Religion Final Exam Study Guide

Ijtihad

to struggle

What are some of the challenges of translating the Qur'an into English?Identify at least five.

-Some words are difficult to translate because there is no English equivalent -Very hard to translate accurately and preserve rhyme or rhythm -Qur'an is often vague does not offer a lot of detail -Ambiguous pronouns (have to decide what the pronoun refers to) - Qur'an sometimes uses ellipses

Why is Abraham so important for Muslims? What role does he play in Islamic thought?

1) Built the Ka'ba, the temple in Mecca that Muslims pray towards 2) Ancestor of Muhammad He is a famous monotheist, since he is not Jewish nor Christian

What is the theological significance of these differences? That is, how is the Qur'an's version consistent with its own larger understanding of God, prophets, and humanity? Connect at least three unique aspects of the Qur'an's version of the story to Islamic theology (Abdel Haleem).

1. Creation of Adam and Eve is proof of God's power 2. The repentance of Adam and Eve, is something Muhammad recommends to Muslims showing that the door of repentance is open prior to death 3. Adam and Eve being placed in the garden is a sign of marriage which is strongly emphasized.

How did Muslim scholars define the proper conduct of war based on the hadith tradition? List at least five prohibitions (Dagli)

1. Don't cut down fruit- bearing trees 2. Don't kills animals except for sustenance 3. Don't harm monks and hermits 4. Don't go beyond certain bounds even in the case of combatants (mutilation) 5. Don't target civilians

How did Muslims define a "good" interpretation of the Qur'an that uncovers its "true" meaning? That is, how did they think a sincere believer could be guided by the Qur'an, rather than manipulating it? (see Mattson, pages 193 and following).

1. Interpretation by Transmitted Tradition 2. Interpretation by Reason 3. Interpretation by Spiritual Inspiration

Explain three different interpretations by Muslims scholars (past and present) of the verse that has been used to justify a man striking his wife (Q 4:34). (Mattson; also see Study Qur'ans' commentary on Q 4:34).

1. Men have the permission to hit their wife if that husband fears his wife 2. Men have the permission to hit their wife if he has already tried to change her behavior by warning her and withholding intimacy from her as long as it does not leave a mark 3. Follow Muhammad's sunnah, he never hit his wives

Explain the five possible rulings that Muslims scholars gave to all human acts. What are they, and what type of scriptural evidence do they require? (Al-Tayyib)

1. Obligatory- what you should do, prayer, fasting, etc 2. Recommended- what is recommended that you do but doesn't have to be done, extra prayers 3. Neutral- there is no scripture give obligatory to it, so if you do it nothing happens if you don't do it nothing happens, breakfast 4. Disliked- what should not be done and rewarded if you do it and if you do it then nothing happens, divorce 5. Prohibited- should not be done, drinking alcohol

For what purposes does the Qur'an authorize violent force? Identify at least three purposes given by the Qur'anic text. (Dagli; review Mattson 62-65)

1. The maintenance of religion 2. protection of churches, synagogues, monasteries (places of worship) 3. As a defensive action for wrong committed against them (expulsion from homeland)

In the Islamic tradition, what qualifications did a Muslim scholar need to have before they were "qualified" to interpret the Qur'an? (see handout)

1. The proper intention to please God and guide others. 2. Love and respect for the Quran, including the belief that it is from God 3. Orthodox theological views 4. Fear of God and immediate repentance upon the performance of sin. 5. a gifted intellect.

Fitrah

A nature by virtue of which one is aware of the pretemporal covenant with God, primordial norm.

List examples of one Arab prophet and the people he was sent to (other than Muhammad) and three non-Arab prophets and the people they were sent to, according to the Qur'an. (Lumbard, Esack)

Abraham, sent to Abraham's people. Jesus, sent to Israelites. Moses, sent to Israelites in Egypt. Noah, sent to Noah's people

How did the Qur'an impact the languages of the Muslim world? Give examples of changes in vocabulary, the script in which languages were written, and common names. (Mattson)

Arabic script was used to represent languages from West Africa to Malaysia

Canon

Authoritative definitive body of scripture

Ishmael

Called Ismail in the Qur'an. Son of Abraham. Father of the Arab nation. In the quranic account it was him who was sacrficed and built the Ka'ba with Abraham.

What views did Muslims theologians offer regarding whether or not people of other faith traditions will be saved according to the Qur'an? Explain the three major schools of thought and their reasoning, citing relevant phrases from the Qur'an. Which view was historically the most popular? (Khalil)

Exclusivists: only their religion would be saved and its declaration that Islam is the only acceptable way (3:19,85) Pluralists: whatever the circumstances, there are multiple paths that are equally salvific (2:62) Inclusivists: salvation may only be attained by sincere non-Muslims for whatever reason could not have been expected to recognize the truth of Muhammad's message (17:15)

What are the main sources of Islamic law? Identify three (al-Tayyib)

Hadith, Muhammad's sunnah, Muhammad's students companions, Qur'an

In what ways do Muslims experience the Qur'an in daily life? Give three examples of where the Qur'an might be seen and three examples of where it might be heard (Mattson; Saeed).

Hear: Radio, Mosques- group recitation and 5x daily prayers Seen: Homes, Cars, Mosques

What must Muslims do before they can touch the Qur'an? Discuss both the physical, and ideally, spiritual, steps required. Why? (Mattson; Saeed)

If they are in the state of major impurity, then they are required to wash from head to toe. If they are in a state of minor impurity, then they only need to be purified through wudu (washing hands, face, arms and feet, and wiping the hair and ears with water). The physical steps required are fasting, salat, and pilgrimage. Helps believer attain focus and begin the rituals in a reverential state.

Shariah

Islamic law (path to watering hole, path to life, ideal of what God wants)

Sufism

Islamic spirituality

How might the translation of the Qur'an by George Sale that Jefferson owned have influenced him? What evidence do we have of this possible influence?

It may have sparked him to learn the Arabic language, it is more significant that it may have reinforced his commitment to religious freedom. Jefferson drafted a bill for establishment of religious freedom.

Give an example of a story about Jesus in the Qur'an that is also found in extra-Biblical material.

Jesus speaks from cradle

According to the Qur'an, was Jesus crucified and killed on the cross? Explain at least two possible interpretations of Qur'anic verses on this question (Lumbard).

Jesus was unconscious, so they took him down and placed him in tomb Jesus was replaced by the person who betrayed him and that person suffered on the cross

How do Qur'anic verses revealed in Mecca before the Hijra differ from those revealed in Medina after the Hijra in their subject matter? Discuss the relative prevalence of legal verses in each. (Al-Tayyib)

Meccan verses: focuses more on establishing fundamentals of faith, whilst consisting of relatively short symbolic stories that convey warnings against wrong actions, moral and spiritual lessons Medinan verses: focuses on the promulgation of laws for professional affairs, society and the state. They are relatively long focusing on fundamental changes in society.

Messenger / Rasul

Messenger of God. Some scholars describe a rasul as a nabi who has delivered a written revelation (scripture)

Explain the "spiritual psychology" of human beings according to Shahidullah Faridi. What are our primary spiritual faculties? What is the nature of each faculty? What do these faculties desire? Cite at least one relevant phrase from the Qur'an in your explanation.

Nafs, the concupiscent and selfish self, is the force that binds us to our physical existence. The physical plane desires to fulfill our bodily needs (food, drink, rest and comfort, sleep, and sexual appetite) pulls him down toward Earth. The Ruh, the spiritual self continually strive to lift him to the heavens (15:29). The desire to please Him, to spend oneself for His purposes. The Qualb, the discriminating and the intelligent self, by nature is greedy, entirely devoted to the achievement of His ends

Wudu(Ablution)

Obligatory cleansing rituals performed in order to render the believer ritually pure. Required prior to prayer for both men and women. Consists of washing the hands, mouth, face, arms up to the elbows, and feet. Water is usually poured over the top of the head as well.

Prophet / Nabi

Prophet, one who announces. Person called by God to communicate a divinely given message in the form of general moral teachings to humankind and the unseen world of spirits.

What is the Qur'an's "prophetology?" That is, what do prophets and messengers do according to the Qur'an, why are they sent, and what common teachings did they bring to humanity? (Lumbard, Esack)

Prophets and messengers are sent from every nation to guide the community to righteousness and to reaffirm the essential content of previous religions. The common teachings they bring is there is no god but God.

Ruh

Spirit, breath of life. Divine spirit in the sense pf communication of life force. Immaterial, immortal element of a living being, pulls you up toward God

Compare and contrast the story of Abraham in the Bible and in the Qur'an. Identify three significant similarities and three significant differences. (Bakhos, also Qur'an passages in syllabus, Genesis chapters in syllabus).

Similarities: Abraham has a son named Issac, Abraham marries Sarah, Abraham casts out Ishmael and Hagar. Differences: Bible states that Abraham goes to Chaldeans when God summons him, Bible talks about the circumcision of Abraham and Ishmael, Qur'an does not specify which son was sacrificed.

Compare and contrast the story of Jesus in the Bible and in the Qur'an. Identify three significant similarities and three significant differences. (Lumbard).

Similarities: Birth of Jesus is a miracle, Jesus was Divinely given powers, God raised Jesus up into Himself Differences: Bible states that Jesus is the son of God , is part of the Holy Trinity and Jesus died on cross and then ressurected

How is the Qur'anic story of Adam and Eve similar to and different from the biblical story in Genesis chapters 2 through 4? Identify three similarities and three differences in the stories. (Genesis 1-4; Qur'anic verses - see syllabus; Abdel Haleem)

Similarities: they both mention the forbidden fruit of the tree God told them not to eat, how Adam was expelled from the garden, the repentance of Adam. Differences: Bible mentions how Eve was made from one of Adam's ribs, Bible mentions the creation of Adam (God breathed life into dust), Qur'an mentions the conversation between God and the Angels.

Discuss the role of the Qur'an in dealing with death. How is the Qur'an used to console the dying? How is it used in the funeral service? (Mattson)

The Qur'an entices with descriptions of Paradise and the ultimate bliss of being in Divine Presence, the Qur'an repels believers from evil by vivid descriptions of the torment of hellfire and says that friends and family of the deceased should say "To God we belong and to Him we return". During a funeral service, the ritual prayer is short, consisting mostly of supplications from the Qur'an.

How does the Qur'an engage with the Bible? In what ways does it cite it, and for what purposes? (Griffith).

The Qur'an is very brief when referencing the Bible with the assumption that people are already familiar about the stories of the biblical patriarchs and prophets. The Qur'an cites the Bible through quotations, allusions, and parodies as a way of confirming the veracity of the earlier scriptures and gives Muhammad authority.

How have Muslims and critical academics explained the similarities and differences between the Qur'an's stories of the prophets and those of the Bible?

The Qur'an matches the Bible and extra-Biblical lit sometimes and it also disagrees with Bible sometimes, somethings that are not mentioned in Qur'an

How did Muslim jurists seek to adapt the Qur'an's message, initially given to Muhammad's community in seventh-century Arabia, to new times and places? (Mattson; al-Tayyib, "Flexibility of Texts," 1701-1703)

The continued use of reason as a tool in Islamic legal theory is most evident among Sunni scholars in their reliance on analogical reasoning. This allows the rules of the Qur'an to be continually adapted to new circumstances.

Adam

The first human being, created to be God's vicegerent on earth. He was created on the 6th day, lived to be 930 years old. Father of Cain, Abel and Shith. Lived in the Garden of Eden.

What are the challenges in reconstructing the historical context of a Qur'anic verse? (Saeed 186-189; review Mattson, pp. 27-33)

The general practice of classifying entire chapters as either Meccan or Medinan has caused some difficulties in determining when a particular verse was revealed

Describe the ideal "spiritual psychology" of a human being according to Shahidullah Faridi. Cite at least one relevant phrase from the Qur'an in your explanation.

The ideal man is therefore one whose concupiscent self is subservant to his intelligent self as a strong and faithful servant is to his master, and whose intelligent self is inspired and directed by the institutional self as is a pious ruler by his spiritual guide (3:182)

Give an example of a story about Abraham in the Qur'an that is also found in extra-Biblical material.

The smashing of idols

How does the Qur'an describe treaties? (Dagli; review Mattson 62-65)

They are an important dimension of Islamic law as they pertain to war and peace.

Discuss how Muslim scholars sought to deal with the problem of multiple interpretations of the same Qur'anic verse (Mattson)

They cite the reported statement of the prophet. Everyone who exerts himself, hits his mark; if correct, rewarded 2 marks , if incorrect rewarded one mark for effort as they could have made a mistake

Where do Muslims place the Qur'an? Why? How do Muslims dispose of old unwanted Qur'ans? (Saeed) (Matson)

They place it on a table but on something that can elevate it or in the library on the highest shelf, shows the superiority of God's word over the words of humans. If you want to dispose of old unwanted Qur'ans you burn it, put it in storage, or dig a hole and place a rock on top of it then cove the hole with dirt, so the Qur'an doesn't get dirty

When and how did the Qur'an first come to America?

Thomas Jefferson bought a copy of the Qur'an in the 1780s

Why did Thomas Jefferson purchase a copy of the Qur'an? What evidence do we have for his motivation?

Thomas Jefferson purchased the Qur'an in response to conflicts between U.S. and the "Barbary states" of North Africa- today Morocco, Algeria,"know thy enemy". The evidence is that Jefferson had a book called "Of Law and Nature of Nations" that is closely related to Shariah Law that has numerous references to Islam and the Qur'an.

Explain the difference between tradition-based and reason-based exegesis (Saeed, pp. 178-182)

Tradition-based exegesis: aims to restrict the use of independent reasoning in understanding and the interpretation of the text , emphasizing its importance by referencing the Qur'an Reason-based: allows for interpretation of texts based on independent reasoning, albeit with certain limitations

Explain the significance of abrogation (naskh) for interpreting Qur'anic verses on violence and peace. What is the majority view? (Dagli)

Verses permissive of conflict "abrogate" or cancel the binding force of those verses that discourage or limit it. Most jurists accept that abrogation exists in the Qur'an, but there is a wide range of opinion as to its scope and application.

Naskh

abrogation

Qiyas

an anology

Al-Qaeda

as founded in 1988/1989 by Osama bin Laden to provide social services to Afghan veterans and their families and to continue the jihad begun in Afghanistan against the communist Soviet Union.

Osama bin Laden

founder of al-Qaʿida, Osama bin Laden (1957-2011) remains an icon for Islamic extremism and violent opposition to both the United States and its allies.Born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia of 1957 died in Abbottabad, Pakista of 2011

Extra-Biblical

information or content outside of Bible

Isa

known as Jesus. The son of Mary, birth was a miracle, the Word and Messiah sent from God, Jesus was given Divinely powers.

Iltifat

linguistic alternation between tenses or persons

Fiqh

literally means understanding, Islamic law (humans attempts at trying to figure out what God wants).

Maqasid / Maqasid al-Shari'ah

objectives of law

Halal

permitted

Haram / al-Haram

prohibited

Dhikr

remembering God. refers to devotional practice of regular practices and prayer

Nafs

the animal self or soul. the spirituality of all living creatures. the potential to actualize the fullness of self-awareness, pulls us down toward the earth

Soteriology

the doctrine of salvation, which in early modern theological treatises always includes the doctrines of atonement and Grace and sometimes extends backwards to the doctrine of sin and forwards to eschatology (heaven, purgatory, and hell)

Occasions of Revelation

the narration of a particular incident or incidents, which spurred the revelation of a verse or set of verses. Circumstances encompassing the revelation's addresses at the time it is revealed.

Jihad

the struggle in the spiritual life against one's lower desires