Islam Study Guide

📖 Core Concepts Islam – Abrahamic monotheistic faith based on the Qur’an (final, verbatim word of God) and Muhammad’s teachings. Muslim – A follower who “submits” to God (root S‑L‑M = safety, peace). Tawḥīd – Absolute oneness of God; any association of partners = shirk (major sin). Shahada – Declaration of faith: “There is no deity except God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.” Five Pillars – Core acts of worship: Ṣalāh, Zakāh, Ṣawm, Ḥajj, plus the testimony (Shahada). Qur’an & Sunnah – Primary sources of Islamic law; Qur’an is literal word, Sunnah = Prophet’s sayings/actions. Hadith – Reports of Muhammad’s words/acts; graded ṣaḥīḥ (authentic), ḥasan (good), ḍaʿīf (weak). 📌 Must Remember Sunni ≈ 87‑90 %, Shia ≈ 10‑13 % of Muslims worldwide. Zakat rate = 2.5 % of qualifying wealth each lunar year. Five daily prayers: Fajr (dawn), Dhuhr (noon), Asr (afternoon), Maghrib (sunset), Isha (night). Ramadan fasting: no food/drink/sex from dawn (ṣubḥ) to sunset (maghrib). Hajj required once if physically & financially able; rites include Tawaf (7 circles), Saʿī (Safa‑Marwa), Arafat, Ramy al‑Jamarat (stoning). Qiyās (analogical reasoning) & ijmāʿ (scholarly consensus) are secondary legal sources. In‑shā‑Allāh = “if God wills”; reflects belief in divine predestination (al‑qadāʾ wa al‑qadar). 🔄 Key Processes Performing Wudu (minor ablution) Wash face → wash arms up to elbows → wipe head → wash feet up to ankles. Calculating Zakat Determine nisab (minimum wealth, usually the value of 85 g gold). Subtract immediate debts → 2.5 % of remaining amount → distribute to eligible recipients. Hajj Sequence Ihram (state of purity) → Tawaf → Saʿī → Arafat (standing) → Muzdalifah (collect pebbles) → Ramy al‑Jamarat → Tawaf al‑Ifadah → Saʿī → Tawaf al‑Wada (farewell). Hadith Classification Examine sanad (chain of narrators) for reliability → evaluate matn (text) → assign grade (ṣaḥīḥ/ḥasan/ḍaʿīf). 🔍 Key Comparisons Sunni vs. Shia Leadership: Sunni → elected/consensus caliphs; Shia → hereditary Imams from Ahl al‑Bayt. Jurisprudence: Sunni → Hanafi, Maliki, Shafiʿi, Hanbali; Shia → Jaʿfari. Holy sites: Shia emphasize Imam shrines (Najaf, Karbala, Qom). Ṣaḥīḥ vs. Ḥasan vs. Ḍaʿīf Hadith Chain: uninterrupted, reliable narrators → ṣaḥīḥ; minor issues → ḥasan; major gaps/weak narrators → ḍaʿīf. ⚠️ Common Misunderstandings “Jihad = holy war” – Actually means striving; the “greater jihad” is personal spiritual effort. “All Muslims must pray five times in congregation” – Obligatory prayers can be performed individually; congregational prayer is mustahabb (recommended). “Shia reject the Qur’an” – Both Sunni and Shia accept the Qur’an as unchanged; they differ on later scriptures (Tawrat, Injil). “All Muslims are Arabs” – Arabs are the largest ethnic group, but Muslims are globally diverse (Asian, African, etc.). 🧠 Mental Models / Intuition “One God = One Law” – Tawḥīd → everything stems from God’s will → legal rulings aim to reflect divine unity. “Pillars as a house” – Foundations (Shahada), walls (Salat, Zakat, Sawm), roof (Hajj) – miss a pillar and the house is unstable. “Chain of authority” – Qur’an → Sunnah → Hadith → Ijtihad → Madhhab → Fiqh rulings – a hierarchy that prevents contradictions. 🚩 Exceptions & Edge Cases Zakat vs. Sadaqah – Zakat is obligatory, fixed percentage; Sadaqah is voluntary, any amount, any time. Ritual purity – Wudu suffices for Salat; Ghusl required after sexual activity, menstruation, or childbirth. Polygyny – Allowed up to four wives only if equal treatment can be guaranteed; otherwise prohibited. 📍 When to Use Which Choosing a madhhab for personal rulings – If you have a local scholar, follow his madhhab; otherwise, select the most prevalent one in your community (e.g., Hanafi in South Asia). Applying Qiyās – Use when Qur’an & Sunnah are silent on an issue; analogize from a known ruling (e.g., prohibition of new intoxicants by analogy to alcohol). Deciding between Zakat and Sadaqah – Use Zakat for obligatory wealth purification; give Sadaqah for spontaneous charity or to help beyond the Zakat categories. 👀 Patterns to Recognize Meccan vs. Medinan surahs – Spiritual/ethical themes (Meccan) vs. legal/social regulations (Medinan). Hadith grading clues – Long isnads with well‑known scholars → likely ṣaḥīḥ; unnamed or controversial narrators → suspect. Legal rulings categories – Fard (mandatory) → missed = sin; Mustahabb (recommended) → extra reward; Mubah (permitted) → neutral; Makruh (disliked) → minor sin; Haram (prohibited) → major sin. 🗂️ Exam Traps Distractor: “Shia Muslims do not pray five daily prayers.” – False; they pray the same Salat but may have different jurisprudential details. Near‑miss answer: “Zakat is 5 % of wealth.” – Incorrect; the correct rate is 2.5 %. Confusing “Wudu” with “Ghusl.” – Wudu is partial ablution; Ghusl is full-body bath required after major impurity. Misidentifying the “Seal of the Prophets.” – Only Muhammad holds this title; not a later figure. --- Use this guide for a quick, high‑impact review before your exam. Focus on the bolded numbers, definitions, and step‑by‑step processes – they’re the most exam‑friendly.