The Role of the Ahl al-Bayt in Building the Virtuous Community Book Eight: The System of Devotional Acts of the Virtuous Community

Yearly Acts of Worship

The acts of worship that are done once a year occupy a vast arena in the system of devotional acts. They are of three kinds:

Special Days and Nights

Special days and nights are associated with the yearly acts of worship that have come in the form of rituals.

Three Blessed Months

The three blessed months are Rajab, Sha’ban, and Ramadhan. Their basic act of worship is fasting, becoming obligatory in the blessed month of Ramadhan. It is thus highly recommended to fast during the month of Rajab.

Fasting during Sha’ban is also highly recommended because the Holy Prophet (S) used to fast for this whole month.

It is obligatory to fast during Ramadhan according to the conditions mentioned by jurisprudents in their books on the practical laws of Islam. Some conditions necessary are: presence in one’s hometown, enjoyment of sound physical condition, and absence of any obstacles that may prevent fasting, such as old age, etc.

Hajj and the First Ten Days of Dhu’l-Hijjah

This includes devotional acts that deal with the ritual Hajj and the devotional acts practiced on the first ten days of the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah. In addition to its magnificent spiritual, political, social, and economic aspects, the unique and distinctive worship of Hajj, in its content and practice, combines all the other acts of worship (the ritual prayer, almsgiving, fasting, and self-purification).

We will discuss the last two with brief explanations, having already discussed specific days and nights.