The Ten Obligatory Acts

Question 1

What are the Five Pillars for Sunni Muslims?

Answer 1

shahadah
salah
zakah
sawm
hajj

Question 2

Why are the Five Pillars important for Sunni Muslims?

Answer 2

they are the practical expression of being a Muslim and observing all five shows that a Muslim is a good Muslim

Question 3

What do Shi’a Muslims have instead of the Five Pillars to show that they are good Shi’a Muslims?

Answer 3

the Ten Obligatory Acts

Question 4

What are the Ten Obligatory Acts?

Answer 4

1. Salah
2. Sawm
3. Zakah
4. Hajj
5. Khums
6. Jihad
7. Amr-bil-ma’ruf
8. Nahi anil munkar
9. Tawalla
10. Tabarra

Question 5

Where do the Ten Obligatory Acts originate from?

Answer 5

based on a reference in Surah 9, but developed by the twelve Imams
Probably developed to differentiate from Sunnis

Question 6

Why are the Ten Obligatory Acts important for Shi’as?

Answer 6

• established by Muhammed, Ali and the Imams
• Allah will punish those who do not fulfil the Acts
• by fulfilling, can have confidence that on Day of Judgement, Allah will allow to go to heaven
• major way of differentiating Shi’a from Sunni Muslims

Question 7

What are Sunni attitudes towards the last 2 Acts (Tawalla and Tabarra)?

Answer 7

totally wrong and against Islam - Sunnis believe Muhammad’s relatives and descendants have no particular authority or importance

Question 8

SofA for both Sunni and Shi’a beliefs

Answer 8

Surah 5 says that those who do good and forbid what is wrong will gain paradise

Question 9

SofA for the Ten Obligatory Acts

Answer 9

Surah 9 says that true believers are protectors of one another, do what is just and forbid what is evil and observe regular prayers and practise regular charity