Week 3 Tradition literature

Question 1

Isnad

Answer 1

Reference system which lists the chain of transmitters

Question 2

Matn

Answer 2

Substance of the report

Question 3

Hadith report

Answer 3

historical writing on Muhammad’s life

The Isnad and the Matn form the hadith

Question 4

Purposes of the Hadith

Answer 4

1. Documenting history
2. Documenting God’s revelatory activity through Muhammad
3. Provide essential commentary for understanding the Qur’an, as Muhammad lived the perfect virtuous life, his words and acions provide the commentary
4. Forming the foundation of Islamic law as they are formed by Muhammad’s words and actions
   FIRST TWO ARE EXPLICITLY MENTIONED IN THE BOOK

Question 5

Athar

Answer 5

other historical works/reports than the hadith to distinguish the prophetic traditions better

Question 6

asbab al-nuzul

Answer 6

The occasions of revelation. Asbab al-nuzul were background information that was reported in the Hadith

Question 7

Awa’il hadith

Answer 7

Store information about Arab-Islamic firsts (some sort of guinness book of records)

Question 8

Hadith qudsi

Answer 8

Direct word from God revealed to Muhammad by Gabriel which was not present in the Qur’an

Question 9

Muwatta

Answer 9

Collection of hadith of legal opinions from Malik ibn Anas

Question 10

Categorisation of the quality of an isnad

Answer 10

sahih: near perfect

good, fair, doubtful or forged

Question 11

Categorisation of the quality of a Hadith

Answer 11

Single line of corroboration - ahad
Famous - mashur
Massively corroborated - tawatur

Question 12

Muhaddithun

Answer 12

scholars of hadith

Question 13

Talab il- ‘ilm

Answer 13

Search for knowledge, is glorified in tradition literature itself and required traveling

Question 14

Midrash

Answer 14

stories meant to help understand scripture

Question 15

dala’il al-nubuwwa

Answer 15

miraculous proofs of prophecy

Question 16

Temple mount

Answer 16

Jerusalem, Israël; holy site where Muhammad made his Night Journey to God

Question 17

Two reasons why Jerusalem is important in Islam

Answer 17

1. Muhammad first prayed in the direction to Jerusalem before God revealed him to pray towards the ka’aba in Mecca
2. A destination of Muhammad’s Night Journey

Question 18

Dome of the rock

Answer 18

Place where Muhammad is said to have ascended to heaven

Question 19

Al Aqsa mosque

Answer 19

close to the Dome of the rock and also on the temple mount

Question 20

Three periods of the early Muslim dynasties

Answer 20

1. the first four Rashidun (rightly guided) Caliphs
   - Abu Bakr
   - Umar
   - ‘Utman
   - ‘Ali
2. the Umayyad Caliphate
   - Mu’awiya
   - ‘Abd al-Malik
   - Umar II
   - Hisham
   - Marwan
3. the Abbasid Caliphate

Question 21

Ridda

Answer 21

Apostasy in Islam

It refers to a period after Muhammad died. Dissident tribes, eager to reassert their independence and stop payment of the zakāt, rose in revolt. They refused to recognize the authority of Abū Bakr, interpreting Muhammad’s death as a termination of their contract, and rallied instead around at least four rival prophets.

Question 22

Which Caliph established the principle of one legitimate leader of Muslims at one time

Answer 22

Abu Bakr

Question 23

Fitna

Answer 23

Civil wars after the assassination of Uthman

Question 24

Battle of the Camel

Answer 24

Ali was the victor after fighting against Aisha, Talha and Zubayr

Question 25

Mu'awiya

Answer 25

Fought Ali at Siffin, successor of Ali and shifted the capital of the empire to Damascus

Question 26

Husayn

Answer 26

Son of Ali, died in a small expedition trying to help Kufans, a person loyal to Ali, in 680. Husayn's martyrdom at Karbala had an enduring effect on Shi'ite piety and politics

Question 27

Who established control from Spain to Central Asia?

Answer 27

'Abd al-Malik

Question 28

Who commissioned the Dome of the Rock?

Answer 28

Caliph 'Abd al-Malik commissioned the Dome of the Rock in 692

Question 29

Potential reasons why Abd al-Malik built the Dome there and then

Answer 29

Religious reasons 1. The location where Muhammad started his night journey ascension to heaven 2. The empire was in a civil war, Mecca was in the hands of a rival and Abd al-Malik needed an alternative for pilgrimage Environmental reasons 1. Providing a reminder of who was in charge: showed Muslims could outmatch Byzantine emperors by their own terms (the Dome is built in Byzantine style) 2. Providing a reminder that whatever else Arab leaders might be, they are not Christian

Question 30

Umma

Answer 30

Muslim community

Question 31

The Constitution of Medina

Answer 31

Document portraying the relationship of Muslims and Jews as a cordial partnership. It includes one of the earliest biographies of Muhammad and describes the organisation of the Muslim community, the umma