Islam Flashcards
(105 cards)
1
Q
Where does Islam start
A
Mecca, Saudi Arabia
2
Q
Muhammad
A
c. 570-632
- raised by uncle
- worked for and married Kadijah
3
Q
Ka’ba
A
shrine; has idols dedicated to different gods
4
Q
Muhammad pilgrimage
A
Allah, or God, sends arc-angel Gabriel to talk to Muhammad who then talks to the people
-Kadijah becomes first Muslim
5
Q
Quran
A
the divine record, written by God
-Muhammad was illiterate
6
Q
Islam
A
“Submission” to the will of God
-Muslim: one who submits
7
Q
Why people in Mecca do not like Muhammad
A
- Muhammad preaches against idolatry, many tourists go to city of see Ka’ba
- undermines economic viability of town; Ka’ba brings in a lot of money
- Muhammad and followers begin to experience persecution
8
Q
Yathrib (Medina)
A
Outside of Mecca, sends Muhammad message to bring peace back in town and make him a political and religious leader
-becomes known as Medina
9
Q
Shame/ Honor Culture
A
if someone causes shame= BIG DEAL
-honor is important
10
Q
Day of Discrimination
A
Meccans lose to Muslims with a group almost 3 to 1
-Muslims view it as divine intervention
11
Q
A Salaam Alaikum
A
“peace be with you”
- arabic expression used in Islam
- response: “wa alaikum salaam” (and unto you)
12
Q
Caliph
A
political and military leader of Muslim community
-after death of Muhammad
13
Q
Ali
A
became guided caliph
- Shia- people who supported him (20%)
- Sunni- do NOT support him (80-85%)
14
Q
Imam
A
local religious leader
- Shia view this position as a more direct and special connection to God, more authoritative
- Sunni-view position as similar to function of rabbi
15
Q
Mahdi
A
Shia wait for Mahdi which is a Messiah like figure
16
Q
How does Islam spread SO fast?
A
Imperialism- force of arms
AND
saw itself connected to government (God told you the best way to live, here’s how to create a society)
17
Q
Muslims divided world into 3 categories:
A
- Muslims
- People of the Book (Jews and Christians, worshipped the one God)
- when they die, can go to Heaven, status lower though - Infidels (without faith, going to Hell)`
18
Q
Qu’ran
A
means “recitation”
- IS the word of God
- Divine Command Ethics: Muslims follow this
- straightforward and simple
19
Q
Hadi
A
- the oral tradition
- things that Muhammad and other authorities had said and done during his time, written down
- very authoritative, but not the Quran
20
Q
5 Pillars
A
- Prayer (5 set times a day, face Mecca)
- Ramadan (no food, water, marital relations)
- Alms Giving (charity, formal religious tax given to Muslim community based on wealth)
- Creed: there is no God but God and Muhammad is his messenger
- The Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca
21
Q
Exceptions to the Pillars
A
- Prayer: performing surgery at that moment, its ok
- Ramadan: pregnant, child, elderly, health condition
- Alms Giving: poor don’t have to, have to have certain about of money
- The Creed: ?
- . The Hajj: have to have resources
22
Q
Sharia
A
The Holy Law of Islam
- not just the laws like the 10 commandments
- encompasses everything about how to live your life
- there are different interpretations based on Muslim community
23
Q
Country with most Muslims
A
Indonesia
24
Q
Ascetic
A
person who forgoes pleasures of life (fasting, Shia whip selves)
25
Vedas
1500 BCE, earliest scriptures
| a lot of chants that have power to contact the divine
26
Who has access to the Vedas?
Priestly class, can read them and become very powerful because of it. They kept them to themselves.
- religion stays, but significant shifts
- people start seeking religious truth solely because of it
- people question polytheism, explore religious techniques
27
Brahman
divine force of the universe
- not a personal being
- power that permeates everything in the universe
- if you know it in this lifetime, you would be beyond suffering and death
28
Atman
self or soul, will out live body
29
Upanishads
written primarily as dialogues
30
How to attain enlightenment
understand brahman is atman and atman is brahman
- principle in upanishads
- to be able to appropriate it, look at other people and see same divinity
31
Maya
illusion- we perceive world incorrectly
- we don't see interconnectedness of all being and divinity
- we don't see connection
32
Jihad
means "struggle/exertion"
| -any believer should struggle to carry out word of God
33
Two types of Jihad
1. Internal struggle: take place inside self, struggle to be person that God wants you to be (overcome any temptation to worship something other than God)
2. Armed struggle: lesser struggle, use of violence to defend self/God
34
What the Quran says about Jihad:
you have the right to defend self- does not refer to use of armed force
35
2 Justifications of Armed Struggle
1. Obligation to extend Islam to entire world
| 2. Threat of unbelieving world/ rebels
36
Hadith
lesser authority
| -oral tradition of things said/done by prophet
37
Central theme of Jihad in Hadith:
Justification of faith through combat
38
Rules in place of offensive/ defensive nature:
mean of fighting age can be killed (women/children/elderly=no, BUT they can be enslaved)
39
Hijab
"Veil"
- head/body coverings
- reference to veil of God-human beings/ physical barrier between men and women
- reference to rules
40
What the Quran says about the Hijab:
cover upper torso in front of those who are not husband, sons, sister's sons, etc.
41
What the Hadith says about the Hijab:
suggests face/head should be covered
42
Traditional Islamic Views of Hijab
everything but hands, feet possibly face should be covered; wear loose fitting clothing
43
Progressive Islamic Views of Hijab
limited to covering hair and bosom
44
Types of Hijabs
1. Hiqab: veil covering head and face, but not eyes
2. Burka: veil covers entire body. and face with mesh
3. Chador: full length cloak, face seen
4. Dupatta: long scarf loosely draped across head and shoulders
45
Reasoning for Muslim women acceptance of coverings
1. "my religion is important to me and I am living a high standard," women claiming power
2. result of upbringing
3. poor oppressed Muslim women
46
Caste System
born into it, can't move out of it
1. Brahmin (priestly class)
2. Warrior/ Noble (wealthiest, protect communities)
3. Merchants (people who own land)
4. Peasants (serve higher class)
untouchables: lowest jobs in society
47
"Stages of Life"
1. Student (15-21): obligation to study, be celibate, prepare self for rest of life
2. Householder: married, work for living, raise fam
3. Retiree: more leisure time, dedicate to religious pursuits
4. Shadu: leave home, full time individual religious pursuit, personal journey, aesthetics
48
How is Hinduism diff from Islam religion?
Islam tells you EXACTLY how to live
| -Hinduism: some people born into obligations and some are not, there are ALOT of different ways to do Hinduism
49
Yoga
path, religious discipline (there's a lot of them)
50
Jnana (Knowledge) Yoga
people are more philosophically inclined
| -intense reflection, focused on knowledge
51
Karma (Action) Yoga
making people's lives better,, doing good in a not-self interested way
52
Bhakti (Devotion) Yoga
individual devotion to deities, going to temple
53
Guru
spiritual teacher, Bhakti yoga directed towards guru
54
Raja (Royal) Yoga
elite form of spiritual discipline, offers path to perfection through psychophysical exercise, see deeply into relationship with universe
55
Mantra
work or phrase that assists in meditation (om)
56
Om
starts in stomach, resonance that rises up
57
Ahimsa
important ethic in Hinduism
-general respect for world
means non-violence, non-harm directed towards any animal (includes vegetarianism, should not work in farm that produces harm to animals)
-if life circumstance doesn't allow you to be vegetarian, it is ok (it's all about striving to be a better person)
58
Apu
can't base someone's caste off of occupation
59
How many Gods?
- 3: the big three
- "there is one God for three Hindus," fill the cosmos
- "we can't capture the divine, so we have representations of divinity"
- "there is one divine"
- "zero because there is no being"
- many answers
60
The Big Three
1. Brahma- creation, able to see everything (4 faces
2. Vishnu
3. Shiva
61
Brahma
Creation, able to see everything (4 faces)
62
Vishnu
The Preserver
4 arms representing power
Associated with love and compassion
- One of most important that appears in different avatars/incarnations
- will come down as different figures and help people
63
Krishna
one of most important incarnations of Vishnu
| -certain deity and figure
64
Why is Vishnu blue?
- color of the heavens
- took a poison that made him blue
standards of beauty in different cultures are different than ours (hence male and female characteristics)
65
Shiva
Death or destruction (dances in ring of flames, dance of death)
- a popular deity: death is a natural part of life
- dances on demon dwarf of ignorance, overcome ignorance that sees death as nothing but bad
66
Ganesha
born with a human head and then loses his head
- his mother is his universe
- first one Hindus devoted to
67
Cow
has special status in Hinduism- Brahma associated with the cow, milking ability?
-Hindus do not eat cows
-Muslims do not eat pigs, but eat cows which can bring about tensions between Islam and Hinduism religions
68
Sati
ritual form of suicide where widow kills herself at husband's funeral
69
Explanations for Sati
- if children are grown and husband dies, your duty is done
| - could be encouraged by children who do not want to care for parent when old
70
Bindi
traditionally a sign you were married
-has become a fashion/ cultural statement and more popular in the West
71
Siddhartha Gautama
c.563-483
| creates Buddhism
72
4 Passing Sights
1. Old man: body shortly before death
2. Sick man: suffering tremendously w/ illness;miserable
3. Deadman
4. Sannyasin: devotion to religious pursuits
73
Siddhartha's birth
Mother has dream of elephant
- when ready to give birth, goes into grove of trees, stands, and hold onto tree to give birth
- Siddhartha is able to immediately stand and speak
- makes speech about attaining enlightenment
- announced he will be a great king or religious leader
- raised in luxury, father limits what he sees b/c he wants him to be king
74
The Middle Way
- studies under teacher and makes tremendous progress in Hinduism, does not think it is enough
- joins ascetics, decides not the right route either
-Main Point: should not live as ascetic or in prosperity
75
Bodhi Tree
Siddhartha says he will not get up until he attain enlightenment
- saw previous life timed and understood life around him
- becomes awakened one (aka Buddha)
- stays 7 weeks to attain full enlightenment
- spends rest of life teaching
76
Siddhartha Last Words
1. I have told you everything you need to know
2. "find refuge in yourself"
- different in other religions where salvation is achieved through a higher being or god, it is from within that salvation is reached
77
Moksa
liberation out of cycle of birth and rebirth
Hinduism: reunited with Brahman
-Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs: not that interested in salvation
78
4 Noble Truths
1. to live is to suffer
2. the cause to suffering is desire
- if you want what you already have is more suffering
3. ending to suffering, end desire
- cause and effect relationship
4. 8-fold path
79
8-fold path
eight aspects of thought and behavior that need to be cultivated on the path to nirvana
80
Buddha: Practical Concern
how to help people overcome suffering
| -poison tip arrow story: you do not ask a whole bunch of questions about arrow, you just try to end the suffering
81
Importance of Change in Buddhism
everything is subject to change, Buddha makes a statement that nothing is permanent
- 4 Noble Truths: if you try to hold onto things as if they are permanent, it is going to hurt a lot more when it is gone
- when you live with recognition, you are going to be a lot better off
82
The Self in Buddhism
Buddhism says NOPE to atman, you do not have an eternal atman
- your brain is who you are and it is constantly changing (new cells, new thoughts)
- no self: understand this and you will become enlightened
83
3 Jewels
1. Buddha: central part of Buddhism, model
2. Dharma: the teachings
3. Sangha: community of monks and nuns
- fund refuge in these, 3 things to become a buddhist
84
Was the Buddha an atheist
Buddha is not a monotheist: does not accept of God and western notions
- Brahmin is eternal and Buddha does not agree with that either
- probably believed in gods and goddesses since that was the viewpoint he came with BUT took refuge in self and not eternal gods
85
Buddhist Monks
wear orange robe: separate from society
| -provide service to community
86
Reclining Buddha Image
Buddha at death
87
Theravada
most traditional and basic
- emphasizes wisdom
- find it in East Asia, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos
88
Mahayana
"the great vehicle," type of Buddhism that a lot of people follow
- leave family and be celibate= does not flow with China since they value family, and so you can practice this and still be a householder and have a family
- more emphasis on compassion, everyone can pursue compassion
89
Bodhisattva
instead of attaining Nirvana, a heavenly figure, legendary who stays in world of samsara until everyone attains enlightenment
-help other people
90
Pureland Buddhism
subset of Mahayana; develops in China
- easy to attain enlightenment here
- becomes very popular in Japan
- if you help stop suffering by any means, probably a good thing
91
Amida (Pureland Buddhism)
Buddha that Pureland Buddhism centers around (supernatural, not human)
-"if you trust me, you will be reborn to Pureland"
92
Amida (Pureland Buddhism) and similarity to Christianity
Christianity: put devotion in God, go to Heaven and you have to earn your way to salvation, there is a wonderful savior that can save you from what you have done
93
Ch'an
means "meditation," moves to Japan
| -another subset of Mahayana in China, the meditation school
94
Bodhidharma (Ch'an)
great Buddhist monk (500s)
- goes to Shaolin temple, meditates in cave near temple for 7 years, eyelids cut off and legs wither away
- creates Kung Fu
- lives to be 150 years old
- believed he went back to India and dead body was not there anymore
95
Zen Buddhism
Ch'an Buddhism in Japan
96
Meditation: Physical
posture is VERY strict, sit on cushion with butt elevated and knees on the floor, left hand in right, physically demanding, breathe in and out through nose and into abdomen
97
Meditation: In the Mind
count breathes until 10, restart, do not think about anything else
- brain is a muscle, you can increase concentration, just be in the moment, it will take away from from most effective play, you have to know what you are doing, improve concentration
- encouragement stick
98
Past, Now, Future
you want to exist NOW, but it is easy to get caught in past and future
-activate now muscle
99
Now Muscle
cultivate now muscle and get better and stronger with being in NOW
-meditation can develop now muscle
100
Punjab
Region mostly in India
| -where Sikhism develops
101
Sikhism
not a WORLD religion
tension between Muslims and Hindus, fighting back and forth
- monotheism but believe in reincarnation
- have a bit of both Hinduism and Islam
- teaches Ahimsa
- Nanak- prophet
102
Nanak (1500s)
prophet; called by God
- born into a Hindu home, exposed to both Hinduism and Islam
- going to teach the "true religion"
103
Sikh men wear
turbans
| -also usually do not cut hair (made in image of god)
104
Sikhism: develop a...
military wing, so good that when British start to colonize, become dominant military force
-good reputation for this; ironic because comes out of tradition of Ahimsa
105
Sikh's usually carry a...
ceremonial dagger
| -part of religious commandment
