Editing Ismailism (section)

==Acts of worship==
===Approach to the traditional five pillars of Islam===
{{Main|Five pillars of Islam}} Isma'ilism has some difference. The Nizari Ismaili Muslims are strongly encouraged to pray what is known as the ''Du'a'' (a specific Nizari Ismaili prayer) three times a day. ''[[Salah]]'' in other forms are not obligatory, but Ismailis can offer them as well.<ref name=":0" />

''[[Zakat]]'' or charity in Isma'ilism resembles the Zakat of other Muslims. Along with zakat, Isma'ilis pay a tithe, a percentage of their asset to the Ismaili Imamate for use in development projects in the eastern world, to benefit Isma'ilis and have grown beyond that mission to encompass projects in areas where there are many faiths and ethnicities and where Ismailis do not live. The zakat rates historically differed depending on the asset type: 2.5% of animals, 5% of minerals, and 10% of crops. Among [[Khoja]] Ismailis, the zakat is 12.5% of cash income and among other Ismailis of Iran, Syria, Central Asia, and China, the zakat is 10% of cash income and other %s of non-cash assets like crops and livestock.{{cn|date=May 2022}}

In terms of fasting (''[[sawm]]'') during [[Ramadan]] and at other times, the Nizari and Musta'ali sects believe in a metaphorical instead of literal meaning of fasting. The literal meaning is that one must fast as an obligation, such as during Ramadan, and the metaphorical meaning is seeking to attain the Divine Truth and striving to avoid worldly activities which may detract from this goal. In particular, Isma'ilis believe that the esoteric meaning of fasting involves a "fasting of the soul", whereby they attempt to purify the soul simply by avoiding sinful acts and doing good deeds. In addition, the Nizari also fast on "Shukravari Beej" which falls on a Friday that coincides with the [[New Moon]].{{cn|date=May 2022}}

Many Ismaili sects do not ascribe to mainstream Islamic beliefs regarding the [[Hajj]], considering it instead to metaphorically mean visiting the Imam himself, that being the greatest and most spiritual of all pilgrimages. Since the Druze do not follow shariah, they do not believe in a literal pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Mecca as other Muslims do, while the Mustaali (Bohras) still hold on to the literal meaning as well, performing hajj to the Ka'aba and also visiting the Imam (or in a secluded time, the Dai, who is the representative or vicegerent of the Imam) to be Hajj-e Haqiqi.<ref name="Ismaʻilism" />

===Additional Isma'ili pillars===

Beyond the traditional five pillars of worship in Islam, Isma'ilis observe an additional two pillars, the first being ''taharah'', which translates from Arabic as "purity." Similar to the more general concept of [[ritual purity in Islam]], ''taharah'' denotes a pure soul and includes bodily purity and cleanliness; without ''taharah'' of the body, clothes, and ''ma'salla'', prayers are not believed to be accepted.{{cn|date=May 2022}}

For the Isma'ilis, [[jihad]] is the last of the Seven Islamic Pillars, and for them it means a struggle against one's own soul; striving toward righteousness.

===Walayah===

Another central act of worship for Ismailis is ''[[walayah]]'', which translates from Arabic as "guardianship" and denotes "Love and devotion for God, the Prophets, the Aimmat and Imām uz Zaman, and Dai." It also denotes ''Ta'at'' (following every order without protest, but with one's soul's happiness, knowing that nothing is more important than a command from God and that the command of His vicegerents is His Word). In Ismāʿīlī doctrine, God is the true desire of every soul, and he manifests himself in the forms of Prophets and Imāms; to be guided to his path, one requires a messenger or a guide: a Dai. For the true ''mawali'' of the Imam and Dai, heaven is made obligatory. And only with this crucial ''walayat'', they believe, will all the other pillars and acts ordained by Islam be judged or even looked at by God.{{cn|date=May 2022}}