Muslim Practices Flashcards
shahadah
-first pillar of islam
-statement of faith
-to make a declaration of your faith in Allah and the truth of the Qur’an
-whispered into ears of new born babies do first thing they hear
-decided during salad
-repeated when converting to islam
-said to demonstrate commitment to islam
ablution / wudu
washing before prayer
Rak’ahs
the combination of words & actions during prayer
jummah
friday prayer
salah
-second pillar of islam
-prayer (5 times a day)
-making allah a constant part of your life
zakah
-third pillar of islam
-the giving of charity (2.5%)
-to remember the needs of others and have gratitude to Allah for what you have done
sawm
-fourth pillar of islam
-fasting during ramadan
-to show willingness to suffer for your faith and prove dedication to Allah
-remembering night of power
-brings focus solely on islam
hajj
-fifth pillar of islam
-the pilgrimage to mecca
-to recall journey of muhammad and the history of your faith
-birthplace of Muhammad
-‘heart’ of islam
importance:
-feel closer to god
-strengthened faith
-forgiveness of sins
what are the 5 pillars of islam?
-shahadah
-salah
-zakah
-sawm
-hajj
acronym: she said zebras swim, huh?
acronym for 5 pillars of islam
she says zebras swim, huh?
what are the 10 obligatory acts? (sh’ia islam)
-salah = prayer
-sawm = fasting ramadan
-zakat = charity
-khums = an annual taxation of 1/5 of gains that a year has been on without using. paid to imams (indirectly to poor & needy)
-hajj = pilgrimage to mecca
-jihad = external & internal struggle to protect a good muslim way of life.
-enjoining good = encouraging others to be good and being a good example
-forbidding wrong = openly challenging negative behavior and being a good role model
-tawalla = expressing love towards those who do good
-tabbara = expressing disassociation and hatred towards those who commit evil
what’s khums?
annual taxation of 1/5 to imams (indirectly to poor & needy)
what’s enjoining good?
encouraging others to be good and being a good example
what’s forbidding wrong?
openly challenging negative behaviour and being a good role model
what’s tawalla?
expressing love towards those who do good
what’s tabarra?
expressing dissociation & hatred towards those who commit evil
quote in shahadah
‘there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger’ (the shahadah)
-> islam is monotheistic
->whilst prophets & Muhammad should be respected, they are not to be worshiped
who has to pay zakah/zakat?
only muslims who can afford it
what is zakah/t for?
-homeless
-islamic education & resources
-repairing mosques
-islamic relief
-muslim aid
what’s khums in shia islam?
-1/5 of shia muslims wealth given to help whole community
-half money collected as khums goes to shia religious leaders, rest to charity
what is ramadan in the month of?
the night of power
what do muslims do during sawm (ramadan)?
-recite whole of Qur’an in daily sections over 30 days
-focus on sawm, charity & pleasing god
-fast during daylight hours for whole month
-smoking & sex forbidden
-purity
-last 10 nights of ramadan = muslims stay all night in mosque to remember first revelation of the Qur’an
-try and stay awake during night of glory/power
quote about ramadan
‘everyone who is present during that month should spend it fasting’ (Qur’an 2:185)
quote about night of power/glory
‘the night of glory is better than a thousand months’ (Qur’an 97:2-3)
what ideas does the shahadah reinforce?
-that shirk is the greatest sin a muslim can commit
-islam in monotheistic
-muhammad is the most important prophet
-quran should be trusted as word of allah
how many times do sunni muslims pray a day?
5, each at different times:
-dawn
-afternoon
-late afternoon
-dusk
-night
how many times do shi’a muslims pray a day?
5, at 3 different times
-dawn
-afternoon & late afternoon together
-dusk & night together
why is jummah (friday prayer) important?
-different from daily prayer
-only day sermon is given (talk by imam)
-during jummah you can give to charity = one of 5 pillars of islam
-> important to ALL muslims
2 things muslims do to prepare for salah?
-wash body (wudu)
-establish niyyah
-face mat to Mekka
process of salah?
-declare niyyah, say ‘allahu akbar’
-recite al-fatiha & thank god
-bow and say ‘glory be to my great lord and praise be to him’
-recite ‘allahu akbar’
-forehead, nose, hands, knees & toes all on ground -> commitment to god
-on knees recognising angels in shoulders: rak’ah repeated 2 or 4 times
when does Haij take place?
8-12 of last month of islamic calendar
backstory of Hajj
-Abraham was ordered by God to leave his wife Hajar and his son Ishmael alone in the desert of ancient Mecca
-Allah told Abraham to build shrine for him: Ka’aba
= place for Hajj
what happens at Hajj?
(bold ones are key)
- wearing white clothes / plain clothes = remind muslims of equality
- circle Ka’aba = reminds Muslims Allah in centre of life
- drink water from Zamzam well = reminds how Allah provided water for Hajira & Ismael
- Walking between hills (safa & marwah) = reminds muslims of Hajira & that allah will save those faithful
- Mount Arfat = reminds muslims of unity (where Adam & Hawaa reunited)
- camping at Muzdalifah = reminds muslims of Ummah
- throwing pebbles at 3 pillars = symbolises rejection of evil
- Eid ul Adha = animals sacrificed (Ibrahims faith)
- travel to Madinah = respect to Muhammad who’s buried there
- return to Makkah (completed hajj)
what’s greater (inner) jihad?
personal, individual struggle to follow way of allah & avoid/defeat evil
what’s lesser (outer) jihad?
struggle against evil in wider sense, can include fighting to protect/defend islam
example of greater (inner) jihad?
avoiding haram items such as alcohol & drugs
example of lesser (outer) jihad?
fighting in holy war to defend islam if innocent muslims are being attacked
quote about jihad
“the greatest jihad is to battle your own soul, to battle the evil within yourself” (The Prophet Muhammad in the Hadith)
3 conditions of holy war in Islam?
-you are stopped from freely practicing your religion
-all peaceful methods of trying to settle the dispute have been tried but failed
-in defence not attack
quote about holy war
“fight in the cause of God against those who fight you, but do not transgress limits” (Qur’an 2:19)
backstory of Eid al-Adha?
-The Feast of Sacrifice originates from the historic event when Prophet Abraham was commanded by God in a dream vision to sacrifice his son, Ishmail.
-Abraham followed through but it turns out it was a ram which he slaughtered
-he passed Allahs test
how is the lamb split once sacrificed during Eid al-Adha?
1/3 = relatives
1/3 = friends/neighbours
1/3 = poor
what’s Eid Al-Fitr
-breaking fast at end of holy month of ramadan
-celebrated 1-3 days
-gather in mosques to pray
-imams sermon given (telling muslims they should forgive & forget any disputes which happened during the year)
-muslims pay Zakat (additional tax to poor)
common practices taken olace during Eid al-Fitr?
-best clothes worn
-homes decorated
-special foods eaten
-presents
-women decorate hands w henna
-cemeteries visited
what is ashura?
a solemn day of mourning the martyrdom of Husayn in 680 AD at Karbala in modern-day Iraq
what do muslims do on ashura?
-wear black
-plays performed to remind muslims of events that led to Husayns death
-retelling of story/recite prayers
-> public expression of grief & mourning
-some flagellate (self harm) to connect w Husayns death & suffering
-pilgrimage to tomb of Husayn
-show kindness to poor
-moques often provide free food for people during 10 day mourning period
alternatively how do sunni muslims observe ashura?
-refer to it as Day of Atonement
-remembering when Israelites freed from slavery in Egypt
-some believe that traditionally Ashura remembers the day Noah left the ark after the flood
-believe sins are forgiven in day of Ashura if they repent
things muslims would do on the night of glory/power?
-read Qu’ran
-performing prayer
-giving zakat
things a muslim might do for jummah?
-ritual washing
-listen to sermon
-jummah prayer
quote about how mosques are important?
‘a believer in a mosque is like a fish in water’ (Malik ibn Dinar)
Du’a
personal prayer
quote about importance of prayer
‘prayer is better than sleep’ (hadith)
