The Big Questions of Life: Why Do We Search for Meaning?
This reason makes people ask, “Am I safe?” and “Will I be okay?
Security?
What is the term for the Prophet Muhammad’s migration from Makkah to Medina, which helped establish a united Muslim community?
Hijra
What is the Arabic term for faith, referring to a person's inner belief and trust in God?
Iman
What are the four human needs that help explain why we ask big questions about life?
security, purpose, order, and wonder
Unlike everyday questions about lunch or the weather, these questions explore life's meaning, death, morality, and why we exist.
Existential Questions
The Quraysh offered Prophet Muhammad wealth, leadership, and power to persuade him to stop preaching. What does his refusal reveal about his faith?
His unshakable faith and integrity, placing his mission above personal wealth and power.
Which Qur’anic conception of faith involves being mindful of God's presence and allowing that awareness to guide your moral choices?
Taqwa
How is a vision of faith like a camera lens
It is a way of seeing and understanding the world that shapes what we notice and how we interpret life
Viktor Frankl argued that people can endure difficult situations when they find meaning in their lives. Which human need does his theory help explain?
Purpose
The Prophet challenged the mistreatment of the poor and weak. What does this tell about his vision of the society he wanted to create?
A society based on social justice, equality, compassion, and moral responsibility.
A student faces a difficult situation, does their best, and places their trust in God's wisdom rather than trying to control everything. Which conception of faith does this demonstrate?
Tawakkul
What is the Community of Faith?
It is an approach which focuses on shared religious practices, common beliefs, and unity among believers.
A student asks, “If science can explain how the universe began, does it also explain why the universe exists?” What is the main difference between these two types of questions?
The first asks how something happened and seeks a scientific explanation; the second asks why anything exists and is a fundamental existential question.
If faith shapes a person's vision, and that vision influences their actions, how does the Prophet Muhammad’s life demonstrate the connection between faith and action?
His faith in God shaped his vision of a just society, which he put into action by challenging injustice, resisting temptation, and building a united community in Medina.
According to the early Shi‘i perspective, why are outward religious practices (Islam) and inner conviction (Iman) both important?
Because outward practices give expression and support to inner faith, while sincere inner conviction gives those practices meaning. Both work together to complete faith.
A Muslim performs dhikr alone and focuses on their personal intention (niyyah) and connection with God. Which approach to understanding faith does this demonstrate?
Individual Quest/Search, which focuses on personal faith, inner reflection, and an individual's relationship with God
A person looks at the vastness of the universe and wonders why humans exist in such a huge cosmos. No scientific discovery seems to fully satisfy their curiosity. Which human need is reflected in this experience?
Wonder
Someone claims that religion should only involve private prayer and personal beliefs, not how people behave in society. Using the Prophet Muhammad’s example, explain why this view is incomplete.
The Prophet demonstrated that faith must extend beyond personal worship into ethical action and social responsibility. His resistance to injustice, concern for the vulnerable, and work to unite communities showed that faith should shape how people treat others and contribute to society.
A person regularly helps others and performs religious rituals but never thinks about the meaning behind their actions. Another person sincerely believes in God and feels grateful but never expresses that faith through their behaviour. What is missing from each person's approach to faith.
The first person needs sincere inner conviction and intention (Iman) to give meaning to outward actions. The second needs outward practice and ethical action (Islam) to express and sustain inner faith. Both the inner heart and outward behaviour are important.
A researcher observes Muslims performing dhikr but cannot directly know their personal intentions or feelings. Which approach is the researcher using, and what is its limitation?
It is an Outside View. It can examine observable practices but cannot fully access a believer's inner spiritual experience.