Living the Muslim Life Flashcards

Purpose of the Ten Obligatory Acts

• enable Shi’a Muslims to connect with Allah

• purify their hearts

• ease the suffering of the poor

• promote a better society

• improve their chances of getting into paradise in their next life.

Amr bil ma’roof

encouraging good actions

‘The believers, both men and women, support each other, they order what is right and forbid what is wrong’ Surah 9:71

Nahi anil munkar

discouarging evil actions

‘The believers, both men and women, support each other, they order what is right and forbid what is wrong’ Surah 9:71

Salah

praying five times a day

‘keep up regular prayer’

Sawm

fasting during the month of Ramadan

‘fasting is prescribed for you’

Hajj

pilgramage to Makkah, Saudi Arabia

‘Pilgramage to the House is a duty owed to God’

Zakah

payment of 2.5% of a Muslim’s wealth to the poor.

‘whatever you give in charity […] will earn multiple rewards

Khums

tax set at 20 per cent for causes decided by Shi’a leaders

Jihad

striving in the way of Allah

‘strive for His cause, so that you may prosper’

Tawalla

association with good people

Tabarra

disassociation with evil people

‘do not take My enemies and yours as your allies’

the Ten Obligatory Acts

1. Salah: praying five times a day

2. Sawm: fasting during the month of Ramadan

3. Hajj: pilgrimage to Makkah, Saudi Arabia

4. Zakah: payment of 2.5% of a Muslim’s wealth to the poor

5. Khums: payment of 20% of an individual’s surplus income

6. Jihad: striving in the way of Allah

7. Amr bil ma’roof: encouraging good actions

8. Nahi anil munkar: discouraging evil actions

9. Tawalla: association with good people

10. Tabarra: disassociation with evil people

the Ten Obligatory Acts are based on…

based on the Qur’an. the Hadith, and the work of early Shi’a scholars.

SOA for Amr bil ma’roof and Nahi anil munkar

‘The believers, both men and women, support each other, they order what is right and forbid what is wrong’ Surah 9:71

How do Shi’a Muslims practise the Ten Obligatory Acts today?

• Shi’a Muslims have a duty to fulfil each of these acts as well as they can.

• Some relate to individual actions, such as Salah and Sawm, while others are about ways of treating other people and behaving in society.

• For example, if a Shi’a Muslim sees a person in need, they should invite others to help too. This would be an example of Amr bil ma’roof. If a Shi’a Muslim sees a person smoking, drinking alcohol, or doing anything that might causes them or others harm, they should try to stop them. This would be an example of Nahi anil munkar.

Why are the Ten Obligatory Acts important?

• guide the practices of Shi’a Muslims

• a way of showing commitment to Islam, through deeds & not just words

• enable Shi’a Muslims to connect with Allah

• purfify their hearts

• ease the suffering of the poor

• promote a better society

• a means for Shi’a Muslims to be blessed with a good afterlife

which muslim denomination believes in the ten obligatory acts?

Shi’a Muslims

SOA for the afterlife

‘God had promised the believers […] Gardens graced with flowing streams’

what is shahadah?

Shahadah is the first of Five Pillars of Islam which have significane for Shi’a and Sunni Muslims

It is the declaration of faith for all Muslims.

What teaching is Shahadah based on?

‘God bears witness that there is no god but Him, as do the angels and those who have knowledge’

What is the Shahdadah (and the Shi’a addition)

"There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah."

Shi’a addition:

‘and I bear witness that Ali is the Friend of God’

Many Shi’a Muslims recite this final line because they believe that Ali was the rightful leader after Muhammad’s death.

the importance of the Shahadah for Muslims today

• sums up the core Muslims beliefs, which are Tawhid (oneness of God) and Risalah (prophethood)

• anyone who wants to become a Muslims is required to repeat the words.

• it reminds a Muslim of the important commitment they have made, making them more likely to honour it.

• rewards are promised to those who put Allah and the Prophet Muhammad before everything else.

• the Shahadah is the first thing recited into the ears of a newborn child, and is also repeated during burial.

‘There is no God but Allah’ (Tawhid) meaning

• Allah is one

• without any partner

• nobody worthy of worship except him

• worshipping or putting absolute trust in anything other than Allah is shirk because only he can give life, answer prayers, and provide for everyone’s needs. - shirk is unforgivable

‘Muhammad is Allah’s servant and Messanger’ (Risalah) meaning

• confirms Muhammad’s humanity

• ‘servant’ his whole life was dedicated to serving Allah

What is Salah?

• 2nd pillar of Islam for Sunni Muslims, and the first of the Ten Obligatory Acts for Shi’a Muslims

• a physical, spiritual & mental act of worship following prescribed words & actions

• Salah is performed today in the same way it was performed by the prophet Muhammad.

• Salah aims to purify the mind & soul & help Muslims develop a closeness to Allah - they believe they can communicate directly with Allah, who desires a personal relationship with them.

• performed to seek help in difficult times & aim to improve themselves

Salah quote

‘keep up the prayer: prayer restrains outrageous & unacceptable behaviour’

Salah: Shi’a vs Sunni

ablution: Sunni Muslims wipe their whole head and wash their feet; Shi’a Muslims wipe the front of their head and the top of their feet

many Shi’a Muslims place a small block of earth, called turbah, on the ground as they believe that when they prostrate themselves their heads should touch something natural e.g. wood, as a reminder to them that just as they have come from the earth, they will return to it after death.

features of Salah

• ablution: it is important for Muslims to be clean before prayer. They must wash or wipe parts of the face & body. Sunni Muslims wipe their whole head and wash their feet; Shi’a Muslims wipe the front of their head and the top of their feet. prepares them mentally & physically for prayer

• timings: there are five daily prayers. Sunni Muslims pray at these five set times; Shi’a Muslims combine some of the prayers and pray three times a day

• direction: Muslims face Makkah

• movements: each Salah is made up of a sequence of actions & prayers, including standing, bowing, prostrating, and kneeling

• recitations: words recited during Salah are taken mainly from the Qur’an and the Hadith.

Salah in the lives of Muslims today

• Salah can be offered anywhere but Muslims aims to go to the mosque, a building dedicated to the worship of Allah.

• Muslims can also offer Salah at home, where a clean space may be allocated to pray with other relatives.

• The most important day of the week for Muslims is Friday. This is when the Jummah prayer takes place in mosques, the main part being a sermon by the imam.

Where do Muslims usually perform Salah?

can be offered anywhere

• most Muslims pray in a mosque or at home.

• a mosque is dedicated to worshipping Allah

• prayers in a mosque create unity & strengthen the spiritual & social bond between Muslims

• they are also believed to carry more blessings

What is Sawm?

• one of the Five Pillars of Islam for Sunni Muslims & one of the Ten Obligatory Acts for Shi’a Muslims

• Sawm means ‘fasting’

• fasting can be observed at any time during the year, but it is compulsory during the month of Ramadan, the holiest month in Islam.

• only healthy & mature Muslims are required to fast.

• fasting starts from the first light of dawn and ends with sunset

fasting quote

‘fasting has been prescribed for you’

Why some Muslims don’t fast

• very old

• the sick

• pregnant

• young children

not required to fast

must make up the missed days at another time or pay money towards feeding poor families

Why perform Sawm?

• fasting enables Muslims to appreciate the suffering of the poor and be more grateful for what they have.

• fasting brings Muslims closer to Allah.

• fasting can teach Muslims self-restraint and it is a time to reflect on what they say and do, how they behave & treat others, and to try to change for the better. Being reminded of their own faults should make them overlook the weaknesses of others.

• fasting brings the community closer together, as mosques are full of worshippers during this month

• the prophet muhammad taught that fasting is pointless if Muslims do not become better people as a result

• fasting makes Muslims purer, both physically & spiritually

• Ramadam was the month that the angel Jibril first visited Muhammad to reveal the Qur’an, which Muslims consult on all matters of life.

the Night of Power

• close link between Ramadan and the Night of Power, which was when Prophet Muhammad received his first Qur’anic revelation from Allah through the angel Jibril.

• Muslims hope to experience their own Night of Power (a special feeling of being close to Allah) in the last days of Ramadan as a sign of Allah’s acceptance of their prayers. During the final nights of Ramadan, Muslims hold extra prayers.

• Muslims believe that Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power) can remove past sins

Zakah meaning

• one of the Five Pillars of Islam for Sunni Muslims & one of the Ten Obligatory Acts for Shi’a Muslims

• Muslims believe that wealth is a gift from Allah, and should be shared with those less fortunate through Zakah.

• 2.5% of the value of savings or wealth

• only given by Muslims who have an income above a certain value, called the nisab

• goes to the less fortunate, to those in debt, to widows & orphans, and to other beneficial causes in the Muslim community.

• means ‘purification’ so is a way for Muslims to become purified from greed & become closer to Allah.

Why is Zakah important for Muslims?

• one of the meanings of Islam is ‘peace’, so it is important for Muslims to create a harmonious society that does not forget the less fortunate.

• failure to use wealth in the right way can lead to serious consequences

• all acts of charity will be rewarded, like a loan which will be repaid by Allah

Khums

• an act of charity that involves sharing one’s wealth with the poor. Khums is an additional tax paid by Shi’a Muslims to be spent by their leaders on various causes.

• 20% of the value of ‘battle gains’. Muslims contribute 20% of their wealth.

• spent on charitable causes including: the poor, orphans, schools, mosques & religious scholars

a way of showing faith & devotion to Allah

• serving others is part of the faith

Benefits of receiving Zakah & Khums

• improves the quality of life for those who are less fortunate

• provides better access to basic needs, such as food (Zakah) & education (Khums)

what is Hajj?

Hajj is the pilgrimage made by Muslims to Makkah in Saudi Arabia

One of the Five Pillars of Islam & one of the Ten Obligatory Acts for Shi’a Muslims

• Muslims believe that by performing Hajj, all their sins can be forgiven

• Hajj is commanded in the Qur’an: ‘proclaim the pilgrimage to all people’

• Muslims believe that Makkah is the holiest place on earth.

• The Ka’bah there is believed to be the first place in the world dedicated to the worship of Allah. It was rebuilt by Ibrahim & Isma’il around 4000 years ago.

• Hajj is important for Muslims because they are following in the footsteps of Ibrahim, Isma’il, and Muhammad.

what must Muslims be to perform Hajj

• be physically able

• be able to afford all the expenses

• pass through a safe route

Pilgrims wear ihram to symbolise unity & equality. For men this two sheets of white cloth wrapped around the body, while women dress in simple clothes that are usually white.

rituals of Hajj

• Tawaf: walking seven times anti clockwise around the Ka’bah and trying to kiss or touch the black stone. this was the practice of Prophet Muhammad

• Sa’ee: a brisk walk between two hills in memory of Ibrahim’s wife who was left in the desert with their son Isma’il

• standing at Araft: a day of repentance & prayer at Arafat, where Muhammad gave his final sermon

• Ramy al-jimar: Satan is symbolically stoned, in memory of Ibrahim’s confrontation with the devil

• Sacrifice: animals are sacrificed in memory of Ibrahim’s son Isma’il’s readiness to give his life to God. The meat is distributed to the poor.

• Hair cutting: men shave their heads & women cut out a few hairs to symbolise a new beginning

benefits of Hajj

• makes relationship with Allah stronger

• unites all Muslims: a demonstration of unity & equality

• inspires pilgrims to become better people

a chance for individual Muslims to leave the affairs of the world for a short time & to focus on their spirituality & relationship with Allah. A pilgrim often returns inspired, refreshed & changed person

challenges of Hajj

• physically demanding

• expensive especially if travelling from other countries

• fatalities if there are too many people there.

quote for Hajj

‘let the pilgrims perform their acts of cleansing’

What is jihad?

Muslims recognise that life is full of many challenges & struggles & that people must strive to be better for the sake of Allah. This striving is known as jihad.

There are two main types of jihad: greater jihad & less jihad

greater jihad

This is striving spiritually to resist evil within oneself, to become a better person, and to make a positive contribution to society. Greater jihad can be categorised as follows:
- jihad of the soul: improving one’s character

jihad of the tongue: telling others about Islam

jihad of the pen: writing about your beliefs

quote for jihad

‘be mindful of God […] and strive [jihad] for his cause

lesser jihad

This is striving physically to resist evil in the world, through physical or military means. It is allowed if:

• persecution (suffering because of your beliefs) has reached an extreme level

• religious freedoms are being taken away

• Islam had to be defended from an attack

• it is authorised by a recognised leader

quote for lesser jihad

• ‘Fight in God’s cause against those who fight you, but do not overstep the limits’

Jihad in the lives of Muslims today

• Both greater and lesser jihad were practised by the Prophet Muhammad. Muslims are required to follow his example.

• Allah is pleased with those who strive to improve themselves, and striving spiritually brings Muslims closer to Allah.

• The majority of Muslims do not agree with the way in which extremist groups interpret lesser jihad. For example, the Qur’an teaches that lesser jihad cannot be used to convert people to Islam, but this is how it is used by some extremist groups.

• Lesser jihad is only permitted when certain conditions are met: for example, when religious freedoms are taken away. Today, religious freedom is protected by law in the UK and many other countries around the world, which makes lesser jihad less relevant to Muslims today.

Id-ul-Adha festival

Festival that commemorates the devotion of Ibrahim & Isma’il and marks the annual completion of the Hajj

Sunni & Shi’a

• animals sacrificed in memory of Ibrahim and Isma’il, meat is shared with the poor

• new clothes are worn & Muslims says ‘Eid Mubarak’ (have a blessed Eid) to each other

• families go to mosque for a special prayer & listen to the imam’s sermon

Eid al-Adha importance

• commemorates the story of Ibrahim and Isma’il. Ibrahim had a dream that he was sacrificing Isma’il and interpreted this to mean that he must do this in real life, but God stopped him from carrying out the sacrifice. Both Ibrahim and Isma’il were praised for their dedication to God. The story reminds Muslims to show a similar level of devotion.

Eid-al-Fitr festival

festival at the end of Ramadan

Sunni & Shi’a

• ‘Eid Mubarak’

• gifts exchanged

• food & drink with family

• money is given to the poor so that they are not forgotten

• go to mosque for special prayer

Eid-al-Fitr importance

• celebrates the end of Ramadan

• Muslims express joy & gratitude for being able to pass through a month of fasting for the sake of Allah

• by fasting, Muslims strengthen their relationship with Allah, improve themselves, and can appreciate the hunger & thirst of the less fortunate.

Eid al-Ghadir festival

commemoration of the appointment of Ali

Shi’a

• fasting is encouraged on this day

• gatherings & held in mosques where poetry is recited & scholars give speeches

quote for Eid al-Ghadir

‘Today I have perfected your religion for you’

Eid al-Ghadir importance

• celebrates the day Shi’a Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad appointed Ali as his successor.

‘Today I have perfected your religion for you’

Ashura commemoration

solemn day of remembrance

Shi’a

• coincides with the day Moses and his followers were saved from Pharoah in Egypt.

• Gatherings are held in Shi’a mosques.

• mosques are usually draped in black & Shi’a Muslims also wear black to symbolise mourniing.

• some Shi’a Muslims perform acts of self-flagellation to express their grief

• Many Sunnis observe a two day fast in memory of Moses’ survival, as recommended by the Prophet Muhammad.