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neurologyYou need to know

• The Five Pillars of Sunni Islam are Shahadah, Salah, Zakah, Sawm and Hajj.
• The Shahadah is the Muslim declaration of faith: ‘There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.’
• For Shi’a Muslims, the Shahadah often includes a reference to Ali as the friend of Allah and successor of Muhammad.
• Salah is the practice of formal prayer, performed five times a day by Sunni Muslims and usually three times a day by Shi’a Muslims by combining some prayers.
• Wudu is the ritual washing performed before Salah to show spiritual cleanliness and respect before worshipping Allah.
• Muslims pray facing the Ka’aba in Makkah because it is the holiest site in Islam and symbolises the unity of the ummah.
• Jummah prayer is the Friday congregational prayer, where Muslims gather at the mosque to pray and listen to a sermon.
• Zakah is the compulsory giving of a fixed proportion of wealth, usually 2.5% of savings, to help the poor and purify wealth.
• Khums is a Shi’a practice of giving 20% of surplus income, with part used to support religious leaders and the wider community.
• Sawm is fasting during the month of Ramadan, when Muslims do not eat or drink during daylight hours as an act of obedience, self-discipline and empathy for the poor.
• Ramadan is important because Muslims believe the Qur’an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad during this month.
• Hajj is the pilgrimage to Makkah that every Muslim should try to complete at least once in their lifetime if they are physically and financially able.
• Key rituals of Hajj include entering ihram, circling the Ka’aba, standing at Arafat, throwing stones at the pillars at Mina, and celebrating Eid-ul-Adha.
• The festival of Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan and is celebrated with prayer, charity, family gatherings and shared meals.
• Eid-ul-Adha remembers Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah and is linked to the end of Hajj.
• Greater jihad is the personal spiritual struggle to live a good Muslim life and resist temptation.
• Lesser jihad can refer to the struggle to defend Islam or the Muslim community, but it must follow strict conditions such as being a last resort and protecting innocent people.
• The Ten Obligatory Acts are especially important in Shi’a Islam and include prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, charity, jihad, encouraging good and discouraging evil.
• Ashura is especially important for Shi’a Muslims because it commemorates the martyrdom of Husayn at Karbala.
• Islamic practices are important because they strengthen submission to Allah, build the ummah and shape a Muslim’s daily life.

• Explain the significance of a Muslim practice by linking the action to key beliefs such as Tawhid, prophethood, obedience to Allah or life after death.
• Compare Sunni and Shi’a practices accurately, using examples such as Salah, Shahadah, Khums and the Ten Obligatory Acts.
• Describe the main stages of Hajj in sequence and explain what at least two rituals symbolise for Muslims.
• Use Islamic terms such as Shahadah, Salah, Zakah, Sawm, Hajj, ummah, wudu and jihad accurately in written explanations.
• Analyse how one practice, such as fasting or giving Zakah, affects both the individual Muslim and the wider Muslim community.
• Explain different meanings of jihad, clearly distinguishing between greater jihad and lesser jihad.
• Evaluate the relative importance of Islamic practices by giving supported reasons on more than one side before reaching a justified conclusion.
• Apply teachings from the Qur’an or Hadith to explain why Muslims perform practices such as prayer, fasting, charity or pilgrimage.