Muslim Practices

Question 1

Name the five pillars of Islam

Answer 1

1- Shahadah, the declaration of faith 
2- Salah, prayer 
3- Zakah, charitable giving 
4- Sawm, fasting 
5- Hajj, pilgrimage

Question 2

Name the ten obligatory acts of Shi’a Islam

Answer 2

1- Salah
2- Sawm
3- Zakah
4- Khums
5- Hajj
6- Jihad, to live by their faith
7- Amr-Bil-Maruf, encouraging people to do what is good
8- Nahi Anil Mankar, discouraging people from doing wrong
9- Tawallah, to be loving towards friends of God
10- Tabarra, disassociating from enemies of God

Question 3

What is Shahadah?

Answer 3

The statement that “there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah” which is the requirement for joining the Muslim community

Question 4

What are the times of the five prayers of Salah?

Answer 4

Fajr- just before sunrise 
Zuhr- just after midday
Asr- afternoon 
Maghrib- just after sunset 
Isha- night

Question 5

How do Muslims prepare for prayer?

Answer 5

A ritual washing called wudu

Question 6

Mihrab

Answer 6

A niche in the wall that indicates the direction of Makkah

Question 7

Qiblah wall

Answer 7

The wall in a mosque that contains the mihrab

Question 8

Rak’ah

Answer 8

A sequence of movements in ritual prayer

Question 9

Recitation

Answer 9

Repeating a passage of text from memory

Question 10

Prostration

Answer 10

Kneeling with the forehead, nose, hands, knees and toes touching the floor, in submission to God

Question 11

Jummah prayer

Answer 11

A weekly communal prayer performed after midday on Friday, which includes a sermon

Question 12

How is Salah important?

Answer 12

• creates awareness of God
• motivates Muslims to do Gods will
• unites Muslims
• reminds Muslims of Qur’ans importance

Question 13

Why is prostration important?

Answer 13

The actions of bowing reminds Muslims that God is greater and more important than they are

Question 14

Ramadan

Answer 14

The ninth month of Muslim calendar, during which Muslims have to fast from dusk to sunset

Question 15

The night of power

Answer 15

1 the night when the first revelation of Qur’an was made to Muhammad

2 the festival that marks the start of Gods revelation to Muhammad

Question 16

Zakah

Answer 16

Purification of wealth by giving 2.5% of savings each year to the poor

Question 17

Sadaqah

Answer 17

Good actions or voluntary payments that are undertaken for charitable reasons

Question 18

Khums

Answer 18

A 20% tax paid by Shi’a Muslims on their excess income

Question 19

What is the significance of Zakah?

Answer 19

• gives Muslims a good attitude toward money
• strengthens communities by making the rich support poor
• links with Salah, prayers should make Muslims feel concern for others, and Zakah puts this concern into action

Question 20

Pilgrimage

Answer 20

A journey by a believe to a holy site for religious reasons

Question 21

Hajj

Answer 21

The annual pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim should try to make at least once in their life

Question 22

Ka’aba

Answer 22

The black, cube- shaped building in the centre of the Grand Mosque in Mecca

Question 23

How is Hajj performed?

Answer 23

• entering a state of Ihram which involves ritual washing, prayer and putting on Ihram clothing
• circling the Ka’aba
• travelling to Arafat
• walking from Mina to Arafat
• throwing 49 pebbles at Mina to reject evil
• returning to Makkah

Question 24

Jihad

Answer 24

A struggle against evil

Question 25

Greater jihad

Answer 25

The personal inward struggle of all Muslims to live in line with the teachings of their faith

Question 26

Lesser jihad

Answer 26

The outward struggle to defend ones faith, family and country from threat

Question 27

Holy war

Answer 27

Fighting for a religious cause of God, probably controlled by a religious leader

Question 28

Id-ul-Fitr

Answer 28

A Muslim festival celebrating the end of Ramadan

Question 29

Id-ul-Adha

Answer 29

A Muslim festival celebrating the prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son for God

Question 30

Day of Ashura

Answer 30

A festival for Shi’a Muslims in particular who remember the battle of Karbala and the death of Husayn on this day