Beliefs in Islam Flashcards
How many gods does Islam have?
Allah is the supreme creator and sustainer of life
What is the belief in one god called?
Monotheism
What does the word Qur’an mean?
Recitation
What is the Qur’an?
The sacred book of Islam, the word of God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. It consists of 114 suras and 6000 verses revealed to Muhammad over 22 years.
What does the word Islam mean?
Submission and a Muslim is one who submits.
What is the Ka’Ba?
Cube shaped central shrine of Islam, the focal point for daily prayer and the pilrimage (hajj) - found in Makka
What is a sura?
A chapter of the Qur’an
What is a Jinn?
An intelligent being, usually invisible spirits, who may be good or bad, depending on their obedience to God
What is the ummah?
Islamic community; refers to the worldwide Muslim community; It is a single universal community which went beyond tribal bonds. The community as much as the individual is the instrument for realising god’s will on earth.
What is the ‘Night of Destiny’?
On Mount Hira, during the onth of Ramadan (9th month of Muslim calendar, Muhammad became the messenger of God; he received the first of many revelations from God through a heavenly intermediary
later revealed to be Angel Gabriel.
What was the message on the ‘Night of Destiny’?
“In the name of thy Lord who createth, createth man from a clot of blood
And thy Lord is Most Generous, who taught by the Pen,
taught Man, that he knew not” Sura 96
Why was there resistance to Muhammad’s messages?
First some were keepers of the idols for polytheism; Second, his teachings about justice disturbed money making methods.
What is the hijra?
The migration of Muhammad from Makka to Medina in 622AD; this is where he established the first Muslim city state.
What is the hajj?
The annual pilgrimage to Makka in the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah required of all Muslims at least once in their life if health and wealth allow.
What is the hadith? How are they different from the sunna?
The reports of what the Prophet Muhammad did and said which were preserved and passed on in oral and written form . Sunna are all the traditions and practices of Muhammad that have become models to be followed by Muslims.
What is zakat?
Annual tax of 2.5 percent levied on wealth and distributed to the poor. One of 5 pillars of Islam.
Name two sects of Islam
Sunni - Muslims who follow the the sunna of the Prophet and his companions without giving political leadership to descendants of Ali.
Shi’i -Muslims who believe that Muhammad designated Ali and descendants to lead politically.
What is a mosque?
A Muslim place of worship
What do Muslims believe about Jihad? The greater and the lesser Jihad?
Jihad means to “struggle or strive in the way of Allah”; the greater Jihad is to struggle in the community and within yourself against evil: the effort to do Allah’s will every day of their lives. The lesser jihad is an actual holy war against external evils and is a last resort, only used to defend self or Islam.
Are the 5 pillars in the Quran?
The second sura is the longest, the Qur’an in miniature, and it includes the articles and pillars of faith.
What is the Islamic Worldview according to the Qur’an?
The Qur’an contains the essential teachings of the unity and power of God, stories of the prophets, and the consequences of good and evil for life and the hereafter.
What is the ulama?
Religious scholars; specialists in Islamic Law
What is Ramadan?
The month of fasting, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.
What is Tawhid?
The declaration of the unity (oneness) of God. There is only one God. none can be worshipped but Allah. Unity is following Allah’s apostle.
