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Assalamu Aleykom brothers and sisters, I was searching for a list of recommended practices of Ramadan. I'm still young so I didn't know what kind of mustahab acts I could do, this is my first serious Ramadan. I did not find such a list though. But I did find an article on wikishia but, for me at least, it was hectic. I prefer a file with all the text and practices within it... so I made one! I took me a lot of time to make it but... alhamdulillah. Almost all was taken from wikishia so you can go there if you prefer that: http://en.wikishia.net/view/Practices_of_Ramadan Please let me know if I made any errors or if you have any suggestions. Feel free to share it, print it whatever! Ramadan mubarak to all, may Allah hear out all your prayers and forgive all of your sins. ~File download~

Hi all, Thank you to those kind people that helped me with my history questions. I would like to ask another, if I may. Can someone please explain, are turbahs exclusively used by the Shia faith and if so why? Thank you for your patience and understanding of what may be a very basic question. ~B

Salaam alaykum everyone! I went to a Shia mosque for the first time recently and I have some questions about something in it. I have no idea what to call it, but there was an area of the mosque with multiple structures. These things each had a green cloth draped over some kind of understructure, and on top was a metal sheet with writing. I can't read Arabic calligraphy well, but I think they may have each had one of the masumeen on them. One woman went by and made some reverential gestures. Another put food in the front of this area and after the service we ate it. So...what is the name of this area with the names of the masumeen? What are the customs in relation to it? During the service I moved to sit with my legs in front of me and I was scolded for it. I didn't want to talk over the service though so I didn't ask. I had been seated facing somewhat towards the area with the names of the masumeen. I heard once for a non-Muslim culture that it was considered rude to point your feet at anyone...is this true for Shia Muslims (i.e., is there a specific rule against it?)? Or is it something that comes from certain cultures? Also when I was there they did a "ziyarah." Now, I've heard of ziyarah before (from many many YouTube lectures....my only window into the Shia community before I was able to visit the mosque), but it was always in relation to physically visiting shrines/graves. And when I try to look it up now I still can't find anything except that ziyarah is physically visiting shrines. What kind of this was this in the mosque? Lastly I'd be happy with any links any of you might have to this kind of general information of customs/practices/culture. Almost all information I find about Shia Islam is either for born-Shias who want advanced information, or young Shias who may not have a strong knowledge basis, but who are expected to at least culturally have absorbed some things. For instance, I only learned after I went to a Shia mosque for the first time on Eid al Adha about Eid al Ghadir. This is apparently one of the most important holidays? But I never once heard mention of it after studying Shia Islam alone since last October, though I had heard huge volumes about the event of Ghadir. I can only assume this lack is because it was thought to be too obvious for mention...that everyone reading would have grown up in an environment where the fact of its existence is unavoidable. So if anyone has any good resources that tells you these kinds of things...culture, practices, etc, I'd be really grateful. The mosque is too far away for me to go regularly to ask these kinds of things. Jazakallah khair in advance.

As-Salaamu Alaykum. Do certain practices amongst the Twelvers have a more cultural aspect to it than religious? For instance, what is the basis of conforming to such practices as organising and participating in processions, matam and zanzir?