Top-Rated Free Essay
Preview

Islamic Unit Study Guide

Good Essays
1500 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Islamic Unit Study Guide
1. What does the word Islam mean?

In Arabic, the word “Islam” means submission or surrender, it is derived from the root word “salam” in which you can also derive the root words peace and safety.

2. What is Zamzam?

The name of the holy well located in Mecca believed to be revealed when Abraham’s infant son Ishmael kicked the ground desperate for water. Millions of Muslims today drink from the well while performing their pilgrimage to Mecca

3. What is the Ka’bah?

One of the most sacred sites in Islam, it is a large marble structure located in the middle of al Masjid al Haram (Sacred Mosque). It’s said to be built by Abraham and his son Ishmael to dedicate to Allah, and also houses the sacred Black Stone. No matter where you are, Muslims supposed to be facing the direction of Kaaba when in prayer.

4. Fully describe the role Abraham played in Islam.

Ibrahim is considered to be the father of both Arabs and of Jews according to Muslims. It’s also believed that he is neither a Jew nor a Muslim, but somebody who is a hernif - somebody who essentially and intrinsically knows that there is really only one God. Much of what Islamic tradition is about, along with rituals such as the Hajj - stem from the pre-Islamic era and are translated into Islamic rituals through Ibrahim. The Kaaba was built because God spoke to Ibrahim about constructing a sacred house for God.

5. When was Muhammad born?

570 AD, Mecca

6. What did Muhammad dislike about his birthplace, Mecca?

It was filled with idol worship and when he was assigned by God to call people to Islam per God revelation of Quran to him, the disbelievers disliked his views against discrimination. The people of Mecca were steeped in their ways and opposed Muhammad and his small group of followers in every way.

7. Describe the “Night of Power” and how Muhammad became the Messenger of God.

The Lailat ul-Qadr or “Night of Power” is the night in which the Holy Quran is revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad received his first revelation from God through the Archangel Gabriel. Muhammad began to recite the words he heard from Gabriel and to preach the truth which God had revealed to him.

8. What is the “Night Journey?” Be sure to include in your answer a discussion of Isra and Miraj.

The Night Journey starts out with the Isra, where Gabriel presents to Muhammad the heavenly winged steed called the Buraq. With the Buraq, he then journeys to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem where he met and prayed with Prophets Moses, Abraham, Jesus, and John. Gabriel then gives Muhammad the decision to drink the wine or milk, Muhammad chooses the milk which fulfills the prophecy. After this, is the Miraj, where Muhammad is ascended into heaven and passes the seven heavenly realms, where he meets God.

9. What is the significance of Medina?

It’s considered the first Islamic Republic and is the location of the first Mosque built

10. Describe in detail the Five Pillars of Islam:

· Shahada : It is the declaration of belief in the oneness of God and acceptance of Muhammad as God's prophet.

· Salat : The practice of formal worship to Allah

· Zawat :

· Sawm : Arabic word for fasting regulated by Islamic jurisprudence. In the terminology of Islamic law, the observance of sawm during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

· Hajj : the pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim is required to make at least once in his life, provided he has enough money and the health to do so

11. Briefly describe the conflict between the Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims.

The schism occurred when the Islamic prophet Muhammad died in the year 632, leading to a dispute over succession to Muhammad as a caliph of the Islamic community spread across various parts of the world which led to the Battle of Siffin. Sectarian violence persists to this day from Pakistan to Yemen and is a major element of friction throughout the Middle East.

12. What does “caliph” mean?

The chief Muslim civil and religious ruler, regarded as the successor of Muhammad.

13. What is an “Imam?”

The title of a Muslim leader or chief

14. Describe in detail the holy writings of Islam:

· Qur’an : the sacred text of Islam, divided into 114 chapters, or suras: revered as the word of God, dictated to Muhammad by the archangel Gabriel, and accepted as the foundation of Islamic law, religion, culture, and politics.

· Hadith : Hadith is the collection of the Prophet Muhammad’s statements and actions coupled with the statements and actions of his companions believed to have been collected 150 years after Muhammad’s death, and it is the basis of jurisprudence for Islamic or Sharia law. Muslims classify hadith in four different categories. The first three categories refer specifically to Muhammad. Awl are the transmissions of Muhammad’s statements, fi'liare the transmission of Muhammad’s deeds or actions, and taqrir are the actions or deeds of the Prophet’s companions or others that Muhammad has approved of. The fourth category of classification is qudsi, which are the Prophet’s words, inspired by Allah, that are not recorded in the Qur'an.

· Sharia : the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia deals with many topics addressed by secular law, including crime, politics, and economics, as well as personal matters such as sexual intercourse, hygiene, diet, prayer, and fasting. Though interpretations of sharia vary between cultures, in its strictest definition it is considered the infallible law of God—as opposed to the human interpretation of the laws

15. Describe in detail the Aqida. Be sure to include the six articles of the faith.

16. Explain the concept of Jihad. Be sure to include the meaning of the word “Jihad,” and the distinction between “Lesser Jihad” and “Greater Jihad.”

17. What is the meaning of the Star and Crescent Moon, the symbol of Islam?

The crescent moon and star symbol pre-dates Islam by several thousand years when polytheism was the majority in the Middle East. The crescent and star are often said to be Islamic symbols, but historians say that they were the insignia of the Ottoman Empire, not of Islam as a whole.

18. What is the Aqiqa?

Islamic practice of shaving the head of the newborn male and contributing the weight in silver for charity as well as 2 lambs. One lamb is slaughtered for a baby girl.

19. Briefly define the following groups:

· Nation of Islam : an organization composed chiefly of American blacks, advocating the teachings of Islam and originally favoring the separation of races: members are known as Black Muslims.

· Wahabi : a follower of ʿAbd al-Wahhab (1703–1792), who stringently opposed all practices not sanctioned by the Koran. The Wahhabis, founded in the 18th century, are the most conservative Muslim group and are today found mainly in Saudi Arabia.

·

·

·

·

· The Twelvers : the largest branch of Shi’ite Islam. Adherents of Twelver Shi’ism are commonly referred to as Twelvers, which is derived from their belief in twelve divinely ordained leaders, known as the Twelve Imāms, and their belief that the Mahdi will be none other than the returned Twelfth Imam who disappeared and is believed by Twelvers to be in occultation.

20. Define the following terms:

· Arabia

Peninsula of southwest Asia between the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. Politically, it includes Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Arabia has an estimated one third of the world's oil reserves.

· Allah

Islamic word for God

· Ishmael

Son of Abraham

· Muslim

A believer and follower of the teachings by the Prophet Muhammad

· Mecca

City is Saudi Arabia, the religious centre for one of the five pillars of pilgrimage (hajj)

· Abu Bakr

One of the close companions of Prophet Muhammad and the first caliph

· Khailifahs

Muslim religion leaders or chiefs

· Mosque

Muslim house of worship

· Ramadan

The ninth month of the year in the Islamic calendar, a time of fasting.

· Hajj

The religious pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the five pillars of Islam

· Sufism

Islamic mysticism

· Ali

Cousin and son in law of Prophet Muhammad, a caliph

·

· Hidden Imam

Twelver Shii doctrine holds that the twelfth imam did not die but went into a spiritual form of existence known as occultation, and will return at the end of time as a messianic Mahdi to restore justice and equity on earth.

· Ihram

The sacred dress of Muslim pilgrims, consisting of two lengths of white cotton, one wrapped around the loins, the other thrown over the left shoulder.

· Kafir

Infidel or pagan

· Id Al-Fitr

A festival that ends the fast of Ramadan

· Id Al-Adha

Commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael

· Sunnah

The way of life prescribed by the normative of Islam

· Tawhid

Asserting and maintaining the divine unity, Islam's central doctrine.

· Ummah

Means “the people” in Arabic, it refers to collective community of Islam peoples

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Hajj is a five day quest which takes place in Mecca, and it includes many spiritual rituals. Mecca is located in the western Mountains of Saudi Arabia, it has been considered as sacred territory even before Islam. People not allowed to hunt or cut the trees in this area. The Kaba, known as the celestial house of God, is a simple stone building covered in a beautiful hand sewn cloth made with gold, standing 50 feet high, and is located in the center of Mecca. Muslims believe that Adam built the Kaba with cosmic plans handed down by God, and re-built by Abraham after the great flood. The South East corner of the Kaba embraces a black stone within silver, some believe it fell from the heavens, and Abraham used it during construction. Islam believes that Abraham started the pilgrimage, he is also known as the father to Jews, and Christians. Abrahams story is the core of the pilgrimage, and the annual rituals displayed in mecca during Hajj were established by him. The main purpose of Hajj is submission to one god. It is known that pre- Islamic Arabs practiced the pilgrimage to Mecca; this practice is older than Islam.…

    • 820 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Chapter 8 Study Guide

    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages

    An Arabic term meaning "in the direction of Mecca," it identifies a niche found in a mosque intended to indicate the direction in which to pray.…

    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Islamic religion was founded by a man named Muhammad. Muhammad was born into the most powerful tribe in Mecca, the Quraish, around 570 A.D. When he was forty he started hearing voices and having visions. To clear his mind he would sometimes meditate on Mount Hira, near Mecca. On one of these occasions the archangel Gabriel appeared to him. This was one of the first revelations that became the basis of the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam. This is important because there are still countries and people who practice the Islamic…

    • 1569 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    12. Which Muslim scholar was a famous philosopher that is also considered to be the "father of medicine"?…

    • 755 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ch 11 Responses

    • 2452 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Islam drew on an older Arab identification of Allah with Yahweh, the Jewish High God, and Arab self-identification as children of Abraham.…

    • 2452 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Islam Research Paper

    • 4145 Words
    • 17 Pages

    It is one of the fastest growing religions in the West, with a 2.6 million Muslim population in American and growing, expected to double by 2030 according to USAToday and with an estimated 1.5 billion following worldwide, Islam is one of the three fastest and powerful growing religions in the west. No doubt about it that Islam is one of the most influential and authentic religions with a very illustrious and straight forward system of beliefs. The word “Islam” means submission or surrender – however, it was derived from the root word “salam” which means “peace” or “safety”. Most Muslims will be familiar with the monotheistic creed “There is no God but God, and Muhammad was his Messenger”, which every practicing Muslim must acknowledge this belief known as Shahadah. With such allegiant credo towards The Almighty/The One, better known as Allah to the Muslim community, it is a very loyal and faith based religion, with utmost respect and indebtedness to Allah.…

    • 4145 Words
    • 17 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Better Essays

    Muhammad is the central figure of Islam instead.. He is known to Muslims as the "Holy Prophet", almost all of whom consider him to be the last prophet sent by God to mankind to restore Islam. Islam was founded on the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as an expression of surrender to the will of Allah, the creator and Sustainer of the world. Muhammad was born in Mecca. He was raised by his uncle and he became a successful merchant. Later, he married Khadijah. In his forties, he began to retire to meditate in a cave on Mount Hira, just outside Mecca, where the first of the great events of Islam took place. One day, as he was sitting in the cave, he heard a voice, later identified as that of the Angel Gabriel, which ordered him to “proclaim”. Muhammad spent the next three years seeking truth for himself, he shared that the faith in Allah was the only way to paradise. He also converted others to this new faith. Muhammad claimed he was a prophet and started degrading the pagan faiths of the vast majority of the Macon pilgrims, the town elders realized it was bad. One night, they entered his home to stab him, but he escaped to Yathrib. He used military forces to spread his faith, he defeated the soldiers of Mecca In 630 C.E., Muhammad entered Mecca and destroyed the idols of Kaaba, declaring once and for all that only one god-allah-would be allowed within the city’s borders. His region over Mecca proved short lived. By the time of…

    • 1006 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Islam Preliminary

    • 2922 Words
    • 12 Pages

    The Ka'ba did exist, built earlier by Abraham. It was (before Islam's creation) used by polytheists as a place of worship.…

    • 2922 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Before the prophet Muhammad was born Islam originated from the Arabian Peninsula spread throughout the land mostly by caravan trade. Much like Greece and Rome, Arabia was divided into tribes and cities, with different gods and goddesses they were devoted to, around sixth century A.D. Once a year the polytheistic people would meet in Mecca and pray at the Kaaba, which is now has a different meaning, to pray to their gods during Hajj. A few years after having his first vision Muhammad thought to be the last prophet for Allah, was forced to flee Mecca, his homeland, for the fear…

    • 462 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Mocked by the Mecca’s, he went to Medina in 622. At his death in 632, Muhammad was head of an Arab state increasing tremendously in power. Islam focused on five pillars in which they considered were very important in their lives. The first duty was belief and witness and this basically focused on the chief principle that God is everywhere…

    • 1236 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Christianity vs Islam

    • 1497 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The word Islam means "surrender" or "submission," submission to the will of Allah, the one God. Muslims are those who have submitted themselves. The basic creed of Islam is brief: Both Muslims and Christians are monotheists, believing in the same god, referred to as "Allah" by the Muslims and "God" by Catholics. Islam teaches that there is one God, the creator and sustainer of the universe. This God, Allah, is compassionate and honorable. Because he is compassionate, he calls all people to believe in him and worship him. Because he is also lawful, on the Last Day He will judge every person according to his deeds. On the Last Day, all the dead will be resurrected and either rewarded in heaven or punished in hell.…

    • 1497 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Spread of Islam

    • 1295 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Esposito (1999) notes that although it was “distant” from the centers of power in the Near East, “Arabia was not isolated” (p. 4). The people who lived there were "aware of and affected by political, economic, and cultural developments” that surrounded them, including religion (p. 4). Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism were the main religions, in addition to “local animist cults” (p. 4). Mecca, where Mohammad first experienced Allah, was “unmistakably a pagan milieu” that had only small traces of the “religion of Abraham” (Peters, 1994, p. 1). Arabs at the time were polytheistic had had “developed little in the way of a religious mythology” (Cook, 1996, p. 9).…

    • 1295 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    13 Islam Copy

    • 942 Words
    • 3 Pages

    8. Muslims believe that God sent Muhammad as the ______________ ________________to bring people back to the one true religion, which involves the worship of, and submission to, a single and all-powerful God.…

    • 942 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    World Religions Report

    • 2107 Words
    • 9 Pages

    According to Bassiouni (1999), Abraham, who is also known to Islam as “The Patriarch,” was the father of Isma’il (Ishmael) and Ishaq (Isaac). The sons and daughters of Isaac formed what were to become the Hebrew tribes. The sons and daughters of Isma’il formed what were to become the tribes of the Arabian Peninsula and were the first people to become Muslims. The term “Islam” comes from the same root words “salaam’ which means peace and “silm” which means the condition of peace. A Muslim is one who is at peace and surrenders himself or herself to God. This surrendering to Islam means that one gives oneself to the belief without reservation, and following the letter and the spirit of the Quar’an’s prescriptions (Bassiouni, 1999).…

    • 2107 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    A. “In 632 CE the prophet Muhammad visited his native city of Mecca from his home in exile at Medina, and in doing so he set an example that devout Muslims have sought to emulate ever since” (B&Z 355). Each year hundreds of thousands of Muslims travel to Mecca by land, sea, and air to make the hajj (“the holy pilgrimage to Mecca”) and visit the holy sites of Islam. As years went by the pilgrims decrease, but in the 9th c. it had become so popular that Muslim rulers went to the extent to meet the needs of travelers passing through their lands. When the pilgrimage season was nearing, crowds would gather at major trading centers such as Baghdad, Damascus, and Cairo. There the…

    • 4827 Words
    • 20 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics