Salah and Sawm (1RA0)

Prayer and fasting

Two practices shape the rhythm of a Muslim life. Salah is ritual prayer, performed five times every day. Sawm is fasting during the month of Ramadan. Both are among the Five Pillars kept by Sunni Muslims and the Ten Obligatory Acts kept by Shi'a Muslims. This module explores how each is carried out and why it matters.

The language of practice

Four ideas run through the topic:

Which way to pray?

When performing Salah, in which direction does a Muslim face?

• Towards the Ka'bah in Makkah, the direction called the qiblah
• Towards the rising sun each morning
• Towards the nearest mosque building
• Towards Jerusalem at all times

Wudu and Qiblah terms

Salah and Christian worship

Salah can be compared with worship in Christianity. Both set aside regular, structured time for God, yet they differ in rhythm and form.

True of Salah?

Select the TWO statements that are true about Salah.

• A Muslim performs wudu, a washing, before praying
• Salah is performed five times each day
• Salah may only ever be performed inside a mosque
• Salah is performed only once a year

Fasting in Ramadan

Sawm is fasting during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. From dawn until sunset Muslims abstain from food and drink; they eat a meal before dawn, called Suhur, and break the fast at sunset, called Iftar. The Qur'an teaches that fasting is prescribed for believers, as it was for those before them (Surah 2:183). Not everyone must fast: the ill, the elderly, young children, travellers and pregnant or nursing women are excused. Near the end of the month Muslims mark Laylat al-Qadr, the Night of Power, remembering the first revelation of the Qur'an.

Wudu, Salah and the daily prayers

Before Salah a Muslim performs _____, a ritual washing. Prayer is offered five times a day, facing the _____ in Makkah. During the month of _____, Muslims keep _____, fasting from dawn until sunset. Both practices are among the Five Pillars for Sunni Muslims and the Ten Obligatory _____ for Shi'a Muslims.

The steps of Salah

Put the steps a Muslim follows to perform Salah into a sensible order.

• Perform wudu, the ritual washing
• Face the qiblah, the direction of Makkah
• Make the intention to pray, called niyyah
• Stand and recite from the Qur'an
• Bow and prostrate to complete each rak'ah

A family in Ramadan

Help a Muslim family follow their practices correctly during Ramadan.

• It is time for Salah. What must they do first, before praying?
• The grandmother is elderly and unwell. What does Islam say about her fasting?
• The children ask why this month matters so much. What is the best answer?

Who is excused?

Who is excused from fasting during Ramadan?

• People who are ill, very young, elderly, travelling or pregnant
• Anyone who simply does not feel like fasting
• Only people who live outside a Muslim country
• No one is ever excused from fasting

Salah and Sawm

Tap the TWO statements that are correct about Salah and Sawm.

• Wudu is the washing a Muslim performs before Salah.
• Sawm means praying five times every day.
• During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset.
• The qiblah is the direction away from Makkah.
• Everyone must fast, with no exceptions at all.

Why Salah matters

Explain the importance of Salah for Muslims, referring to how it is performed and comparing it with worship in another religion such as Christianity.

• Describe how Salah is performed, including wudu and the qiblah
• Explain why regular prayer is important to a Muslim's faith
• Note that Salah is kept by both Sunni and Shi'a Muslims
• Compare Salah with worship in Christianity, such as a Sunday church service