Islam Exam

Name the two denominations of Islam. Who is Ali ibn Abu Talib?

- 2 main denominations - Sunni and Shia - SHIA - The Arabic word means "organization", 'party", "faction" or "partisan", those who believe that Ali ibn Abu Talib was the legitimate successor or imam of the Prophet.

What is the core message of Muhammad's revelation? How does the populace of Arabia (and the Quraysh especially) respond to this revelation?

- Core message: Ethical monotheism - Quraysh tribe - do not like it, they are worried for the kabah as they control it, they don't want to give away money to orphans and less privileged.

What is Sunnah? Hadith?

- Hadith - sayings of Prophet of Muhammad - Sunnah - The second most important sacred source in Islam, which refers to the lifestyle of Muhammad.

How is the understanding of imam different in Sunnism and Shiism?

- Imam - like a religious(Islamic) leader - Shiism - a imam is a person from Prophet Muhammad's family. Spiritual. Political. - Only 1 at a given time - Sunnism - Don't have to be from the family and doesn't have to be political.

Are all Muslims Arab? Are all Arabs Muslim? What is the country with the highest Muslim population?

- Indonesia has the highest Muslim population - Indonesia is an Asian Country, which leads to the misunderstanding that the majority of Muslims are Arabs, and that all Arabs are Muslim.

What does orthopraxy mean and its importance in Islam - orthodoxy and orthopraxy

- Islam generally stresses orthopraxy over orthodoxy - Orthopraxy in Islamic life is centered on the physical practice of prayer.

What does Islam mean? List the three different meanings of Islam as discussed by Chittick.

- Meaning: law - understanding - enlightenment(love/virtual) - 3 : Universal obedience, practice, and voluntary submission

When and where is Muhammad born? What is his life like before the first revelation? Describe the events surrounding the first revelation.

- Muhammad was born on 29th of August 570 CE, in Saudi Arabia (Mecca). - Part of the Quraysh tribe - He was orphaned by another family - Married Khadijah (wealthy widow) who involved him in trade -He was meditating in a cave during Ramadan. He was revelation from the angel of Gabriel and the angel demanded he recite.

What is the status of the Quran in Islam? How is it different from the Christian understanding of the New Testament?

- Quran - is the direct word of God - Who wrote the new testament? - Matthew mark Luke john after Jesus's life - Quran is the direct word of God but the New testament is an overview of Gods words. - Jesus is divine in Christianity but Muhammad is not that high up. - The Quran to Muslims is like Jesus to Christians, no mistakes.

What is the purpose / goal of Sufism? How is it inspired by the Prophet Muhammad's journey of Mi'raj?

- Sufism is the mystical core/heart of Islam that can be practiced by Sunni or Shia Islam's, which through practices and beliefs helps Muslims attain nearness to Allah by a way of direct personal experience of God. - Distinction between outer and inner aspects of Islamic teachings - Considered their own quest for union with the divine to be compared to the mi 'raj of Prophet Muhammad. - Sufism originated after Muhammad's death

What is Sufism? What is the original meaning of this term?

- The journey of external to the internal - Sufism is another name for Islam, it is an infuses on the inner parts of islam

What is the importance of Jerusalem in Islam?

- The night journey (Miraj) - Jerusalem was the first destination - He met all of the previous prophets and prayed with them

What is divine transcendence and immanence?

- Transcendence: - beyond, creator, Allahu-Akbar: means that God is greater than everything that we know - Immanence: - Within us, manifestation

Name the five pillars of Islam

1 - Profession of Faith (shahada) - the belief that "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messanger of God" in central Islam. 2 - Prayer (salat) - Muslims pray facing Mecca five times a day: at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and after dark. 3 - Alms (zakat) - In accordance with Islamic law, Muslims donate a fixed portion of their income to community members in need 4 - Fasting (sawm) - On the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, all healthy adult Muslims are required to abstain from food and drinks to renew their awareness of and gratitude for everything God had provided for them. 5 - Pilgrimage (hajj) - Every Muslim whose health and finances permit it must make at least one visit to the holy city of Mecca, in present-day Saudi Arabia. ( The kabah)

In the Islamic tradition, which prophets received revelations or books from God?

Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus

What does Muhammad's title, Seal of the Prophets, mean?

According to the Quran, this means that Muhammad is the last prophet

What is the Quranic view of past prophets, such as Moses and Jesus?

All of the people who came before Muhammad are just as important, Muhamad was just the last prophet.

What is Islamophobia?

Islamophobia is a term used to describe irrational hostility, fear, or hatred of Islam, Muslims, and Islamic culture, and active discrimination against these groups or individuals within them.

What is the Islamic belief concerning the Day of Judgment and Hereafter?

Muslims stand before God and are judged on their actions. Islam teaches that ones life doesn't end on earth; it is followed by the eternal life of the hereafter. Muslims rely on divine guidance (with words of prophets and scripture)for a glimpses of a reality that you cannot see. God sent prophets to guide humanity, but there is still so much unknown about the afterlife.

Does Allah refer to a specific Islamic god or deity?

No, direct translation for il - ilah (God)

Name one important Sufi personality.

Rabia (Basra) - 717-801

What does salvation mean and who is guaranteed salvation in Islam and why?

Salvation - being saved by God on the day of judgement, no one is guaranteed salvation in Islam and being a Muslim does not guarantee salvation. People from other religions can be saved too.

How did the Prophet Muhammad treat the Meccans at the Conquest of Mecca?

The Meccans rebelled against Muhammad because he spoke against and took away their Idols

What is the name of the sacred text/book of Islam?

The Quran

What is the shahada? List the two beliefs enumerated in the shahada.

The shahada is an Islamic profession of faith (the first pillar). Muslims show oneness of God by reciting the creed, this expresses a Muslims complete acceptance of and total commitment to Islam. The Shahada declares belief in the oneness (tawhid) of God and the acceptance of Muhammad as God's messenger.

What is an oral tradition?

is the verbally transmitted record of the teachings, deeds and sayings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, as well as various reports about Muhammad's companions - Ex. The Quran