The prophet’s sunnah establishes that prayer, or salat, be performed five times daily. The times are; daybreak, noon, mid-day, sunset and evening. Prayer is preceded by ablutions, or the cleansing of the body, mind, and spirit, in order to prepare for divine worship. The prayer begins with the declaration “God is most great” and consists of bows, prostrations, and recitation of Koranic verse, all while facing in the direction of Mecca. The prayer is followed by the recitation of the peace greeting,” peace be upon all of you and the mercy and blessings of god”.
Friday is the holy day in Islam, and noon prayers should be practiced at the Mosque, where they are led by the imam, who also provides a sermon based on a Koranic verse. Only men are required to attend the congregational prayer, women may attend, but are segregated, on the grounds of modesty, to a side room, or the back of the mosque.
Prayer is another early facet in the method of worship devised by the Prophet. This pillar compares to the tithing of Christianity and Judaism, yet it addresses directly the social responsibility of Muslims to provide for the care and wellbeing of the poor, widows, orphans, and debtors, as well as the spread of …show more content…
The hajj is required of all Muslims that are physically and financially capable at least once in their lifetime. It is the mandated pilgrimage to Mecca, and is performed in the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijja. Rituals included in the Hajj are; circling the Ka’ba, (thought to be constructed by Abraham and Isma’il, and cleansed of tribal idols by the prophet upon his return to Mecca), Stoning of the devil at the pillars, and atonement for sins on the plain of Arafat (thought to be the site of the Prophet 's last sermon). The Hajj is another mandate that both unifies Muslims, and differentiates Islam from the other “People of the book”; the practice had to initially be a concession to the Meccan merchants who feared losing the economic impact of the various pagan pilgrimages. It Is by far the most visible reflection of the communal and “oneness” of the Muslim