Shahada: Confession of Faith

What are the purposes of specific rituals?

Defined as a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order, rituals, specifically   in Islam that take place and they are all connected to each other in some way and serve a specific purpose. 


Tawhid- This is the concept in Islam meaning the "oneness of God" saying that there is one and only one God. There is no God but God and Muhammad is his prophet. It further refers to God that he is a unity, not composed, and no extra parts. He is simple and uncompounded. Tawhid is a very simple, yet important concept to understand. In order to be engaged with Islam, you must be one with God or else there is no purpose to being a follower.
Risalah- "Risalah" means message in the Arabic language. It holds the Islamic message from God that is told through the prophet Muhammad. It is also known as the book written by an Islamic scholar that describes all of the detailed rules of life according to Islam. It is an obligation by Islams to follow this guide.
Hadith- a collection of traditions containing sayings from the prophet Muhammad with accounts of his daily practices called the Sunna. 
Ibadah- The obedience, submission, and devotion to Allah along with the ultimate love for Him. Muslims believe that is the reason of existence for all humanity.
Iman- Denotes an Islamic believer's faith in the Six Pillars of Islam. It is a concept that every Muslim must follow.
Jihad- a struggle within oneself against sin.'
Shirk- Avoiding a duty or responsibility; a serious sin against God.


Rituals, customs and traditions serve the purpose of honoring God (Allah) by fulfilling all duties and responsibilities.  There is value in the rituals. The rituals serve a need within us to have regular, expected responses to pain and suffering. The rituals give us a way to express joy and appreciation. These are very important human needs. Every religion and culture has these features.

How are specific rituals and doctrines linked? 

A doctrine is a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a church, political party, or other group. Doctrines and rituals are very similar in a way that a religion has to follow a specific set of rules in order to achieve an end goal, or salvation. There are three specific groups in Islam that are different in meaning but similar in the terms of being driven by specific doctrines:

Sunni- The orthodox branch of Islam and differs from Shia because of its understanding of the Sunna and its acceptance of the first four Caliphs. It is based on the belief that the Prophet Muhammad died without appointing a successor to lead the Muslim community. 

Shi'a- Rejects the first three Sunni caliphs and regards Ali, the fourth caliph, as Muhammad's first successor. 

Sufi- a member of a Muslim group of people who try to experience God directly by meditating or praying,

Sunni's believe in all four caliphs of Islam however only the Shi'a only believe in one. The Sufi do not follow any of what was proposed as they are mainly an independent sect of  Islam that only pray and meditate to feel closer to God. One important theory to point out is that many Muslim groups believe differently that Muhammad did or did not have a successor when he died. It's all based off the beliefs of specific groups and there is no clear answer as to what is the "truth." 

How are specific rituals linked to a foundational figure? 

In Islam, meditation is one of the main forms of prayer and the practical and simple way to gain closeness with Allah. Interestingly, Islam has three different groups of followers, each which believe something different about Islam. The Sunni branch of Islam believes that Muhammad did not have a successor after his death, but the Shi'a branch believes he did. The Islamic religion is unique because they are all based off of the same rituals, but different beliefs within certain groups. They all have a commonality briding them together; they all believe in one and only God and that is Allah.

To what extent do rituals shape community?

Ummah is the Muslim community which is bound together by the ties of religion. Having these connections and tights bonds are important since Islam is a worldwide community of believers from different ethnic backgrounds, races and cultures. This term brings all Muslims together despite age, sex, color, culture, or ethnicity. Having a worldwide community sharing the same beliefs reflects the oneness of Allah. Ummah also gives strength to individuals. 

How does ritual shape daily life?

Islam has many type of rituals that they all must fulfill to ultimately achieve enlightenment. In Islam, Muslims must pray at least five times a day. The Muslim prayer is a combination of physical actions, verbal sayings, and an internal feeling in the heart. Muslims are required to be in a state of calmness, serenity and humbleness while performing their prayers. Once the prayer is started, a series of sayings and actions are performed. The sayings include reciting parts of the holy Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, as well as other sayings glorifying God and thanking Him for all of His blessings upon us. It also gives Muslims the opportunity to ask God for anything they desire. This could include asking for help in getting a job, passing an exam, having a child, asking God for forgiveness of sins or anything else. Fasting is also a main ritual of Islam where Muslims refrain from having different kinds of food, drink and having sexual intercourse from sunset to dawn. Ramadan is a whole month of practicing this ritual. It is viewed as a way to cleanse the soul of all worldly desires and devout oneself completely to the obedience of God. It is also an opportunity for wealthy Muslims to experience life without food and drink for a day, which is meant to remind them of the poor and encourage them to have sympathy and to be generous in donating to help the poor and the needy. A very important aspect of Islam is giving charity to the poor. Muslims are required to give certain percentages of any type of wealth that they have accumulated.