Living the Muslim Life

• Ten obligatory acts = The most important duties of Shi’a Muslims
• Five Pillars = The most important duties of a Muslim
• Shahadah = declaration of belief, which Muslims are required to say
• Shirk = A sin that involves setting up equals to Allah; worshipping anyone or anything besides him
• Adhan = The call to prayer in Arabic
• Imam = person who leads salah
• Jummah prayer = A special congregation held every Friday, usually in the mosque
• Qiblah = the direction Muslims face during salah
• Rak'ah = Set of movements and words in each Salah
• Salah = the Muslim prayer
• Wudu = purification ritual to ensure one is clean before prayer
• I'tikaf = A period of retreat in the mosque during the last 10 days of Ramadan for worship
• Laylat al-Qadr = the night of power
• Ramadan = Month of fasting, one of the Pillars of Islam
• Sawm = To ‘ Keep away’ from something, also known as fasting
• Khums = A system for Shi’a Muslims to pay an additional 20% of their savings towards community causes
• Nisab = The amount of wealth above which a Muslim needs to pay Zakah
• Sadaqah = Voluntary charity not fixed at any rate
• Zakah = 'purification', one of the pillars of Islam
• Hajj = The pilgrimage made by Muslims to Makkah
• Ka'bah = Cube shaped building in Makkah which Muslims believe was the first house of Allah on earth, rebuilt by Ibrahim and Isma’il
• Pilgrimage = A journey to a place which is special for religious reasons
• Tawaf = Anti-clockwise circuit of the Ka’bah,completed seven times during Hajj
• Greater Jihad = Striving spiritually to resist evil within oneself
• Lesser Jihad = Striving physically to resist evil in the world
• Ashura = Shi’a commemoration of Imam Hussain’s martyrdom
• Id-ul-Adha = Festival commemorating devotion of Ibrahim and Isma’il
• Id-ul-Fitr = Festival celebrated at the end of Ramadan
• Id-ul-Ghadeer = Shi’a festival commemorating the Prophet Muhammad’s choice of Ali as a leader of Muslims
• Ten Obligatory Acts:

  1. The five pillars (except shahadah)
  2. Kuhms
  3. Jihad
  4. Encouraging good actions
  5. Discouraging evil actions
  6. Tawalla - association with good people
  7. Tabarra - disassociation with evil people
• Why are the Ten Obligatory Acts important?

  They are crucial in guiding the practices of Shi'a Muslims. They are a way of showing commitment to Islam, not just through words, but deeds. Collectively they enable Shi'a Muslims to connect with Allah, purify their hearts, ease the suffering of the poor, and romote a better society.
• The five pillars:

  1. Shahadah - declaration of faith
  2. Salah - praying five times a day
  3. Sawm - fasting during the month of Ramadan
  4. Zakah - giving 2.5% of one's wealth to the poor every lunar year
  5. Hajj - pilgrimage to Makkah, in Saudi Arabia
• SHAHADAH

  Shahadah is the declaration of faith for all muslims. It sums up the core beliefs of Islam

  Importance

  • sums up core Muslim beliefs
  • anyone who wants to become a muslims is required to repeat the words
  • rewards are promised to those who put allah and the prophet Muhammad before everything else
  • reminds a Muslim of the important commitment they have made
  • it is the first thing recited into the ears of a newborn child, and is also repeated during burial
• SAWM

  Used to refer to fasting, which is particularly important during the month of Ramadan. Muslims hope to experience a special feeling of closeness to allah during Ramadan.

  Importance

  • helps them to appreciate the suffering of the poor and be more grateful for what they have
  • brings them closer to god
  • brings community closer
  • prophet Muhammad taught that fasting is pointless if Muslims do not become better people as a result
  • fasting makes Muslims spiritually purer
• FEATURES OF SALAH

  Ablution (wudu)

  • it is important to be clean for prayer. Muslims must mash parts of the face and body including hands, mouth, elbows and feet.

  Timings

  • there are five daily prayers. Sunni Muslims pray at these 5 set times, Shi’a Muslims combine some of the prayers and pray 3 times a day

  Recitations

  • Words recited during salah are taken mainly from the Quran and Hadith

  Movements

  • each salah is made up of a sequence of actions and prayers known as rak’ah

  Direction

  • Muslims face Makkah, there the ka’bah is located
• SALAH

  Salah means prayer and connects Muslims to allah. Muslims must pray 5 times a day, mainly in the mosque or at home

  Importance

  • is a physical, spiritual and mental act of worship following prescribed words and actions
  • salah is performed today in the same way it was performed by prophet Muhammad
  • salah aims to purify the mind and soul and helps Muslims decelop a closeness to Allah
• ZAKAH

  Muslims believe that wealth is a gift from Allah, and should be shared with those that are less fortunate.

  • 2.5% of the value of savings or wealth
  • means ‘purification’ so is a way for Muslims to become purified from greed and become closer to god
  • only given by Muslims who have an income above a certain value
  • goes to the less fortunate, those in debt, widows and orohans and to other beneficial causes in the community
• KHUMS

  Shi’a Muslims also believe in Kuhms, which means ‘fifth’. It began as a contribution of 20% of the value of ‘battle gains’ given by Muslim armies to religious causes. Today Shi’a Muslims contribute 20% of all of their wealth. In the Shi’a transition this is normally given to Imams, but as there is no imam present today, they give this to their leader who spends it on charitable causes including:

  • the poor
  • orphans
  • schools
  • mosques and religious scholars
• HAJJ

  • hajj is important for Muslims because they are following in the footsteps of Ibrahim, Ismail and Muhammad

  How hajj is performed:

  To perform hajj, Muslims must:

  • be physically able
  • be able to afford all the expenses
  • pass through a safe route

  Pilgrims whee infamous to symbolise unity and equality.

  Benefits

  • stronger relationship with god
  • unites all muslims
  • inspires pilgrims to become better people
• GREATER JIHAD

  Striving to resist evil, to be a better person

  • jihad of the soul: improving your character
  • of the tongue: telling others about islam
  • of the pen: writing about your beliefs