Five Pillars of Islam
The Five Pillars of Islam are the framework of
the Muslim life. They are the testimony of
faith, prayer, giving zakat (support of the
needy), fasting during the month of Ramadan,
and the pilgrimage to Makkah once in a lifetime
for those who are able.
1) TheTestimony of Faith:
The testimony of faith is saying with conviction,
"La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadur rasoolu
Allah."
This saying means:
"There is no true
god (deity) but God (Allah), and
Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of
God."
The first part, "There is no true god but
God," means that none has the right to be
worshipped but God alone, and that God has
neither partner nor son. This testimony of faith
is called the Shahada, a simple formula which
should be said with conviction in order to
convert to Islam. The testimony of faith is the
most important pillar of Islam.
2) Prayer:
Muslims perform five prayers a day. Each
prayer does not take more than a few minutes
to perform. Prayer in Islam is a direct link
between the worshipper and God. There are no
intermediaries between God and the
worshipper.
In prayer, a person feels inner happiness, peace,
and comfort, and that God is pleased with him
or her. The Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) said:
{Bilal, call (the people) to prayer, let us be
comforted by it.} Bilal was one of
Muhammad’s (Pbuh) companions who was
charged to call the people to prayers.
Prayers are performed at dawn, noon, midafternoon, sunset, and night. A Muslim may
pray almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices,
factories, or universities.
(For detailed information on how to perform
prayer, please refer to the Mosque link at How
to Perform Prayer).
3) Giving Zakat (Support of the Needy):
All things belong to God, and wealth is
therefore held by human beings in trust. The
original meaning of the word zakat is both
‘purification’ and ‘growth.’ Giving zakat means
‘giving a specified percentage on certain
properties to certain classes of needy people.’
The percentage which is due on gold, silver,
and cash funds that have reached the amount of
about 85 grams of gold and held in possession
for one lunar year is two and a half percent.
Our pos-sessions are purified by setting aside a
small portion for those in need, and, like the
pruning of plants, this cutting back balances
and encourages new growth.
A person may also give as much as he or she
pleases as voluntary alms or charity.
4) Fasting the
Month of Ramadan:
Every year in the
month of Ramadan,
all Muslims fast from
dawn until sundown,
abstaining from food,
drink, and sexual
relations.
Although the fast is
beneficial to health, it is regarded principally as
a method of spiritual self-purification. By
cutting oneself off from worldly comforts, even
for a short time, a fasting person gains true
sympathy with those who go hungry, as well as
growth in his or her spiritual life.
5)The Pilgrimage to Makkah:
The annual pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah is an
obligation once in a lifetime for those who are
physically and financially able to perform it.
About two million people go to Makkah each
year from every corner of the globe. Although
Makkah is always filled with visitors, the annual
Hajj is performed in the twelfth month of the
Islamic calendar. Male pilgrims wear special
simple clothes which strip away distinctions of
class and culture so that all stand
equal before God.
Pilgrims praying at the Haram mosque in
Makkah. In this mosque is the Kaaba
which Muslims turn toward when praying.
The Kaaba is the place of worship which
God commanded the Prophets Abraham
and his son, Ishmael, to build.
The rites of the Hajj include circling the Kaaba
seven times and going seven times between the
hillocks of Safa and Marwa, as Hagar did
during her search for water. Then the pilgrims
stand together in Arafa and ask God for what
they wish and for His forgiveness, in what is
often thought of as a preview of the Day of
Judgment.
The end of the Hajj is marked by a festival, Eid
Al-Adha, which is celebrated with prayers.
This, and Eid al-Fitr, a feast-day
commemorating the end of Ramadan, are the
two annual festivals of the Muslim calendar.
