Optional : Islam Content Flashcards
To help learn the content from the optional Islam section of the course, Route A. (Study of a World Faith)
What are the six articles of faith?
- The unity of Allah (Tawhid)
- Belief in Angels
- Books of Allah
- Faith in prophets
- Belief in the day of Judgement and life after death
- Belief in Allah’s decree and predestination
What is Tawhid?
There is only one God - Allah
What do they believe about angels? (Malaikah)
Only angels can bring the word of Allah to man. The Angel Jibril (Gabriel) communicated the Qur’an to Muhammad.
What do they believe about the books of Allah?
- The Qur’an is the most important book in Islam
- Qur’an as a word means recitation.
- This is because originally it was spoken and shared orally.
- Only later was it written down.
What do they believe about the prophets?
- Muhammad is the most important prophet. His name means Highly Praised.
- Muslims believe that Muhammad received God’s final revelation to mankind.
What do they believe about the Day of Judgement?
The good will be sent to paradise and the wicked to hell.
What do they believe about Allah?
Every event is controlled by God.
What do Shi’ah Muslims believe about Tawhid?
God is not made up of parts. He is one.
What do Shi’ah Muslims believe about Nubuwwah (Prophethood)?
They accept the truth of Muhammad’s prophecies.
What do Shi’ah Muslims believe about ‘Adl (Divine Justice)?
Allah is just and can do no wrong. Humans are accountable to God.
What similarities are there between Sunni and Shi’a Beliefs?
- Both believe in the absolute unity of Allah.
- Both believe that Muhammad is Allah’s prophet.
- Both believe that a day will come where all are judged and the righteous go to heaven and the bad to hell.
What are the key differences between Sunni and Shi’a Beliefs?
- Sunni Muslims believe that Muhammad alone was given knowledge from Allah, so Muslims must emulate the life of the Prophet
- Shi’a Muslims believe that Allah gave knowledge to the first caliph, ‘Ali, and that this knowledge has been passed down from imam to imam.
What are Sunni Muslims?
- Sunni Muslims are the largest denomination of Islam.
- In the Sunni traditions, the Imam is the prayer leader and the Khalifah is a political head of state.
- Sunni’s believe that the leaders following Muhammad should be elected.
- Abu Bakr (a friend of Muhammad) was the first caliph (Khalifah).
Who are Shi’ah Muslims?
- Shi’a’s are a smaller group than Sunnis.
- Shi’a Muslims believe that the leader should be from Muhammad’s family.
- Ali, the fourth Sunni Caliph, is seen as the first Shi’i Imam and the only legitimate leader, appointed by Muhammad.
- When Ali died in 661CE the imamate was passed down through succession.
How do Muslims acknowledge that God is the greatest being?
Muslims acknowledge this idea in prayer and throughout the day each time they say “Allah Akbar”, which means “God is the greatest”.
How many names do Muslims have for God?
There are 99 names for God.
Why do Muslims have more than one name for God?
- Each name reveals something different about Allah.
- Muslims try and learn all these names so that they can better understand Allah.
Name three qualities of Allah
- omnipotent (all-powerful)
- omniscient (all-knowing)
- omnipresent (everywhere at the same time)
What do Muslims believe about Allah and justice?
- Allah is just and beneficent (Adalat).
- Allah judges all people.
- In daily prayers, Muslims refer to God as merciful. God understands human suffering and knows how difficult it is to live according to God’s demands.
What do Muslims believe about Allah’s presence in the world?
- Allah is both immanent and transcendent
- Although Muslims believe that God is the greatest, He is also close to his people.
- The way to describe this is to say that God is immanent (near) and also transcendent (beyond this world).
- Only God can be both at once.
- God is not restricted or limited by the physical world.
What does the word Islam mean?
- The word Islam means obedience.
- Muslims believe that they should peacefully surrender to the will of Allah in their lives and that following the will of Allah will bring peace.
What does the word Allah mean?
- God is One and only.
- There is nothing else like God.
- No one can picture God and there is nothing to compare Him to.
How do Muslims express their belief that there is only one God?
- The Shahadah.
- They say “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.”
Why are there no images of Allah?
- In a Mosque, there are no images of Allah.
- Believing in more than one God is a big sin.
- This is the only sin that Allah will not forgive.
- It is disrespectful
What do Muslims say before doing something and why?
- Muslims will say ‘Inshallah’, which means God willing.
- They are hoping that what they want to do is also the will of God, which would mean that it is a good thing for them to be doing.
What do Muslims say about Muhammad in the Shahadah?
- The 2nd half of the Shahadah says that Muhammad is God’s prophet.
- Muhammad should NOT be confused with Allah.
- Muhammad is respected as a prophet but not worshipped.
Why are Angels important?
- They are the only beings who can receive the word of God directly.
- Angels are one of the main six articles of faith for Sunni Muslims.
How do angels interract with humans?
- Angels are fully involved in the lives of humans.
- They can communicate with humans.
- They can appear like humans if they are being sent with a message from Allah.
- This happened to Ibrahim (Abraham) and Maryam (Mary)
Who is the angel Jibril?
- Jibril, who is known to Christians and Jews as Gabriel or Gavriel.
- He is the most trusted angel to bring God’s message to people and in particular to Muhammad.
- Jibril communicated God’s words (the Qur’an) to Muhammad.
Who is the angel Mik’ail?
- Mik’ail, known to Christians and Jews as Michael.
- Angel of mercy who rewards good people for their behaviour on earth.
- He’s also tasked with sending blessings in the form of rain, lightning and thunder.
Who is the angel Izra’il?
- Izra’il is the angel who will announce the Day of Judgment by blowing his trumpet.
- Izra’il has helpers who take people’s souls to Allah.
Can you name any prophets which are shared across religions?
Many of the prophets in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles are shared by Islam too.
- Abraham (Ibrahim)
- Moses (Musa)
- Jesus (Isa)
- Adam
Why are prophets important?
Because Allah is so beyond human understanding, the prophets play an important role in helping mankind to understand God.
What do Muslims believe about prophets?
- Muslims believe that there have been over 120,000 prophets.
- Only 25 of these prophets are mentioned in the Qur’an.
- These important prophets are called messengers.
Who is Adam the prophet?
- Muslims believe that Adam was the first prophet.
- He was the first man, created by God in his own image.
- He is believed by some to have first built the Ka’aba, (House of God).
Who is Abraham the prophet?
- The ancestor of Muhammad.
- Ibrahim was tested by God and proved his faith by being prepared to sacrifice his first son, Ishmael.
- Ibrahim rejected worshipping more than one God.
Why is Muhammad significant as a prophet?
- All previous prophets prepared the way for Muhammad.
- Muhammad is the greatest and final prophet
- His teachings and practices in the Hadith are the basis of Islamic law.
- Teachings given to Muhammad were organised and have been written to form the Qur’an.
What do Sunni Muslims believe about free will?
- Some Sunni Muslims believe that as God’s will is supreme, He controls everything - including what everyone does.
- However, free will is still possible as humans don’t know what Allah wants from them - humans find free will in working out what Allah wants.
What do Shi’a Muslims believe about Free will?
- Allah knows everything that is going to happen
- His knowledge does not impact human choice.
- As a result of this belief, Allah will judge all people on the Day of Judgment for the choices they have made throughout their lives.
What is the name for life after death?
Akhirah
What do Muslims believe about life after death?
- Death is not the end of existence but the start of a new one.
- After the body dies, Muslims believe that there is some form of consciousness even in the grave.
What do Muslims believe happens once you die ‘the barrier’?
While a Muslim is in the grave, Allah sends two angels to question them about their beliefs. If they answer correctly they will be shown the rewards that are to come. If they deny the articles of faith, they will be shown the punishments that will come to them.
What do Muslims believe about the Day of Judgement?
- Only Allah knows when the Day of Judgment will be.
- The angel Israfil will blow the trumpet.
- The world as we know it will be destroyed.
- Everyone who has ever lived will be brought back to life and judged by God.
- People will be given new physical bodies and everyone will receive a record of their life story (written by the angels).
What do they believe about suffering?
- Suffering as temporary.
- This is because a reward of eternity in paradise will make things right for them.
What are the 5 pillars of Sunni Islam?
- Hajj (Pilgrimage)
- Salah (Prayer)
- Sawm (Fasting)
- Zakah (Charity)
- Shahadah (Declaration of Faith)
What are the Ten Obligatory Acts of Shi’i Islam?
- Salah (Prayer)
- Zakah (Charity)
- Sawm (Fasting)
- Hajj (Pilgrimage)
- Tawallah (To be loving towards the friends of God)
- Nahi Anil Munkar (Discouraging people from doing what is wrong)
- Amr-bil-maruf (Encouraging others to be good)
- Jihad (Struggle to keep the faith and to defend Islam)
- Tabarra (Avoid the enemies of God)
- Khums (20% tax on income after all personal expenses)
What is the shahadah?
The most basic belief for Muslims is about the oneness of God and that Muhammad is His prophet.