Practical strategies for building understanding of Shia Islam

Practical strategies for building understanding of Shi’a Islam at GCSE Deborah Weston

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Understanding and misunderstanding the Qur’an ‘… What, do you believe in part of the Book, and disbelieve in part? …’ (Al-Baqarah 2: 85) ‘… those who have reduced the Recitation, to parts ’ (Al-Hijr , 15: 91). One of the most important pillars of legal theory is the mastery of the Arabic Language. This means mastering Arabic grammar, syntax, morphology, rhetoric, poetry, etymology and Qur’anic exegesis. some ayah are directed towards all human beings, all Muslims etc. some are conditional, so the requirement to perform Hajj is conditional on the Muslim being able to afford it. ‘… they pervert words from their contexts; and they have forgotten a portion of what they were reminded of… ’ (Al-Ma’idah , 5: 13); God says in the Qur’an: ‘… Say: “Are those who know equal with those who do not know? ”… ’ (Al-Zumar , 39: 9). ‘… If they had referred it to the Messenger and to those in authority among them; those among them who are able to think it out, would have known it from them. . . ’ (Al-Nisa’ , 4: 83) And the Prophet Muhammad said: ‘Whoever speaks about the Qur’an without knowledge should await his seat in the Fire Tirmidhi in Tafsir Al-Qur’an No. 2950

After the death of Muawiya, Hussain refused to swear allegiance to Yazid as the next caliph, this ultimately led to the Battle of Kerbela in which Hussain was killed Note that Fatima was one of the daughters of the Prophet Muhammad, making Ali his cousin and son -in-law Uthman was the third Caliph

The disagreement over who should succeed Jafar Al-Sadiq led to the establishment of sevener Shi’as which include the Ismailis This branch has 12 Imams and are known as the Twelvers The Ismaili Branch of Shi’a Islam, understand this line to continue to the present day to the 49 th Aga Khan

Five Pillars of Sunni Islam • • • Shahadah: Salah Sawm Zakah Hajj

Articles of Faith of Sunni Islam One-God (Tawhid) Predestination (Al-Qadr) Prophets (Risalah) Life after Death (Akhirah) Books (Kutub) Angels Malaikah)

Sunni and Shi’a Islam • The story • Critical reading • Sunni Shi’a sorting

Usul ad-Din: Articles of faith Furu ad-Din: Obligatory acts 1. Tawhid: The belief in the oneness of Allah 1. Salat: 5 obligatory daily prayers 2. Sawm: Fasting in the month of Ramadan 1. Adalat: Allah is just and fair 3. Hajj: Annual pilgrimage to Makkah 4. Zakat: Alms giving to the poor 1. Nubuwwat: Prophethood 5. Khums: Payment of 20% of annual surplus income 6. Jihad: Striving in the way of Allah 1. Imamat: The divinely appointed Imams 7. Amr bil Ma’ruf: Encouraging others to do good 8. Nahy Anil Munkar: Discouraging others from doing bad 1. Qayamat: Life after death and judgement 9. Tawalla: Holding love for the Prophet and for the Ahl ul Bayt (family of the Prophet) 10. Tabarra: Holding disdain for the enemies of the Prophet and of the Ahl ul Bayt

Jihad

Reciprocal Reading: Jihad • Jihad

The constitution of Madinah • Written by the Prophet Muhammad in 622 CE • 63 articles • Set out the way the diverse community in the first Islamic State should life together • Includes rights for women • Provides for the end of intertribal fighting • Governed around 10, 000 citizens of Madinah See http: //www. constitutionofmadi na. com/

Alcohol O you who believe! do not go near prayer when you are Intoxicated until you know (well) what you say … (4: 43). They ask you about intoxicants and games of chance. Say: In both of them there is a great sin and means of profit for men, and their sin is greater than their profit. (2: 219). O you who believe! intoxicants and games of chance and (sacrificing to) stones set up and (dividing by) arrows are only an uncleanness, the Shaitan's work; shun it therefore that you may be successful. (5: 9091). 15

Subject knowledge 1. Beliefs and teachings 2. Practices • the six articles of faith in Sunni Islam and five roots of ‘Usul ad-Din in Shi’a Islam • The Five Pillars of Sunni Islam and Ten Obligatory Acts of Shi’a Islam • The nature of Allah: oneness (Tawhid), immanence, transcendence, omnipotence, beneficence, mercy, fairness and justice (Adalat in Shi'a Islam) • Shahadah: declaration of faith, the place of the Shahadah in Muslim practice • Prophethood (Risalah), including at least three examples chosen from Adam, Ibrahim, Isma’il, Musa, Dawud, Isa, Muhammad • Books (Kutub); Scrolls (Sahifah), Gospel (Injil), Torah (Tawrat), Psalms (Zabur) • Angels (Malaikah) such as Jibril, Izra’il, Mika’il, Israfil, Munkar/Nakir and Kiraman/Katibin • Predestination (al-Qadr) and human freedom and its relationship to the Day of Judgement; • Akhirah: life after death, human responsibility and accountability, heaven and hell • Salah: including its significance; how and why Muslims pray, ablution, times, directions, movements and recitations, in the home and mosque and elsewhere. Jummah prayer • Sawm: the role and significance of fasting during the month of Ramadan. Origins, duties, benefits, those who are excused and why, the Night of Power • Zakah: the role and significance of giving alms: its origins, how and why it is given, benefits of receipt. Khums (Shi’a) • Hajj: Pilgrimage to Makkah: its role, origins, how and why it is performed • Jihad: the meaning and significance of greater and lesser; origins, influence and conditions for declaration of lesser jihad. • The origins and meaning of festivals and commemorations: such as Id-ul-Adha, Idul-Fitr, Id-ul. Ghadeer and Ashura

Usul ad-Din: Articles of faith Furu ad-Din: Obligatory acts 1. Tawhid: The belief in the oneness of Allah 1. Salat: 5 obligatory daily prayers 2. Sawm: Fasting in the month of Ramadan 2. Adalat: Allah is just and fair 3. Hajj: Annual pilgrimage to Makkah 4. Zakat: Alms giving to the poor 3. Nubuwwat: Prophethood 5. Khums: Payment of 20% of annual surplus income 6. Jihad: Striving in the way of Allah 4. Imamat: The divinely appointed Imams 7. Amr bil Ma’ruf: Encouraging others to do good 8. Nahy Anil Munkar: Discouraging others from doing bad 5. Qayamat: Life after death and judgement 9. Tawalla: Holding love for the Prophet and for the Ahl ul Bayt (family of the Prophet) 10. Tabarra: Holding disdain for the enemies of the Prophet and of the Ahl ul Bayt