Islamics Midterm Study Guide
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Mustafa Azam
Definitions:
Aqeedah is how to obey/ serve/ worship Allah. Serving Allah isn’t the same as
serving a human. When serving a human, the human benefits, not the slave, but
when serving Allah, the slave benefits, not Allah. This is mutualism because the
slave is benefiting while Allah is neither benefiting nor being harmed.
Fiqh: Fiqh is the science and study of Islam. It is research and application.
Tazkiyah: Tazkiyah is the purification of the heart. This includes no backbiting,
no lying, no cheating, etc. In If I should Speak, Tamika has to go through the
process of Tazkiyah and she finally does it with the help from Aminah.
Tawbah: It means leaving everything that displeases Allah (SWT) and come
onward with everything that pleases Allah (SWT). Repentance is for the slaves of
Allah.
Affirmation And Negation:
Affirmation: the act or an instance of affirming; state of being affirmed.
Negation: the act of denying.
Aqeedah: that which binds your down ( that’s what categorizes you, what you
believe is what defines you).
At Tawheed – The verb wahh-Ha-da means: To ascribe unity to something. It is
the concept of believing something to be one. (Verbal noun). It is believing in the
ultimate unity of area.
Omni Words: Omni: All and every
Omniety: That which is all pervading or all comprehensive. Hence, the deity.
Deity: The Lord
Omnify: Enlarge; make universal.
Omnipresent: Being present everywhere.
Omnicompetent: Legally competent in all matters.
Omnivore: Eating everything.
Omniscient: All knowing; having complete understanding.
- The goodly word
The goodly word is like a tree because its roots are firm in the ground, and when the
roots of a tree is way underground, it is hard to get them out. So when people have
strong faith in Allah, it is hard to go back to the beginning because they know the
consequences. During hurricanes this tree could survive anything because it is firm.
The branches reach high up to the sky. The goodly word could raise people to Jenna
if they say it sincerely. Also, the branches have many benefits such as shade and
shelter. The goodly word has many benefits also because it could reach people to a
higher position in Jenna. Also, the branches of a tree cannot be hidden, and the if the
Iman of a person is high, people will see it by their actions. To water the tree, one
must do good deeds. Good deeds also protect the tree from predators (bad deeds). The
trunk of the tree is always ripe even in the winter and fall. It is firm and could
withstand many things. It stores oxygen to sustain life. Just like this the Kalimah
gives a purpose to live. The wood provides shelter to people. The Kalimah provides
shelter from the evils of this world. The tree provides food like how the Kalimah
provides spiritual food. The tree provides shade from the heat like how the Kalimah
gives protection from the Dunya and all of its evils. Life is not possible without trees
and life is not possible without the Kalimah.
- The fruits of the goodly word
1) Jannah
2) Protection from the Hell- fire
3) A key to have all other deeds accepted
4) A means of forgiving sins
5) Achieving the protection of Allah
6) Allah will fight on your behalf
7) Allah will guide you
8) Protection and comfort for the believers
9) Good always occurs to them
10) Exit and escape from all sorrows and problems
11) Raised up on this life and the hereafter
12) Protection from falling into evil
13) A good life
14) Angels give him glad tidings
15) Khilafah
16) Brotherhood
17) Love written for himon Earth
18) Benefit from advice
19) Light on the Day of Judgement
20) Best blessing: Looking at Allah( Only for the best)
- Tawheed Ar Ruboobiyah
Definition: To know that Allah is the Maalik, the one who sustains everything, the
Rabb, and the Ultimate Owner. He is the One who is obeyed and the One who
nourishes and takes care of everything. It is also Tawheed of Allah and His actions. It
is also to believe that only Allah creates, sustains, and Owns the entire creation. He
alone is the Master, Controller, and Nourisher.
- You can only replenish your soul from that in which it came from. Ex. The body
is made of clay which is made of Earth. In the Earth are water, food, trees, and air.
The soul came from Allah, and other things that came from Allah are the Quran,
prophets, and prayer. Therefore, one replenishes their soul with Quran, knowledge
of prophet, and prayer.
- Islam is not a limiting agent. It is the pathway to become free from worldly
temptations. Allah is the caretaker, nourisher, the one who is obeyed, and the
complete owner of all. Allah has complete control over all.
- Proofs of Tawheed Ar Ruboobiyah
1) The creation: He created life and since He created it, He owns it and is
responsible for it, so He nourishes and sustains them.
2) Fitrah (Innate Nature and Innocence): Everyone is born with a Fitrah, even nonMuslims. This proves Ruboobiyah because Allah tries to nourish and sustain
people by giving them Fitrah, but they don’t listen and turn away from the straight
path.
3) Signs (ayaat) of the creations.
4) Innate feeling of helplessness, and turning to a Creator: It is innate when people
who don’t believe in God turn to Him when they need help. This proves that
Allah does sustain and nourish people because He helps them when they need it.
5) Sending of Prophets, Revelation of Books: Allah helped His creations by sending
Prophets and revealing Books, which proves that He helps them. He gave the
Quran as a cheat sheet for the test of this life.
- Tawheed and Aqeedah
The three types of Tawheed are Tawheed Ar Ruboobiyah, Tawheed Al Uloohiyah(
Tawheed of Allah and our actions), and Tawheed Al Asmaa Was Sifaat (Tawheed of
Allah’s names and attributes). Tawheed consists of Aqeedah because Aqeedah is to
obey, and worship Allah. One cannot do that without the three kinds of Tawheed. It is
a system because if Aqeedah or Tawheed were taken out, the rest won’t make sense
because if one doesn’t know how to worship Allah, they can’t do the different kinds
of Tawheed.
- Conditions of Kalimah
1) Have knowledge about what it means (Surat Muhammad Verse 19. The benefits
of the Kalimah are the fruits of the tree. One is that one should ask for forgiveness
after they say the Kalimah.
2) Certainty. Be certain that Islam is the right religion and don’t question it because
that will prove how much you are certain about it. If you believe honest people,
you should believe Allah too.
3) Accept it. Islam benefits you not Allah so one should accept it or else Allah
wouldn’t even have given you a choice. One is expected to let their Iman shift
everyday whether it’s up or down.
4) Submit to it. Even if you know the information, you still need to submit to it. If
one accepts it, it won’t make sense to not submit to it. Work on prayer before
anything else.
5) Be truthful to it. When you say something to others, one should do it too. Don’t
be a hypocrite. If a movie is making fun of Allah, don’t watch it. If one person
does something, other people will do it too, so if one does something good, others
will do it too.
6) Sincerity (Ikhlas). Don’t do things because you have to, do it because you want to
and you mean it. Use everything in a good way and do it for Allah’s sake.
7) Love of Allah, His Oneness, Kalimah, etc. You should love every requirement
you have.
8) Deny every other object of worship. Deny the idols, bible, etc.
9) Adheres to the Shahada until he/she dies. Don’t do other things from other
religions.
- Importance of Tawheed
1) Purpose of Creation: Understand that the purpose of creation was to worship
Allah, so don’t go celebrating non- Islamic holidays.
2) Reason for sending the prophets: To guide the people to the straight path.
3) Reason for revealing the Books: It was to give to the messengers to tell the people
to believe that Allah is the only God.
4) Differentiates between Muslim and Kaafir: No one is perfect, so always ask
forgiveness from Allah.
5) First call that we have been commanded to do.
6) Right of Allah over us: Allah also has a right for us to give us food and nurture us.
7) Cause for entrance to Jannah: If you do Ruboobiyah and believe it, InshaAllah,
you will enter Jannah.
- How Ruboobiyah needs Uloohiyah
- You can’t say that Allah is the Rabb without worshipping Him.
- You can’t get to Ruboobiyah without getting to Uloohiyah first.
- Other religions don’t make sense because they have Ruboobiyah without
Uloohiyah.
- Why Allah ordered us to worship Him
1) It is Allah’s right that we worship Him. We should try to reach to the Ihsan
(perfection) level and try to perfect our worship.
2) Allah gave us everything and created us in perfection, so the least we could do is
to worship Him.
3) Allah is merciful: We do countless sins and that does not equal to the countless
blessings that He gave us.
4) Allah selects and chooses the best prophets to guide us to the straight path.
5) Allah’s right is to be worshipped and our right is to go to Jennah if we worshipped
Allah.
6) We worship Allah for our benefit, not Allah’s. He could do anything he wants and
doesn’t have to give us anything, but He chooses to be merciful.
7) We worship Him to protect our souls and so Allah could protect us.
8) To make a meaning for our lives.
9) It is Ebadah and if we do Ebadah, Allah will give us peace.
10) Worshipping Allah has honor and pride.
11) We worship Allah to earn His mercy and also to go away from the Hell- fire and
go to Jenna.
- Ayah of the Goodly Word
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Salat Al- Kusuf
Proof: Verily the sun and the moon are two Signs among the Signs of Allah, they are
not eclipsed for the death or the birth of any man, so if you see them, pray and
supplicate, until what you are suffering is removed. (Al- Bukhari 1041 and Muslim
901)
Ruling: Most of the people of knowledge (‘ulama’) regard it as an important sunnah
(mu’akkadah); Imam Abu Hanifah said it obligatory (wajib), whilst Imam Malik
regarded it as equal to Salat Al- Jumuah (Friday prayer) in importance.
Form: There are different opinions when it comes to the form of the Kusuf Salah. It
is two rakat with two rukus in each raka’ instead of one ruku.
Timing: This lasts throughout the eclipse. One could pray as long as its reasonable.
The remainder of the eclipse is spent making Du’a, remembering Allah, recite Quran,
supplicate, and give charity.
*** This is important because this is a sign of Allah. It makes people remember the
signs and power of Allah by seeing a very good event.
- Affirmation and Negation
Affirmation is to make sure and command towards a positive action. Negation is a
command toward a negative action. Laa is negation. Two very important concepts are
made when you combine negation and affirmation: 1) Exclusivity, and 2) height of
praise. Laa ilaaha illa Allah is affirmation and negation because saying laa is
negation, but at the same time, one is affirming that Allah is the God. One first says
that there is no God, but then follows that negation with an affirmation which is
except for Allah.
The 7 traps of Shaitaan
1) Associating someone with Allah or not worshipping at all. And if Shaitan fails at
this he moves on to the next trap. Ex. Shirk.
2) Shay tan will make you do Bi’dah, and not make Tawbah. Ex. Disobedience to
parent, adultery ,ect.
3) Major Sins: Shaytan will make a major sin seem like a minor sin. Ex. Not giving
charity.
4) The collection Of minor sins like a waterfall. Drops become a river. Ex. Missing
one prayer after another.
5) Shaytan distracts you by making you do halal things that take them away from
more important things. Ex. Distractions Prayer Rug.
6) Distracting me by making me do deeds of lesser rewards than deeds w/ bigger
rewards. Ex. Doing homework instead of praying.
7) Shaytan tries to kill you with his soldiers. Ex. Umar (R) was killed by a fire
worshipper.
Allahs Rights over us:
Allah’s rights: To be worshipped because He is the Creator and gave us
everything.
Our rights: To be rewarded or punished for the deeds we did in this life.
The bird of fear, love, and hope
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The bird has love and fear at the two wings, and hope at the beak. Ibn Qayyim
came up with the analogy of the bird. Ibn Qayyim also said “As we need to purify
our souls and remove our sins(efface).
One should have fear, love, and hope in Allah and it is Triplicity because if one
was taken out, it wouldn’t be a system.
Idea of the Reflection
The idea of the reflection is that people think half the time about the Dunya and the
worldly things, and then half the time about the Akhira and true reflection. The pictures
show the power of Allah. The true reflection part was how people think about the Akhira
half of the time in the world, and then half the time of the worldly things.
Importance of Awareness
- People need an alarm to wake them up and tell them to be aware of the things of
the Dunya and after death.
- Muhammad (S) was an alarm to many people and he was only a warner to warn
people about the torments of the Akhira.
- One should be thankful of the things they have because many people don’t have
it. We don’t know how important something is until it is gone.
Expiation of the Dunya:
- We need to expiate our sins in the Dunya by repentance (Tawbah), and Istighfaar:
actively seeking for forgiveness. Note: heart needs to be engaged.
- If sins are not removed in the Dunya, one then moves to the next level:
Expiation of the Grave:
- This is a form of purification before entering Jenna.
- This includes the crushing of the grave and a means of cleansing the soul before
entering Jenna.
Expiation of the The Day of Judgement:
- There is so much terror on the Day that even a pregnant woman would abandon
her unborn child because everyone will be looking to their own interest.
- Only the seven mentioned in the Hadith will be in the shade of Allah.
- If Allah does not give mercy to some people, their next stage is the Hell- fire.
Expiation of the Hell- Fire:
- After the purification of the Hell- Fire, those people will enter Jenna with the
permission of Allah.
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The ones who come from the Hell- Fire and then enter Jenna are called the
Jahannamiyoon.
Matters of the Heart:
A person’s Iman should go up and down. It should not stay the same everyday. Even
if the Iman is going lower, it is better to go lower than to stay the same.
Fitrah
- Fitrah is the natural innocence of a person.
- Everyone is born upon a Fitrah and it is their parents who either stay them on
Islam or lead them away from Islam.
- Islam compliments and nourishes a person’s Fitrah. It fits like a glove.
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Examples of the Fitrah:
o Some who believes in a God, All-Perfect God
o Only Allah should be worshipped
o Basics of Moraily- good vs. evil; justice vs. injustice
o Conscience- Feeling guility when they feel they have done something
wrong
Fitrah is when you AT LEAST believe in a God.
When Allah created us, He made us testify that we believe in Him and every soul
said that they did. No one remembers it, but everyone did it, and that is the Fitrah.
The innate feeling of helplessness: Even when one does not believe in Allah, they
still turn to Him when they need help because it is innate.