Islam Practices Content Flashcards
What are the 5 pillars of Islam?
Shahadah(declaration of faith), Salah(prayer), Zakat(charity), Sawm(fasting), Hajj(pilgrimage)
Do Sunni or Shi’a Muslims follow the 5 pillars?
Both but mainly Sunni
What are the 10 Obligatory Acts?
1-Salah
2-Zakah
3-Sawm
4-Hajj
5-Jihad(struggle to keep belief in Allah)
6-Khums(20% annual tax)
7-Amr-bil Maruf(encouraging to do good)
8-Nahi Anil Munkar(discouraging doing wrong_
9-Tawallah(showing love for Allah and his followers)
10-Tabarra(disassociation with Allah’s enemies)
Does Sunni or Shi’a Muslims follow the 10 Obligatory Acts?
Shi’a
What is the Shahadah?(and what do Shi’a Muslims add on)
There is no God but Allah and Muhammed is the Prophet of Allah ‘and Ali is the friend of Allah’
When is Shahadah heard?
Usually a few times a day, at birth as the first words a baby hears, last words before death and a non-Muslim can convert by saying the Shahadah and meaning it sincerely
What is salah and what is said in each prayer cycle?
The 5 daily prayers ‘Allahu akbar’ meaning Allah is great
What is a prayer cycle called?
Rak’ah
What are the 3 things Muslims do before they pray?
1-wudu which is a cleaning ritual so they’re spiritually clean, wash face/hands/feet
2-face the city of Makkah, in a mosque the mihrab marks the direction of prayer
3-niyyah which is a conscious intention to pray, showing the worshipper is making an intentional effort to communicate with Allah
How many times do Sunni and Shi’a Muslims pray a day
Sunni-5
Shi’a-3
What do Shi’a Muslims do differently to Sunni when praying?
Shi’a Muslims use natural elements eg place a piece of clay where their head will be
Describe sawm
The obligation to fast between sunrise and sunset during the month of Ramadan, sweet food breaks the fast with dates before a bigger meal is eaten(iftar)
Which groups of people shouldn’t fast?
Children under 12, old people, people with medical conditions, pregnant or menstruating women, travelling people
Why is Ramadan important?
It’s a time for physical and moral self-discipline, a time of obedience and understanding hunger. Can’t listen to music, have sex or smoke
The Night of Power:
When Jibril revealed the Qur’an to Muhammed, it’s celebrated during Ramadan as a time of thanksgiving for the Qur’an. Muslims go together in the mosque and Allah forgives their sins. During the month of Ramadan the whole Qur’an is read from beginning to end
What is Zakah?
Where Muslims give 2.5% of their wealth to charity, people who are too poor don’t have to give Zakah. The donations help Muslims purify their sould by not being greedy
The giver of the money will receive…
a ‘hundred-fold’ back in the afterlife
How is the money collected from Zakah?
Giving directly to a charity(Muslim Aid), collections in the mosque or in Islamic countries it’s as a tax
What is Sadaqah?
In addition to Zakah, Muslims are encouraged to give money and time to charity throughout the year
What is khums?
1/5th so 20% of their savings to charities related to Islamic education and the poor
What is Hajj?
Pilgrimage which is compulsory for Muslism to take at least once in their liftimes
When does Hajj have to take place for it to count?
12th and final month of the Islamic calendar-Dhu’l Hijja
Give a summary of the origins of Hajj
Allah told prophet Ibrahim to take his wife Hajira and son Isma’il on a journey to Arabia and told Ibrahim to leave Hajira and Isma’il with some food and water. They ran out of water so Hajira ran up and down 2 hills, Safa and Marwah to find more-she couldn’t find any so she prayed to Allah and water sprang from the ground which was called the Zamzam well
What is the Ka’aba?
Cube-shaped building in the centre of Makkah most sacred site in Islam
Summarise the key events of Hajj
Ihram-dressing in 2 pieces of white cloth
Tawaf-circling the Ka’aba 7 times anticlockwise
Drinking water from the Zamzam well
Sa’y-walking between Al-Safa and Al-Marwa hills 7 times
Wuquf-asking Allah for forgiveness at Mount Arafat
Collecting pebbles at Muzdalifah
Throwing pebbles at the 3 jamarat that represent Shaytan
Sacrifice of sheep/goats for Eid ul Adha
Some pilgrims visit Madinah Prophet Muhammed’s mosque and burial site
Why are those events done during Hajj?
Ihram-shows equality regardless of status etc
Zamzam well-shows Muslims’ dependence on Allah
Visiting the hills-replicate how Hajira was determined
Mount Arafat-where Day of Judgement wil take place
Stoning the devil-it’s important to reject the devil-Ibrahim did it
Id-ul-Adha-feast of sacrifice celebrated by all Muslims not just those completing Hajj
Why is Hajj important?
Everyone taking part is treated as an equal and there’s a sense of unity. It shows self-discipline and fulfils a religious duty bringing Muslims closer to Allah
What is greater jihad?
About making the effort to be a good Muslim through a person struggle to improve spiritually-a duty and act of worship
How can Muslims do greater jihad?
Follow the 5 Pillars of Islam, forgive others, work for social justice, study the Qur’an, help those in need, avoid temptations
What is lesser jihad?
Defeding Islam from threat-take up arms against anybody they see as an enemy of Islam. Many Muslims believe lesser jihad is less relevant today than in the past when Muslims were persecuted
What is Eid-ul-Adha?
The commemoration of sacrifice and marks the end of Hajj. It’s a reminder of Allah’s blessings and shows how important it is to submit to Allah. They have sermons which teaches the importance of obeying Allah and the lesson learnt by Ibrahim
What is Eid-ul-Fitr?
It occurs at the end of Ramadan-a joyful festival, it’s a day of thanksgiving to Allah and celebrates that Muslims have completed the 4th pillar of Islam(sawm). It’s important for community togetherness. A special Zakah is held for Muslims who are less well off
What are the rules of jihad?
It has to be in defence of Allah, no harm must be done, peace must be restored, mercy has to be shown
What is ashura?
A special and solemn day where Shi’a Muslims commemorate the death of Hussein(Ali’s son) in battle. They wear black and plays are often performed. It’s also a reminder of the suffering the Shi’a community has experienced because they’ve persecuted as a minority
