THE SAKUYE COMMUNITY OF DABEL AND THEIR POSSESSION CULT

In its mainstream varieties, Islam, or Sunni Islam at least, presents itself as a religion which does not strive for any unusual states of consciousness, one eminently practicable for those with no more than average religious gifts. Its practice consists in the fulfilment of five central duties: the most important one is the ritual prayer (salaat), which must be performed five times a day, and is characterized by set sequences of movements and synchronized text elements. In carrying out these prayers, correct performance is all-important. Directly afterwards or at other times, one may also address freely-formulated prayers to God, but this is not actually required of the faithful. Fervour is not essential. Another central duty, reciting the creed (shahaada), is absolved upon entering the Islamic faith, and since it is repeated several times a day in the call to prayer and the ritual prayers, demands no particular effort either. The remaining duties are conditional ones. The pilgrimage, the hajj, need only be made if one has the material means for it, and the poor tax (zakat) is similarly dependent on one's income. Fasting only takes place during a specific month and only if one is physically fit enough and various other conditions are given.