Intro to Islam Midterm

Iman

faith, belief, conviction

Islam

surrender

kufr

indifference, rejection, denial

shukr

thankfulness, gratitude

Taqwa

God consciousness, piety, self restraint

Jahanam

hell

Janna

heaven

al- Dunyya

worldly life - "the nearer"

al-Akhira

the hereafter, afterlife

Tawhid

the oneness of god

Salāt

Ritual - 5 Compulsory Prayers

Ayah

sign

Wahy

Revelation

Umma

nation, people, community based on faith

Two major differences between Theism and Pantheism

Theism- god is distinct and created everything (has wrath compassion, knowledge) , bust is separate from everything

Pantheism- there is no separation between divinity and realtiy, god is penetrated in everything & he is impersonal like the sugar and water example

Three common elements of three theistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

belief in one god, central scripture (bible/quran), messengers that guide humanity (jesus, mohammad), life after death

The six pillars of the Islamic belief system

Belief in Allah

Belief in Angels (Gabriel)

Belief in the Revealed Books: Torah (old test), Injil (new test), + Quran

Belief in God's Messengers: Moses, Jesus, & Mohammed (+ more)- prophets

The Day of Judgement & Resurrection

Belief in Predestination of All Things & Events

The five pillars of the Islamic practical system

(Shahadatayyn)- Testify that:

There is No God But Allah & Mohammed is God's Messenger (gate to becoming muslim)

Offer 5 Compulsory Prayers (Salat)

To Pay Obligatory Charity (Zakat)

Pilgrimage to Mecca (UAE)

Fast During the Holy Month of Ramadan (Sum)

Three features that characterize the worldview of the age of jahiliyyah

polytheism (pagan, trinity)

worldliness (life ends at death, pleasure>morals)

tribalism (community based on blood & kinship)

The five major virtues of Jahili Arabs

generosity (for nobility, wasteful)

courage (fearless warriors, heroism, bravery)

loyalty (to the tribe)

patience (endurance, fortitude)

veracity (honesty & truthfulness, keeping promises)

Two differences between the pre-Islamic and Islamic/Qur'anic conceptions of the virtue of 'generosity'

pre- gain notability, wasteful, hurt families

quran- be done to please god, obligatory & voluntary

Two differences between the pre-Islamic and Islamic/Qur'anic conceptions of the virtue of 'courage'

pre- courage in the battlefield, ruthlessness

quran- courage in spiritual journey, war must be just and defensive

Two types of loyalty (wafa) in the Qur'an

Horizontal- to the Umma

Vertical- takes priority, to God

Two aspects of the virtue Veracity in Quran

*mention 3 major truths

Truth (God & His oneness, The Prophet is a message, The Quran is God's word) & Honesty (belief holders- spread the honest word)

The Arabian peninsula was surrounded by two political powers. What were they? What was the dominant religion in each of them

Roman Empire (Christian)

Sasanian (Persian)

What is Ka'aba? What is its importance to Muslims' lives

It is a shrine in Mecca built by the prophet Abraham & his son -- was probably a church (christianish b/c jesus)

trade, perform religious rituals, no war for a month out of the year, happiness!

What is the doctrine of the Last Judgment in the Qur'an

Doctrine: you go to heaven or hell

Creates motivation for moral life

Justice prevails

Hope, overcome fear of death

Very briefly explain the Qur'anic cosmology, i.e., the structure of the world as it is portrayed in the Qur'an.(Make sure to discuss the structure of al-Dunya, al-Akhirah, and the role of the world in between.

Qayb- Unseen/Invisible:

God, Spiritual Beings, Angels (light), Jinns

Al-Dunyah (present world):

Human beings, Animals, Plants, Objects

Al- Akhirah:

Hereafter- Heaven (Janna) -Hell (Jahanan)

One major difference between the Qur'anic cosmology and pre-Islamic Arabs' picture of the world.

pre- life ends at death

post- there is hereafter/life after death

Misconceptions of deity among Arab pagans and also Christians

The Trinity (how does god manifest as so many versions)

Polytheism

Two types of spiritual beings that, according to the Qur'an, are created by God? Discuss one difference

Angels- light, pure, incapable of disobeying god

Jinns- made from smokeless fire, have free will

Difference- free will

4 major kinds of relation between God and man in the Qur'an

Ontological (god is creator & everything else created)

Lord-Servant

Communicative (exchange meaning- revelation, prayer, signs)

Ethical (God is the moral agent)

What is the story of the Creation of the cosmos in the Qur'an? Discuss one difference between the Qur'anic and the Biblical versions of this story

An act of will, not necessity & creation out of nothing

Difference from Bible- he did not rest, constantly engaged in the act of creation, his days are different

What is the story of the Creation of humans in the Qur'an? Discuss at least two major differences between the Qur'anic and the Biblical versions of this story

Created out of clay (body) + breath of God's spirit (soul)

Taught him the names of the things

Differences- No similarity between God & humans

& no special thing about humans

Explain the Verbal Communicative Relation between God and man in the Qur'an

*language

God —> Man (revelation)

Directly (Wahy), Messenger (Jibrieal), Behind the Veil (dream)

Man —> God (prayer/dua)

God communicates with men in three different ways. What are they?

Verbal language (revelation)

Nonverbal (natural/psychological phenomenon)

-natural: flood psych: deep sense of peace after pray

Ayah/Signs

-favors or justice

Non-verbal Communicative Relation between God and man in the Qur'an

Natural- Flood if he's angry, prosperous harvest if he's rewarding

Psychological- using your emotions (deep sense of peace when you do something wrong, forgiven, anxious)

God → Man (Tanzil-sending down)

Man → God (Salat- ritual)

Two different types of ayah that God sends down to humans. Best reaction on a human's part? Inappropriate?

Favors (Ni'ma) - Reveals God's goodness

Wrath (Sakhat) - Justice

appropriate- acceptance, gratitude, fear

inappropriate- indifference, rejection

Lord-Servant Relation between God and man in the Qur'an. What are the major attributes related to God as Lord and man as His servant

He is the Commander (lawmaker) and you must obey

- he made laws regarding worship

- and laws regarding social life

Ethical Relation between God and man in the Qur'an. What are the two different types of attributes

God is the moral agent

He is a god of mercy & justice

What does it mean to say, "God is a moral agent"

God knows the difference between good & evil

God commits Himself to morality

God teaches humans the difference between good & evil

He holds humans morally accountable

When and where did Muhammad receive his first revelation?

around 610 in the Cave of Hira

Describe Muhammad's first experience of receiving revelation.

Lived in a cave (Hira)

610, the angel Gabriel came and told him to write down the first 5 Quranic verses but he was illiterate

Mohammed & wife went to one of her cousins who knew the history of the prophets

Told Muhammad he was the newest prophet, congrats!

What is Hijra? What is its role in the Islamic calendar

It is the starting point of the Islamic calendar when muslims migrated from mecca to medina

Who is Khadijah, and why is she important in the history of Islam

She is Muhammed's milf wife & first person to accept Islam

her money was able to help the word spread

Why Muhammad is important for Muslims' lives? Explain two major reasons

He is the example on how to live a righteous & faithful life

Quran was revealed to him

Ordinary Hadith

words & content come from the Prophet

Hadith Qudsi

The word comes from the Prophet while the content comes from God`

Qur'an

The word & content of the Quran comes from God

Explain the anatomy of a hadith

Chain of Transmitters (Isnad)

-historical, religious, moral

Text (Matin)

-follows common sense & aligns with authoritative text