HUM 120 Study Guide 10 The World of Islam 1. What are the five pillars of Islam?

The Five Pillars of Islam or five Pillars of the Faith are the five fundamental principles of faith for Muslims, which include one affirmation and four

required devotional practices. The affirmation of faith states that There is no God but God and Muhammad is his messenger. The four acts of devotion are the following: to pray five times a day facing Mecca, to fast during the lunar month of Ramadan, to give alms to the poor, and to make the pilgrimage to Mecca.

2. What is the Quran and how is it organized? What is the Hadith? Quran is The Qur'an, meaning "recitation," is a collection of God's
revelations to Muhammad. Originally memorized by Muhammad's followers, an official written version was finally completed about 20 years after his death. Unlike the Jewish and Christian scriptures which are organized somewhat chronologically, the Qur'an is made up of 114 chapters, that are organized from the longest to the shortest. The Hadith which is sacred text, which tells the life of Muhammad as well as other guidance and advice, and is considered a supplement to the Qur'an itself

3. Describe the concept of adab and how it relates to literature? Identify and describe the various forms of Islamic literature.
AcentralthemeinIslamsliteraryculturewasadab,orrefinement. Much of the literature written during this period was in the form of poetry, such as the ghazals which deal with love, or the qasida which are odes celebrating the same ideals as the epic poems of the Greco-Roman tradition. EarlyIslamicpoetryhadallofthefollowingasprominentthemes suchaslove,religionandtheelegyforthedead except war. Although drama was not an approved form of literary expression, other fictional tales were written during this period such as the "1001 Nights," which like later European works such as the "Canterbury Tales" and the "Decameron.

4. What is the significance of arabesque in Islamic visual art?

Arabesque designs are not just fancy decoration, and remind us of the religious purpose behind the art of the Egyptians. The never-ending geometric designs, where one can find neither a beginning or an end, represent the nature of God, who infuses everything and who is a constant never-ending presence in the lives of his followers. This design is also intended to help put one in a tranquil almost hypnotic state of prayer that will help block out all the external images that distract from the true nature of God.

5. Identify the architectural elements of a mosque and how they embody Islamic beliefs and teachings.
A mosque is a place for worship in Islam. Although prayers can be done privately, either indoors or outdoors, nearly every community of Muslims dedicates a space or building for congregational prayer. The mosque consists of a minaret which is a slim tower rising which was used as a high point which the muezzin would deliver the call to prayer. There are repetitions of the archways and the painted design on the mosque which are meant as a symbol of the never-ending presence of God in everything, and the interconnectedness of all aspects of life.

6. How does Islamic music compare and contrast to Gregorian chant, its medieval Christian counterpart?
The point of most music in the Islamic world is to express and sum up the most important concept of the Qur'an "unity with God. Same as Gregorian Chant and its Christian counterpart which consist of unity with God. Islamic music consists of solo chanting of the Quran. Unlike Gregorian chant or other medieval Christian counterpart there are no Islamic choirs. There choral music was Christian and Jewish, but the Islamic music was solo recitation of the Quran.

7. What is Ibn Khalduns definition of civilization, and how does the individual fit into a civilization?
Ibn Khaldun viewed world civilization as identical with human social organization. Meaning that humans have to stay in common and cooperate in order to make a living. Several human beings, with their God-given power of thinking, begin to cooperate with each other and to form some kind of social organization, or "civilization" is one of the key terms in Ibn Khaldun's system.

8. According to Ibn Khaldun, what are the three degrees of humanitys ability to think? According to Ibn Khaldun, the three degrees of humanitys ability to think are the discerning intellect, the experimental intellect and the speculative intellect The first degree is man's intellectual understanding of the things that exist in the outside world in a natural, so that he may try to arrange them with the help of his own power. This kind of thinking consists of perceptions. It is the discerning intellect. The second degree is the ability to think which provides man with the ideas and the behavior needed in dealing with his fellow men and in leading them. It is obtained one by one through experience, until they have become really useful.

This is called the experimental intellect. The third degree is the ability to think which provides the knowledge, of an object beyond sense perception without any practical activity like going with it. This is the speculative intellect.