D: Islam 2 - Muslim Practices and Ceremonies Deck A (2.1) (By Max) Flashcards
In addition to Iman, the Five Pillars of Islam are the what? (2)
Five duties or amal, that apply to every Muslim.
What are the 5 pillars of Islam? (5)
Shahadah, or witness to the one God and His messenger Muhammad.
Salah, or prayer.
Zakah, or alms giving/almsgiving.
Sawm, or fasting.
Hajj, or pilgrimage to Makkah/Mecca.
What is the Shahadah? (8)
Shahadah means witness. It is the declaration of faith in the one God and that Muhammad is his messenger. The Shahadah is contained in the adhan or the call to prayer. The adhan begins, ‘Allah (God) is the greatest … I bear witness that there is no God but Allah.
The Shahadah is recited by every Muslim to indicate a promise to carry out God’s will.
To become a Muslim a person says the Shahadah in front of two witnesses.
Shahadah also involves ibadah, the desire to worship God and carry out the other four pillars. The adhan is recited five times a day when
calling Muslims to prayer; is is a constamt reminder of the significance of the Shahadah.
What is Salah? (8)
Salah or prayer is the second Pillar of Islam. There are five compulsory prayer times a day as well as du’a, a personal prayer.
Key points:
- Salah means prayer.
- Prayers are directed towards the Ka’bah in Makkah/Mecca.
- Prayers can take place in any clean place.
- Before prayer a muslim must perform wudu or washing of the hands, mouth, nose, face, arms, neck, behind the ears and feet.
- Compulsory prayers must be said each day:
- Between dawn and sunrise (fajr).
- At noon (dhuhr).
- In mid-afternoon (asr).
- At sunset (maghrib).
- Before midnight (isha’a).
Prayer at home may be held in any clean room where a point indicates the direction or Makkah/Mecca.
Women usually stand behind men.
Prayer starts with a series or prayer movements called rakat.
Jummah or Friday prayers are held in the mosque.
Men are encouraged to pray in a mosque; women pray at home or in a separate area from men.
Prayers are led by an imam or prayer leader.
The muezzin calls the people to prayer.
Worshippers carry out their own prayers and rakat.
The muezzin recites the iqama or ‘set up’ prayer which summons worshippers to form up for formal prayers.
The imam then gives the sermon or khutba.
The congregation then carry out rakat shoulder to shoulder.
At the end of formal worship some mosques sing hymns and religious songs.
Personal prayer or du’a may take place at any time.
Prayer must come from the heart.
Praying together is a sign of muslim unity and brotherhood.
Prayer is a reminder of God’s greatness and obedience to him.
Wudu is a to develop the right frame of mind and intention or niyah to worship God.
Water symbolises cleanliness but only when niyah is to submit to the will of god.
The rakat symbolise submission to God and loyalty and solidarity with other Muslim worshippers, especially congregational rakat at Friday prayers.
The rakat end by wishing the person to the right and left ‘salaam’ - peace.
Du’a prayers may be said at anytime and are useful when wishing to give thanks or to seek forginveness of God or to meditate on God outside the compulsory prayer times.
What is Zakah? (8)
Zakah or alms giving is the third pillar of faith.
Zakah means giving to charity.
It is an act of worship and a duty.
It is a test to ensur ethat one is not selfish.
Zakah is to be paid once a year.
Zakah should be 2.5 percent of a Muslim’s overall wealth.
Zakah money is given to the weak, the poor, schools, hospitals and many other worthy social causes.
Islam forbids usury or charging interest on loans.
Zakah is a reminder that as everything belongs to God, material things are on loan to humans.
It builds on two principles of Shahadah, witnessing to god in mind and action.
It ensures the weak and marginalised in society are cared for.
It is usual for a person to give Zakah in secret so they do not get false praise.
The Qur’an states that those who practise Zakah will be rewarded on the Last Day; just as they have shown mercy to others, so God will show mercy on them.
Usury is wrong because it exploits the weak and can create debt which benefits the rich at the expense of someone else’s life.
What is Sawm? (8)
Sawm or fasting is the fourth pillar of faith.
Sawm means fasting.
It occurs during the month of Ramadan.
No food must be eaten from just before dawn until just after sunset.
There must be no chewing of food, drinking or smoking.
Those who are excused sawm include:
Children under 12.
Pregnant women and those nursing babies.
The sick.
Those doing physically demanding work.
Ramadan is the month when the Qur’an was first revealed to Muhammad and so many muslims try to read, reflect and meditate on the whole of the Qur’an during the last ten days of Ramadan.
Fasting is an act of worship and spiritual developement.
As it involves enduring hardship for the sake of God, it is a sign of obedience and devotion.
Fasting helps Muslims to appreciate the plight of the poor and so become more generous.
Other good works or actions, as well as fasting, are just as important.
Ramadan helps develop spiritual unity or umma and common purpose with other muslims.
What is Hajj? (8)
Hajj or pilgramige is the fifth pillar of Islam.
Hajj means visitation of holy places.
It takes place once a year for five days.
It is expected that every adult Muslim will go on a Hajj at least once every lifetime.
The seven key moments are: Preparation, Makkah/Mecca, Mina, Mount Arafat, Muzdalifah, Mina, Return to Makkah/Mecca.
It is supposed to represent the pilgramage that Muhammed went on.
Pilgrims go on the Hajj to:
Remind them of the oneness and majesty of god.
Human sin and the need for repentance.
Faithfulness of the prophets.
Thanksgiving to God and sacrifice.
