Religious Rites in Islam; Conceptology, Characteristics and Functions

As God Almighty encourages the pious to affirm their decision and strengthen their belief, He also encourages them to behave and act according to it in order to express and reinforce their beliefs. These may be private acts and show the relation between God and man, and they may be public actions, which aronse the feelings of the pious. These actions which are referred to as “religious rites”, have a considerable part in Islam and play an important role in Muslims’ individual and social life. Using a theoretical-analytical approach, this research seeks to investigate Islamic rites and their characteristics and functions, and show that they are outward and clear is performing of signs which goes with the divine will, so that the believers may remember God and they may be a means of recognizing the religious identity of the faithful and a sign of their adherence to Divine commandments. In brief, six characteristics can be derived from this definition. they are; narrating, announcement, status, partnership, ascription and distinction.