1) The Shahada – the declaration of faith
The Shahada is the declaration of faith, testifying that there is no god but Allāh, and that Muhammad ﷺ is His messenger.
In English, it translates to: “I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allāh, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allāh.”
It is recited in Arabic as أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأشهد أن محمدا رسول الله [ash-hadu `allā ilāha illallāh wa ash-hadu anna muħammadan rasūlullāh]
2) Salah – Prayer
The daily ritual prayer that all Muslims perform five times per day. Rather than prayer on a whim, it is a prescribed, structured form of worship at specific times throughout the day:
- Fajr (‘dawn’) – between the first light of the day and sunrise
- Dhuhr (‘noon’) – after the sun has passed the middle of the sky
- Asr (‘afternoon’) – between mid-afternoon and sunset
- Maghrib ([west], ‘sunset’) – between sunset and the last light of the day
- Isha (‘evening’, ‘night’) – between darkness and midnight
The exact timing for these acts of worship are calculated by various bodies and can be found for your location at your local Sunnah mosque or through many of the apps available on iOS and Android.
On Fridays the obligatory congregational worship takes place, known as Jumu’ah. We go to the masjid to worship Allāh together as a community of Muslims, in place of the usual Dhuhr prayers.
3) Zakāt – Charity
Zakāt (‘purification’) is a form of charity given annually at a fixed rate of 2.5%. It purifies one’s heart of greed, and helps bring them closer to Allāh. Altough this money can only be used for specific things, those things are selfless – helping the poor and needy, new Muslims, those in debt, stranded travellers, and for the cause of Allāh. Unlike in the secular world, Zakāt as a form of charity has real-world ‘results’.
4) Sawm – Fasting
During the Holy month of Ramadan, the 9th lunar month, we must fast from food and water from dawn until dusk. During this spiritually beneficial month the Qur’ān may be recited in its entirety, often multiple times, and it provides an important social opportunity for brotherhood/sisterhood in communities – particularly at breaking the fast.
5) Hajj – Pilgrimage
At least once in a person’s lifetime, they must (if they are able) make a pilgrimage to the Sacred House of Allāh in Mecca. The pilgrimage season begins a few months after Ramadan, on the 8th day of the Islamic year of Dhul-Hijjah, and ends on the 13th day.