ISLAMIC * STUDIES EXERCISES
EXERCISES BASED ON THE WORK OF DR UMAR
AZAM
Set by: DR UMAR
AZAM
B.A.,
Ph.D., D.C.L., Dip. F. J., Dip. I. M.,
F.R.S.A.
* MANCHESTER,
UK MAY 2003
*
INTRODUCTION
These exercises are the result of a request which I
received by e-mail from a reader of my work in
2002. He asked me to set questions, as in the
testing of a formal course of study of Islamic
topics. I found this comment rather frustrating at
the time, but afterwards began to realise that it
was an excellent suggestion!
Such a reqest is not surprising. It is in the
nature of young people to look for mental challenges and
activities, which is a good thing for their intellectual
development.
I have pleasure in setting the questions which
follow. Many of these are quite straightforward; others
are harder. Don't get demoralised if you see a
question that you cannot answer at once: it is better if a
question is too hard rather than too easy [because then there
would be no challenge]. There are a total of
745 marks available. High marks have deliberately
been allocated for two reasons: to motivate students and give
them an incentive to actually send in the work, and to reward
quantity [how much is written] as well as quality. In
fact, the three best sets of answers will win a] certificates
[1st, 2nd, 3rd prize b] monetary prizes: 1st prize - $100, 2nd
prize - $75, 3rd prize - $50 c] entry as items in a
new section of THE DR UMAR AZAM WEBSITE [this will not
prevent winners from simultaneously placing their work on
their own websites, if any]. Valid dates for the
competition: 1 June 2003 - 31 May 2004.
To
do the harder questions, you may need to do your own
research. This should be fun: search books and
encyclopaedias in your public, school, college or
University library and try to 'get' the answer!
These 'finding' skills will give you a sample of how to
intensively collect relevant information, research skills
which will help you when you try to write your own
useful book on Islam in the future!
You can do a number of things once you
have completed these exercises:
1. Get your answers checked.
I myself can mark your work, but you must send me COPIES
of your answers, as I'll be keeping your work in my
Archive. You may send me the sheets by post
to: DR UMAR AZAM, PO BOX 39, MANCHESTER M16 8UA,
UNITED KINGDOM.
2. If you wish to send me your work via
e-mail, COMPOSE your work [using a good font and font
size, and use spacing and layout sensibly], SAVE the draft and
then SEND me your work at: [email protected]
or [email protected] or [email protected]
if you wish to share your work with others. I will then
e-mail you the marks and
comments.
3. You can make further copies of your
answers for distribution, to show or
to lend to your friends, fellow students, relatives
etc.
4.
Build your own Website, or get it constructed, and then your
work can form part of its contents.
******************************************
[A.] QUESTIONS ON
DREAMS IN ISLAM
1.
WHAT DID THE PROPHET IBRAHEEM [A.S.] DREAM? HOW WAS
THIS DREAM USEFUL TO THE PROPHET IBRAHEEM
[A.S.]? [10 marks]
2. WHAT IS THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RUH AL-HAYAA AND RUH
AL-YAKZA? [10 marks]
3. WHICH DREAMS DID THE
PROPHET YUSUF [A.S.] EXPERIENCE? HOW WAS EACH
DREAM USEFUL TO THE PROPHET YUSUF
[A.S]? [20 marks]
4. 'DREAMS ARE REALITY AND
REALITY IS A DREAM'. EXPLAIN. [10
marks]
5.
PRESENT THREE DREAMS EXPERIENCED BY THE PROPHET MUHAMMED
[PBUH] AND SUGGEST HOW EACH DREAM COULD HAVE BEEN USEFUL TO
THE PROPHET [PBUH] AND THE SMALL MUSLIM COMMUNITY OF THE
TIME? [30 marks]
6.
WHY WOULD SOME PEOPLE WANT TO ARGUE THAT DREAMS ARE
MEANINGLESS AND HAVE NO USE AT ALL? [15
marks]
7. HOW COULD YOU DISPEL THIS ARGUMENT [THAT
DREAMS ARE USELESS] BY REFERENCE TO THE ISLAMIC
NOTION OF AL-BUSHRA ? [10
marks]
8.
WHAT ARE THE 3 CATEGORIES OF DREAMS AND WHICH PRACTICAL ACTION
IS REPLIED FOR EACH KIND? [30
marks]
9.
WHAT DOES THE HOLY QURAN SAY ABOUT 'SLEEP'?
[10 marks]
10.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO TO GET 'GOOD' DREAMS? [15
marks]
11.
WHAT IS 'HULM'? [15
marks]
12. WHAT
DO YOU HAVE TO DO TO SEE YOUR PALACE IN
PARADISE IN A DREAM? [15
marks]
13.
HOW WAS RABIA'S [APH] FATHER'S DREAM ABOUT
HER SIGNIFICANT AT THE TIME OF
HER BIRTH. [15 marks]
14. WHAT DID
THE KING OF EGYPT DREAM AND HOW DID THE PROPHET YUSUF [A.S.]
INTERPRET IT? [15
marks]
15. WHAT DO YOU
UNDERSTAND FROM THE DREAM OF IBN UMAR [R.A.] ABOUT
HELL? [15 marks]
16. THREE
SHAIKHS HAD BEAUTIFUL DREAMS ABOUT THE PURE WIVES OF
PARADISE. WHAT WERE THESE DREAMS AND HOW DID THEY
CONFIRM TO THE SHAIKHS THAT DREAMS CAN GIVE MESSAGES OF REWARD
IN THE HEREAFTER? [30 marks]
17.
CERTAIN DREAMS, WHEN YOU READ THEM, MAKE YOU WANT
TO WRITE A USEFUL ISLAMIC BOOK AND GIVE IT FREE TO A
LIBRARY? WHICH DREAMS ARE THESE, AND HOW IS EACH ONE
EFFECTIVE? [30
marks]
18. WHY IS
DREAM NO 58 V. IMPORTANT? [15
marks]
19. WHAT DO YOU
UNDERSTAND FROM DREAM NO 51? [15
marks]
20. HOW CAN
DREAM NO 50 ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEND BLESSINGS ON THE PROPHET
[PBUH] (I.E. TO READ DAROOD SHAREEF, OR TASLIYA)?
[15 marks]
21. WHICH DREAMS ENCOURAGE
YOU TO ENTER ISLAMIC COMPETITIONS AND WIN
TROPHIES? [30 marks]
22. HOW DOES DREAM NO 38
ENCOURAGE YOU TO TRAVEL THE WORLD FOR THE SAKE OF SPREADING
ISLAMIC KNOWLEDGE? [15
marks]
23. HOW DOES DREAM NO 25
ENCOURAGE YOU TO HAVE AMBITION IN CELESTIAL
REWARD? [15 marks]
24. WHY IS DREAM NO 24
IMPORTANT? [15 marks]
25.
WHAT IS THE PRECISE MESSAGE OF DREAM NO 20?
[15 marks]
26. WHAT IS THE USE OF DAROOD
TAJ [DREAM NO 16]. You can find this Prayer in a
book called PANJSURAH SHAREEF (available from all good Islamic
bookshops). [30 marks]
27. HOW IS THE CONTEXT
TO DREAM NO 2 EDUCATIONAL? [15
marks]
28. WHICH POINT IS MADE IN
DREAM NO 94? [15 marks]
29. HOW DOES DREAM NO 112
PROVE THE POINT THAT 'IF YOU HELP OTHERS, ALLAH WILL HELP
YOU!' [15 marks]
30.
WHICH POINT DO DREAM NOS 116 AND 176 MAKE REGARDING ISLAMIC
DIETARY LAW? [20 marks]
31.
HOW IS DREAM NO 154 ENTERTAINING AS WELL AS
USEFUL? [15 marks]
32. WHY WOULD DREAM NO 179 GIVE THE MESSAGE
THAT IT DOES GIVE? [15
marks]
33.
WHAT ADVICE DOES DREAM NO 170 GIVE REGARDING THE AVOIDING
OF NIGHTMARES? [10 marks]
34. HOW
CAN DREAM NO 174 BE SAID TO BE
ANTI-ATHEIST?
[15 marks]
35.
EXPLAIN IN DETAIL WHAT THE SUBJECT MATTER OF DREAM NO
123 ADVISES. [20 marks]
36. LIST FIFTY (50) SPECIFIC FACTS THAT YOU
HAVE LEARNT FROM DREAMS IN ISLAM. FOR
EXAMPLE:
1) THOSE WHO HAVE BELIEVED AND DONE GOOD DEEDS WILL SIT
ON THRONES STUDDED WITH GOLD AND
PRECIOUS STONES IN
PARADISE. [NOTE 41, SECTION
II]
[50 marks]
37. THERE ARE 184 DREAMS
PRESENTED IN DREAMS IN ISLAM. COMPILE A LIST OF THOSE
WHICH YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE BEST 20, I.E. RANGING FROM THE
VERY BEST ONE TO THE 2OTH BEST ONE. FOR
EXAMPLE:
POSITION DREAM
NO HOW
USEFUL
1
16 YOU
WILL GET THE MOTIVATION TO READ DAROOD TAJ EVERY
NIGHT.
[50 marks]
38. IT IS SAID
THAT THE VIRGIN MARIUM [MARY] [APH] WAS GIVEN
NEWS OF THE IMMINENT BIRTH OF PROPHET ISA BY THE
ANGEL JIBRAEEL [A.S] IN A DREAM. FIND THE SOURCE OF THIS
INFORMATION AND EXPLAIN HOW THIS MESSAGE COULD HAVE BEEN A
COMFORT TO THE VIRGIN [APH] BEFORE THE ONSET OF MOTHERHOOD.
[50 marks]
COMPETITION
This competition is open to anyone aged
14, 15, 16, 17 or 18. The three best sets of answers
will win:
a] certificates [1st, 2nd, 3rd prize b]
monetary prizes: 1st prize - $100 + free Islamic book
* , 2nd
prize - $75 + free Islamic book *, 3rd prize - $50 +
free Islamic book. * c] Admission
for 1st 2nd and 3rd prize-winning entries as items
in a new section of THE DR UMAR AZAM WEBSITE [this will
not prevent winners from simultaneously placing their
work on their own websites, if any].
Valid dates for the
competition:
1 June 2003 - 31 May 2004. Send
your entries according to the instructions in Points 1
and 2 above.
* Please indicate which
Islamic subject you are interested in; if you win one of the
three prizes, every effort will be made to send you your
[book] prize which is related to your chosen topic.
This competition is international, geographically
unrestricted. Work hard for your success!
[Insha'Allah].