Download File - Religious Education 4 U

The Five Pillars of Islam
How are Muslims expected to follow
God’s will?
What is the significance of the Five
Pillars of Islam?
‘Islam is based on Five
Principles’
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (May Allah be pleased with him):
Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said:
‘Islam is based on five pillars: To testify
that none has the right to be
worshipped except Allah and that
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah
(shahada); to pray (salat); to pay the
alms-tax (zakat); to perform the
Pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj); to fast
during the month of Ramadan (sawm)’
‘Islam is based on Five
Principles’
The Five Pillars are:
1. The
Attestation
of
Faith
(Shahadah)
2. The Ritual Prayer (Salat)
3. The Poor-due (Zakat)
4. The Fast of Ramadan (Saum)
5. The Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)
• The test whether or not a person
believes in God and His Prophet lies in
their behaviour.
• "And those who do not make their
decisions in accordance with that
revealed by Allah, they are the
disbelievers." (5/44).
• Those who believe and follow God's
law will be rewarded on the Day of
Judgement.
• What does following God's law entail?
Shahadah
• The first pillar of Islam is the
declaration that there is no God but
God and that Muhammad is His
prophet.
• "Tawhid", the oneness of God is
absolutely central to Islam.
• Tawhid also means that all life is a
unity, there is no separation between
worldly and spiritual matters.
• Worship is a part of a person's
everyday life and each individual can
achieve perfection in this life.
• Muslims believe that man's original
nature is good. Qur'an 95/4-5 says:
"We moulded man into a most
noble image and in the end We
shall reduce him to the lowest of
the low: except for the believers
who do good works, for theirs shall
be a boundless recompense."
• So if a person consciously realises
God's Oneness and submits to His
laws he or she retains or regains that
original perfection.
Salah
• It is a spiritual exercise by which a
person approaches God. Before
prayer one must purify themselves
physically by ablution and spiritually by
dismissing all evil thoughts.
• Spiritual
• Physical
Five times a day
• Salah is compulsory prayers five times a
day
• Fajr – between dawn and sunrise
• Zuhr – after mid day
• ‘Asr – between late afternoon and sunset
• Maghrib - between sunset and the end of
daylight
• ‘Isha’ – night until dawn
What is the point of Salah?
• The performance of prayer helps to
develop a person's obedience to God,
brings order to life and strengthens the
will.
• Kneeling and prostration represent
submission and humility before God.
• Prayer in congregation, especially the
Friday prayer helps to promote social
and spiritual links among Muslims.
Salah
• Muslims can pray to Allah anywhere but the
command is to pray five times a day. Some times
prayer may take place inside the mosque and
sometimes at home or a workplace
• The essentials are that at the set times Muslims
should face the Kab’ah in Makka and pray in a
clean place.
• They need a means of telling the time, especially if
they are in a non Muslim country where there may
be no call to prayer, and they need to no the
direction of Makka
Salah
• The prayer times were arranged originally
so as to avoid any idea that Muslims were
worshipping the sun or sunrise, noon or
sunset
• They are worshipping the creator of the sun
Allah:
• “O Children of Adam! Wear your beautiful
apparel at every time and place of prayer:
eat and drink: But waste not by excess, for
Allah loveth not the wasters” (Surah 7:31)
Wudu
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaK
b2zX1QBs
Wudu
• Muslims must prepare themselves with a ritual
sequence called wudu 0 meaning ‘to wash’
– The person says, ‘In the name of Allah, the
Compassionate, the Merciful’
– The hands are washed
– The mouth is rinsed three times
– Water is sniffed into the nostrils then blown out. This is
repeated three times
– The face is washed three times using both hands
– The right arm and then the left is washed three times
– The hair, neck and ears are wiped over with wet hands
– The right foot and then the left is washed to the ankle
– Finally the person makes the declaration of faith, ‘I bear
witness that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is
the Messenger of Allah’
• This is an outward cleansing which
symbolises the purity of the heart and soul.
In the desert, travellers may use sand for
ablutions if water is not available.
• After sexual intercourse a full bath – ghusl
– is needed before prayer
• Muslims cover their heads before praying.
Men wear a small cap called a topi and
women wear a burka, which is a shawl.
• The direction of the ka’bah in Makka is
shown by the mihrab in the qiblah
wall in the mosque
• If Muslims are unable to say their
prayers at the correct time for a valid
reason, they can say a number of
prayers together at the next set time.
• Salah is fard (obligatory)
• Muhammad said “ If one of you had a
river right by his door and he bathed in
it five times a day, do you think that
there would be any dirt left on him?
They said ‘Not a trace’. He said, ‘ That
is how it is with the five prayers; by
means if them God washes away sins
What does the Qur’an say
So (give) glory to Allah, when ye reach eventide
and when ye rise in the morning;
Yea, to Him be praise, in the heavens and on earth;
and in the late afternoon and when the day begins
to decline
(Surah 30: 17-18)
So woe to the worshippers
Who are neglectful of their prayers
(Surah 107: 4-5)
• Therefore be patient with what they
say, and celebrate (constantly) the
praises of they Lord, before the rising
of the sun and before its setting; yea,
celebrate them for part of hours of
night, and at the sides of the day; that
thou mayest have (spiritual) joy.
(Surah 20:130)
• The Qur’an also requires that prayer
should be done with the right intention
and should also be accompanied by
good deeds:
“Those who (want but) to be seen (of men)
But refuse (to supply) (even) neighbourly needs
( Surah 107: 6-7)
Ra’kah
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgN
hvnoujW0
Ra’kah
• Salah consist of an introduction and two, three or
four cycles movements according to the time of the
day:
• Fajr 2
• Zuhr 4
• ‘Asr 4
• Maghrib 3
• ‘Isha’ 4
• Each cycle a ra’kah and is made up of a routine
involving reciting whilst standing (qiyam), bowing
(ruku) or prostrating (sajda)
Essay Plan
• Brainstorm the following exam
question:
• Explain the important features of the
way Muslims perform Salah
• “Performing Salah is the most difficult
part of being a Muslim” Discuss