Hajj - the obligatory pilgrimage at least once in a lifetime
Shahadah
Declaration of faith, containing two statements: 'There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah'
Shahadah
It embodies the Muslim belief in Tawhid
It is through declaring the shahadah that a person professes the Muslimfaith
The shahadah is whispered to a newbornbaby so they are the firstwords the child hears
They should be the lastwords on a Muslim's lips before they die
Saying this declaration of faith is also the way for non-believerstoconvert to Islam
Saying the words must be accompanied by the intention to live by the will of Allah
Anyone who abandons this belief commits the sinofapostasy
In Islamic countries the commitment to their belief in Allah as the only true God means that other religions are usually forbidden from evangelising and gainingconverts
Salah
The ritual Muslim prayer that is carried out at five times every day
Salah prayer is the first duty believed to have been imposed by Allah
By offering salah prayer Muslims seek to gain Allah's favour
Five daily prayers
Fajr - morning prayer between dawn and sunrise
Zuhr - midday prayer in the early afternoon
Asr - late afternoon prayer
Maghrib - prayer just after sunset
Isha - night-time prayer
Muslims are individually responsible for praying at these times
Adhan
The call to prayer made from the minarets of mosques, recited in Arabic by the muezzin, reflecting the declaration of the shahadah
Iqmah
The second call to prayer made in the mosque's mainworshiphall, letting worshippers know that prayer is about to begin
Wudu
The ritual washing that a Muslim must do before salah prayer, including washing of arms,hands, feet and mouth
When no water is available a Muslim is permitted to carry out a dry form of washing, called tayammum, using fine sand or dust
After completing wudu a Muslim will recite the phrase, 'I bear witness that there is nogod but Allah and he is one and has no partner and I bear witness that Muhammad is his servant and messenger'
Rak'ah
A completesequence of prayer, involving the recitation of phrases along with a sequence of eight movements, each with a religioussignificance
Jummah prayer
The congregational prayer offered at mosques during Zuhr (midday) prayer time everyFriday, where the imam delivers a sermon called a khutbah
Joining together at Jummah prayer time helps the Muslim community to be cohesive as a sense of unity is developed, and provides a time for the community to discuss any issues and resolve any problems
Shi'a prayer
Shi'a Muslims pray five times a day but they are allowed to join together the midday (Zuhr) and afternoon (Asr) prayers, and the evening (Maghrib) and night-time (Isha) prayers
Shi'a prayer
Shi'a Muslims prostrate, or go face down, on things which are counted as part of the earth, such as a piece of wood or a slab made of clay from Kerbala
Shi'as believe the ground is considered a pure material and fulfils the need for the place of prayer to be clean
Shi'a Muslims believe that in prostrating to Allah it is wrong to do so on something man-made and artificial
Sunni Muslims may be concerned at the specific use of clay from Kerbala as it seems to suggest a certain level of holiness to that city, even more so than Mecca
Du'aprayer
Private prayer, the word du'a simply means 'asking'
Du'a prayers
Muslims bring their special concerns to Allah
May include thanksgiving, asking for forgiveness, or requests for help
Seeking Allah's guidance as commanded
Showing faith in Allah's closeness and immediacy
Saying du'aprayers
1. Can be in ownlanguage
2. Can be after finishing salah
3. Can recite other Arabic prayers
4. Can be said at any time of day
5. May include use of prayerbeads
Prayer beads have 33 or 99 beads, used to recite the 99names of Allah or repeat phrases that glorify Allah
Some Muslims do not agree with the use of prayerbeads because the prophet Muhammad did not use them
Some Muslims will use their fingers to count recitations during their personal prayers instead of using prayer beads
Zakah
Obligatory almsgiving (charitydonation) in Islam, means 'purification'
Zakah
Purifies a person's heart of greed
Paid on net worth above a certain amount (nisab)
Paid on range of possessions, not just monetary savings
Amount varies, often 2.5% of earnings above nisab
Each Muslim individually accountable for correct amount
Collecting zakah
1. In Muslim countries, collected by government like a tax
2. In other countries, collected at localmosques
3. Money distributed to help needy in Muslimcommunity and for religious purposes
Zakah is not considered charity giving, but the sharing of wealth given by Allah that all Muslims have a right to
Sadaqah
Voluntary donations in addition to zakah, no limits or guidelines
Allah is aware of what is done (Surah 2:215)
Khums
Islamic tax on 20% of a person's excess earnings, paid by Shi'a Muslims
Paying khums
1. Paid once every year
2. Given to the religious scholar a person follows
3. Money goes to help the poor and support Islamic organisations
Originally collected by the prophet Muhammad, but Sunni Muslims ceased to pay it after his death while Shi'a Muslims continued
Shi'a Muslims believe anyone who keeps money they should have paid as khums has money that is haram
Nisab
Minimum net worth required to pay zakah
Fasting (sawm) in Ramadan
1. Commemorates Muhammad's first revelation of the Qur'an
2. Muslims go without food and drink during daylight hours for the whole month
3. Sick,travelling, pregnant, and menstruatingwomen are exempt
Last 10 days of Ramadan
Especially important, believed to be when Night of Power occurred
Some Muslims take these 10 days off work to focus on worship
Practice of Muhammad to spend these days at mosque studying Qur'an and praying
End of Ramadan
1. New moon of Shawwal brings end to sawm
2. Marked by celebration of Id-Ul-Fitr, 'Festival of Fast Breaking'