Unit 2 - Islam Practices Flashcards
Why are the 5 pillars of Islam so important?
- Islam regards it as pointless to live a life without putting faith into action and practice.
- They express a Muslim’s complete acceptance of and a total commitment to Islam.
- They show an exercise in self-control.
- They are designed to promote the bonds of Islamic brotherhood and sisterhood by showing that everyone is equal in the eyes of Allah.
What are the Ten Obligatory Acts of Shi’a Islam?
- Salah – prayer
- Sawm – fasting
- Zakah – charitable giving
- Khums – a 20% tax on income once all expenses are deducted. Half goes to charity and half goes to Shi’a religious leaders
- Hajj – pilgrimage
- Jihad – the struggle to maintain the faith and defend Islam.
- Amr-bil-Maruf – encouraging people to do what is good.
- Nahi Anil Munkar – discouraging people from doing what is wrong.
- Tawallah – to be loving towards the friends of God, including Muhammad and the Imams.
- Tabarra – disassociating from the enemies.
What is the importance of The Shahadah
- The basic belief in Islam is expressed in the Shahadah. This means ‘There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah’.
- The Shahadah also provides the foundation for the other four.
What is the importance of Salah?
“Your Lord says, ‘Call on Me and I will answer you”
- To maintain regular contact with God.
- To remind Muslims how great God is.
- To show the unity of believers by praying at set times facing the same direction.
- To ensure that they don’t lose their faith.
- To remind Muslims of Tawhid and that they are God’s servants.
- To fulfil a commandment of Allah
What is the importance of Sawm?
- By feeling hungry during the day is that it serves as a reminder that the poor feel that way all the time if they cannot afford to eat properly.
- This greater awareness inspires many Muslims to find ways to help the poor. This may include inviting the poor to share their meal that breaks the fast at sunset.
- Many Muslims choose to pay Zakah during Ramadan.
What is the importance of Zakah?
Zakah literally means to purify or to cleanse.
- In giving Zakah, Muslims are fulfilling a duty imposed by God.
- Paying Zakah gives Muslims a good attitude towards money.
- Zakah strengthens communities by making the rich support the poor.
- Zakah links well with Salah (prayer). Prayers should make Muslims feel concern for others, and Zakah puts this concern into action.
What is Khums and why is it important to Shi’a Islam?
it refers to the excess income or earnings that a Shi’a Muslim makes, and is set at 20%.
Why is Hajj important to Muslims today?
- It can lead to forgiveness of sins.
- It reminds Muslims of their faith.
- It shows self-discipline.
- It emphasises unity and equality.
- It produces an inner peace, which is shown in the values of justice, honesty, respect, kindness and mercy.
What are the two types of Jihad?
Lesser jihad: the outward struggle to defend one’s faith, family and country from threat.
Greater jihad: the personal inward struggle of all Muslims to live in line with the teachings of their faith.
What are the conditions of a just war?
- It must be started and organised by a religious leader, not just by any politician
- It must be for a recognisably just cause, in the name of Allah, and according to the will of Allah
- It must always be as a last resort, after every other means for settling the problem has been tried
and has failed - It should never be fought out of aggression, or desire to gain territory
- Innocent should not be made to suffer
- Trees, crops and animals should be protected
What are the two Eids in Islam?
- Id-ul-Adha
- Id-ul-Fitr
What is the importance of Id-ul-Adha?
- It is celebrated on the 10th day of the month of Dhul-Hijjah and lasts for four days.
- ## This festival remembers and honours the prophet Ibrahim, who was willing to sacrifice his son Ishmael on God’s command
- During this festival Muslims feel that they following in the footsteps of both prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Muhammad.
- Id-ul-Adha also enables Muslims to share the good things of life with the poor and in doing so they are able to unite their family, as the eid is a great family
celebration.
What is the importance of Id-ul-Fitr
- The festival marks the end of the month of Ramadan and Muslims thank God for the strength and help he has given them to fast for a month.
- The importance of this festival is both in reflecting on what has gone before and looking to the future for the next year.
Reflecting on Ramadan, Muslims have had many reminders about the role of religion in their lives.
1. Allah needs to be the focus of everything .
2. Time should not be wasted on material things in life – the Qur’an and prayer should dominate time.
3. Behaviour should be modest, polite, kind and generous to others
How do Shi’a Muslims observe Ashura?
- Centered on remembrance rather than a celebration. For Shi’a Muslims it remembers the martyrdom of Husayn (Hussein).
- Poems were written to retell the event and it is remembered by Shi’a Muslims with much sorrow.
- They believe that Husayn should never be forgotten, nor the actions of the imams.
- As a consequence of Ashura, Muslims should stand up for justice to better society.
- Shi’a Muslims will wear black during this festival.
- Some Shi’a Muslims will gather to beat themselves on the back with whips and chains, pound their head or cut themselves.
How do Sunni Muslims observe Ashura?
- Sunni Muslims also observe Ashura, but they refer to it as the Day of Atonement.
- For Sunni Muslims, Ashura is a day when sins are forgiven if repented.
- Many Sunni Muslims fast, often on the eighth, ninth and tenth of Muharram however this is not compulsory.
- Many Sunni Muslims will also give to charity, show kindness to their family and to the poor, recite prayers and learn from Islamic scholars.
- Sunni Muslims do not accept the whipping of their bodies because according to Islamic teachings the body should not be harmed.
