Islamic practices

10 obligatory acts of Shia Islam

Salah - prayer

Dawn - fasting

Zakah - charitable giving

Khums - 20% tax on income, half goes to charity half to religious leaders

Hajj - pilgrimage

Jihad - the struggle to maintain the faith and defend Islam

Amr - nil Marin - encouraging people to do what is good

Nahi Anil Munkar- discouraging people from doing wrong

Tawallah - to be loving towards friends of God including Imams and Muhammad

Tabarra - dissociating from enemies

Why is prayer important for Sunni and Shi’a Muslims?

Muslims believe a person is closes to Allah when they are praying. “Prostrate and draw near to Allah.” [Qur’an 96:19]

“Allah sees each person in prayer even if they do not see Him.” Said by Prophet Muhammad

Describe 3 key stages within Islamic prayer.

Muslims recite the first chapter of the Qur’an in Arabic during each prayer and repeat the phrase ‘Glory be to my Lord, who is the very greatest’ three times. Wudu is the name given to the ritual cleansing process designed to purify the mind and body for prayer.  Each prayer involves a set sequence of movements and words known as rak’ahs

What are the prayer times called throughout the day?

Fajr- morning Zuhr – afternoon Asr – late afternoon Maghrib-dusk

Isha- night

Explain why attending the Jummah prayer on Friday is particularly important for Muslims.

Jummah is the midday prayers held on a Friday at the Mosque. Jummah prayers are considered important to attend and there are various Hadiths which emphasise the importance of Friday worship.   “The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday; on it, Adam was created. On it he was made to enter Paradise.” Quran

Why is Ramadan so significant to Muslims?

Ramadan was the month that the Prophet Muhammad first received the Qur’an from the Angel Jibril

on the Night of Power.

 

“Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’an was sent down as a guide to humanity; and to provide clear guidance and judgement.” Quran

Self discipline

 

“Fasting is prescribed for you…. that you may learn self-restraint.” Quran

 In addition, during Ramadan good deeds are multiplied in both quality and quantity, For example,

the merits gained through giving Zakat or Sadaqah during Ramadan is multiplied by 70 times.

Therefore, many Muslims choose to give Zakah during Ramadan.

The Night of Power (Laylat Al-Qadr)

Lailat Al-Qadr falls on one of the last 10 nights of Ramadan. Muslims stay awake all night to pray and reflect on their deeds.

 “The Night of Al-Qadr is better than a thousand months.” Quran

What is Zakah and when is it given?

2.5% of savings given to the poor   “God is well aware of whatever good you do.” Quran

What is Sadaqah and how is this different from Zakah?

Extra voluntary charity   “Alms are meant only for the poor, the needy.” Quran

What is Khums and who is it paid to?

20% tax paid by Shia Muslims on their excess income

What do Muslims do at Hajj?

Tawaf - walk around the Ka’aba walk 7x Arafat - prayer at Mount Arafat to ask God for forgiveness Stoning of the devil - throw small stones at pillars to reject temptation + evil. Animal sacrifice- to remember Abraham’s obedince to God sacrificing his son. Hair cutting - men shave, trim hair, women cut a small amount to show spiritual renewal.

Greater jihad

Remember, ‘greater Jihad’ is the personal and inward struggle that all Muslims face

individually.

 

 The Prophet Muhammad said “The person who struggles so that Allah’s Word is supreme is the one serving Allah’s cause.”

E.g controlling anger and negative emotions

Lesser jihad

Its ‘lesser’ interpretation involves military defence of Islam. This is believed to be following

the example of the Prophet Muhammad, who used military strength to defend and fight for

the faith.

 

Prophet Muhammad said the best Jihad is:

‘(That of a man) whose blood is shed and his horse is wounded.’ Hadith

Id ul Fitr

Id ul-Fitr or ‘the festival of breaking of the fast’ falls at the end of Ramadan. Muslims give thanks to

God for providing Hid guidance through the Qur’an, as well as for the strength and help he has given

them to fast for a month. 

“Verily, it is only a festival for whose fast Allah has accepted and whose prayers he has

acknowledged.” Imam Ali said this.

I’d Ul Adha

Id ul-Adha takes place within the period for Hajj. Anyone on Hajj will celebrate

the festival, also known as the Festival of the Sacrifice. Id ul-Adha remembers the

Prophet Ibrahim showing his faithfulness to Allah in being willing to sacrifice his

son, Ishmael.

“My son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice you.”

— Qur’an 37:102

Ashura - Shia vs Sunni

Ashura for Sunni Muslims	Ashura for Shi’a Muslims
Religious Significance [Musa, slavery, Egypt]   Sunni Muslims recognise Ashura as the ‘Day of Atonement’, the day when the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt. Sunni Muslims mark Ashura as a day of voluntary fasting.	Religious Significance [Ali, Hussein, Karbala, mourning]    Shi’a Muslims mourn the tragic death of Husayn, Muhammad’s grandson, at the battle of Karbala. Husayn’s martyrdom is viewed as a symbol of struggle against injustice and oppression.
HOW it is marked   Fasting on 10th Muharram, praying and remembering prophet Musa   The Prophet Muhammad said: “Fast on the day of Ashura, for it expiates the sins of the previous year.”	HOW it is remembered   Remembering the martydom of Imam Husayn, gatherings, chest beatings or self flagellation to remember grief   Imam Hussayn said : “I did not rise to seek worldly power or pleasure, but to reform the Ummah of my grandfather, the Prophet” to reform Muslim community and guide others back to justice and true Islam.