Islamic Practices

What denomination of Islam do the 10 Obligatory Acts belong to?

Shi’a Islam

What denomination of Islam do the 5 Pillars of Islam belong to?

Sunni Islam

Talk about Shahadah

It is the declaration of faith, ‘There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger (and Ali is the friend of Allah)’, helps Muslims to understand that they must worship Allah in order to gain access to Paradise (Sunni and Shi’a)

Talk about Salah in Shi’a Islam

Shi’a: Only pray 3 times a day, pray with hands by the side, use a small clay tablet, Fajr, Dhuhr + Asr, Maghrib + Isha

Talk about Salah in Sunni Islam

Pray 5 times a day, hands are folded during prayer, pray directly onto a mat, all visible areas are washed during Wudu

Talk about Sawm in Shi’a Islam

• Fasting, which includes abstaining from food, drink, sex, lying cheating, swearing from dawn until dusk

• Purpose is to develop taqwa (God consciousness), self-discipline and empathy

• Fast is broken a few minutes after sunset

• Broken with dates and water

• The Night of Power, according to Shi’as, occurs on the 23rd night

Talk about Sawm in Sunni Islam

• Fasting begins at dawn and breaks at sunset

• Fast is broken immediately after sunset

• The last ten days are significant, as they include the Night of Power

 

Talk about Hajj (Applies to Shi’a and Sunni)

• Represents a journey to the Holy Land of Mecca

• Shows commitment to God

 

Talk about Zakah in Shi’a Islam

• Muslims are required to give up 2.5% of their savings to charity

• Represents the sacrifices made by Muhammad

• Also requires you to feel empathy for the poor

• Shi’a Muslims also have to pay Khums

 

Talk about Zakah in Sunni Islam

• Muslims are required to give up 2.5% of their savings to charity

• Represents the sacrifices made by Muhammad

• Also requires you to feel empathy for the poor

 

Talk about Khums (Shi’a)

A 20% tax on a Shi’a Muslim’s excess income

Represents the sacrifices made by Muhammad

Also requires you to feel empathy for the poor

 

Talk about Jihad (Shi’a)

Greater Jihad - The internal struggle for Allah

Lesser Jihad - Fighting a Holy War in the name of the struggle for Allah

 

Talk about Amr-bil-Maruf

Encouraging people to do what is good - Halal

Talk about Nahi Anil Munkar (Shi’a)

Discouraging people from doing what is bad - Haram

 

Talk about Tawallah

Be loving towards the friends of Allah

Talk about Tabarra

Disassociate from the enemies of Allah

Talk about Id-ul-Fitr

Sunni - Two rak’has, starts with intention to pray, Allahu Akbar Takbir Al-Ihram and Allahu Akbar. This is repeated several times, raising the hand each time.

Shi’a- They have five railings of the hand, small du’a is recited

 Rush to your rewards in the morning - Qur’an

Talk about Id-ul-Adha

10th day of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah

 Celebrated around the world

Key part of Hajj - festival of sacrifice

Sacrifice an animal (qurbani, halal way), share the meat/money between family, relatives, friends and the poor

Shared meals and public occasions

Giving money to charity

Visiting hospitals

‘O my son, I have seen in a dream that I should sacrifice you’ - Qur’an 37:100

 

 

 

Talk about Ashura

Shia key activities:

1 Festival of sincere sadness

2 Wear black as a sign of grief

3 Mosques covered in b lack cloths for mourning

4 After afternoon prayers, poems about the tragedy are read & people will cry

5 Some gather to beat themselves with whips and chains in sorrow, but becoming less common

 

Sunni:

• Many fast but this isn’t compulsory (due to origins/mentioned above)

• Sunni do not accept the whipping of their bodies

• Sunni Muslims also partake in bonfires, carnivals and special dishe