Lifelong Learning Programme

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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Ceremonies

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Description and comparative analysis of the ceremonies of different religions and confessions

Cerimonies

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5.1. Introduction
In Islam, like any other faiths ceremonies (or rituals) take an important place in the daily life of the believers. There are five important features in Islam that are called the five Pillars of Islam. They are:

  • Declaration of faith: “There is non worthy of worship except Allah, Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah.
  • Salat: Five daily prayers on defined times of the day.
  • Zakat: Contribution a certain percentage of one’s wealth to the poor.
  • Fasting during the month of Ramadan.
  • Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca that must be made at least once in a lifetime base don the economical and health conditions).

Being one of the elements of the Five Pillars, daily praying forms an inevitable part of the practicing Muslims. But in secular countries like Turkey, even majority of the population defines themselves as Muslim, surveys show that relatively small portion of the population sticks to regular daily praying. On the other hand a larger portion of the population attends Friday Prayer and morning prayers of the two important feasts.

There are important days observed by the Muslims around the year of among which we can name Laylat al-Qadr (Kadir Gecesi) or (Lailat al-Miraj, Ascension, Miraç). On Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Decree) is commemorated as the night when the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the prophet Muhammad. Lailat al-Miraj is the night when prophet Muhammad traveled to Jerusalem and then ascended to heaven.

Pilgrimage has always been important in various faiths but pilgrimage to Mecca for the Muslims, at least once in a life time, means fulfillment of the duties on earth and compared to the other elements of the Five Pillars, it has been the most difficult one from various points of view such as finance, health, logistics etc.
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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.