Islam - Teachings and Practices Flashcards
Islam means…
“submission to Allah”
Who was the last prophet?
Muhammad
Islam has about how many adherents?
2 billion, making it the second most followed religion in the world.
Muslim means…
“one who surrenders to God.”
Muslims believe the properties of God are…
God is all-powerful
God is all-knowing
God is perfectly good
God is personal.
God is eternal.
God is merciful.
In Islam, God is considered…
one and only one; not a trinity
Do Muslims believe in angels?
In Islam, it is necessary to believe in angels. Angels are the messengers of God, but they do not have free will.
Devils and Demons are…
entirely evil and do not have free will.
Jinn are…
spiritual beings that are mainly malevolent. They DO have free will.
What is the Islamic belief in the afterlife?
Muslims believe there is an afterlife and that there will be a resurrection of the dead. Muslims believe there will be a last day of judgment. At the day of judgment, Allah will send everyone to either paradise (heaven) or to torment in fire (hell) based on your earthly deeds.
The Qur’an is divided into…
114 surahs (chapters)
The Qur’an’s surahs are loosely divided…
from longest to shortest
What is the Hadith?
The Hadith is a collection of traditions focused on the sayings and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad. These were generally recorded after Muhammad’s death.
How authentic are the reports of the Hadith?
There is still debate in Islam on the authenticity of some reports and sayings. There are some reports from the Hadith that are believed by nearly all Muslims. However, there are other reports that are believed by very few Muslims.
What is Sharia? Where does it come from?
Sharia is the Islamic Law, and much of it comes from the Hadith.
What other holy texts are important to Muslims?
The Tawrat (Torah), Zabur (Psalms), and Injil (Gospels)
What is the Tawrat?
The Torah. This is the message of Allah given to Moses.
What is Zabur?
Psalms. This is the message of Allah that David was inspired by God to write in a poetic way.
What is Injil?
The Gospels. The record of the life and teachings of Jesus. Paul corrupted the message of Allah by turning Jesus into a part of God, though.
Are Muslims instructed to read the other holy texts?
No, because they see those holy texts as corrupted.
What is a prophet in Islam?
A Prophet in Islam is someone who Allah has sent to tell a group of people that they
have fallen short of the will of Allah, and then remind them of the proper and right
path.
What is a messenger in Islam?
A Messenger is always a prophet in Islam. However, a Messenger brings a new understanding of the message of Allah to a specific group of people.
How many messengers have been sent by Allah?
14; Noah, Enoch, Eber (Hud), Saleh, Abraham, Lot, Jethro, Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Ezekiel, John the Baptist, Jesus (Isa), and Muhammad.
Who is the most important messenger in Islam?
The Prophet Muhammad
What do Muslims believe regarding Jesus’ second coming?
Many Muslims believe that Jesus will return in a second coming to defeat a figure of pure evil in order to bring peace and justice to earth.
Who is Mahdi?
A rightly guided man who will join with Jesus (Isa) to bring justice before the Last Day of Judgment.
What are the five pillars of Islam?
Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, Sawm of Ramadan, and the Hajj
What is Shahadah?
A minimal statement of faith: “There is no God except for Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”
What is Salat?
The five daily prayers in Islam.
What is Zakat?
The giving of alms (money) to the poor
What is the Sawm of Ramadan?
The daily fasting during sunlight during the month of Ramadan
What is the Hajj?
The pilgrimage to Mecca, which should be done at least once in a lifetime, if possible. Mecca has the Ka’ba!
Faith (iman) is broken down into…
Six axioms: belief in the existence and oneness of Allah, belief in angels, belief in the books in which Allah is the author (Qur’an, Gospels, Torah, and Psalms), belief in the prophets, belief in the last day of judgment, and belief in predestination.
What is predestination?
Predestination is the notion that all of history and the future is fully determined.
What is Iman?
Islamic faith, belief system
What is Imam?
A teacher or scholar in Islam. A leader of a Muslim community
What is Jihad?
Holy Struggle (anything that a Muslim struggles with and is asking God for help in)
What are Mosques?
he location for gathering of Muslims to pray and have community worship of Allah.
A place to read and study the Qur’an.
What are some rules in the Islamic faith?
Alcohol is forbidden in Islam. Sexuality immorality. Should not eat pork. Should not make false idols (so Muslims forbid the use of pictures of the prophets).
What is Sunni?
By far the largest branch of Islam. Around 80% of all Muslims are Sunni. Sunnis believe that caliphs that came after Muhammad were all justified.
What is Shia?
The second largest branch of Islam. About 20% of all Muslims are Shia. The majority of Shia Muslims are located in and around Iran.
What do Shias do that goes against Sunni beliefs?
Shias will often build shrines for Holy people who have died.
What are the three holy sites in Islam?
The Ka’ba in Mecca, the Green Dome in Medina (the tombs), the Dome on the Rock in Jerusalem (where Muhammad ascended into Heaven).
What is Mawlid?
Celebrates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad.
What is Eid?
Celebrates the end of the fast of Ramadan. Extended Muslim families often gather during this time and hold a large meal together.
What is Laylat al-Qadr?
Night of Wisdom. A celebration of the revelation of the Qur’an.
What is Eid al-Adha?
“Greater Eid”: Celebrates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son (thought to have been Ishmael not Isaac as in the Jewish tradition) and God intervening and providing a lamb for sacrifice instead.
