KufaKufa (الْكُوفَة ), also spelled Kufah, is a city in Iraq, about south of Baghdad, and northeast of Najaf. It is located on the banks of the Euphrates River. The estimated population in 2003 was 110,000. Currently, Kufa and Najaf are joined into a single urban area that is mostly commonly known to the outside world as 'Najaf'. Along with Samarra, Karbala, Kadhimiya and Najaf, Kufa is one of five Iraqi cities that are of great importance to Shi'ite Muslims.
Hadith studiesHadith studies (علم الحديث ʻilm al-ḥadīth "science of hadith", also science of hadith, or science of hadith criticism or hadith criticism) consists of several religious scholarly disciplines used by Muslim scholars in the study and evaluation of the Islamic hadith—i.e. the record of the words, actions, and the silent approval of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. Determining authenticity of hadith is enormously important in Islam because along with the Quran, the Sunnah of the Islamic prophet—his words, actions, and the silent approval—are considered the explanation of the divine revelation (wahy), and the record of them (i.
Tabi'unThe tābiʿūn (اَلتَّابِعُونَ, also accusative or genitive tābiʿīn اَلتَّابِعِينَ, singular tābiʿ تَابِعٌ), "followers" or "successors", are the generation of Muslims who followed the companions (ṣaḥāba) of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and thus received their teachings secondhand. A tābiʿ knew at least one ṣaḥābī. As such, they played an important part in the development of Islamic thought and knowledge, and in the political development of the early caliphate.
Prophetic biographyAl-Sīra al-Nabawiyya (السيرة النبوية), commonly shortened to Sīrah and translated as prophetic biography, are the traditional Muslim biographies of Islamic prophet Muhammad from which, in addition to the Quran and Hadiths, most historical information about his life and the early period of Islam is derived. In the Arabic language the word sīra or sīrat ( سيرة) comes from the verb sāra, which means to travel or to be on a journey.
Companions of the ProphetThe Companions of the Prophet (اَلصَّحَابَةُ; aṣ-ṣaḥāba meaning "the companions", from the verb صَحِبَ meaning "accompany", "keep company with", "associate with") were the disciples and followers of Muhammad who saw or met him during his lifetime, while being a Muslim and were physically in his presence. "Al-ṣaḥāba" is definite plural; the indefinite singular is masculine صَحَابِيٌّ (), feminine صَحَابِيَّةٌ ().
Succession to MuhammadThe succession to Muhammad is the central issue that split the Muslim community into several divisions in the first century of Islamic history, with the most prominent among these sects being the Shia and Sunni branches of Islam. Sunni Islam maintains that Abu Bakr was the legitimate successor to Muhammad on the basis of election. Shia Islam holds that Ali ibn Abi Talib was the designated successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
Maghrib prayerThe Maghrib prayer (صلاة المغرب , "vespers") is the fourth of the five mandatory salah (Islamic prayer). According to Sunni Muslims, the period for Maghrib prayer starts just after sunset, following Asr prayer, and ends at the beginning of night, the start of the Isha prayer. As for Shia Muslims, since they allow Maghrib and Isha prayers to be performed one after another, the period for Maghrib prayer extends until the midnight.
