Muslim Practices

Question 1

What is Zakah?

Answer 1

One of the Five Pillars and Ten Obligatory Acts; giving alms (2.5% of savings above the minimum threshold)

Question 2

What is Salah?

Answer 2

Prayer five times a day (or three for Shi’as as two are merged); one of the Five Pillars/Ten Obligatory Acts.

Question 3

What is Jihad?

Answer 3

To struggle’. The personal or collective struggle against evil

Question 4

What is greater or inner jihad?

Answer 4

The personal struggle of every Muslim to live by the teachings of their faith

Question 5

What is involved in fasting?

Answer 5

Not eating or drinking; one of the Five Pillars is Sawm during Ramadan.

Question 6

What is Makkah?

Answer 6

Place of pilgrimage during Hajj; the spiritual centre of Islam

Question 6

What is Hajj?

Answer 6

One of the Five Pillars/Ten Obligatory Acts; pilgrimage to Makkah, which all Muslims must undertake at least once in their lives, unless prevented by problems over wealth or health.

Question 7

What is ablution (wudu)?

Answer 7

Ritual washing before prayer

Question 8

What is the Shahadah?

Answer 8

The Shahadah - Muslim declaration of faith; one of the Five Pillars in Sunni Islam.

Question 9

What are the ten obligatory acts?

Answer 9

These are requirements for Shi’a Muslims.

Question 10

What are movements or rakahs?

Answer 10

Actions and ritual movements made during salah (prayer) consisting of recitations, standing, bowing and prostration.

Question 11

What is Ramadan?

Answer 11

Month during which Muslims fast (sawm) from dawn to sunset.

Question 12

What is Sawm?

Answer 12

Fasting from dawn to dusk during Ramadan; one of the Five Pillars/Ten Obligatory Acts.

Question 13

What is lesser or outer jihad?

Answer 13

This refers to the military struggle to defend Islam. It is carried out according to strict and clear cut rules

Question 14

What is the Night of Power?

Answer 14

The night on which Muhammad received the first revelations of the Qur’an during Ramadan, Muslims try to stay awake and read the Qur’an and pray.

Question 15

What is Ashura?

Answer 15

Important festival in Shi’a Islam, to commemorate the martyrdom of Hussein (Muhammad’s grandson). Sunni Muslims observe Ashura as a day of repentance for sins in the belief that they will be forgiven

Question 16

What is Mina?

Answer 16

Site of pilgrimage during Hajj; where pilgrims take part in the stoning of pillars

Question 17

What is the ka’aba?

Answer 17

Part of the Hajj pilgrimage; cube-shaped building in the centre of the Grand Mosque in Makkah. All Muslims face it when they pray.

Question 18

What is Muzdalifah?

Answer 18

Site of pilgrimage during Hajj; where pilgrims hold a night prayer and rest after the Stand on Mount Arafat

Question 19

What is Id-ul-Fitr?

Answer 19

Festival; celebration that comes at the end of Ramadan and marks the end of fasting

Question 20

What is Khums?

Answer 20

One of the Ten Obligatory Acts in Shi’a Islam; practice of alms giving.

Question 21

What is a Mosque?

Answer 21

Muslim place of worship.

Question 22

What is giving alms?

Answer 22

Giving to those in need, e.g. money, food, time. It is one of the Five Pillars/Ten Obligatory Acts (Zakah).

Question 23

What are Jummah prayers?

Answer 23

Friday prayers in the mosque, where a sermon (khutbah) is heard.

Question 23

What is Id ul-Adha?

Answer 23

Festival; celebration of the Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son for Allah

Question 24

What are recitations?

Answer 24

Part of the practice of salah (prayer); the reciting of verses from the Qur’an.

Question 25

What are examples of the 10 Obligatory Acts?

Answer 25

They include salah, sawm, zakah, hajj and jihad (duties also for Sunni Muslims) but the final five are not part of the Sunni tradition – khums, encouraging good, discouraging wrong, showing love for God and people, disassociation with enemies of God.