islam practices

what are the 5 pillars of islam

shahadah, salah, zakah, sawm, hajj

what is shahadah

declaration of faith

what is salah

prayer 5x a day

what is zakah

giving money

what is sawm

fasting during the month of ramadan

what is hajj

obligatory pilgrimage (at least once in lifetime)

what actually is the shahadah

‘there is no god but allah and muhammad (pbuh) is his messenger’ → embodies tawhid

why is the shahadah so important

allows a person to profess the muslim faith. it also allows non-believers to convert to islam.

what must be done throughout life with the shahadah

• first thing a baby hears

• last thing muslims say before death

anyone who abandons this beliefs commits the sin of…

apostasy (abandoning religion)

what does salah allow muslims to do

declare their faith in allah regularly and without hesitation

in the hadith, what did muhammad provide

timings for each of the 5 daily prayers

what are they

1. fajr (morning prayer between dawn and sunrise)

2. zuhr (midday prayer, early afternoon)

3. asr (late afternoon)

4. maghrib (just after sunset)

5. isha (night prayer)

how are muslims called to prayer

the first adhan is made from the minarets of mosques

what is adhan

call to prayer

what is a minaret

tower of a mosque

who gives the adhan

the muezzin

what language is the adhan recited in

arabic → reflects the declaration of the shahadah

what does the muezzin do next

give iqmah in the mosque’s main worship hall, letting worshippers know prayer is about to start

what is iqmah

second call to prayer made in the mosque

what must muslims do before praying

wudu → ritual washing

what is wudu symbolic of

reinforcing the niyyah declaration that the believer makes as they begin

what is niyyah

a muslim’s intention to worship allah with a pure heart

how is niyyah said before prayer

either out loud, or declared within the believer’s heart

what is always the same about wudu

it follows a set pattern, and includes washing the arms, hands, feet and mouth

what happens if no water is available

a muslim carries out a dry form of washing called tayammum, using fine sand or dust

what is a rak’ah

a complete sequence of prayer

what does salah prayer involve

reciting phrases and a sequence of movements → 8 movements in each sequence, each of religious importance

what is jummah prayer

congregational prayer at midday on a friday in a mosque → very important as friday is the holy day, male muslims must make every effort to attend

what is jummah a remind of

ummah

what is ummah

unity of muslims

what happens during jummah (3)

1. muslims line up in rows, shoulder to shoulder, to carry out the rak’ahs

2. they face the mihrab (represents direction of mecca)

3. after salah, the imam delivers a sermon (khutbah)

how is shi’a prayer different

they still pray 5x a day, but they can join the midday and afternoon prayers, and the evening and night time prayers → seems like they pray only 3x a day

what do shi’a muslims prostrate on

things which are counted as part of the earth (e.g. a piece of wood or a slab made from clay from Kerbala)

why must it be from kerbala

it is a sacred city in iran

why do shi’a muslims do this

its considered a pure material, and fulfills the need for the place of prayer to be clean

why do muslims believe it is wrong to prostrate on man made/ artifical materials or objects

because muhammad (pbuh) used a mat made of natural fibres

why may sunni muslims be concerned about the clay from kerbala

it suggests the holiness of the city as being more then Mecca

what is a qu’ran quote to remember this

‘Allah loves those who turn to him and who care for cleanliness’ (surah 2:222)

what is a du’a

a private prayer in which muslims bring their concerns to allah

what may du’as include

giving thanks to allah, asking for forgiveness, asking for help

why are du’as so important

it shows a muslim’s faith in allah’s closeness and immediacy to them, seeking allah’s guidance

when are du’as said (in relation to salah)

in their own language, directly after finishing salah

when else can du’as be said

any time of day

what may muslims choose to use during prayer

prayer beads → each set either has 33 or 99 beads; beads passed between believer’s thumb and forefinger; used to recite the 99 names of allah, or repeat phrases that glorify allah

what do many muslims believe about prayer beads

its wrong to use them because muhammad (pbuh) didn’t use them → use fingers to count recitations instead

what is zakah

obligatory charity donation

what does ‘zakah’ mean

purification → believed to purify a person’s heart of greed

what is nisab

the minimum net worth of an individual required to pay zakah

how is it determined whether a muslim can afford to pay zakah

nisab

how is zakah paid

money, possessions (e.g. livestock, produce)

what is the average donation

2.5% of earnings

how is it collected in muslim countries

as a tax

how is zakah collected in western countries

local mosques

what is the money used for

helping the needy within muslim communities, or for paying imams

is zakah charity giving?

no → muslims believe it is sharing the wealth given by allah, and all muslims should have a share of this

what is zakah an example of

a way of making society fairer and showing concern for those in need

what may muslims choose to do

make a further donation, called a sadaqah (no limits or guidelines)

how did muhammad teach the importance of zakah

linked it to being saved from hell itself; allah is also aware of what is done (surah 2:215)

what do shi’a muslims pay as one of the 10 obligatory acts

khums → islamic tax of 20% of a person’s excess savings

how often and where is it paid

once a year, given to a religious scholar

what is this money used for

helping the poor, islamic organisations (e.g. madrasahs)

what is a madrasah

muslim school

how did it start

originally, muhammad collected it. after his death, sunnis stopped paying it. shi’a muslims continued to pay it to muhammad’s successor

what do shi’a muslims believe about anyone not paying khums

it is haram (forbidden)

what is sawm

fasting during the holy month of ramadan

what does sawm commemorate

muhammad’s first revelation of the qu’ran → 27th night of ramadan, the Night of Power

how does sawm work

muslims do not drink or eat during daylight hours for this month. every able muslim must fast

who is exempt from fasting (4)

• the sick

• people travelling on long journeys

• pregnant women

• menstruating women

who enforces it

commanded in the quran, muhammad followed it

which time of ramadan is the most important

the last 10 days → when the night of power took place. muslims will take some time off work to worship during this time, following muhammads example

what will many muslims aim to do during this time

attend taraweeh prayers (especially if they haven’t previously)

what is taraweeh

prayers said every night at the mosque during ramadan

what brings the end of ramadan

the new moon → marked with celebrations of Id-Ul-Fitr (Festival of fast breaking)

effects of sawm on believer (5)

1. muslims believe allah will forget their sins

2. helps them appreciate needs of others + develop greater sense of empathy

3. thank allah for everything he has given them

4. helps muslims be completely obedient to allah (muttaqi) + develop obedience (taqwa) → helps muslim avoid sin

5. brings muslims closer to allah and eachother as they spend extra time studying the quran and praying

what is hajj

obligatory pilgrimage to the holy city of mecca, saudi arabia to the shrine of the Kaaba

when can it only be completed

between 8th-13th days of the last days in the islamic year, Dhul-Hijjah

when is a muslim exempt from having to go (2)

• physically unable

• cannot afford it

what are people who have completed hajj called

men → hajji

women → hajja

what is ihram

a sense of holiness that muslims are required to be in before beginning hajj

requirements of ihram (5)

1. wash bodies fully/complete wudu before arriving at mecca

2. muslim men wear ihram (2 pieces of unsewn white cloth)

3. every muslim that takes on hajj is of equal status

4. no sex

5. in the state of ihram, recite talbiyah prayer

what is this ihram clothing symbolic of

• reminder they are they solely to worship god, disconnected from the things of their daily life

• their humility before allah

why is sex not permitted during hajj

would take away focus from allah

what are the 4 stages of hajj

in mecca, sa’y (the running), arafat, mina

what happens in mecca (4)

• say niyyah (prayer of intent)

• start in holy mosque, then travel to kaaba

• circle kaaba 7 times, anti clockwise (tawaf) whilst reciting a verse from the quran

• then move to station of ibrahim to pray

what is tawaf a demonstration of

muslim unity + their desire to worship their one true god, allah

what happens in sa’y (2)

• the running between 2 hills, as-safa and al-marwa

• muslims will recreate 7 times, to replicate Hagar’s search for water → when she was left in the desert with her son Isma’il