What is the religious tax paid by Shi’a Muslims?
Khums.
Give two ways in which Shi’a Muslims celebrate the festival of Ashura.
Public recitations of stories on same theme, re-enacting events that lead to Husayn’s death.
Explain two contrasting understandings of Jihad.
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.
Explain two ways in which the Ka’aba is important in the Muslim Hajj (pilgrimage).
- 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.
‘The best way for Muslims to understand God is to practise Salah’ Evaluate.
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.
What is the name of the month in which Muslims must fast?
Ramadan.
What are two rituals carried out during Salah?
Bowing down
Prostration
Reciting Qur’an
Crying out “God is great!”
Explain two contrasting understandings of Salah.
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.
Explain two ways in which the festival of Id-Ul-Adha is important to Muslims.
- 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.
‘Completing the Hajj is the most important duty for a Muslim.’ Evaluate.
+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.
