Islam practises (bitesize)

• Five Pillars of Islam

  Five compulsory duties that all Muslims must try to carry out
• The Five Pillars of Islam


  • Shahadah
  • Salah
  • Zakah
  • Sawm
  • Hajj
• Shahadah


  The Muslim declaration of faith, repeated multiple times during the day
• Salah


  Compulsory prayer, five times a day for eligible Muslims
• Zakah


  Charitable giving, encourages generosity and compassion
• Sawm


  Obligation to fast during Ramadan, teaches self-discipline and brings Muslims closer to Allah
• Hajj


  Pilgrimage to Makkah, compulsory at least once in a lifetime for fit and healthy Muslims who can afford it
• Ten Obligatory Acts (for Shi'a Muslims)


  • Salah
  • Zakah
  • Sawm
  • Hajj
  • Jihad
  • Khums
  • Amr-bil Maruf
  • Nahi Anil Munkar
  • Tawallah
  • Tabarra
• Jihad


  The struggle to keep belief in Allah and follow his rules, defend Islam
• Khums


  20 per cent annual tax paid by Shi'a Muslims on any profit earned
• Amr-bil Maruf


  Encouraging people to do what is good, approved in Shari'ah law
• Nahi Anil Munkar


  Forbidding evil by discouraging people from doing what is wrong
• Tawallah


  Showing love for God and those who follow him
• Tabarra


  Disassociation from God's enemies
• Qur'an 9:71: 'Enjoy what is right and forbid what is wrong'
• Shi'a Muslims pay a 20 per cent annual tax called Khums
• Shahadah


  Declaration of faith or key statement of belief of Muslims
• For Sunni Muslims the Shahadah is: "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah."
• Shi'a Muslims add an extra phrase to the Shahadah: "And Ali is the friend of God."
• The Shahadah is usually said a few times each day, at birth as the first words a baby hears, and Muslims aim for these to be the last words they say before death
• The Shahadah forms the foundation of the other four pillars
• A non-Muslim can convert to Islam by saying the Shahadah and meaning it sincerely
• Salah


  The five daily prayers, which can be done anywhere
• Times of the five daily prayers

  • Fajr - just before sunrise
  • Zuhr - just after midday
  • Asr - late afternoon
  • Maghrib - just after sunset
  • Isha - between sunset and midnight
• Rak'ah


  A unit of bodily actions and recitations from the Qur'an said during prayer. Each prayer consists of various numbers of rak'ahs.
• Surah


  Division of the Qur'an (114 in total)
• Prostration


  Kneeling with forehead, hands, knees and feet touching the floor
• Salah


  • Encourages self-discipline and keeps Muslims in close contact with Allah
  • A sign of solidarity with all other Muslims and shows that everyone is equal in their worship of God
• Wudu


  Ritual washing before salah (prayer)
• Makkah (Mecca)


  City in Saudi Arabia. Birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad
• Mihrab


  Niche in the wall of a mosque at the point nearest to Makkah that the congregation faces to pray
• Niyyah


  The statement of intention made by Muslims beginning compulsory prayer
• Sunni Muslims only combine the five daily prayers if they have a good reason to, for example if they are travelling
• Shi'a Muslims have more freedom to combine certain prayers, such as the midday and afternoon prayers, and may only pray three times a day
• Shi'a Muslims often use natural elements when praying, such as placing a piece of clay at the spot where their head will rest
• Jummah


  Communal prayers held on a Friday just after noon at a mosque
• Imam


  A Muslim religious figure who leads the communal prayer and is also a leader in the local community and mosque
• Men are obliged to go to Jummah unless they are ill or too old to attend, while women do not have to go and may choose to pray at home
• Shahadah


  The declaration of faith in the oneness of God and the acceptance of Muhammad as God's prophet
• Sunni Muslims follow the Five Pillars as the core duties of Islam