The Five Pillars, the Ten Obligatory Acts and the Shahadah

The Five Pillars

The Five Pillars are central to Muslims

practices. They have a big impact on the
day to day life of a Muslim. Muslims

The Five Pillars

believe that the pillars support the main
principles and beliefs of Islam, just as
pillars are used to support a building.
They can be seen as the key to living a
perfect Muslim life.

They help to give Muslims an identity as

one community who share faith, and
enable them to show their obedience an
dedication to God.

The Ten Obligatory Acts

Shahadah in Shi’a Islam
Act Definition
1. Salah Prayer
In Shi’a Islam, Muslim’s
2. Sawm Fasting add an extra phrase to the
Shahadah:
3. Zakah Charitable giving

a 20% tax on income once all expenses are deducted. ‘and Ali is the friend of
4. Khums Half goes to charity and half goes to Shi’a religious God’.
leaders
5. Hajj Pilgrimage This demonstrates their
belief that Ali,
6.Jihad The struggle to maintain the faith and defend Islam
Muhammad’s cousin and
7. Amr-bil- son-in-law, was the true
Encouraging people to do what is good
Maruf successor of Muhammad,
8. Nahi Anil and that only he and his
Discouraging people from doing what is wrong
Munkar descendants know the true
meaning of the revelation
To be loving towards the friends of God, including
9. Tawakkah given to Muhammad.
Muhammad and the Imams
10. Tabarra Disassociating from the enemies of God

Shahadah It is said when a baby is born, so

the first thing that they hear is
The basic belief in Islam is expressed in this basic belief of the faith they
are born into.
the Shahadah. In Arabic it is:

‘La ilaha illa Allah wa, It is also included in

the daily prayers
Muhammad rasul Allah’
‘There is no God but Allah and Muhammad
is the Prophet of Allah’
If possible, it becomes the
Reciting this statement in front of Muslim witnesses is last words of a Muslim before
the only requirement for joining the Muslim community. they die.
 The Five Pillars, the Ten Obligatory Acts and the Shahadah

The Five Pillars The Ten Obligatory Acts Explanation

What is Shahadah?

Explain why Shahadah it is important Quotes:

in Islam

Exam Questions:
Explain two ways in which the belief in Ten Obligatory Acts influences Muslims today. (4 marks)
In your answer you must refer to one or more religious traditions.
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Explain two reasons why Shahadah is important to Muslims.

(5 marks)
Refer to sacred writings or another source of religious belief and teaching in your answer.
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 Salah

The times of prayer

To follow the second

pillar of Islam (salah),
Sunni Muslims are
required to pray 5 times
a day. The prayers take
place at set times, and
they are worked out
from the times of
sunrise to sunset. This
means that they will
change slightly each day.

Shi’a Muslims combine the midday and

afternoon prayers, and the sunset and the
night prayers, so they pray 3 times a day.

How does Muslims prepare for prayer? It is important that Muslims are spiritually clean
before they pray. This is achieved by ritual washing
(or ablution called wudu.
If water is not available, for example in the desert, a dry form or washing
Mosques have two special
is allowed using sand or dust. This shows that it is not physical cleanliness
rooms for washing, one for
that is require but spiritual cleanliness. Wudu is a form or spiritual
men and one for women. preparation to allow Muslims to focus fully on God in their prayers.

“You who believe, when you are about to pray, wash your faces
and your hands up to the elbows, wipe your heads wash your
feet up to the ankles and, if required was your whole body.”
Qur’an 5:6

The direction of prayer

All mosques have a

When praying, Muslims should face the holy mihrab, this is a semi-
city of Makkah. This means that all Muslims circular niche built into
are physically and mentally focusing on one the qiblah wall. This
place associate with God, in the same way shows the exact
that all Muslims should focus every part of direction or Makkah
their lives to God. If all prayers are taking from the mosque.
place in a mosque, this is easy to achieve. Muslims face this in
order to pray

Prayer inside a mosque Prayers are

led by an
Imam, who is
Many mosques have special carpet that look positioned at
like separate rows or prayer mats, facing the the front of
mihrab. This gives each person a suitable the
space to carry out their prayers properly. congregation.

Men and women pray in separate spaces. The voice of the imam is often broadcast in the women’s prayer
room at the same time, so that he can lead their prayers along with the men’s.
 Prayer - continued
The daily prayers are made up of a number of rak’ah, this is a set sequence of
actions and recitations.

Whilst standing, Muslims

Muslims recite then sit
the first chapter whilst
from the Qur’an reciting
‘God is the
greatest’

While bowing, Muslims say They then kneel with their forehead,
in Arabic ‘Glory be to my Returning upright, they nose, hands, knees and toes touching
Lord who is the very make a recitation the floor. This is called prostration
greatest’ three times. praising God and shows complete obedience to God

Jummah prayer

The midday prayer every Friday is considered All male Muslims are
to be special, and it is called the Jummah expected to attend a
prayer. Once the prayer is complete, the mosque for this prayer,
imam will deliver a sermon that reminds and woman may do so if
Muslims of their obligations and duties to God. they wish.

Although Friday is not a day of rest, Muslims must leave their work or close their business in order to
attend Jummah prayer, and then return to work afterwards.

Prayer at home
Muslims women can
Muslims are allowed to pray at home.
often find it useful
They must perform wudu before
to pray at home,
prayer but they do not need a special
especially if they
room in their house to pray.
have children to
Muslims will use a prayer mat, which
look after.
they position so it is facing Makkah, in
the same way as it would in a mosque.

The significance of prayer

Prayer also unites Muslims worldwide because they all pray in

the same way. A Muslim can go into any mosque anywhere in
the world and be able to participate with fellow Muslims. In
addition, reciting from the Qur’an during the prayers reminds
Muslims of its importance. The actions of bowing and
prostrating remind them that God is greater and more
important than they are.

Prayer has its own importance as one of the Five Pillars. However, for Muslims it is more than that, it is
what God has commanded them to do. Prayer creates a greater awareness of God, which in turn
motivates them to do God’s will.
 Salah
The times of prayer
Key differences between Shi’a and Sunni
Muslims in prayer

Prayer inside a mosque

Preparing for prayer The direction of prayer

What should
Muslims do?

How is this
achieved?

Why is it
important?

Exam Questions:
Explain two ways in which a belief in the importance of prayer influences Muslims today.(4 marks)
In your answer you must refer to one or more religious traditions.
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Explain two Muslims beliefs about the importance of preparing for prayer. (5 marks)
Refer to sacred writings or another source of religious belief and teaching in your answer.
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 Salah

‘Salah is the more important pillar of Islam.’

Evaluate this statement. In your answer you:
• Refer to Muslim teaching
• should give reasoned arguments in support of this statement
• should give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view
• should reach a justified conclusion. [12 marks]

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