Islam // Practices

Question 1

What is the religious tax paid by Shi’a Muslims?

Answer 1

Khums.

Question 2

Give two ways in which Shi’a Muslims celebrate the festival of Ashura.

Answer 2

Public recitations of stories on same theme, re-enacting events that lead to Husayn’s death.

Question 3

Explain two contrasting understandings of Jihad.

Answer 3

Greater Jihad - struggling with weaknesses of character and faith - following Shariah law, pillars, and practising generosity. Muhammad called it “the effort against oneself”.

Lesser Jihad - duty to fight under the conditions permitted by Qur’an - defensive war, shouldn’t be aggressor.

Question 4

Explain two ways in which the Ka’aba is important in the Muslim Hajj (pilgrimage).

Answer 4

• Muslims circle 7 times around Ka’aba - represents single point of focus, the oneness of God.
• Pilgrims unite at Ka’aba, although they come from all over the world - Ummah - Brotherhood.

Question 5

‘The best way for Muslims to understand God is to practise Salah’ Evaluate.

Answer 5

Salah - 5 prayers a day.

• Direct contact and understanding of God, so God is personal to them and not based on other, potentially incorrect ideas.
• God is beyond description as he cannot be compared to anything else - he is more powerful - so God cannot be understood by reading or hearing about him, so Salah is the best way to understand.
• The Qur’an is God’s presentation of himself to human beings, so an understanding of God can come from reading that instead - also good way to understand.
• A study of creation can also bring about an understanding of God, because creation is a sign from God.

Question 6

What is the name of the month in which Muslims must fast?

Answer 6

Ramadan.

Question 7

What are two rituals carried out during Salah?

Answer 7

Bowing down
Prostration
Reciting Qur’an
Crying out “God is great!”

Question 8

Explain two contrasting understandings of Salah.

Answer 8

Must explain Sunni and Shi’a Muslims.

Sunni:

• Pray at 5 different times, and only combine or move prayers when travelling or during Hajj.
• Must prostrate by putting heads on a prayer mat, or any clean place.

Shi’a:

• Pray at 3 different times, combining afternoon and evening prayers.
• Must pray on a natural material that cannoy be worn or eaten, e.g. clay.

Question 9

Explain two ways in which the festival of Id-Ul-Adha is important to Muslims.

Answer 9

• Muslims attend mosques, and the day begins with special prayers, reminding them of Allah’s blessings.
• Friends and family will be met, gifts and food will be shared - Muslims see it as a rare day off to share and care.

Question 10

‘Completing the Hajj is the most important duty for a Muslim.’ Evaluate.

Answer 10

+Purifies a person of all sins, with the hadith saying they “return like a new born child” - this is important as Muslims will be judged by Allah on their deeds.
+It is one of the pillars, and so is an important duty as following the pillars is commanded in the Qur’an - “Proclaim that people shall observe Hajj pilgrimage.”

• There are other pillars that are clearly more important - Shahadah, the acceptance of the oneness of god and Muhammad as a prophet, is the cornerstone of Islam, and all worship is invalid without it.
• Hajj is only compulsory for those that can afford to perform it/are physically able to, and so these exclusions prove that it is not 100% necessary.