HONR 101 Final Study Guide

sura

chapter in qur’an; a collection of Ayas with an overall goal of guiding the reader towards the divine

aya

verse; translates as “sign” of God

phenomatic resonation

without meaning

prophet

a messenger appointed by God to tell the people to turn back towards Him; teaches how to be a servant of God

Qur’an

Arabic for Word of God; Islamic holy text

Allah

Arabic for God

Islam’s main theme

mercy

prostrate

bow down before [someone]

goal of the Qur’an

to guide the reader toward the divine; see everything as a sign of God

sura 1 (first/second half, theme, importance)

a prayer for guidance; first half gives God’s relationship with creation, second half gives creation’s relationship with God; the lens through which we understand the whole Qur’an

Qur’an modes of interpretation

specific (context it is addressing), general (universal meaning), and personal (what God is saying to me; different for every person)

Sura 113

gratitude versus envy

how Devil operates

whispers; puts thoughts into your head

five relationships in Islam

with the divine, prophethood, greater population, nature, & the self

5 stages of life in Islam

pre-eternity (before conception, existing with the divine), in mother’s womb, worldly life, condition of death, afterlife (resurrection & judgment)

free will in Islam

you have free will in a subjective sense, but person next to you may be prewritten

faith in Islam

accepting ambiguity as ineffable (unable to be understood by anyone but God)

3 rules in Islam

be mindful to God, monotheism, and looking out for well-being of others

six dimensions of islam

heart (yearning to be with divine), mind (intentions), body (actions); relationships, society, world

Muhammad

prophet of Islam; messenger of God

Abu Lahib

“Father of Flame”; leader of Mecca who protested against Muhammad; see Sura 111

Jinns in Islam

divine beings made of fire; creatures in the realm of the unseen; pure emotion 

angels in Islam

made of light; in the realm of the unseen; pure rationality, able to manipulate reality; cannot disobey God; are God’s soldiers

important angels in Islam

Gabriel (deliverer of messages), Michael (oversees angels operating reality), angel of death, angel who announces day of judgment

humans in islam

made of clay; in the realm of the seen; superior beings; have ability to obey/disobey God; both rational and emotional and more

God in Islam

omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, merciful

Sura 111 (specific, general, personal)

specific: abu lahib shouted out in protest against Muhammad, this was Muhammad’s response

general: speak truth to power

personal: control your anger, respond with gratitude, don’t fuel others’ anger

Sura 113 & 114

113: prayer for protection from evils of people

114: prayer for protection from devil

protection from envy; in parallel with each other

Sura 2 creation story; 4 parts

announcement (creating humans), prostration (angels bow before Adam, Iblis does not), tree (introduces free will & forgiveness), departure/final lessons (descent of humans, fall of Iblis).

Arjuna

kshatriya; warrior who is asking Krishna questions

Krishna

Arjuna’s charioteer; avatar of Vishnu; Brahman 

svadharma

social/caste duty

kshatriya

warrior/ruler caste; what Arjuna is

atman

eternal and indestructible selves/souls

Brahman

the eternal infinite structure of the universe

maya

illusion; the veil of reality

samsara

the cycle of birth and death

buddhi

insight

yoga

dedicated skill in discipline/practice that is unattached to the fruits of action

moksha

liberation from samsara

Jñāna yoga

focused pursuit of knowledge of the sameness of atman and Brahman

sanyasi

a monk who abandons all action in pursuit of Jñāna yoga

karma yoga

the yoga of unattached action & performance of dharma

yogi

person who pursues karma yoga through meditation AND acting

bhakti yoga

yoga of devotion, worship, & love of the divine

best form of yoga?

bhakti yoga is the best form of yoga

conceptions of the universe intermingled in the Bhagavad Gita

monistic (vedanta) and dualistic (samkhya)

prakriti

nature; the original or natural form of the universe, made up of 3 gunas

gunas

conditions, animated by the force of purusha

the 3 gunas

sattva (goodness, purity, knowledge, & harmony), rajas (passion & activity, driven by desires & attachments), & tamas (ignorance, darkness, laziness, chaos)

purusha

divine eternal creation