to get to if even though your actions may have been bad, your intentions were positive

Akhirah - Jahannam

• Place of terror

• Full of boiling water, fierce fire and thick black smoke, and eternal separation from God

• Given to those who: Collected more bad deeds and intentions than good

• Some believe it is not an eternal experience, and those who repent can be pardoned

Articles of Faith

Sunni Islam

1. Allah (God)

2. Malaikah (Angels)

3. Kutub (Holy books)

4. Risalah (Prophethood)

5. Akhirah (Afterlife)

6. Al-Qadr (Predestination)

Roots of religion

Shi’a Islam

1. Tawhid (Oneness of Allah)

2. Adalat (Justice of God)

3. Nubuwwah (Prophethood)

4. Imamate (Leadership)

5. Qayamat (Resurrection

Kutub - Sahifah

• Scrolls of Ibrahim

• Original are now lost and there are no remaining copies

• Ibrahim was the greatest prophet before Isa

Kutub - Tawrat

• Torah

• Revelations given to Musa

• Contains laws and teaches the unity of God

• Copies are believed to fall short of the original but is still used

Kutub - Zabur

• Psalms

• Given to Dawud, who is seen as a model Muslim

• Promoted praising God, prostrating and acting justly

Kutub - Injil

• The Gospel

• Teaching given to Jesus

• Last revelation before the Qur’an

• Followers were criticised for extravagance and error of teaching

Pillars of Islam

Sunni

1. Shahadah

2. Salah

3. Zakah

4. Sawm

5. Hajj

The Shahadah

• Statement of Faith

• “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger [and Ali is the friend of God]”

• Also known as the Kalimah prayer: “There is no deity except him, the exalted in might, the Wise”

• Recited in all five daily prayers

• Whispered into the ears of newborns and the dying

Salah

• Duty to pray five times a day: After dawn, midday, afternoon, sunset, after dark

• Follows set pattern: Stand quietly reciting prayers, Bow low with hands on knees, Prostrate on the floor in submission to Allah, Kneel with feet folded under body, Stand reciting prayers once to the left and once to the right

• Friday prayers must be at a Mosque

• Quran 29:45 speaks of prayer preventing immorality and wrongdoing

• Qur’an 15:98-99 commands Allah is exalted with praise and prostration to him

Zakat

• Taxes 2.5% of wealth to charity

• Done to avoid over hoarding and to share good fortune

• Done annually, but other voluntary opportunities like Sadaqah

• Sign of cleansing, purity, and proof of practise as Khalifah

Sawm

• Fasting during Ramadan

• During daylight, no: Eating, drinking, sexual activity, smoking

• Suhar eaten before dawn and Iftar eaten after dusk

• Ill, travellers, children under 12, pregnant women, women on their periods are all exempt

• Extra night prayers and all must go to Mosque on 27th Day of Ramadan AKA Laylat-ul-Qadr

• Celebrates God’s blessing and brings Ummah closer to God

Nature of Hajj

• Pilgrimage to Mecca for five days

• Only pillar not compulsory (for those unable to afford it)

• Should be done at least once in a lifetime, ideally during the twelfth Islamic month

• Where Ibrahim was ready to sacrifice his son, where Hajar found water, where the Ka’ba is built, and where Muhammad was born and received the revelations

• White clothes worn to signify equality

Activities of Hajj

1. Tawaf - Circle the Ka’ba seven times

2. Walking seven times between the hills of Mahwah and Safa

3. Drinking from the Zam Zam well

4. Wukuf - Standing before Allah on the plain of Araf

5. Collecting pebbles at Muzdalafah

6. Hurling pebbles at stone pillars at Mina

7. Camping at Mina

8. Shaving when Hajj is completed (Men only)

9. Return to Makkah to repeat Tawaf

Obligatory Acts

Shi’a Islam

1. Salat - Five daily prayers

2. Sawm - Fasting during Ramadan

3. Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca

4. Zakah - 2.5% of wealth to charity annually'

5. Khums - 20% of wealth paid to scholars and community members

6. Jihad - Struggle to be a good Muslim

7. Amr-bil Maroof - Duty for Muslims to encourage others to do good

8. Nahil Anril Munkar - Duty of all Muslims to forbid evil and correct wrongs

9. Tawalia - To have love for Allah, Muhammad, all friends of Gid and the 12 infallible Imams

10. Tabarra - To disassociate with impure people and oppressors

Greater Jihad

• Inner struggle to follow your faith and be a good Muslim

• Present in day-to-day life

• Includes things like praying five times a day, following food restrictions, and encouraging others to do good

Lesser Jihad

• Outward struggle to defend Islam from threats

• Promotes force only in self-defence

• “Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged” (Qur’an 22:39)

• Aggressiveness is forbidden, and attacking civilians is wrong

• Jihad can only be declared by a holy and pure Muslim leader whose decision is supported by the entire Ummah

Eid-al-Adha

• Most important and opportunity for Muslims worldwide to worship together

• Marks the end of the annual (best time) for Hajj

• Commemorates Ibrahim being ready to sacrifice his son for Allah

• Gifts, clothes, food, prayers shared

• In Islamic countries families sacrifice an animal, Britons just ask a butcher to do it for them

• Some of this meat is then given to those in poverty

Eid-al-Fitr

• Three day celebration at the end of Ramadan, rewarding and thanking for self control for fast

• Houses decorated with lights, banners, and flags

• New clothes bought, special sermon in Mosques, special meal with friends and family

• Gifts of money given to the less affluent (Zakat-ul-Fitr) and children

• Cemetery visits to remember those who have died

Ashura

• Tenth day of the tenth month

• Shi’a - Death and suffering of Hussain at Karbala in 680BCE

• Sunni - Musa fasting and opening up the Red Sea so the Israelites could escape the Egyptians

• Day of sorrow, mourning, and public grief

• Wearing black, beating chest, marching through streets

• Some beat themselves with chains and cut themselves with swords, but Britons donate blood

Laylat-al-Qadr and the importance of the Qur’an

• The Night of Power is on the 27th day of Ramadan, when the Qur’an was revealed to Muhammad (PBUH) by Jibril

• Many spend the night reciting the Qur’an and/or praying

• Qur’an is important because: Allah telling humans how to live, needs a state of Wudu before reading, placed on a stand when in Arabic and not being read, stored on the highest shelf and wrapped in a cloth