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Flashcards · 9237 · Topic 2

The life of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) and sources of authority in Islam flashcards

18 cards on Topic 2, subtopics 3.2.1 to 3.2.2. Pick a subtopic or study them all.

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3.2.1 Life and Teachings of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh)

Give the key dates of Hazrat Muhammad’s (pbuh) life in Makkah
570 born in Makkah. 610 first revelation in the Cave of Hira. 613 public preaching begins, followed by persecution. 615 first migration to Abyssinia. 619 Year of Sorrow.
What happened in the Cave of Hira in 610?
The angel Jibril brought the first revelation, the opening verses of Surah al-Alaq, beginning “Read (Recite) in the name of your Lord who created”.
What was the Year of Sorrow (619)?
The year in which his wife Khadijah and his uncle and protector Abu Talib both died.
Why was the Hijra (622) important?
The migration from Makkah to Madinah allowed the first Muslim community and state to be established. It marks the start of the Islamic calendar.
What was the Constitution of Madinah?
A document setting out the rights and duties of Muslims, Jews and other groups in Madinah as one community, with the Prophet as arbiter.
What were the battles of Badr (624), Uhud (625) and the Trench (627)?
Badr: a smaller Muslim force defeated the Quraysh. Uhud: a setback after the archers left their post. Trench: a trench dug around Madinah withstood the Quraysh siege.
What were the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah (628) and the conquest of Makkah (630)?
Hudaybiyyah was a ten-year truce with the Quraysh. In 630 the Muslims entered Makkah almost without fighting; a general amnesty was granted and the idols were removed from the Ka’bah.
What did the Farewell Sermon (632) teach?
Equality regardless of race, the sanctity of life and property, the rights of women, the abolition of usury, and the ending of blood feuds.

3.2.2 Sources of Authority in Islam

Put the four sources of authority in Islam in order
1. The Qur’an. 2. The Hadith and Sunnah. 3. Ijma (consensus) and Qiyas (analogy), secondary sources used only where the Qur’an and Hadith give no explicit ruling.
Why is the Hadith needed alongside the Qur’an?
The Qur’an gives commands, but the Hadith and Sunnah supply the practical detail of how to carry them out. For example, the Qur’an commands prayer; the Sunnah shows its form.
What are the three stages in the history of the Qur’an?
Revelation (how it was received), preservation (how it was memorised and recorded) and compilation (how it was assembled into a single text).
What is the difference between isnad and matn?
Isnad: the chain of narrators transmitting a Hadith back to the Prophet (pbuh). Matn: the text or content of the Hadith itself. They are two separate tests of reliability.
What are the four categories of Hadith reliability?
Sahih (sound), Hasan (good), Daeef (weak) and Maudu (fabricated).
What is Ijma?
Consensus: scholars agree on a ruling where the Qur’an and Hadith are silent.
What is Qiyas?
Analogy: a new situation is reasoned about by comparison with a similar situation already addressed in the Qur’an or Hadith.
Exam trap: are Ijma and Qiyas equal in authority to the Qur’an and Hadith?
No. They are secondary sources that extend guidance to situations the primary sources do not explicitly cover.
Who compiled Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, and why are they significant?
Imam al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim, scholars of the 9th century CE. Sunni Muslims regard their two collections as the most reliable, because of the strict tests each compiler applied to every Hadith’s chain of narrators.
What structure works for an “explain the importance of…” answer on sources of authority?
Point, evidence (a specific example), explain (how the Hadith supplies the detail the Qur’an does not), link (back to the source’s place in the hierarchy).

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