The Quran sees men and women as religious beings. “I created humankind only that they might worship me,” the Muslim hears God say in the Quran.

Islam understands itself fundamentally as being ‘natur­al religion’, in that every created thing exists in dependence upon God, in obedience to his creative and sustaining power and with the purpose of expressing adoration to God.

The community orientation of Islamic worship is sym­bolized and demonstrated in the ritual of salat, the liturgical form of prayer, which is the duty of all Muslims to observe at fixed hours.

Special alms are given to the poor and gifts to the chil­dren during the religious festival of ‘Id ul-Fitr’ or Bairam which marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. In preparation for Ramadan, the Muslims seek to forgive old grievances against each other. For the whole month, the Muslims abstain from food and drink, during the hours of daylight. The physical discipline means that social behaviour of the whole community has to change for the duration of the month. It is a period when social relationships are reaffirmed, reconciliations encouraged and the solidarity of the community is expressed. The fundamental intention of fasting is thanksgiving. The fast is thought disciplining of the soul to wait patiently upon God who guides and provides. Mosque attendance swells, particularly on the Night of Power (laylatal-qadr) towards the end of the month, when the Muslims commemorate the descent of the Quran from heaven and the beginning of the Muhammad’s ministry.

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Id ul-Fitr is the joyful festival which marks the end of Ramadan. It falls generally during the month of February every year. Grand feasts are arranged in the community and new clothes are purchased on the occasion. Thus it is the greatest festival of the Muslims.

And Id-udjjuhah (Bakrid), another Id Festival, is observed generally during the month of May every year, when the Muslims enjoy gaily the grand feast with beef considered as the main item in the menu and thousands of cows are slaughtered on the occasion. It is more a festival than a religious ritual.