Rituals

How does ritual shape daily life? 

• Discuss how a Muslim lives his or her daily life according to rituals, eg prayer

Salat (ritual prayer):

Muslims perform salat or prayer 5 times a day (dawn (al-fajr), midday (al-zuhr), afternoon (al-'asr), sunset (al-maghrib) and evening (al-'isha)). Prayer is always directed towards Mecca and is called daily throughout major Islamic cities. Because salat occurs 5 times a day, it affects the flow and  rhythm of Islamic life even for non-Muslims living in Islamic cities. 

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/salat.shtml

Sawm (fasting):

Fasting or sawm is done during the Islamic holiday, Ramadan. During this holiday Muslims cannot eat or drink from sun up to sunset. This could potentially affect their ability to perform certain tasks during the day, such as sports etc. It also changes their daily schedule because all cooking and eating has to be done before dawn or after dusk.

Source: http://productivemuslim.com/10-issues-that-can-impact-your-ramadan/


To what extent are rituals affected by social, cultural, and political contexts?

• Discuss sharia as it varies from country to country. 

Sharia is Islamic law, which dictates legal and moral code. "The debate is growing as to whether sharia can coexist with secularism, democracy, or even modernity, an idea that is being tested by several countries in the Middle East in the wake of popular uprisings and civil wars." 

Source:http://www.cfr.org/religion/islam-governing-under-sharia/p8034

How are specific rituals and doctrines linked?

• Discuss the relationship between doctrine and ritual; introduce fitrah, kalimah, sabr, dhikr. 

A doctrine is a belief or set of beliefs set, held, and taught by a church or other group and a ritual is a type of religious ceremony. One specific doctrine that Islam's practice is the idea that there is only one God. They practice idea this through the ritual of prayer. During these prayers, fitrah is addressed and thanked for. Fitrah refers to the essential nature of God's creation. By praying, it teaches to us to remain spiritually steadfast which can be done through practicing the idea that there is only one God and praying to that God. This is the idea of Sabr. Kalimah refers to six standard phrases that the religion of Islam follows. Through the phrases, prayer is key for forgiveness and praise. Dhikr, a form of devotion, is also displayed through the ritual of prayer. 

Source: http://www.angelfire.com/al/islamicpsychology/fitrah/fitrah.html

http://www.questionsaboutislam.com/faith-beliefs-practices/main-practices-rituals-of-islam.php

What are the purposes of specific rituals?

•  Evaluate the spiritual importance that each has for the believer.

In order to become a Muslim and surrender to the existence of God, one must pray everyday to show their dedication to God. This is shown through the ritual of the Salat, or the daily ritual prayer. This is done at specific times and has many intentions (niyya) depending on the person. However, asking for guidance and expressing lamentation are popular. This all applies to the acceptance that their is one true God, Allah, or Tawhid. This allows Muslims to become closer to God, and show their dedication to the religion. Another way to do this is to follow one of the 5 pillars, a pilgrimage to Mecca. This is also called the Hajj, and is usually done during Dhu al- Hijja- from the eighth to twelfth days. This shows their faith in God, or Iman, as well as participation in the Umma or Muslim community. These two rituals are two of the many ways for a Muslim to show his faith and deepen his spiritual participation.

Source: book, Islam, by Zayn R. Kassam.

To what extent does ritual shape communal identity?

• Determine the degree to which the Five Pillars create communal identity

The five pillars of Islam are the testimony of faith (shahada), ritual prayer (salat), payment of alms to charity (zakat), fasting (sawm), and pilgrimage (hajj). These are all executed by every Muslim that has the means to preform them. This helps create a common groundwork of practice for all Muslims all over the world and creates a close bond within the Umma, or Muslim community. For example, in preforming the Hajj, Muslims agglomerate to Mecca all throughout the year, and specifically during the Dhu al-Hijja. This allows the Umma to have a common place where Muslims can meet and solidify their beliefs. Daily practice is often preformed with others as well, and creates many times a day when Muslims kneel side by side and preform this ritual. Paying alms and fasting allows for similar values for all Muslims and the testimony of faith gives everybody a basis for their goals. The five pillars outlines the key elements to a practicing Muslim and
connects each to the other. Within the Umma, they share not only a religion but daily rituals and values as well. The five pillars contribute to the community of Islam to a high degree.