Sacred Texts The Qur’an and Haddith

Sacred Texts – The Qur’an – Revealed to Muhammad over a 23 year period – Comprises 114 sura (chapters) and 6000 ayat (verses) – Completes the revelation of God – To be memorised and recited. – Spoken (and written) in Arabic. All translations to be accompanied by the Arabic. – Calligraphy is the highest art form in Islam

Sacred Texts – The Hadith Wise sayings and commentary on the Qur’an by the Prophet Second only in stature to the Qur’an If the Qur’an is the what, the Hadith is the how. Together both books form the basis for Islamic Jurisprudence (cf. last lecture) Muhammad as role model (the ‘ideal man’)

Sacred Texts – The Syllabus Students Learn To: – identify the importance of: the Qur’an the Hadith – examine extracts from the Qur’an and Hadith which demonstrate the principal beliefs of Islam

Sacred Texts - Principal Beliefs tawhid mala’ika yawm al-Din al-Akhira kutubuhu rusuluhu al-Qadr

Sacred Texts - Principal Beliefs tawhidGod is one mala’ikaHis Angels yawm al-DinJudgment al-AkhiraThe world to come kutubuhuHis books rusuluhuHis messengers al-QadrFate

Salat – Prayer Life of Muslims Formalised prayer of mind and body Always preceded by ritual cleansing 5 obligatory prayers a day (morning, noon, afternoon, evening and night) Rak’a as the basic unit of prayer (pl. raka’at) The first sura of the Qur’an recited twice Pray facing Mecca Friday prayer Sunni and Shi’I variations

Salat

Salat – The Rak’a a.Lifting my hands; b.my right hand around my left wrist; c.bending in my hips, my hands on my knees; d.standing right, to e.fall down on my knees, forehead and hands to the ground; f.lifting my upper body, sitting on my heels, with hands on knees; g.bowing down again, forehead and hands to the ground; h.upright to a sitting position.