Islam Practices 5 Pillars

What are the 5 Pillars?

5 key practices that all Muslims are obligated to fulfil throughout their lifetime/5 things Muslims should do to show they are committed to religion

What do the 5 pillars do for Muslims?

form foundation of Muslim life - support beliefs + practices of religion

What are the 5 pillars?

Shahadah, Salah, Sawm, Zakat, Hajj

What is Shahadah?

testimony/declaration of faith

When is the Shahadah said in life

start/end of life (new born child --> people on death beds)

What do saying the shahadah cause?

When someone says, understands + truly believes --> are Muslim + begun path of submission to Allah

what is shahadah part of?

part of adhan (call to prayer) + recited as part of each of the 5 daily pratyers (Salah)

What is the Shahadah linked to? (and how)

tawhid, imamate and Ali (Shia Muslims), prophethood (nubuwwah + risalah) - highlights important prophets

what is niyyah

intent

what is Salah

prayer

what does Salah do?

reminds Muslims who they should be thinking of (Allah)

prostrate meaning

kneeling down

why is prostration in salah important?

it is a sign of humility + physical way of showing submission to Allah --> ibad Allah

What do Sunnis do while praying?

They look left and right to acknowledge agnels (Kiraman and Katibin)

Why do Muslims pray? 5

Develop a personal + immanent relationship with Allah, Seek support + guidance, Duty + obligation - Night Journey - God told them to do so, Strengthens the Ummah (units of Shia + Sunni + all Muslims), Help Muslims get to Jannah - eternal

How does Salah Link to Shahadah

Shahadah in the adhan - Shahadah foundation for prayer

What is The Jumu'ah Prayer

congregational prayers that take place at the mosque on Friday

What does missing 3 consecutive Friday (Jumu'ah) prayers mean?

Means that the person does not believe anymore

What are the movements and recitations for Salah?

standing facing Mecca, prostrate, du'a

what is du'a

Muslim asks Allah for a particular guidance of help for Allah's blessing

what are the difference in praying for sunnis

5x a day

Heads on floor during prostration

Fold arms

Use Ameen during Salah

what are the difference in praying for shias

Collapse prayers to 3x a day

Clay tablet to rest heads during prostration - turbuh

Leave arms by side - raise hands foe each Allah Akba

Scholars prohibit use of Ameen word

What are the 5 prayers during the day

Fajr - dawn

Zuhr - afternoon

Asr - mid-afternoon

Maghrib - sunset

Isha - night

What is wudu?

washing process designed to purify the mind + body for prayer

When is Ramadan?

9th month of Muslim calendar

Month in which Laylat-Al-Qadr occurred

What do Muslims do in Sawm?

Sawm (fasting) between dawn + dusk

Why is fasting important

If you can resist food + drink, you can resist other haram (forbidden) things, Attain taqua, Nubuwwah/Risalah, Reminds Muslims of members of the Ummah that are less fortunate, Al-Qadeer: reminds that Allah is responsible for all they do have

Difficulties of Ramadan

Isolated from the Ummah --> go to mosque

Jobs that are night shifts - unable to eat while working

Jobs with high levels of physical activity: allowances have been made e.g. taking a break

Travelling - different time zones

What is Suhur and iftar?

Suhur = pre-fast meal, iftar = meal that breaks fast at sundown

What does Zakah mean?

purification of wealth, by giving 2.5% of savings each year to the poor

what is shadaq?

good actions or voluntary payments that are under taken for charitable reasons

what is Chums/Khums?

a 20% tax paid by Shia Muslims on their excess income

How does giving to charity influence Muslims?

Reminds all wealth belongs to Allah

Reminds they have a duty to help those in need + support ummah

Adalat: Encourages them to make the world fairer + just place

Helps cleanse + purify Muslims --> be less selfish + refrain from placing wealth above Allah

What is Zakah?

Compulsory to give 2.5% of wealth to help poor

Give money at the end of Ramadan

What does Zakah help with?

helps to remove selfishness + greed - literally means to purify/cleanse

what does zakah emphasise?

That everything comes from God + belongs to him

Should use wealth to remember him + give to those in need

whta is sadaqah

extra payments made above Zakat or any good deed done for the sake of Allah, rather than selfish reasons

what is Khums a part of?

Part of Shia 10 Obligatory Acts

What is Khums?

20% of the excess income of Shia Muslims make (gets donated)

pilgrimage definition

spiritual/religious journey to a site

What is the Kaaba?

'House of Allah'

History of the Kaaba

Muhammed smashed idols - tawhid

Ibrahim rebuilt it - invited people to pilgrimage to it

Origins of Hajj

630 AD: Muhammed destroys idols in Kaaba

632 AD: Prophet Muhammed performed 1st and last Hajj - instructed followers on ways of pilgrimage

Significance of Hajj

Obligation, Allows you to emulate + learn from prophets, Supports the nature of Allah (Benevolence + al-qadeer: Zam Zam well), Helps get to Jannah

How does Hajj incorporate other pillars

Zakat: Qurbani - giving meat to others

Salah: Mt. Arafat - wuquf

Shahadah: ihram/tawaf

what is step 1 of Hajj

put on Ihram + niyyah

what is ihram

white cloth - practical as it reflects heat

how does every Muslim wearing white during the Hajj cause/represet?

Strengthens global ummah: all Muslims stand equally to Allah

Why is establishing niyyah important? 2

Establishing intention: performing Hajj to remember Allah + actions of prophets

Ibad Allah (servant of Allah): may be recorded by Kiraman + Katibin --> Jannah

What is step 2 of Hajj?

tawaf = circling Kaaba 7x anti clockwise

How does tawaf support nubuwwah + tawhid?

Emulates prophet Muhammed smashing idols (around Kaaba)

How does Step 2 of Hajj (tawaf) strengthen the ummah?

both Sunnis + Shias perform together

What is step 3 of Hajj?

Zam Zam Well and Walk between the 2 hills of Safa and Marwa x7

What story of the Zam Zam Well?

As Ishmail lay dying, Hajar did not give up her search for water

She continued to pray to Allah for intervention and didn't give up faith

As a reward, Allah performed a miracle and gave the Zam Zam Well

What does the Zam Zam well story support - God's Characterstics?

Al-Qadeer, Benevolent, Immanent

What does the Zam Zam well story support - not God's Characterstics?

Muslims are dependent on Allah + providing for all needs

Muslims should not give up faith in difficult times - rewarded for faith

How does the Zam Zam well story support al-qadeer

Allah performed a miracle

How does the Zam Zam well story support benevolent

kind to give the well

How does the Zam Zam well story support immanence

physical impacts on earth

What is step 4 Hajj?

Mount Arafat - Muslims perform wuquf (prayers) and pray for forgiveness + how to live life the best

Why do Muslims pray for forgiveness on Mount Arafat?

if Muslims pray for mercy here, their sins will be forgiven

What does Mount Arafat symbolise?

Day of Judgement

Why is Mount Arafat important in Hajj

Most important day of Hajj: if missed, Hajj invalid

How does praying on Mount Arafat support Nubuwwah/Risalah?

Muhammed gave final sermon here + Adam and Hawwa sent here after being expelled from Paradise

What is step 5 of Hajj?

Camp at Muzdalifah and collect pebbles for next step, Prepare mind for own battle against Shaton - Greater Jihad

What is step 6 of Hajj?

Jamrat: Muslims will throw pebbles at 3 pillars that represent Shayton

How does Jamrat (step 6 of Hajj) support Nubuwwah/Risalah

it supports Ibrahim's story with Shayton

Story of Ibrihim with Shayton

Mt. Arafat was where Ibrahim was tempted not to sacrifice son

Jibril told him to "pelt him" (Hadith) - Ibrahim threw pebbles --> Shayton left

Why is throwing stones at Jamrat important?

Physically rejecting wrongdoing: Muslims reflect + pray that their test will never be as hard as Ibrahim

What is step 7 of Hajj?

Qurbani (sacrifice)

How does qurbani support ibad Allah?

Must slaughter sheep, goat, cow or camel for God

How does qurbani support nubuwwah/risalah?

God replaced Abraham's son with ram (emulating this story)

how does qurbani support zakat?

meat from sacrificed animal distributed to those most in need

How is humility before Allah shown at Qurbani?

men shave head + women cut lock of hair

What is the optional step of Hajj?

Madinah: Visit Prophet Muhammed's mosque + burial place, 1st sacred city to welcome Muhammed with 1st mosque + 1st structured community, Muslims believe: no prayer said here is ever rejected