Islam (keynote) Flashcards
Mention some important happenings within Islam.
570 - The birth of the prophet Muhammed.
610 - Revelations on mount Hira in Mecca.
630 - Muhammed returns to Mecca and conquers the city.
638 - The Muslims conquere Jerusalem, and this will be the third holiest city for the Muslims.
1453 - The Ottomans conquer Constantinople. Constantinople becomes the capital of the Ottoman Empire and is renamed Istanbul.
1529 - The Ottomans “besiege” parts of Eastern Europe. Islam becomes a permanent religion in Europe.
What does a muslim have to believe in “according” to the common foundation?
One God (monotheism)
God’s spirits on earth
God’s holy scriptures: Quran, Bible, Torah
God’s prophets: Muhammed, Jesus, Moses, Abraham etc.
Life after death: Doomsday, heaven and hell.
Destiny
Which are the five pillars of Islam? Describe them briefly.
S1. The Muslim creed (Shahada) - “There is no God but God, and Muhammed is his messenger”
- The Prayer (salat) - a Muslim prays five times a day, most important pillar, pray towards Mecka
- The Fast (sawm) - throughout the month of Ramadan, abstain from food and drinking from sunrise until sundown, also important to ”fast with the soul” = refrain from negative thoughts and actions
- Alms (zakat) - yearly religious fee (2,5 % of the income), fee is to be given to the poor, it is every man’s responsibility to try to eliminate the injustice in society
- The Pilgrimage (Hajj) - pilgrimage to Mecca (if you have the money and opportunity)
Which is the biggest branch?
Sunni.
What is the person who leads prayer in the mosque called according to Sunni?
Imam.
What is the religious leaders/scholars who are qualified to interpret the Quran called according to Sunni?
Ulama.
Mention some examples of what’s “special” about the sunni belief.
- They believe God’s revelation is completed in the Quran and the Sunnah (= word for Muhammad’s customs & practices, etc)
- There are several different movements with different interpretations of muslim law.
Where are most Shia muslims?
Iran & Iraq.
What is the “first leaders” called according to Shia? Develop.
Imams. Has been 12 great imams throughout history - 12th imam (Mahdi): hidden and will return as savior, until that day: there are other leaders (ayatollah).
Who are the 2 most important characters within Shia and who are they?
- Ali (Muhammed’s cousin): first leader & imam after Muhammed’s death.
- Hussein (Ali’s son).
(they’re more important than Muhammed)
What was the breaking point between Shia and Sunni?
Sunni believed that man with most knowledge should take over after Muhammed, thus a caliphate should take over. Shia believed blood was more important, thus Ali should take over.
Give an example of something that has significant meaning within Shia.
Martyr ship.
Describe Sufi Islam.
It’s the mystic/spiritual form of Islam. Love is very central & important. They’re constantly looking for ways to clear their minds + get closer to God. Emphasize dancing + music in their practise - trying to reach divinity by praying together.
Describe the important scriptures.
- The Quran - means recitation, it’s divine and the word of God, it’s in old Arabic and cannot be translated - it can only be interpreted in other languages, contains 114 chapters (surer)
- The Hadith (the tradition) - a very important scripture next to the Quran, contains Sunnah (stories about Muhammed and how he handled different situations)
Mention some important holidays.
Mawlid al-nabi - The birthday of the prophet. Celebrated differently in different countries. But most countries have divine services in the mosques this day.
Ramadan (month of fasting) - The ninth month of the Muslim calendar. Ramadan is a month of remembrance. This is the month when Muhammed received the revelations from God.
Eid al-Fitr (Breaking the fast celebration) - When Ramadan is over it is time to celebrate. It is a day of being grateful and thanking God for the spiritual strength to follow through the month of fasting. An important part is to give to charity.
Hadj (The Pilgrimage) - This is the Islamic term for The Pilgrimage to Mecca. The Hadj is made a specific month of the year.
Eid al-Ahda - The tenth and the last day of The Pilgrimage. During this day Muslims throw rocks on a big stone symbolizing Satan. According to tradition Satan tempted Abraham not to follow the orders of God, when he asked him to sacrifice his son Ishmael. Abraham drove him off by throwing rocks on him.
Muharram - Islamic New Year.
