Islamic Studies

Please do all three questions.

Each essay question should require between two and three single-spaced pages (i.e., between ~1000 and ~1500 words).

When finished, please cut and paste your exam into the text entry box in Canvas, even if that means you lose some formatting. Please do not attach copies in Word or other similar formats.

THE MIDTERM IS DUE ON MAY 7, at 11:30AM.

In writing your essays, you should dependent primarily on your notes. You shouldn’t need to consult external sources, but if you do, please bear in mind that what you find online may not be the same as the material in my lectures. Also, what you find online may not include a complete discussion of the topics in question. It is much safer to avoid external sources, and work from your lecture notes.

1. Please describe Islamic purity law (ahrah). What are the main forms of impurity, and how does one get rid of those different forms of impurity? (Please describe the purification rituals in detail.) How does a concern for ritual purity impact one’s ability to perform one’s religious obligations? What special concerns do women face with regard to purity?

2. Briefly describe the six pillars of faith (mn), and then give a detailed description of Islamic eschatology (the doctrine of the end times and final judgment).

3. Briefly describe the five “ritual” pillars of Islam, and then give a detailed description of the Raman fast.