Sunday, October 30, 2011

Islam Rituals

Outline how children are welcomed into the Muslim faith.

Birth Ceremony
  • Say prayer which is a declaration of their faith
  • Shave childs hair off
  • Make a charitable donation according to the weight of the childs hair-pay what the weight is worth in silver
What is the Aqeeqah?
  • After seven days, sacrifice a sheep and share it with the family
Outline the basic elements of an Islamic wedding ceremony.
 



Marriage (nikah) in Islam is not a sacrament and is revocable. A gift of Mahr is given to the bride from the groom and is a token of the husbands responsibility. It is usually paid at the time of the marriage or a later date. The marriage assembly is carried out by a state appointed Muslim judge (Qadi) who records the marriage contract and it is then filed with the Mosque and local government for record. After the ceremony, the groom holds a banquet (walima) where al relatives, neighbours and friends are invited in order to make them aware of the marriage.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Quran

      1.      What does the word Quran translate to in English?
               Recitation
2.      What is the purpose of the message sent to Mohammad why was it sent again?
Gods own message to the world to remind people of the message already received by the Jews and Christians –Gods guidance for human kind

3.      How is the message sent to Mohammad different to the messages already sent to the Christians and the Jews?
 It is in Arabic.

4.      Is the message in the Quran the same message as in the Bible?
Yes

5.      Name two other prophets mentioned in the Quran.
Jesus.

6.      How was the message passed on to others in the beginning?
It was an oral / aural transmission

7.      Why was the original message not written down by Mohammad?
8.      What language is used for the Quran?
Arabic

9.      Which city did Islam originate?
Mecca

10. What dose ‘Muslim’ mean?
Those who submit to God

11. How does the Quran differ from the Bible in the story of the death of Jesus?
Belief Jesus was not crucified but lifted to God another man who looked like him was crucified.

12. What does the Quran say about warfare?
Muslims may defend themselves only when there is a threat. They should be merciful to those they capture – as Muhammad was when he took over Mecca.
Suras-chapters of the Qur'an, there are 114 chapters, each one is shorter than the one before it.
The Qu'ran is thought to be the completed message that began with Judaism and Christianity.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Islam

The Star and Crescent
They are the accepted symbols of Islam since the eighteenth century; they appear on several flags of Islamic nations.Evene before the time of Muhammad they were found on the Ka'aba and it is said that Muhammad allowed these symbols to remain intact when he ordered the removal of the idols in the Ka'aba.

No Symbols of Allah
Islam has Always insisted that there should be no idols and no images of Allah. An Islamic mosque is devoid of all statues and all paintings; this is in contrast to Christian churches. Islamic artists have compensated for this restriction by developing beautiful work and calligraphy.

Bismillah
One of the most prominent symbolic designs is the motif 'In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.....' so the first word of these Surass has been taken and variously depicted in extremely ornate styles.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

The Five Pillars Of Islam

There are five major beliefs or obligations for each Muslim:

  • Shahadah (Belief)- The person must state in Arabic that:
"There is no god but God and Muhammad is His messenger"
  • Salat (Worship)- Muslims must prayer five times a day:
  1. Dawn
  2. noon
  3. mid-afternoon
  4. sunset
  5. Nightfall
  6. Zakat (Almsgiving)- Muslims donate a sum of their salary to charity.
  7. Sawan/Ramadan (fasting)- Muslims fast in th 9th month of the Islamic calender.
  8. Hajj (Pilgrimage)- Pilgramige to Mecca. It must be made once in a Muslims life.

The Gallipoli Mosque Questions

Where was it?
In Auburn, Sydney, Australia.

What did you see and do at the mosque?
I saw muslim men and women praying at the mosque and was told about segregation and prayer in the mosque.

What did you learn?
I learnt that:
  • Muslims prayer five times a day
  • women pray behind the men
  • Muslims must start praying five times a day aroun the time they hit puberty
  • they pray on the floor
What did you gain from the experience?
I gained a better understanding of the Islamic religion and its practices.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Facts about Islam

What is Islam about?
 
Islam means "submission" or "submission to God". It derives from a word meaning "peace."

What were the origins of Islam
 
Islam originated in the 6th Century (570 AD) in Saudi Arabia, Mecca. Muhammad received a revelation from God and Islam begins, aged 40.

How does someone become a Muslim?
 
To become a Muslim, one must simply repeat the phrase "there is no God apart from God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God." By saying this, one announces their faith in Islam, it's prophets and scripture.

How do Muslims practice their religion?
 
Muslims practice their religion by praying 5 times a day usually in a Mosque (also accepted at other locations) and also uphold the 5 Pillars of Islam "(faith, prayer, concern for the needy, self-purification, and the pilgrimage to Makkah)"
 
What is Ka’ba?
The Ka’ba is a place of worship built over 4 thousand years ago. God commanded Abraham and Ishmael to build it.
What were the highlights of Muhammad’s life?
·         Muhammad was born in Makah in the year 570
·         Muhammad received a revelation known as the Quran from God through Gabriel (the angel). He had Gabriel’s words written down.
·         Muhammad preached Gabriel’s words which eventually led to the Hijra (migration)
What is the Qur’an?
·         The Quran is the Islam holy book
·         114 chapters
·         It consists of all the words that Gabriel conveyed to Muhammad
·         The Quran is the source of the Muslim faith
What is Ka’ba?
The Ka’ba is a place of worship built over 4 thousand years ago. God commanded Abraham and Ishmael to build it.
What were the highlights of Muhammad’s life?
·         Muhammad was born in Makah in the year 570
·         Muhammad received a revelation known as the Quran from God through Gabriel (the angel). He had Gabriel’s words written down.
·         Muhammad preached Gabriel’s words which eventually led to the Hijra (migration)
What is the Qur’an?
·         The Quran is the Islam holy book
·         114 chapters
·         It consists of all the words that Gabriel conveyed to Muhammad
·         The Quran is the source of the Muslim faith