IGCSE Religious Studies Refer to notes from last year about the beginning of revelation Qur’an Surah Al-Najm 53 Verses 4:18 : they describe the revelation and when Jibril came to Prophet Muhammad « It is not but a revelation revealed » ( 53:4) At the Prophet’s death it was not fully gathered as a book. Originally it was written down by scribes , on various items such as bones, animal skins etc. During the Caliphate of Umar and after many Muslims who knew the Qur’an by heart died in battles, it was thought it would be good idea to gather it into one book One fragment in Birmingham is thought to be taken from among the eldest of such copies Then it was formally gathered during the caliphate of ‘Uthman At the beginning there were no dots or vowels on the letters, these were introduced later The Companions knew the order in which to gather the surahs due to the way the Prophet was reciting It is considered the main source of Law for Muslims. It is also considered a source of guidance It has also been said that just looking at it brings rewards to the Muslim. The book itself is considered blessed and is carried by Muslims only when in ablution and placed in a raised location. Children learn passages by heart from a young age Learning it all is also considered a blessing Formal worship :It is recited in each prayer: in each of the five prayers and in any optional prayers if they perform any. In the mosque :It can be read in order to be memorised especially by children after school or during the weekend ( hifz programmes) In the home: Some families recite passages of the Qur’an or specific surah at specific times ( example :al mulk in the evening, Yaa Seen when someone dies, al fatihah every morning) Informal worship :they can read passages daily to reflect upon their meanings As a source of teaching and guidance :If they are studying Islamic Studies it is referred to constantly Hadith is understood to be the record of what the Prophet said, did, of his attributes and of what he confirmed (i.e. was a witness of without condemning it, which counts as a confirmation). Immediately after the death of Prophet Muhammad, hadith was not generally written down. This was to prevent people from elevating it at a place that might reach that of the Qur’an. There were only a few collections at the time, one of the very first ones was called al Muwatta, written by Imam Malik (d.795 CE) However after some time (about 200 years) the Muslims realised that a lot of factions were distorting the sayings of the Prophet. Each little sect was claiming « The Prophet said… », even though he might not have. That is when scholars who had the ability to know what the Prophet really said, started the task of compiling the authentic (sahih) narrations from the Prophet. A hadith is composed of the text (matn) and of a chain (isnad). The scholars of hadith check, among other things, that the matn is consistent with religious teachings, that it does not contain any Arabic grammar mistakes (as the Prophet is believed to only express himself in the best Arabic) They also check that the isnad contains only people of the highest standards of piety, memory, and reliability. They would check for inconsistencies (for example if there was someone unknown in the isnad, or if two people in the chain could not have met, or if one was known to have a weak memory, or if he was deemed an « innovator »etc). A hadith can be given various levels by the scholars of hadith. For example: Sahih: highly reliable Hasan: its chain is good, and can be relied upon to deduce judgements Da’if : weak (there could be a weakness in the chain), it can be used but not relied upon to deduce laws Mudtarib :inconsistent in its matn or isnad or both (i.e. when several narrations cannot be reconciled) Mawdu’: fabricated, invented, and cannot be trusted For Sunnis, the hadith are the second source of Law after the Qur’an There are six collections considered to be the most authentic and used by all four schools of Law. Thy are known as al-Kutub as-sittah (the six books: Sahih al Bukhari by Muhammad al Bukhari Sahih Muslim by Muslim ibn al Hajjaj Sunan al-Nasai by al Nasai Sunan Abu Dawud by Abu Dawud Sunan al Tirmidhi by al Tirmidhi Sunan Ibn Majah by Ibn Majah Shias use a different set of collections. They consider many Sunni transmitters as unreliable because they sided with Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman according to them. The twelvers in particular use a collection called the Four books (al Kitab al-Arba’ah) Kitab al-Kafi by al Kulayni Man la yahduruhu al faqih by Muhammad ibn Babawayh (Shaykh al-Saduq) Tahdhib al-Ahkam by Shaykh Muhammad Tusi Al-istibsar by Shaykh Muhammad Tusi Shari’ah law is derived from the Qur’an and the Sunnah Shari’ah is derived by mujtahid scholars, i.e. scholars who have the ability to do so thanks to their intelligence and specific study. The permissibility to ask people of knowledge for judgements that people do not know is taken from the verse which means « And Ask the people of knowledge if you do not know ». It is twice in the Qur’an. Surah 16 (al Nahl) verse 43 and Surah 21 (al Anbiya) verse 7. Qiyas is when a scholar compares a situation for which the Prophet has given the answer, with a situation where the judgement is not known. Ijma is when all the mujtahid scholars of a specific era agree on a matter Breaching the ijma is considered a serious issue. The verse means « And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers - We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.» This verse can be used to show that one is to adhere to the majority of the Muslims otherwise one is driven unto hell. But some people do not understand from this verse that it is referring to legal judgements as well. Sunnis have four established schools of Law whereby they would go to one of those four references when needing a specific judgement: the Hanafi school, the Maliki school , the Shafi’i school and the Hanbali school. Shi’as have two main schools of law : the Ja’fari school and the Zaidi school (which is the largest second group of Shi’as) After the death of the Prophet, a man died leaving behind his grand father and his brothers. The question was who inherits? The grandfather alone, the brothers alone, or each a share? This case had not happened at the time of the Prophet. Abu Bakr who was the caliph at the time said: in many other religious matters, the grand-father replaces the father when the father is not there. If the father had been alive he would have had all the inheritance (as per Islamic law), therefore he ruled that the grandfather should get everything. This is an example of ijtihad. Also in the Qur’an it says that the waiting period of the divorced woman Is three “quru” but the “quru” can be menses or can be the time when the lady is not on her period. Therefore some ruled she needs to wait to have her menses 3 times, others have ruled she needed 3 gaps between two periods. Becoming a qadi requires between 7 to 10 years of study with a shaykh or a renowned Islamic university, it is very demanding. The person is then appointed by the caliph or current governor of the place. The definition of « alim » , scholar, is somehow less strict. There is an understanding that the person must have learned the Qur’an and received hadith books by transmission, but nowadays many people claim to be religious scholars, set up their own youtube channels or TV programmes, and are in reality self-made preachers. They had to apply the religious law to the letter and to be fair to all parties A judge in Iraq ruled against Imam Ali when he complained that a man had stolen his shield. Ali could not produce 2 independent witnesses as per Islamic Law. One of the witnesses was his son. The judge said “I cannot accept the testimony of your son, as you know”. Imam Ali accepted and as he was leaving the non-Muslim man who had lied embraced Islam due to being impressed by the ruling he had just heard. Giving and accepting bribes in Islam is an enormous sin. Judges should not be corrupted. Nowadays some Muslims will always go to a scholar before doing anything while some Muslims will not grant scholars this authority and they will ask around until they are satisfied with an answer. Or some might not ask anyone before doing anything. In Muslim countries, with the rise of the use of the Internet, more and more people look for answers by themselves by googling some questions. There are movements rejecting the authority of the four schools and encouraging people to find their own judgements by themselves now that they have access to the Holy book and hadith collections by themselves However many Muslims feel this is what allows some extremists to manipulate religious texts, because they take them literally instead of finding out the proper context and explanations for those texts. IGCSE Religious Studies The Shi’as say that at Ghadeer Khum the Prophet said « Of whomsoever I am Mawla. Then Ali is also his mawla. O Allah support whoever supports Ali and be against of whoever opposes him », after which they say that he set up a tent for Ali to receive oaths of allegiance from the 120,000 present. Sunnis say that by « mawla » what was meant was « friend of Islam » and not « successor ». They also say the oath did not take place and therefore they do not celebrate Id al Ghadeer. The imamah is the main way in which Muslims in the Sunni and Shi’a traditions differ as this aspect of imam is only accepted by the Shi’as, where it is one of their five roots. They believe that in addtion to prophets, Allaah also appointed guides who would correctly interpret and explain Allah’s message. They believe that the Imam was always the Prophet, but that the two roles became separated after the death of Prophet Muhammad as Allaah revealed he would be the last Prophet. Shi’as believe that the imams are the true leaders of the ummah, guiding people on the correct meaning of the Qur’aan. They do not recognise the caliphs within Sunni tradition. They believe that the Imams have certain attributes that enable them to act as proofs (hujjat) and signs (Ayat) of God’s existence. These attributes are : Nass, or divinely inspired designation, i.e. that next imam is designated by Allaah before the current imam dies. This successor is called the silent imam until the current imam passes away Isma : inerrancy i.e. being immune from sin/error due to the power of Allah. This means they can trust the guidance provided by the Imams The best of men : i.e. that they can be role model. They can also provide intercession on the day of judgement according to this doctrine Ilm or perfect knowlegde of the externals and the internals of the religion due to being inspired by Allaah Walaya: i.e. complete authority over the affairs of humans Their roles include : Providing a true account of the meaning of the Qur’an and the accepted hadiths Leading Friday prayers Announcing and leading a military jihad Imposing judicial decisions and legal penalities Receiving the taxes (khums) and dividing up the booty gained through military campaign The twelvers claim there were twelve imams in total from Ahlu l-Bayt. They say the first eleven died as martyrs and that the twelfth went into hiding to prevent this from happening. It is called Ghaybat. They believe Allah hides him until a time of His choosing but that he will return before the day of Judgement. For Sunnis the imam is somebody who leads prayers in a mosque. They also do not believe that the Prophet appointed a successor or that the successor should come from his bloodline or that this person is immune from sin and designated by Allah to lead the community This is why al Imamah is not a fundamental belief of the Sunnis and they believe someone can be a true Muslim even without this core belief of the Shi’as. The Twelvers consider that there is no imam but they believe that while they wait for his return they owe obedience to a person called « ayatollah », i.e. sign of Allah, who is also the supreme religious leader of Iran The Seveners or Ismailis consider that their current imam is the Aga Khan IV The Zaidis are named after one of the grandson of Ali, Zayd, who was the fifth imam for them. They are mostly located in Yemen and are at the moment at the centre of a regional conflict. Sahih al bukhari 73 hadith 37 which means Narrated Abu Sulaiman and Malik bin Huwairith: “We came to the Prophet and we were (a few) young men of approximately equal age and stayed with him for twenty nights. Then he thought that we were anxious for our families, and he asked us whom we had left behind to look after our families, and we told him. He was kindhearted and merciful, so he said, "Return to your families and teach them (religious knowledge) and order them (to do good deeds) and offer your prayers in the way you saw me offering my prayers, and when the stated time for the prayer becomes due, then one of you should pronounce its call (i.e. the Adhan), and the eldest of you should lead you in prayer.” From this hadith it has been understood that a community leader’s function is : to order what is good, remind and guide people with regards to the orders of Allaah, organise the five daily prayers and lead the Friday prayer. This is what Sunnis understand from an Imam. He also helps with marriage and other routine acts of worship for Muslims. People go to them for guidance in their everyday life. Sunnis believe that the imam is a spiritual and learned man which means their interpretation of the Qur’an is not infallible and therefore imams might not be the best source of authority. Sunnis believe that the Qur’an is the final word of Allah and the only unchanged and accurate source for Muslims to follow so it must be the best and truly authentic source of authority Sunnis also believe that only Muhammad received direct messages from Allah which were recorded accurately and so he is the only human who has any authority to interpret the Qur’an so is a better source of authority than the imam Shi’a Muslims believe that Imams receive direct guidance from Allah today which confirms their place as the best source of authority and so enables them to give the best guidance to help Muslims follow the straight path. Shi’a Imams are believed by their followers to be sinless and infallible which gives them authority to interpret the Qur’an for today and so are the best authority to help a Muslim understand how to follow its teachings to live a good life Some Muslims believe that no age can be without an Imam to interpret the Qur’an which suggests that they have relevance across time, suggesting they are still seen as the best source of authority. IGCSE Religious Studies He received the revelation at the age of 40 He called people to worship one God only instead of statues. He taught people that Islam is submission to God and that all Prophets before him were Muslim in the meaning that they were submitting to God and asking people to submit to Him as well. In his final sermon he also emphasised how no one was superior to anyone else except by piety, not even an Arab over a non-Arab. For 13 years he stayed in Makkah. His main call was explaining tawheed or the oneness of God Most of the verses he received during that period were part of short surahs dealing with belief in God and in the hereafter During the first 3 years he called to Islam all those close to him and those he would meet Then he received the order of the public call That is when his uncle Abu Lahab and other dignitaries of Quraysh showed enmity towards Islam They even offered that for one year they would worship Allah and for one year they would worship the idols, thinking the Prophet was after power. The persecution of the Muslims increased until some of them migrated to al-Habashah (Abyssinia) in years 5 and 6. Then the idol-worshippers boycotted the Muslims for three years until year 9. In year 10 he lost Abu Talib who was supporting him and Khadijah. The trip to Ta’if also did not end as he had wished, but he remained patient through all of this. In year 11 he was granted the miracle of the nocturnal journey and the ascension In the following 2 years, during the hajj period, people from Yathrib pledged allegiance and he then received the order to migrate Muslims had started to migrate to Yathrib as ordered by the Prophet. The idol worshippers of Makkah noticed and plotted to have the Prophet killed before he’d go too. Their plot failed and he left with Abu Bakr unharmed. The migration lasted 8 days after which he arrived in Yathrib which he renamed Madina and he was welcomed by the Ansar there, the Helpers. In Madinah, he established a community Most of the verses received during this period are part of long surahs which detail laws and judgements, contracts, punishments Fasting became compulsory in year 2 AH ( after the Hijrah) Battles to defend his the Muslims took place during that period final sermon; The peace treaty of Hudaybiyah with the idol worshippers of Makkah took place in year 6. It was established for 10 years but lasted only 2 years due to the breach of the Meccans even though the terms of the treaty were very favourable to the non-Muslims. In year 8, the opening of Makkah took place and that is when scores of people embraced Islam. He died two years later. Some of the contents « O people, hear my sayings, for I may not be able to stand with you in this place next year. Certainly the blood and money of your brother are forbidden to you. You will die and be asked about your deeds. I have done my job. » « Whoever has entrusted with something, give it back to the rightful owner. The usury of every debt must not be paid. You have the right to take your original amount of money and no more ». « The Devil has given up being worshipped in Arabia. However, the Devil wishes that you disobeyed God in less than that. I warn you against him. » He also told people that a person of one race did not have superiority over another one by race. The superiority is only by piety. He also said « O People, you have rights on your wives and they have rights on you. I command that you treat the women well. The women are like prisoners in your hands. So do not take advantage of them and do not harm them. » « I have conveyed what I was ordered to convey » The time he spent in Makkah reminds the Muslims of the importance of the teachings of tawhid The Hijrah shows to Muslims nowadays the importance to migrate to a place where they can practise their religion freely. Also it shows the extent of the sacrifice that these Muslims did for the sake of their religion The way the people of Madinah welcomed the migrants shows the real meaning of brotherhood in Islam. The life in Madinah is until now an example of a close-knit community strengthened by the presence of the Prophet. It remains an example of unity. Surah 33 (al –Ahzab verses 36-47) specifically verse 40 which means: « Muhammad is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah and last of the prophets. And Allah is ever, of all things, Knowing” And verse 45 which means “O Prophet, indeed We have sent you as a witness and a bringer of good tidings and a warner.” These verses mention how Prophet Muhammad was married to Zaynab the ex-wife of his “adopted” son to make it clear to the people that Zayd was not his son at all, and also therefore not his successor. Muslims believe that all Prophets since Adam called people to submit to their Creator as Islam means submission They believe the teachings of some of the previous prophets have been dismissed and changed by some people. They believe the book revealed to Prophet Muhammad is the only one that has not been falsified or corrupted. Muslims do not believe in the claim of anyone else to the title of prophethood, because of their belief of Prophet Muhammad as the seal of the Prophets They also hold in high respect all the Prophets such as Jesus, Moses, David, Abraham, with the belief that they called people to the belief Prophet Muhammad has called them to. They consider that insulting any one of them is blasphemy and disrespectful. The Prophet is seen as a role model in various aspects of Muslims’ life. For example: He was very patient and humble. After the death of his wife Khadijah he was taking care of his children on his own for a while. Whenever he was at home and needed milk he would go to the sheep and tray it to have his milk or he would mend his shoes by himself, even though he had people at home who would have been happy to do this for him. In his last sermon he asked people to be considering of their wives He was not after power and was against corruption. Ali was the cousin of the Prophet. Aged 10 when the Prophet received the revelation, he is the first child to have embraced Islam. He also became the son-inlaw of the Prophet after marrying his daughter Fatimah. After the assassination of Uthman in 656, he became Caliph until his assassination in 661. He is considered by Sunnis as the fourth rightly-guided caliph. Shi’a means the « party » or faction of Ali. They are called thus because they believed Prophet Muhammad did appoint his successor and that it was Ali. An « imam » according to Shi’as is Muhammad’s successor, is infallible, has divine wisdom and comes from the Ahl al-Bayt. Shi’as consider Ali to be the first Imam (more in 3.7) It started with the question of authority and who to consider a successor of the Prophet. Shi’as use as a proof for their claim the hadith known as « hadith ath-thaqalayn » where the Prophet said left two « weighty things » to stop them from going astray : the Qur’an and Ahl alBayt, thus for them referring to the authority of the Imams (more in 3.7). They also use 4:59 which means « You who believe, obey God and the Messenger, and those in authority among you » where they say that « those in authority » is referring to the imams. Shi’as believe those who appointed Abu Bakr as a caliph betrayed the command of the Prophet. The split started there. Surah 33 (al –Ahzab verses 32-34) specifically verse 33 which means: “And abide quietly in your homes, and do not flaunt your charms as they used to flaunt them in the old days of pagan ignorance; and be constant in prayer, and give the zakah, and obey God and His Messenger. God only wills to remove from you the impurity [of sin], O you members of the [Prophet’s] household, and to purify you to utmost purity.” For Shi’as this is the proof that the descendants of the Prophet are free from sin and therefore should be followed. For Sunnis it is a praise for his family but it does not imply authority for his family. Research the reasons behind the split between the Twelvers and the Ismailis ( at least half a page) The Ismailis have another name, what is it? The main group of the Shi’as is called «the « Twelvers ». Because they believe in 11 imams and that the 12th is currently in hiding (occultation or ghaybat) However there is another group of Shi’as called the Ismailis or sometimes « seveners » who only recognise 7 main imams. They stop at one imam called Ismail who they say did not leave any direct successor ( although the main branch of Ismailis consider they have an imam today, called the Aga Khan IV). The Twelvers continue the chain with Ismail’s younger brother, Musa. This split means that Sunnis and Shi’as do not recognise the same sources of wisdom and authority. For Sunnis the caliph is the leader of the community and he is appointed by the consultation of the most pious men of the community. They also therefore have no divine wisdom. Whereas for Shi’as the leader is an imam who has a blood link to the Prophet and who is guided by God and infallible. (See 3.7) They were Abu Bakr ^Umar^ ^Uthmaan ^Aliyy Election as a caliph : some people wanted an ansar as caliph, some wanted a qurayshi, then some said two caliphs, then Bashir ibn Nu^man , an ansar, said they would accept a Qurayshi. Abu Bakr suggested Umar, Umar refused and suggested Abu Bakr and shook his hand. Following day people pledged at the mosque Usama’s expedition : this was the first task of Abu bakr when elected. Sent to Syria as the Prophet had decided. Despite problems, the Muslims won. Some of the tribes that had left Islam came back into Islam The Prophet did not make an explicit statement to appoint Abu Bakr, but he left signs such as -the leading of prayer -the closing of all house entrances to the mosque except that of Abu Bakr -he advised a woman to ask abu Bakr for any issue, if she did not find him when back after a year In the house of Bani Sa^idah, ^Umar strechted his hand towards him, and so did the Muhajirun and the Ansar Following day : general oath of allegiance and speech His caliphate was entirely just and not usurpated It is considered the most successful caliphate and the golden period of Islamic history He introduced many changes called reforms , in many domains such as : judicial, educational, economic, financial, agricultural, military etc His election : Abu Bakr consulted the Shura when he was ill and approved the choice of Umar. All the leading companions pledged. Title of Amir al Mu’mineen Administration : the golden principle was justice and fair dealing He punished and rewarded equally without distinction There was a Majlis al-Shura to advise him. Also a governor, a judge Was protecting the rights of the non Muslims His character is that he was intelligent, responsible, just and simple He kept the empire united. A persian slave named Firoz stabbed him six times when in ruku^. He nominated a council of six to elect a caliph within three days. HE ruled for 10 years, 5 months and 21 days Due to his closeness to the Prophet, he was considered by all companions to be the most suitable candidate. His election : in the six were Uthman, Ali, Sa’d ibn abi waqqas, Talha, Zubair, abdur Rahman ibn ^Awf. The latter withdrew his name. Then consulted with everyone and chose Uthman During his caliphate , the grip over the new terroritories was consolidated As a caliph he added Lybia, Tunisia, Algeria Morocco, and Cyprus. Also Afghanistan It became a bigger empire than the Byzantine or Persian one before He was most innocently martyred Companion and Caliph He could have moved the army against the rebels but he never wished bloodshed in the city of Madinah He was martyred while reciting the Qur’an He was 80 His character was that he was a very pious Companion, very modest, strict follower of the Sunnah, was always doing his housework even though he was one of the wealthiest persons in Arabia, he was very generous. Elected in a confused situation after the assassination of Uthman: for three days no government in Madinah The insurgents first went to Aliyy. He first declined the responsibility, but they threatened him. He then decided to put it to the public and the companions agreed he was the fittest for it.Then the pledge took place His three main problems were : To establish peace in the state To take action against the assassins of Uthman To deal with the companions demanding the arrest and punishment of the assassins of Uthman His martyrdom : he laid down his life for the sake of Islam Kharijites plotted against Aliyy, Mu^awiyah and ^Amr ibn al-Aas. Abdur Rahman bin Mujlim attacked him in the darkness of the early morning. Caliphs as Examples of Leadership: They were chosen by the general consensus of Muslims The Caliph was the head of the State & strictly followed the Qur’an & Sunnah and if not, used Ijma and Qiyas. They always consulted the Majlis-e-Shura Everyone was free to express their own opinions and views and criticize the Calips. They were available to everyone all the time Bait-ul-Mal (Treasury) was public property The judiciary system was independent: no one was above law: Once Ali lost his armor and saw a Jewish man selling it and took him to court using his son as a witness but the judge rejected the complaint Many British Muslims take inspiration from Malcom X, the African-American civil rights leader. In the early days of his life, he held separatist views regarding different races. However, after he performed Hajj, his views changed totally, because in Makkah he saw Muslims of different colours all worshipping Allaah and living together as equals. Upon his return he began to teach racial harmony regardless of skin colour. Many Muslims also take inspiration from al-Ghazali, considered by many as Mujaddid, a renewer of the faith who, according to the prophetic hadith, appears once every century to restore the faith of the ummah ("the Islamic Community. His works were so highly acclaimed by his contemporaries that al-Ghazali was awarded the honorific title "Proof of Islam" (Hujjat al-Islām). Al-Ghazali believed that the Islamic spiritual tradition had become moribund and that the spiritual sciences taught by the first generation of Muslims had been almost forgotten.That resulted in his writing his most famous work entitled Iḥyā’ ‘ulūm ad-dīn (the Revival of the Religious Sciences). Among his other works, the Tahāfut alFalāsifa ("Incoherence of the Philosophers") is a significant landmark in the history of philosophy, as it advances the critique of Aristotelian science developed later in 14thcentury Europe Many British Muslims take inspiration from Malcom X, the African-American civil rights leader. In the early days of his life, he held separatist views regarding different races. After he performed Hajj, his views changed totally, because in Makkah he saw Muslims of different colours all worshipping and living together as equals. Upon his return he began to teach racial harmony and respect for all, regardless of skin colour. IGCSE Religious Studies IGCSE Religious Studies They celebrate and commemorate important parts of Islamic history They demonstrate that Islam encourages both personal practice and community cohesion They encourage people to offer kindness and give to charity They show that the priority for a Muslim is to submit to the will of Allah They promote spiritual development and Islam as a complete way of life. It is the festival of sacrifice which is celebrated sometimes up to four days. It marks the annual completion of Hajj. It is on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah The sacrifice at Mina is an event that all Muslims around the world can participate in. Sacrificing animals is done in commemoration of Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son as commanded by Allah in 37: 77-111 It is an example of complete obedience and surrender to Allah Muslims can enact this part of Hajj on a small scale in their local area. « Peace be upon Abraham » This is how We reward those who do good. Truly He was one of our faithful servants » Surah 37: 109-111 The main activities of this day include the sacrifice of an animal. The meat is divided into three equal portions : for family for neighbours and friends, for the poor. It may be the only time some poor people have meat. In addition Muslims wear new clothes and children often have presents Mosques will decorated and special id prayers are called (Salat al Id) The imam delivers a sermon Rest of day spent with family and friends, sharing food together Families may choose to visit graveyards It usually is a public holiday It is on the 1st of Shawwal the month following Ramadan. Muslims celebrate the end of fasting and give thanks to God for the spiritual blessings and renewal of faith by attending a special prayer. Celebrations can last for three days. The main activities of Id-ul-fitr are joyful : -it is forbidden to fast, people enjoy food New clothes and exchange of gifts and cards Families meet up or go to graveyards People give money as a special obligatory charity called Zakah ul-fitr to help the poor It is a public holiday It means « tenth » and it is a solemn day of remembrance for Shi’as. On the tenth of Muharram, imam Husayn , the grandson of the Prophet, was martyred alongside 72 other companions and family , at the battle of Karbala. Husayn refused to give allegiance to the oppressive new caliph Yazid, who then broke several rules of Islamic military law during the battle that followed. Husayn and his followers were prevented from reaching water, then they were killed. The Shi’as believe that Husayn accepted a cruel death as an example to Muslims that sacrifice and suffering are needed to fight evil, on top of the power of an army. Sunni Muslims also remember this day to be the day when Musa and the Banu Israil were saved from Pharaoh in Egypt. They fast two consecutive days as optionally recommended by the Prophet. Activities during Ashura include (for Shi’as) -performing prayers at mosques and religious centres -Mourning ceremonies and eulogies -Wearing dark or black clothes -Banners and slogans to remind people of the sad occasion Some may cry while others refrain from laughing and smiling. The evening is known as « the evening of distraught » To Shi’as, Id-ul-Ghadeer and Ashura keep the memory of two important Muslims alive: Ali and Husayn. And Muslims are reminded of the importance of upholding the truth, justice, and sacrifice made for the love of Allah. It is a Shi’a celebration of what they consider the Prophet’s appointment of his cousin Ali as his successor. They believe it happened in a place called Ghadir Khumm where he would have stopped on his way back from his last Hajj on an 18th of dhul hijjah. Shi’as believe verses of the Qur’an were revealed to Muhammad alluding to Ali as the Prophet’s successor, including Surah 5:3 which means « Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My blessing upon you, and chosen as your religion Islam ». They believe this verse has been revealed after an announcement by Prophet Muhammad that Ali was his successor. Sunnis do not agree with this idea and some also suggest the revelation took place elsewhere. Shi’as consider that the hadiths that relate the events of Ghadir Khumm are of the highest possible level of reliability. They consider these hadith to be mutawatir and therefore they consider that there is less likelihood of mistakes because many authors have written the events consistently. IGCSE Religious Studies What is Hajj? It is commanded by the Qur’an Surah 22:25-30. It is the Fifth Pillar and the Third Obligatory Act. It is a set of rituals that take place in and around Makkah every year over five or six days. The rituals follow the example of Prophet Muhammad’s own ritual of Hajj « Proclaim the Pilgrimage to all people » Surah 22:27 It is a duty on all those who have sufficient money to ensure care for their dependants while they are away., and who are physically and mentally fit to perform it. « We made the House a resort and sanctuary for people, saying, « Take the spot where Abraham stood as your place of prayer » We commanded Abraham and Ishmael: Purify My house for those who walk round it, those who stay there, and those who bow and prostrate themselves in worship » 2: 125 According to Muslims Adam built a sanctuary in Makkah later rebuilt by Ibrahim as described in Surah 2:124-130 Because the pilgrim obeys the command of Allah in the Qur’an and fulfilled the pillar or obligatory act He follows the example of the Prophet It is a reminder that people are created by Allah and will return to His judgement The places of Hajj are linked to great Prophets of Islam: Muhammad, Adam, Ibrahim and Ismail. It reminds people it is not a new religion Also it teaches patience as the person leaves his familiar surroundings and travels Benefits are : The opportunity to repent and have sins forgiven Awareness and unity of Islam as over 2 million Muslims of all races, colours, and cultures perform the same actions in the same place Meeting new people and learning from them about Islam Taking part in one of the holiest events in the Muslim calendar Achieving the title of Hajji (man) and Hajjah ( women) It is seen by many Muslims as the crowning achievement of a Muslim’s life Challenges are : It is a very physically demanding ritual There are fatalities every year Muslims need time to recuperate after Hajj Many Muslims delay Hajj until they retire because it can be expensive and difficult. The rituals of Hajj are based on the instructions in Surah 22:27-29 but they also follow the actions shown by Prophet Muhammad himself Preparation: Ihram: it means “to make forbidden” as certains things become forbidden after ihram, such as which include cutting hair or nails, covering the head (men) or face ( women) , wearing stitched clothing and using perfume. To prepare for the ihram people usually remove pubic hair and shave underarms, take a purifying bath, men wear two piece of unstitched white cloth, they offer prayers then they declare their intention to perform Hajj and they recite the Talbiyah, which is a declaration that their hajj is only for Allaah. They are now ready to avoid the prohibitions of ihram, Ritual: Tawaf: the Ka^ abah is at the centre of the Sacred Mosque. On one of the corners there is a black stone believed to be from heaven. Muslims walk 7 times anti-clockwise around the ka^bah. As they pass the Black Stone they try to kiss or touch it Then it is completed by prayers at the Place of Ibrahim. Tawaf is undertaken three times during Hajj. Ritual: Sa’yy ( or Sa’ya): jogging or walking between two hills 7 times in remembrance of Hagar who was left with her son Ishmael and who was searching for water. Ritual: Wuquf at Arafah : a day spent in repentance and prayer. The Prophet gave his last sermon there Ritual: Ramy al-Jamarat: stones are collected for this ritual which is a symbolic stoning of the devil, who tried totempt Ibrahim three times, without success. Muslism do not believe the devil lives there. Ritual : Sacrifice ( Qurbani) : a sacrifice is made on behalf of the pilgrims and the meat distributed to the poor. This reminds people of the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son on God’s command Ritual Halq : men shave their heads or women dip the ends of their hair IGCSE Religious Studies The mosque is a place where prayers are offered by Muslims. Religiously a « masjid » (mosque) is a place which is considered to belong to all Muslims (i.e. Not to a particular group of them) and which is meant to provide access to all at the five prayer times. Some are also open in between those times for people who need to pray at other times or for other activities. Some people consider that men should perform each of their five obligatory prayers in a mosque Most Muslims consider that it is not compulsory for every single prayer (for example if they are at work) Women are allowed to go to the mosque although there is a narration encouraging them to pray at home. In some mosques the only thing that can be performed is the prayer and the retreat ( i’tikaf at the end of RamaDan) However many mosques historically as well as nowadays, have been a hub of activites for Muslims. Such activities include : -Religious classesfor adults and children, called circles or madrassah -funeral preparation -workshops (language, study support) -women gatherings A mosque is called a masjid, in Arabic : « place of prostration » The simplest mosque would be a prayer room with a mihrab, i.e. a niche in the wall indicating the direction to Mecca, which Muslims should face when praying A typical mosque would also include : A minaret : It is the tallest part of the building. It comes from the arabic word « manarah » lighthouse. A Muslim « crier », or « muezzin » calls people to the prayer five times a day. A Minbar: a pulpit from which the imam (khatib) stands to deliver his sermon A dome, or qubba, usually above the main prayer hall, as a symbol of the vaults of heaven and sky A prayer hall : large open space where everyone sits on the floor. A place to wash before the prayers: this is for the ritual washing before the prayers (wudu). Mosques designed to house the entire male population of a city or town are called « Jaami’ » mosque, or « Friday prayer mosque » A common mosque design is the hypostyle mosque, literally « under pillars », where the roof is supported by arches or pillars. It usually has a courtyard too. Another common type in Iran is the four-iwan mosque: the iwan is monumented wall. One of them will be the qibla wall. IT also features a courtyard. Centrally-planned mosques with a central dome An interesting feature of mosques architecture is that it often reflects and incorporate local and regional styles of architecture: for example Timbuktu mosque (Mali, Africa) , Great mosque of Xi’an (China), Mosque of Bahasa in Indonesia. A rack at the entrance for shoes Old mosques used to have intricately designed oil lamps which were important for the prayer of the dawn before electricity Calligraphic friezes (long stretch of painted, or sculpted decoration usually above eyelevel) see. 4.3. Various types of carpets for people to pray on Masjid al Qiblatayn is the mosque in Madina where the Prophet first was ordered to pray towards Mecca instead of Jerusalem. It contained 2 mihrabs until very recently (the first one was removed after renovation). The referenced hadith means: “He offered his prayers facing Baitul-Maqdis (Jerusalem) for sixteen or seventeen months, but he wished that he could pray facing the Ka'ba (at Mecca). The first prayer which he offered facing the Ka'ba was the 'Asr prayer in the company of some people. Then one of those who had offered that prayer with him came out and passed by some people in a mosque who were bowing during their prayers (facing Jerusalem). He said addressing them, "By Allah, I testify that I have prayed with Allah's Apostle facing Mecca (Ka'ba).' Hearing that, those people changed their direction towards the Ka'ba immediately.” IGCSE Religious Studies Salah is the worship of Allah through regular prayer. It is a physical, spiritual and mental act follwing prescribed words and actions. It is the second pillar for Sunni Muslims and the first obligatory act for Shi’as. The Prophet called it the central pole of Islam. The Qur’an command performance of Salah more than any other activity. Salah also displays the relationship between Qur’an and Sunnah, which is a record of what the Prophet did and said because the Qur’an commands Muslims to pray at fixed times but it does not state how. So Muslims follow the example of how the Prophet prayed. So Salah is a mixture of what the Qur’an says and how the Prophet performed it. There are five obligatory prayers Fajr : at dawn, before sunrise Zuhr : midday, after the sun passes its highest point Asr : the late part of the afternoon Maghrib: just after sunset Isha between end of sunset and dawn for Sunnis, between sunset and midnight for Shi’as. Sunnis perform them at set times, Shi’as combine midday and afternoon and sunset and night, so they pray three times a day. « Keep up the prayer: prayer restrains outrageous and unacceptable behaviour. Remembering God is greater: God knows everything you are doing » Surah 29 (al’Ankaboot) : 45 « Celebrate the glory of your Lord and be among those who bow down to Him: worship your Lord until what is certain comes to you » Surah 15 (al-Hijr) : 98-99. The main purpose of the prayer is that it allows them a direct relationship with God five times a day. They submit themselves to Allah’s will in public five times a day. They are united in brotherhood and sisterhood and love, as they pray in lines using the same actions and words Together they acknowledge the oneness, power, and holiness of Allah and they hope thier sins to be forgiven. As one hadith means « the five prayers remove sins as water removes dirt » Most mosques have a board showing the times of the prayer plus of the Jummah prayer. The times vary from week to week because of the changing times of sunrise and sunset It means the Friday prayer. This weekly worship bring Muslims together and it gives them the opportunity to learn from the imam. It will have a sermon led by the imam on how to behave as a Muslim in the local and global community. Surah 62 al-Jumu’ah : 9 advised Muslims to gather in this way, recognising the priority of this community prayer over other business at this time. « Believers when the call to prayer is made on the day of congregation [Friday], hurry towards the reminder of God and leave off your trading- that is better for you, if only you knew » It is performed either in the mosque or at home after careful preparation « You who believe, when you are about to pray, wash your faces and your hands, and arms up to the elbows, wipe your heads, wash your feet up to the ankles… » Surah 5 al Maai’dah : 6 The method is to put the intention, do the obligatory acts mentioned above, and some recommended acts like washing the hands, gargling, washing the nose. As prayer is so sacred, cleanliness is vital. Wherever Muslims pray the floor must be clean. They might even keep an area in the house where no one enters with the shoes. They have to face the qiblah direction which is towards the ka’bah in Makkah , Saudi Arabia. In a mosque this is shown by the mihrab (an alcove in the wall). Many prayer mats have a compass too The prayer is announced by the adhan. It states that Allah is great, that there is no God but God, and that the Prophet is the Messenger of God and it calls people to join the prayer Each unit of prayer is called a rak^ah. It is a set of actions and words performed during Salah. All the prayers are said in Arabic using the same actions and facing the same direction, this shows the unity of the Muslims. One Rak’ah is -silent intention including the number of rak^ah and the purpose of the prayer Raise the hands to ears and recite Place the right hand over the left and focus where they stand (in some schools of law the hands can be on the sides) Bend over to the position of ruku^(bent at waist, hands on knees) and recite Stand back up , with the arms by the sides and recite Kneel down and place the palms and head on the floor in the sjdah position andn recite Rise from the sajdah and sit back Go back to sajdah and recite That is one rak^ah after which they either stand or sit. And at the end of the last rak^ah, Sunnis look to the right shoulder and recite, then to the left and recite, whereas Shi’as raise their hands three times and recite. After they can make duas. A child in Islam is welcome with the adhan (call to the prayer) being recited in his right ear and the iqaamah beign recited in his left ear, usually by his father or grand father. A date can be briefly run through his lips to indicate sweetness of character. On the 7th day his hair can be shaved and weighed and the equivalent amount of gold offered in charity. A ^aqeeqah can take place whereby an animal is slaughtered and the meat offered to celebrate the birth of the child. These usually are not compulsory but they one or more of those are usually performed by Muslim families. A guardian for the woman Two witnesses A statement A man and a woman free from anything that prevents a marriage contract The guardian says the statement to the bridegroom in front of the 2 witnesses, that IS the contract (the bridegroom says ‘I accept’) The guardian says “I now marry you my daughter who is here, (or my daughter so and so)” It has to contain the word “marrying” explicitly If he just says “I give you my daughter” it is not valid The man says “ I accept” It should mention the dowry (i.e. “for the dowry of such and such”), but if it is not mentioned at that moment the contract is still valid It is sunnah to offer a meal to celebrate. The strongest saying is that it is recommended and not an obligation It is permissible to organise it straight after the contract, but it is better to organise it after the contract has been consummated The minimum is normally to slaughter a sheep, however it is permissible to do it with some other sort of food, even if there is no meat. Minimum of washing: wash the whole body to remove any najasah (impurity) Minimum of shrouding : what covers the whole body Minimum of the prayer : Intention and « Allaahu akbar (takbeerah), then the Fatihah, then takbeerah, then the Salah ^ala nNabiyy, then takbeerah, then a du^a, then takbeerah, then « Assalaamu ^alaykum » Minimum of the burying: in a hole dug in the ground deep enough to prevent smells and wild animals digging the body. The ^awrah should always be covered even during the different moves The person who helps the one who washes to get to the area of the ^awrah should try to look up and not down The dead person should never be on his/her face Someone should always maintain the head when the body needs to be moved (which is why 3 people is better) Muslims , both men and women, have a ^awrah, which is a part of their body which they are expected to cover. For men it is usually what is between their belly button and their knees. For women it is usually understood to be their whole body except their face, hands and feet. The verses which are usually quoted for this are Surah an-Nur verses 30-31, although some people say that they only mean to cover the chest and not the hair. Surah Nur 24: 30-31 which mean « Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah knows what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof, and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons […]” The most widespread interpretation of this verse is to cover the hair with a scarf long enough to also cover the chest, or to cover both hair and chest even if with two pieces of clothing. However some people have said that the only requirement is to be modest, with or without a scarf, going against the majority of scholars. Muslims believe they need to find out what Allah allowed them to do or forbidden them to do. They believe the Qur’an and Sunnah contain most of the principles of the halal and haram and that the scholars have gathered them in order to teach them. Certains things are compulsory (fard), recommended (sunnah), disliked (makruh), forbidden (haram) or simply allowed (mubah). Seeking to avoid what is forbidden is considered an obligation in Islam and is a sign of striving to obey God’s command. About food, the main rule is that all food is allowed except that which has been specified to be forbidden which will include meat derived from pigs and dogs, meat from animals not slaughtered according to Islamic rites, and alcohol or alcohol based products. About usury the Qur’an says what means ‘Allah has allowed selling, and has prohibited usury’ Surah 2 verse 275. Muslims have therefore tried to stay away from loans which incur interests, or have tried to use Islamic finances products in order to combine their faith and life in modern society.