UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

DEPARTMENT FOR THE STUDY OF RELIGIONS

FIRST SEMESTER: 2024 ACADEMIC YEAR
SREL111: INTRODUCTION TO ISLAM

WEEK 10
PILLARS OF ISLAM (Part II)
 TAYAMMUM –DRY ABLUTION

 Lexically, Tayammum means intent, purpose and aim.

 Technically, it refers to wiping the face and the hands with clean soil in a
particular fashion.
Tayammum denotes dry ablution. It is the process of using sand to purify oneself for ritual
purposes
It is used in the absence of pure clean water for purification
This implies that wudu is the rule and Tayammum is the exception
Q4:43 explains the basis for Tayammam
It can be performed using the soil, sand and dust covered pieces of stone, on rock, cement
floors and on objects in direct contact with the earth, especially, grasses
It is observed in the absence of water
The rules of ablution that affect its validity and nullification equally apply to tayammum
Conditions for the performance of Tayammum
Unavailability of water: that is when it is difficult to obtain water
Inadequacy of water : that is where the water available is not sufficient for both domestic
ritual purposes
 Inaccessibility of water: that has to do with the danger around the water source
When water becomes injurious to one’s health
When too much time will be spent in searching for water by which time the time for
prayers would have lapsed
What are the obligatory parts of Tayammum?
The Declaration of the Niyyah (intention)
 Pure Soil
 The first strike on the earth
The rubbing/wiping of the face and hands
 What invalidates Tayammum?

What nullifies ablution (Wudu’ nullifies tayammam

Moving around cancels Tayammum and as such, the worshipper should face
the Qiblah
Again, the worshipper has to perform the Tayammum at the place he or she
wants to observe the Salat
 Talking also nullifies Tayammum
The availability of pure water before commencing the performance of the
prayer makes Tayammum null and void
It is also used for only one fard prayer
 ZAKAT
Zakat is the third pillar of Islam. It is derived from the
Arabic word Zakah which means “to purify”
It implies the purification of the legally acquired wealth of a
Muslim as stated in (Q9:103), “Of their wealth take alms, so
that, thou might purify and sanctify them”
It was instituted in the second year of Hijrah, 18 month after
the Prophet (SAW) arrived in Madina
• Muslims have been commanded to give out a certain percentage
of their wealth to the poor and needy in the society
• It is a duty imposed by Allah and undertaken by Muslims in the
interest of society as a whole. Zakat is therefore compulsory for
every Muslim
• It is intended to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor
which is a form of poverty alleviation measure in Islam
• However, the religious and spiritual significance are deeper
• Again Zakat as a pillar of Islam is different from Sadaqah
Sadaqah
• Sadaqah is a form of charity given voluntarily.
• It is used to solve the immediate problems of individual Muslims in the society
• It is given at any time according to one’s ability and at the individuals own convenience
• It can be offered in the form of clothes, food, and cash
• It could also be a genuine smile, removing a harmful object on a path,
• Thus, Sadaqah is anything that enhances the moral, economic and social
circumstances of a people or a society
• Zakat is a social responsibility and an act of worship observed for the
wellbeing of the society
• A Muslim is to give 2.5 % or in the case of farm produce, 10% if it is up to
the Nisab
• Nisab is the minimum amount of wealth on which zakat is paid and it shows
who qualifies to give Zakat
• Also, the wealth should stay with the Muslim for one year.
• It is paid after a Muslim has met all his or her obligations
 Who Qualify to receive Zakat?

In Q9:60, Allah mentions those who qualify to receive Zakat. They are
1. The poor to relieve of poverty.
2. The needy to provide them with the means so they can earn their livelihood.
3. The new converts to enable them settle down and meet their unusual needs
4. The Muslim prisoners of war, to liberate them by paying the ransom money
5. The Muslim in debt to free them from their liabilities
6. The Muslim employees appointed for the collection of the Zakat to pay their
remunerations
7. The Muslims in service of Allah. Example: research, education, and propagation of
Islam etc. This is to cater for their expenses and assist them to continue their services
8. The Muslim Wayfarer who are stranded in another place
SAWM/SIYAM (FASTING)

• Sawm is the fourth pillar of Islam.

• In Q2:183, Allah sates that “Oh ye who believe!
Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to
those before you so that you would learn self-restraint”
• The above verse shows that fasting was observed by
other faith groups before the advent of Islam
• As a pillar of Islam, it is the complete abstinence from food,
drink and sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk
• Muslims are to sacrifice food, drink and sexual intercourse
for the sake of Allah from dawn to dusk
There are two types of fasting in Islam
• Obligatory fast
• Optional fast
 Fasting in the month of Ramadan

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is the abstinence from food, drink and sexual
intercourse from dawn to dusk for 29 or 30 days
The Qada fast is observed to make up for the number of fasting one postpones
either due to illness, travelling, menstruation or child birth. it should be observed
before the next Ramadan
Who Qualify to Fast?
• Fasting is obligatory upon every Muslim male or female
• A Muslim who is mentally and physically sound
• A Muslim who is of age
• However, there are others who are either permanently or temporarily exempted from
fasting
Temporary Exemptions during Ramadan
 Travelers who are on a journey of about 48-50 miles and beyond to enable
them cope with the hardship in travelling
 Woman in menstruation is not required to observe Salat and Fast. This is
because she is regarded as being in the state of impurity as such can not
perform Salat. She continues with Salat and Fasting after the period is over
and after she has performed ghusl
 Women in post-natal bleeding who discharge blood for a maximum of 40
days after child birth are also in the state of impurity and cannot perform Salat
or fast. After the blood ceases, they are to cleanse themselves and continue
with prayer and fasting
 Pregnant women are also exempted from fasting if it will
harm the unborn child
 Nursing or Lactating mothers are also exempted from
fasting as they need to eat enough to have breast milk to
breast feed their babies
 The above group of Muslims are to make up for the
number of days missed and they observe the Qadaa fast as
indicated in Q2:184
 However, some are permanently exempted and these include
 The old and Feeble. The Muslims who are too old and too weak and may not be able to
abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk for which reason it could have an adverse
effect on their health
 Muslim engaged in technical and hard jobs. These include Muslim labourers who are
engaged in such jobs as mining, hard- labour, imprisonment, long distance professional
drivers, who may not be able to combine fasting with their job
 Additionally, others are permanently exempted on health grounds such that if fasting
will deteriorate their condition, they are not oblige to fast. This is stated in Q2:185
 For example, Muslims who suffer from stomach ulcer are included in this group. Yet,
this group can substitute their fast with the feeding of a needy or poor person for
every day missed. Substituting the fast by feeding a poor or needy in Ramadan is
known as Fidya
 HAJJ –Pilgrimage to House of God
• Hajj is the fifth and the last pillar of Islam
• It is the pilgrimage to Makkah in the Saudi Arabia
• It is an ancient tradition which is traced to Prophet Ibrahim (AS)
(Q22:26-27)
• By the 6th century, pilgrimage around the Kab’bah assumed a
different orientation, shape and form with spirituality focused on
deities and relegated Allah to the background
• It is obligatory at least once in a life time upon every Muslim male
and female
• The pilgrim should be mentally, physically and financially sound
• Hajj is performed within six (6) days from 8th -13th Dhul-Hijjah
• There are three kind of Hajj and they are
• Hajj Ifrad (Single Hajj)
• Hajj Qiran (Dual Hajj)
• Hajj Tammatu’ (Hajj of Enjoyment)
 THE 4 ESSENTIAL HAJJ RITUALS

IHRAM: It is the adornment of the pilgrim’s attire and

should be worn at the designated places
TAWAF: It is the circumambulating round the Ka’bah
seven times
SA’Y: It is the hastening or going to and from between
Safa and Marwah
 WUQUF AL-ARAFAH: It is the standing at the plain
of Arafah which is the most significant ritual in Hajj.
SIGNIFICANCE OF YAUM AL-ARAFAH
It is the day which marks the climax of Hajj and the
Prophet (SAW) is known to have said that “Arafah is
Hajj”.
This is the day of clemency, reverence, and
glorification.
On this day sins are erased for those who ask for
pardon and offer sincere repentance for their past
misdeeds”
 OTHER RITES OF HAJJ

 Encamping at Mina
 Spending the night at Muzdalifah
 Throwing of pebbles
 Slaughtering of Ram
 Shaving the head
 FORBIDDEN ACTS WHEN IN IHRAM

 Cutting one’s hair on any part of the body

 Trimming of finger or toe nails
 Covering of the heading for men and covering the face for
women
 Using Perfume
 Killing of permissible games(animals)
 Getting Married
 Having sexual intercourse or pleasure
HOLY PLACES IN MADINA MUSLIM VISIT
DURING HAJJ

Masjid Nabi, Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) magnificent mosque

 Masjid Qubbah where the Prophet( SAW) observed his first
Friday prayer
 Masjid Qiblatayn where the mosque has two Qiblahs with the
first towards the direction of Jerusalem and the second towards the
Ka’bah in Makkah
 Jannat Al-Baqi where most of the intimates companions of the
Prophet (SAW) were buried