ISLAM

• BELIEFS

  Six articles of faith - Sunni

  • Tawhid- the oneness of Allah
  • Malaikah (angels)- messengers of Allah
  • Holy books- Quran, Inji, Tawrat
  • Prophets- messengers of Allah on Earth
  • Al Qadr (Predestination)- Allah knows everything and decided everything
  • Day of judgement- In afterlife, your soul is judged on deeds

  Importance- sums up the beliefs in which a Sunni muslim should have, educates them in how to spiritually be a better Muslim

  • Shi'a and Sunni Muslims believe in different things
• BELIEFS

  5 root- Shia

  • Tawhid- the oneness of Allah
  • Adalat/ divine justice- Allah rewards good and punishes bad
  • Prophet hood- messengers of Allah on Earth
  • Imamate- leaders of Islam
  • Day of resurrection- Soul resurrects in afterlife to be judged by God

  Importance- Explains the Shia beliefs that Muslims live by

  • Sunni Muslims interpret as 6 articles of faith
• BELIEFS

  The nature of Allah- shown in his 99 names (Quran)

  • Merciful- Allah forgives sins
  • Immanent- He is present in his creation, close, communicates
  • Transcendent- He has no equal, beyond his creation
  • Just- Fairly judges, rewards good, punishes bad
  • Omnipotent- All powerful
  • Omniscient- All knowing
  • Benevolent- All loving - ' most compassionate to all, especially

  compassionate to believers '
• BELIEFS

  Risalah- how Allah communicates with humanity (prophets,angels)

  • Nature of the prophets- Allah has sent prophets to prevent humanity from sin because he loves us and is compassionate.

  3 most significant prophets

  • Muhammad- revealed the Quran (most important holy book)
  • Ibrahim- destroyed false idols and taught monotheism
  • Adam- he was forgiven, showed Allah was merciful

  Prophets show Muslims how to lead a holy life to be rewarded by Allah in the afterlife in Paradise.
• BELIEFS

  Holy Books- Quran is the most important

  • Tawrat, Inji, Zabur, Scrolls of Ibrahim
  • the Quran is the direct, unchanged word of Allah, most complete
  • ' He revealed to His servant what he revealed '

  Importance- Muslims can live according to its guidance (how Allah wants for Muslims), helps Muslims to reach Paradise in afterlife
• BELIEFS

  Malaikah- the belief in angels (6 articles of faith in Sunni)

  • Allah's messengers, they follow and communicate with life through the prophets, they praise and guard Allah's throne

  Most important angels:

  • Jibril- revealed the Quran to Muhammad, saved Ibrahim from great fire
  • Mikail- asks for Allah to forgive sins

  Importance- they record good/bad deeds for the Day of Judgement,

  ' Our messengers are with them recording ', Muslims are encouraged to behave, comforted with how they are being watched and protected.
• BELIEFS

  Al Qadr- predestination

  • Allah decides everything that will happen, contradicts ideas about

  the day of judgement

  • Sunni- humans choose their own actions but can't change Allah's decisions
  • Shia- we have free will but Allah has the power to change our decisions

  Predestination is a comforting idea- if something bad happens, it will be reassuring that Allah has decided it.
• BELIEFS

  Akirah- the afterlife followed by the day of judgement (6 beliefs, 5 roots)

  • Muslims stay dead until Isa rises them
  • Allah judged actions fairly- rewarding good, punishing bad

  Paradise- reward, peace, happiness, beauty- ' Those who believe and do good works will be admitted to Paradise '

  Hell- punishment for disloyalty, scorching fire, sins eventually forgiven
• PRACTICES

  5 pillars of Islam (Sunni)

  • Shahadah, Salah, Sawm, Zakah, Hajj

  10 obligatory acts (Shia)

  • (Pillar 2,3,4,5)... Khums, Jihad, always doing good, avoiding evil, tawallah, tabarra

  Importance- Both teaches Muslims how to behave to be seen as a greater Muslim by Allah.
• PRACTICES

  Shahadah- a prayer furthering the belief of Tawhid

  • ' There is no other God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah '

  must be approved of to be a Muslim, recited at birth and death, and when someone converts to Islam

  • ' ... and Ali is the vicegerent of Allah ' - added by Shia Muslims
• PRACTICES

  Salah- Muslims pray 5 times a day

  • ' Establish prayer for my remembrance '

  Importance- keeps Muslims close to Allah, reminds everyone is equal, encourages having good morals and spiritual discipline

  • Salah is so frequent leading to a better and more faithful life
• PRACTICES

  Sawm- fasting during Ramadan

  • ' He leaves his desires and his food and drink for My sake '

  Importance- teaches self discipline, helps you to connect more to Allah, helps to be more caring and understanding to the poor
• PRACTICES

  Zakah- a 20% tax profit given to the poor

  Khums- is optional

  • Because Zakah is compulsory, it is viewed as less important
  • Zakah benefits the poor and blesses the money of the Muslim
• PRACTICES

  Hajj- a religious journey in Mecca (must go at least once)

  • Muslims go to connect with God and have sins forgiven, to connect more to faith and cleanse their self
  • At Hajj, Muslims: circle the Kaaba 7 times, travel to Arafat and collect water from well ZamZam, stand and pray under hot Arafat sun, throw rocks at stone to fight temptation and sin, return to Mecca.

  Benefits- sins are forgiven, cleanses soul and allows for an opportunity to restart
• PRACTICES

  Jihad- struggle (10 obligatory acts - Shia)

  • Greater Jihad- struggle to obey Allah
  • Lesser Jihad- struggle to make society better

  Some Muslims interpret Lesser Jihad as an excuse to allow force in self defence and Holy War.

  Importance- Teaches Muslims to be understanding and to know when to defend their faith
• PRACTICES

  Celebrations

  • Id-ul-Adha - ' Eid Mubarak ' celebrates Ibrahim's willingness to

  sacrifice his son to Allah, Muslims celebrate by sacrificing an animal, its meat is shared between families and the poor

  • Id-ul-Fitr - marks the ending of Ramadan, celebrated with prayer,

  parades, gift giving, donating, feasts

  • Ashura- Sunni Muslims: celebrate Musa leading Israelite out of slavery, sins are forgiven if repented, non compulsory fasting.

  Shia Muslims: celebrate Husayn's death in battle of Karbala, 10 days of mourning, they wear and cover the mosque in black and hurt self