| Shahadah:
sincerely reciting the Muslim profession of faith |
This
is the main religious belief of all Muslim people and it is a declaration
of their faith. The English words are;
There is no God but Allah; Muhammad is the messenger of Allah
| Salat:
This is prayer. Muslims pray five times a day and follow a special
ritual to do so. |
Firstly
they wash (wudu). This is a special process...
 Wash
hands up to the wrist three times
Wash
mouth three times
Wash
nostrils, breathing in and out through the nose three times
Wash
arms up to elbows three times
Wipe
head with wet hands, forehead to back, back to forehead
Rub
outside the ears with wet fingers, inside with wet thumbs at the
same time
Wash
feet up to the ankles three times
Raise
one's face to the sky, pointing up with the index finger.
The
water must be pure, if there is no clean water sand may be used.
The
prayers are all said at the same times each day:
Fajr- Morning, between dawn and sunrise
Zuhr
- Mid-day or early afternoon
Asr
- Late afternoon
Maghrib
- Evening, around sunset
Isah
- Night, before going to bed
| Zakat:
paying an alms (or charity) tax to benefit the poor and the
needy |
Each
Muslim gives up a share of his wealth each year to provide for those
less fortunate. The word zakat means to purify or cleanse.
Zakat
does not refer to charitable gifts given out of kindness or generosity,
but to the systematic giving of 2.5% of one's wealth each year to
benefit the poor.
As
the person gives up a share of his or her wealth they become cleansed
from selfishness and greed.
| Sawm:
fasting during the month of Ramadan |
Ramadam
is in the ninth month of the Islam calendar. It is special because
it is when Muhammad (Pbuh) began receiving the messages from God.
For
thirty days Muslims fast, they do not eat or drink during daylight
hours. It starts when the new moon is seen at the start of the month
and ends when the new moon is seen again at the end of the month.
The
fast is to remind them how difficult it is to be poor, hungry and
thirsty in a hot place. It reminds them to thank God for his gift
of the Qur'an. It also serves to make them think about the essentials
and luxuries of life and so not be greedy.
| Hajj:
pilgrimage to Mecca |
All Muslims have a duty to try to make a pilgrimage to the Ka'aba
in Makkah at least once during their lifetime.
Very
often whole families will save to send one person at a time.
|
What are your personal experiences of living with your
faith? 
