Starter quiz
- According to William James, what is the most important feature of religious experiences?
- They are always backed by scientific evidence.
- They are deeply personal and transformative for the individual. ✓
- They can only prove the existence of God if they are shared experiences.
- They have no connection to God’s existence.
-
- Persinger's God helmet experiment suggests that ______ experiences can be caused by stimulating the temporal lobe.
- 'religious' ✓
- According to Richard Swinburne’s principles, which of the following supports the claim that we should trust our experiences unless there is an alternative explanation?
- the principle of uniformity
- the principle of credulity ✓
- the principle of testimony
- the principle of moral order
-
- What type of event did Ian McCormack experience that changed his perspective on God’s existence?
- a vision of the Virgin Mary
- a dream while meditating
- a near-death experience (NDE) after drowning ✓
- a mystical vision during a retreat
-
- According to Plato's definition of knowledge as a justified true belief, which of the following is an example of knowledge?
- I know that God spoke to me because I heard his voice.
- I know it will rain tomorrow because there are clouds in the sky today.
- I know that I need to eat because I feel hunger pangs. ✓
- I know that the next Prime Minister of Great Britain will have brown eyes.
-
- What event was most significant in Bernadette's journey towards a deeper knowledge of God?
- her first meeting with a local priest to discuss her visions
- the messages she was given by the Virgin Mary during her visions ✓
- her decision to join a convent
- her being made a saint by the Catholic Church
-
Exit quiz
- Sufism is ...
- a branch of Islam, like Sunni or Shi'ism.
- made up of both Sunni and Shi'a Muslims. ✓
- made up of only Sunni Muslims.
-
- Match each keyword to the correct definition.
- Allah⇔Arabic word for God (literally means 'the God') ✓
- ma’rifah⇔gaining deep, personal knowledge of Allah from spiritual experiences ✓
- mysticism⇔experiencing and connecting with Allah through personal experiences ✓
- Sufism⇔an approach in Islam that focuses on a personal connection with God ✓
- Why do Sufi’s practice rhythmic chanting, breath control and sometimes movement?
- to purify the heart and achieve knowledge of Allah ✓
- it creates a connection between heaven and earth
- it is what Muhammad taught them to do in the Hadith
-
- Why do dancers spin with the right hand pointing to Allah and the left to the earth?
- It induces a meditative state, helping them to focus on Allah.
- It creates a connection between heaven and earth. ✓
- It helps them focus inwardly on Allah.
-
- The Sufi view on where true knowledge of Allah comes from is that it comes from ...
- reason
- senses
- experiences ✓
-
- What common word, used by Sufi poets Rabia and Rumi, is where knowledge of Allah comes from?
- cleverness
- head
- heart ✓
-
Worksheet
Loading worksheet ...
Presentation
Loading presentation ...
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Sufism may be described as Islamic mysticism
- Sufis exist within Sunni and Shi'a Islam, rather than being a distinct religious group.
- Sufi Muslims try to achieve direct personal experience of Allah.
- Other Muslims may disagree with the idea of trying to get personal experience of God.
Common misconception
Sufism is a branch of Islam, like Sunni and Shi'ism.
Sufis can be either Sunni or Shi'a, athough the majority are Sunni.
Keywords
Allah - Arabic word for God (literally means 'the God')
Ma'rifah - used by Sufis to describe deep, personal knowledge of Allah that comes from spiritual experiences
Mysticism - a way of experiencing and connecting with Allah through personal, inner experiences
Sufism - a mystical approach in Islam that focuses on achieving ma’rifah (true knowledge of Allah) through a deep, personal connection with him
+