_Worship and Ritual._--The acts of worship required by Islam are five in number: (i) the recital of the creed; (ii.) observance of the five daily prayers; (iii) the fast in the month of Ramadhan; (iv) giving of the legal alms; (v) the pilgrimage to Mecca. Creed. i. The creed is belief--"la ilaha illa-llahu, Muhammad rasul allahi," "there is no god but God (Allah), Mahomet is the apostle of God." It is required that this shall be recited at least once in a lifetime aloud, correctly, with full understanding of its meaning and with heartfelt belief in its truth. It is to be professed without hesitation at any time until death. Prayer. ii. Every man who professes Islam is required in ordinary life to pray five times in each day. In the Koran these prayers are commanded, though four only are mentioned. "Wherefore glorify God, when the evening overtaketh you, and when ye rise in the morning, and unto Him be praise in Heaven and earth; and in the evening and when ye rest at noon" (xxx. 16-17), but commentators say the "evening" includes the sunset and after sunset. The five times therefore are: (1) Dawn or just before sunrise, (2) just after noon, (3) before sunset, (4) just after sunset, and (5) just after the day has closed. Tradition decides within what limits the recitals may be delayed without impairing their validity. Prayer is preceded by the lesser ablution (_wadu_) consisting in the washing of face, hands (to the elbows) and feet in prescribed manner. Complete washing of the body (_ghusl_) is required only after legal pollution. In prayer the worshipper faces the _qibla_ (direction of prayer), which was at first Jerusalem, but was changed by the Prophet to Mecca. In a mosque the _qibla_ is indicated by a niche (_mihrab_) in one of the walls. The prayers consist of prescribed ejaculations, petitions, and the recital of parts of the Koran, always including the first _sura_, accompanied by prostrations of the body. Detailed physical positions are prescribed for each part of the worship; these vary slightly in the four orthodox schools (see below). On a journey, in time of war or in other special circumstances, the set form of prayers may be modified in accordance with appointed rules. Besides these private prayers, there is the prayer of the assembly, which is observed on a Friday (_yaum ul-jam'a_, "the day of assembly") in a mosque, and is usually accompanied by an address or declamation (_khutba_) delivered from a step of the pulpit (_minbar_). Special prayers are also prescribed for certain occasions, as on the eclipse of the sun or the moon, &c. Among the Sufis special attention is given to informal prayer, consisting chiefly in the continual repetition of the name of God (_dhikr_) (see SUFI'ISM). This is still a characteristic of some of the dervish (q.v.) communities. Fasting.