Exam 3 Worship and Ritual Islam Flashcards
What are the 6 pillars of Islam?
1) The Islamic testimony of faith (shahada)
2) Ritual prayer (salat)
3) Almsgiving (zakat)
4) The Ramadan fast
5) The hajj pilgrimage
6) Jihad (sometimes included)
What is required for prayer?
Purification
What are the two types of defilement?
1) minor
2) major
What causes minor defilement and how is it eliminated?
caused by defecation, urination, sleep, bleeding, etc. eliminated by ablutions or dry ablutions.
What causes major defilement and how is it eliminated?
Caused by sexual intercourse, menstruation, contact with a corpse, etc.
Eliminated by a full ritual bath.
How many times a day is ritual prayer (salat) performed? How does it begin and with whom?
5 times per day, alone or in a group. Begins with the call to prayer (adhan).
Who leads muslim group prayer and how is gender handled?
An Imam: usually a male.
Women and men separated.
What varies from prayer to prayer?
Number of Rak’a (postures).
What are the special Salat?
Friday congregational Salat, requires a male congregation of at least 3-40 males. Holidays, Funerals, Superogatory.
What is almsgiving (zakat) and its purpose?
Regional tax on one’s wealth in order to purify it. Can be regulated or unregulated.
Islamic Calendar
When does the Ramadan Fast take place/begin/end?
During the entire month of Ramadan in the Islamic calendar from damn prayer to sunset prayer. Begins with the sight of the new moon. Ends with feast of eid and alms for the poor.
What month in the islamic calendar is ramadan?
Nine
What is the “Night of Power”?
The night when the Quran was revealed.
Where is the hajj pilgrimage to and for how long?
Mecca and 5-6 days.
What does the white dress symbolize during the hajj?
A reminder of human morality.
Who are the Hajj rites linked to?
Abraham and his family.
What is the key act of the hajj?
The standing ceremony on the Mount of Mercy.
What is Islamic Jihad?
Exertion or Struggle
Two forms of Jihad and their origins?
Greater Jihad: battle against desires and sins (mecca)
lesser jihad: armed battle (medina)
What are the islamic rights of passage?
Birth, Circumcision, Death
When are children named after birth?
After seven days, often after revered muslims.
What does the prefix ‘Abd’ mean?
Servant of God
Is circumcision required?
No, but it is common.
What happens to the corpse after death in muslim ritual?
Washing and burial.
What is the goal of invocation of God?
Induce the divine presence and unification with God.
What do the Sufis use as a mean to connect with God?
Music listening sessions. Qawwali as an example.
