Shahadah and Islam
Define Islam linguistically
Linguistically: submission
Define Tawheed and its root meaning.
Tawheed: declaring oneness of Allah; root "wahada" means to unify or make one.
Define shirk linguistically and in Qur’an/Sunnah.
Associating partners with Allah; denying His exclusive right to worship.
In your own words, explain what taqwaa means and why it is considered the foundation of a believer’s relationship with Allah.
Taqwaa is the consciousness, fear, and mindfulness of Allah that guides a believer to avoid sins and obey His commands. It is the foundation of a believer’s relationship with Allah because it shapes intentions, actions, and moral decisions, ensuring that one lives in a way that seeks Allah’s pleasure and protection.
Explain the meaning of Shumool (comprehensiveness) in the context of Islam.
Islam addresses all aspects of human life: spiritual, moral, social, and legal.
Explain how kibr (pride) and shirk contradict Islam.
Kibr makes one reject humility before Allah; shirk assigns partners to Allah, violating tawheed.
Explain the difference between Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah and Ar-Ruboobiyyah.
Al-Uloohiyyah: worship directed to Allah alone; Ar-Ruboobiyyah: recognizing Allah’s Lordship over creation.
200: Identify the first group of people to commit shirk with Allah and the means they took to do it.
The people of Nuh (Noah)
How can being grateful for the senses of hearing and sight strengthen a Muslim’s taqwaa? Provide a practical example.
Gratitude for hearing and sight reminds a Muslim that all abilities come from Allah and should be used in His obedience. Example: Listening attentively to Qur’an recitation and using sight to avoid sinful environments demonstrates mindfulness and protection of oneself from wrongdoing, strengthening taqwaa.
Discuss the universal message of the Prophet ﷺ.
Guidance for all people, all times, and all places to the message of Tawheed.
List the general (belief) and specific (5 pillars) aspects of Islam.
General: belief in Allah, angels, books, messengers, Last Day, Qadr; Specific: Shahadah, Salah, Zakat, Sawm, Hajj.
Analyze why no Prophet was sent solely to teach Tawheed Ar-Ruboobiyyah and relate it to mankind’s purpose.
Ar-Ruboobiyyah is evident through creation; purpose of Prophets was to guide worship, showing humanity is created to serve Allah.
Give 1 comparison and 1 contrast the two categories of shirk (Shirk Al-Akbar and Shirk Asghar) and explain why even subtle forms of shirk are spiritually dangerous, citing evidence from the Qur’an or Sunnah.
Shirk Al-Akbar (Major Shirk): Directly associates partners with Allah in worship, belief, or authority. Example: worshipping idols or claiming divine attributes for someone else.
Shirk Asghar (Minor/Shirk Hidden): Involves acts or beliefs that may not constitute outright worship but involve excessive attachment, reliance, or seeking approval from others over Allah. Example: showing off acts of worship to gain praise.
Discuss 3 benefits of taqwaa in daily life.
Protection from sin, mental peace, increased blessings, righteous conduct.
Describe how Islam accounts for all human situations.
Through detailed rulings, principles, and ethical guidance covering worship, transactions, behavior, and personal conduct.
Explain nafy and ithbaat in la ilaha illAllah.
Nafy: negating all false deities; Ithbaat: affirming Allah alone is worthy of worship.
Explain why raising humans, leaders, or material possessions above their proper status can be considered a subtle form of shirk (Shirk Asghar).
Because it attributes undue authority, reverence, or dependency to someone/something other than Allah, which diverts the heart’s devotion and reliance from the Creator. Even without direct worship, this inflates the object’s status in a way that competes with Allah’s exclusive rights.
List 3 contemporary examples of shirk in society.
Superstitions, idolizing celebrities, extreme materialism.
Explain the relationship between hearing, sight, and gratitude.
Using senses to obey Allah, avoid sin, and appreciate His blessings fosters taqwaa and gratitude.
What are the 5 things the shari'ah came to protect and what is the 6th one that some scholars include?
Faith/Religion, Intellect, Wealth/Property, Life, and Lineage
6th: Honor
Discuss how all the messengers conveyed the shahadah and why its correct understanding is crucial for avoiding deviation in belief.
All prophets preached monotheism; understanding prevents misguidance and ensures proper worship of Allah.
Analyze the connection between societal practices that mimic idol worship (like extreme celebrity worship or consumerism) and the Qur’anic concept of shirk, using at least one relevant ayah as evidence.
Qur’an 4:48 warns that Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him. Modern practices like celebrity obsession or material idolization mirror shirk because they replace Allah as the ultimate source of hope, fear, and guidance. Just like Quraysh worshipped idols alongside Allah, humans today can unintentionally elevate worldly things to a status that competes with divine authority.
What are the Qur’anic consequences of shirk and explain why Allah calls it “oppression.”
Those who commit shirk face severe punishment; it’s oppression because it unjustly associates others with Allah in worship.
Analyze how abandonment of permissible actions can cultivate taqwaa and relate this to modern distractions.
Avoiding optional but potentially harmful acts strengthens self-control, increases God-consciousness, and helps navigate worldly temptations.
Considering Surah Al-Maa’idah:3, explain how the perfection and comprehensiveness of Islam addresses both spiritual and worldly needs, and provide an example of how this can be applied in contemporary life.
Surah Al-Maa’idah:3 declares Islam as complete, leaving nothing deficient. This perfection covers spiritual guidance—belief, worship, moral conduct—and worldly affairs, such as social justice, commerce, and interpersonal ethics. Example: The rules of halal/haram in trade protect economic fairness, while spiritual obligations like prayer and charity cultivate morality and mindfulness. Together, they demonstrate that Islam provides holistic guidance for all aspects of life, ensuring both individual well-being and societal order.