Chapter 10- Islam

Medina

Earlier name for the city Yathrib. Muhammad moved here from Mecca in the migration known as the Hijrah.

Shahadah

First of the 5 pillars; the muslim creed/witness

Islam

The religion practiced by Muslims; Islam means surrender/submission.

What do we call the kind of government attempted in countries like Iran and Afghanistan, and what body of law is used to impose such a government?

Theocracies; Shariah:Body of law that has developed over the centuries. Becomes foundational structure for society that wants allah to rule over every detail of life.

What is different about the Day of Assembly, compared to daily prayer?

*Friday, midday 1) Have to pray in the mosque 2) Two-part sermon (khutbah)

Kabath

"Cube"; the square shrine at the center of the great mosque in Mecca.

The 99 Beautiful names of God

"Dhikr" remembrance of allah's personal attributes. (personal, compassionate)

Hijra or Hegira

"Flight"; Muhammad's escape from Mecca to Yathrib (Medina).

Shirk

"Idolitry" --> giving worthy attention to.

Qur'an

"Recitation"; God's words as revealed to and recited by Muhammad; an authorized edition of written words that appeared after Muhammad's death

caliph

"Successor"; a religious and political leader

Allah

"The God" That Hanifs prayed to this god and whom Muhhamd believes and worships.

The Hanifs

"the pure ones". They believed that that Kabah was where Abraham sacrificed his son. Muhhamad would pray, meditate, fast all night long outside of mt. hera with them.

Why is the daily and prescribed practice of prayer so central to Islam? Describe the direction and posture of a prostration.

*Primary means of expressing submission; - Recitation and Postures mandated in the Qur'an, all express total submission to will of Allah: (ritual washing / standing, bowing, prostration w/toes, knees, hands and forehead touching ground, and sitting on heels) - Face towards Mecca * repeat the 7 Assertions of "canonical prayer"

What two Christian doctrines are denied by Islam and why?

1) Holy Trinity; because muslims says its polytheistic 2) Incarnation; because no one/nothing should be elevated to that status of allah alone. (No human being equivalent to god)

What were the three consistent themes of all Muhammad's revelations?

1) Monotheism 2) Morality 3) Equality

What four levels of "struggle or effort" can be implied by the use of the term "jihad"?

1) Moral struggle in ones heart (internal) 2) Passive/resistance (nonviolent) 3) Preaching the Qu'ran 4) Physical violence or bloodshed --> war

Why/how do the Sufis claim to be following the model/experience of Muhammad?

1) Muhamad the first mysitc 2) Mystical interpretation of Qur'an 3) Direct experience of God the highest human goal 4) "Loss of self"

What are the steps one takes to become a Muslim?

1) Ritual cleansing 2) Say/recite shahadah 3) Change name to someone or something in the religion. *optional

The 5 pillars

1) Shahadah 2) Salat 3) Zakat 4) Sawm 5) Hajj

Recite the two parts to the Muslim 'creed"

1) There is no god, but "THE god" 2) Muhammad is his prophet.

By what formal phrases do the Muslims describe their prophet Muhammad, and their scripture, the Koran? And what do these two phrases mean?

1. "Seal of the Prophets" - Name recognizing Muhammad as the last and greatest prophet. 2. "Seal of Revelation" - God has nothing more to say. Refers to the Qu'ran.

Hadiths

A "recollection" of a act or saying of Muhammad

Mosque

A Muslim place of worship.

Muezzin

A chanter who calls people to prayer.

Jinni

A desert spirit that could not be trusted (created lower than angels).

dhikr

A devotional remembrance of Allah through the recitation of his ninety-nine names and other devotional practices.

Shiite

A minority branch of Islam that emphasizes that one should be a related to Muhammad by bloodline.

imam

A religious leader

Minaret

A tower from which a chanter calls people to prayer.

Ali & Husayn

Ali was 4th caliph assassinated. Husayn was son of Ali and was martyred.

What is the significance of Ali and Husayn to the Shiites?

Ali was the father of Husayn and Husayn was the last leader, who gave himself as a sacrifice.

adhan

Call to prayer

Mecca

City in western Arabia; birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, and ritual center of the Islamic religion.

Yawm al-Jum'ah

Day of assembly (Friday, midday)

Sawm

Fourth of 5 pillars; fasting during the Ramadan, the ninth month of Muslim Lunar calendar. (sunrise to sunset: no food/drink/drugs/sex)

"Seal of revelation"

God has nothing more to say. Refers to the Qu'ran

622 CE

Hijra (migration or flight) this is the central event of Islam. Muhammad's escape from Mecca to Yathrib (Medina).It marks the point at which Muhammad's message was favorably received and the start of the Islamic community (Umma)

Abraham

Is the spiritual father of all three religions, first reveals the truth of monotheism.

Masjid

Mosque.

570 CE

Muhaammad is born in Mecca which is the southern part of saudi Arabia pennisula

632 CE

Muhammad dies in Yathrib. "seal of the prophets" became his new name (What he was called) & "seal of revelation" which refers to the Qu'ran.

610 CE

Muhammad's first revelation. Gabriel is saying the words to Muhammad and told him to memorize and recite them.

Night Journey or Night of Ascent

Muhammed receives the Five Pillars- physical and bodily ascent from Jerusalem, confirmed he was a prophet of God Mystical experience. Muhammad ascends into heavens on celestial steed.

Ummah

Muslim community

Sufi

Muslim mystics who sought communion with God through meditation, fasting, and other rituals

"Seal of prophets"

Name recognizing Muhammad as the last and greatest prophet.

620 CE

Night Journey or Night of Ascent. Rides in the heavens and meets angels, jesus, allah. Allah gives him the 5 pillars.

Why is the Qur'an still read and recited in its original language?

Only the original Arabic language is considered authoritative and inspired.

Shariah

Refers to the body of laws that govern muslim life.

Ablution

Ritual cleansing/washing

Theocracry

Run by religious leaders

What was the source of disagreement and separation by the Shiites from the Sunnis?

Shiites emphasize on hereditary and charismatic leadership and Sunnis emphasize on practical and democratic leadership

Ishmael

Son of Abraham and Hagar

What doctrines do Muslims share with Jews and Christians?

Souls, bodily resurrection, and final judgement

Muslim

Submitted one; the ones who told Muhammad that he's a prophet.

How did the "Kabah" function religiously, previous to Muhammad's reformation?

The Kabah was honored each day with a different God, and each day different people would come to honor their new different God

qiblah

The direction toward Mecca; the direction toward which Muslims pray

Muhammad

The founder of the Islam religion; to Muslims, Muhammad is the ultimate and final prophet

Sunni or Sunna

The majority branch of Islam, which holds that the genuine succession from Muhammad did not depend on hereditary descent.

Ramadan

The ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, a period during which Muslims fast, in accordance with the third of the Five Pillars.

Zakat

Third of 5 pillars; charity/alms; annual tax on all property/regular acts (25% of total net worth)

Mt. Hera

Where Muhammed got 1st revelation

What did the Hanifs believe (differently than most Arabs), about "Allah", and about the Kabah and its "black stone"?

You should believe and praise one God, They believed that the rock was where Abraham was going to sacrifice Ishmael on.

"Assalamu 'alaykum'"

a common Arabic greeting, translated as "Peace" or "Peace be upon you"

Hajj

fifth of 5 pillars, pilgrimage to Mecca, at least once in one's lifetime.

"salaam"

peace

Salat

second of 5 pillars; daily prayer (5x a day)

Jihad

to make an effort or to struggle; has also been interpreted to mean holy war.

Kutbah

two-part sermon of Friday prayer