12 markers

‘The Friday prayer (Jummah) is more important than the daily prayers.’ -Agree points

Arguments in support

Muslims bathe before praying Jummah following in the footsteps of prophet Muhammad.

It is more important as it is a weekly gathering that cannot be performed at home.

The Jummah prayer includes a sermon which gives the Imam an opportunity to discuss the issues faced by the congregation.

As Jummah cannot be performed individually it develops the concept of brotherhood as it gives opportunity for people to meet and socialise.

In some Muslim countries Friday is considered a holiday to allow Muslims to attend the mosque and pray Jummah.

The Qur’an specifically instructs Muslims to leave their businesses and attend the mosque for prayer / ‘O you who believe when the call is proclaimed for the Salah on Jummah (Friday), then hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave off business. That is better for you if you did but know.’ (62:9).

The Jummah prayer can be seen as an expiation of the previous week’s sins.

It is more important as there are many hadith that warn against the missing of the Jummah prayer, etc.

‘The Friday prayer (Jummah) is more important than the daily prayers.’ -Disagree points

Arguments in support of other views

Salah is part of the 5 pillars and performed daily .

The five daily prayers are more important as they are mentioned more frequently in the Qur’an.

In a hadith the prophet Muhammed said that salah will be the first thing to be questioned on the Day of Judgement, hence showing its importance.

Salah helps to order a person’s life and brings about personal discipline.

It is a daily reminder, whereas Jummah is a weekly one.

Both men and women are required to perform salah etc.

‘The Shahadah (declaration of faith) is the most important Pillar of Islam.’ - Agree points

Arguments in support

Shahadah is what makes one a Muslim / without this there is no Islam.

The Prophet spent 13 years calling people towards tawhid / so it is the most important.

It reinforces the concept of tawhid and imamate for Shi’a Muslims.

The Qur’an emphasises the importance of Shahadah more than the other pillars.

‘Say, ‘He is God the One, God the eternal. He begot no one nor was he begotten. No one is comparable to Him.’ (112:1–4).

Its importance is shown during its use in the birth and death rituals.

It is the cornerstone of every worship / without it other pillars are not valid, etc.

‘The Shahadah (declaration of faith) is the most important Pillar of Islam.’ - Disagree points

Arguments in support of other views

All Five Pillars are necessary to be a ‘good’ Muslim / as they show your devotion to God.

The Prophet Muhammad emphasised the importance of Salah and other pillars so they are equally important.

Belief alone is not sufficient / as the Qur’an warns about not fulfilling the other pillars.

They are both as important because they complement each other.

Other pillars bring immense reward, eg Hajj removes sins.

Sawm is an annual challenge / and helps bind the ummah together.

Zakah helps to empathise with and support the poor.

On Judgement Day, Muslims will be asked if they have completed the five pillars.

Without other aspects of Islam / like good manners one cannot expect to go to paradise / thus making other things equally as important, etc.

‘For Muslims, the best way to serve Allah is by giving charity.’ -Agree points

Arguments in support

Charity is considered as one of the Five Pillars / 10 Obligatory Acts and fundamental to being a Muslim / in the Qur’an (17:26 ). Muslims learn that they will be judged by how they helped those in need.

The Qur’an emphasises the giving of charity. ‘And establish prayer and give zakah, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves – you will find it with Allah. Indeed, Allah is seeing of what you do’. (2:110).

Charity is the only pillar that helps others / and in numerous Hadith the Prophet emphasised the importance of serving others so that Muslims may serve Allah.

‘None of you can be a true believer (in Allah) until you love for your brother what you love for yourself.’ (Hadith) / This shows that true service to Allah is only through serving your fellow humans, etc.

‘For Muslims, the best way to serve Allah is by giving charity.’ -Disagree points

Arguments in support of other views

Charity is not a direct service to Allah, rather to his people / there are more direct ways to serve Allah e.g. Shahadah, hajj.

Although giving charity is important, some Muslims may live in poverty themselves and may not be able to help others.

Praying to him 5 times a day shows service directly to Allah / as this worship is solely for him.

Fasting during the month of Ramadan shows true service as one goes through physical and mental barriers in order to please and serve Allah.

Giving charity is easy for the wealthy and may mean that they neglect other duties like fasting and salah.

Partaking in religious festivals / bringing children up to be good Muslims / serving parents / reading and following the Qur’an.

There are no ‘best’ ways to serve Allah / as all actions lead to God. What may be best for some may not be best for others as each individual has his/her own way, etc.

‘Salah is more important than Hajj for Muslims today.’ -Agree points

Arguments in support

Salah is practised daily / it is a direct contact between the individual and God.

It is the first thing that will be questioned about on the Day of Judgment (hadith) making it more important.

It is necessary for all Muslims to pray daily / Hajj is only mandatory if certain requirements are met.

Salah is done more regularly and for a longer period showing it is important.

Hajj is done once in a lifetime so its importance is only for a short period of time whereas Salah is done daily and for the entirety of a person’s life.

It allows Muslims to connect with God on a daily basis / talk to him about their problems making it more important.

Salah has more importance because it is also performed on Hajj, etc.

‘Salah is more important than Hajj for Muslims today.’ -Disagree points

Arguments in support of other views

Hajj allows a person’s sins to be forgiven and start afresh / ‘Whoever performs Hajj for the sake of Allah and does not utter any obscene speech or do any evil deed, will go back (free of sin) as his mother bore him.’ (hadith).

‘An accepted pilgrimage brings no less a reward than Paradise.’ (hadith) / Hajj is performed once in a lifetime making it more important.

It allows Muslims to experience the concept of ummah (brotherhood) / especially for women who may not attend the mosque for Salah.

Hajj allows Muslims to visit the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad / and experience first-hand where the Prophet lived, which is not possible with Salah.

Hajj is more important as it allows Muslims to visit the Ka’aba - the house of God / here Muslims believe that their prayers are answered.

The reward of visiting the grand mosque outweighs the reward of Salah on a daily basis (hadith).

Both are Pillars of Islam and are considered equally important, etc.

‘For Muslims, the most important festival is Id-ul-Fitr.’ - Agree points

Arguments in support

Id-ul-Fitr comes after the most important month of the year Ramadan / ‘You shall complete the number and you may glorify God for his guiding you, and that you may be thankful.’ Qur'an (2:185).

It is the festival that is celebrated after great self-restraint (fasting).

Zakat-ul-Fitr is paid and so helps to support the poor / ‘The fasting of the month of fasting will be hanging between earth and heavens and it will not be raised up to the Divine Presence without paying the Zakat al-Fitr.’ (Hadith).

Id-ul-Fitr is celebrated by every Muslim.

Some Muslims may not celebrate Ashura in the same way as they do Id-ul-Fitr / this difference shows the importance of Id-ul-Fitr, etc.

‘For Muslims, the most important festival is Id-ul-Fitr.’ - Disagree points

Arguments in support of other views

All festivals are equally important / they all show obedience to Allah.

Id-ul-Adha may be seen as more important as it celebrates the sacrifice of Ibrahim and teaches Muslims the importance of duty / ‘O my son! I have seen in a vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: now see what is thy view’, Qur'an (37:101).

Id-ul-Adha is connected with Hajj which is an important part of Islam / Hajj removes the sins of all Muslims / it reminds Muslims about the sacrifice of Ibrahim and the importance of trusting Allah.

During the festival of Id-ul-Adha Muslims sacrifice an animal and distribute it to friends and family, thus building community ties / ‘so pray to your Lord and sacrifice.' Qur’an (108:2).

Id-ul-Adha is celebrated over 3 days whereas Id-ul Fitr is a one day celebration / thus showing its importance over Id-ul-Fitr / 'Do not fast on these days, for they are the days of eating, drinking and remembering Allah.' (Hadith).

The festival of Ashura reminds Muslims about the martyrdom of Husayn / this is a key practice for Shi’a Muslims.

For some Sunni Muslims Ashura celebrates the Day of Atonement / helps them to repent and come closer to Allah.

Id-ul-Ghadeer is a Shi’a festival that celebrates the appointment of Ali as the first imam.

Some Muslims may celebrate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (Id Milad un-Nabi) / this recognises his significance and his life, etc.

‘Following Muslim practices is difficult in the modern world.’ - Agree points

Arguments in support

Some practices are difficult because people live busy lives / this is part of greater jihad / praying five times a day may be difficult due to school / work commitments / temptations from the devil.

There may be no facilities to pray or a lack of understanding of the faith / this may lead to discrimination / makes practising difficult.

Fasting may be difficult due to the length of time and the busy lives that people live.

Wearing religious dress / hijab may be difficult as it is not considered the norm in many societies / there may be a pressure to conform to friends and celebrities / influence from social media.

Going for Hajj or celebrating Eid may be difficult as it requires time off from worldly commitments.

The cost of living makes practices like Zakah and Hajj more difficult to fulfil , etc.

It may be difficult to obtain halal food in some places making it difficult to abide by food laws, etc.

‘Following Muslim practices is difficult in the modern world.’ - Disagree points

Arguments in support of other views

Muslims consider Islam / Shariah to be for all times and places / ‘Allah does not burden a soul more than it can bear’ (Qur’an) / this shows that the religious practices are not difficult.

The Qur’an is timeless and applicable for all times and places.

Society is more understanding of differing religious needs / schools and work places have prayer rooms for Muslims to use.

Muslims have been practising their faith for hundreds of years and have found a way to navigate their busy lives around their religious practices.

Society is more accommodating of religious obligations and so it is no longer difficult / new laws help to protect religious groups from being discriminated against.

There are many concessions to religious practices including combining of salah when travelling / exemption from fasting and only having to perform hajj once in a lifetime, etc.

There are established Muslim communities / mosques to help Muslims practice their faith.

Social media can be used in a positive way to facilitate the promotion of Islamic role models / thus making practising Islam easier in the modern world, etc.

‘For Muslims, Sawm (fasting) is the most important religious activity during the month of Ramadan.’ -Agree points

Arguments in support

Fasting develops self-restraint / it allows Muslims to empathise with the poor / makes Muslims humble for what they have.

It allows them to connect with God in a way that other actions do not / other acts of worship like reading the Qur’an and giving charity can be done throughout the year / fasting is however a compulsory action during the month of Ramadan.

Allah promises to reward the fasting person personally / ‘Fasting is for me and I shall reward you’ (Hadith) / which suggests that it is the best action during Ramadan / ‘the rewards during Ramadan are multiplied 70 fold’ (Hadith).

Fasting brings families together / they may share meals at suhoor (pre-dawn meal) and iftar (breaking of the fast).

‘Allah accepts the prayer of a fasting person’ (Hadith) / showing that other actions are contingent on fasting thus making it the most important action.

Fasting takes place during the month of Ramadan where the reward for fasting is entry to paradise / the ultimate goal for a Muslim, etc.

‘For Muslims, Sawm (fasting) is the most important religious activity during the month of Ramadan.’ -Disagree points

Arguments in support of other views

There are other actions that are clearly more important / especially seeking the Night of Power / this is done whilst not fasting / people are rewarded with 1000 months of worship / ‘The Night of Glory is better than a thousand months.’ (97:3)

Performing itikaf (spiritual seclusion) holds immense reward / it follows in the footsteps of the prophet Muhammad.

Reciting the Qur’an during this month brings immense reward / ‘It is the month in which we revealed the Qur’an’.

Continuing to affirm the Shahadah is the cornerstone of Islam / without this all other worship is rendered invalid / actions alone are not sufficient when pleasing God / belief is also required.

Fasting cannot be performed by everyone / the ill, the traveller and pregnant women.

Performing the night prayer (taraweeh) can be considered the most important action as it follows in the footsteps of the companions / it also brings Muslims closer to Allah.

All actions are equally as important / as they are judged by motives, and each person will be rewarded according to their intention.(Hadith).

The Hadith talk about the importance of giving charity during this month.

In numerous Hadith the Prophet Muhammad taught that God is not in need of a person’s fasting if he continues to slander, backbite / thus showing that fasting alone is not the most important action.

Going to work and providing for your family through Ramadan may be considered the most important action as it shows commitment to the values of Islam.

Continuing with daily life and not allowing fasting to become a hindrance may be considered the most important action / completing homework, exams etc.

Going on umrah (mini pilgrimage) holds the reward of an accepted hajj.

Giving to the poor / zakah and sadaqah may be considered more important as they require material sacrifice, etc.

‘Following the Five Pillars is the most important duty for a Muslim.’ -Agree points

Arguments in support

The Five Pillars (Shahadah, Salah, Sawm, Zakah and Hajj) are an obligation / form the building blocks of Islam / following them brings a Muslim closer to God / gives them an opportunity to reach Jannah.

The prophet emphasised the importance of following the Five Pillars / he guaranteed paradise for the one who followed them sincerely / ‘Islam is built on Five Pillars’ (hadith).

The Five Pillars are mentioned in the Qur’an repeatedly / showing the importance they hold in the life of a Muslim / following them brings the pleasure of Allah / ‘Pray Salah and give Zakah’ (Qur’an).

Muslims will be questioned about how they performed the Five Pillars / this will ultimately decide their afterlife / making it the most important duty for a Muslim.

The pillars allow Muslims to gain closeness to God / they help to remove sin, e.g. Hajj / they

show commitment and devotion to God / they help to make the world a better place e.g. Zakah /they build the ummah, etc.

‘Following the Five Pillars is the most important duty for a Muslim.’ -Disagree points

Arguments in support of other views

Actions alone are not sufficient / the Prophet taught that ‘all actions were dependent on intentions’ (hadith) / it is more important that any act of worship is done for the right reason.

Other duties are equally as important / for example being kind to your neighbours, visiting the sick, / caring for the elderly / having good manners.

For Shi’a Muslims the Ten Obligatory Acts may be seen as a more important duty / they are a more complete way of life / help a Muslim to fulfil the obligation sent down by God.

Standing up for injustice / lesser and greater jihad may be considered more important / this is not part of the Five Pillars, but the Prophet emphasised this in numerous hadiths.

Reading the Qur’an maybe considered a more important duty / it allows Muslims to understand what God expects of them.

Celebrating festivals is an important duty / it allows Muslims to show gratitude to Allah and builds the ummah, etc.