Five Pillars of
Islam
In the name of Allāh,
the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;
All the praise and
Thanks are due to Allāh, the Lord of al-‘ālamīn. I testify that there is none
worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam
is His Messenger.
Description: A look at some of the essential practices of Islam,
with a brief explanation of who are Muslims.
There
are five simple but essential observances that all practicing Muslims accept
and follow. These “Five Pillars of Islam” represent the core that unites all
Muslims.
A
Muslim is one who testifies that “none deserves worship but God, and Muhammad
is the messenger of God.” This declaration is known as the “shahadah” (witness,
testimony). God is the Arabic name for God, just as Yahweh is the Hebrew name
for God. By making this simple proclamation one becomes a Muslim. The
proclamation affirms Islam’s absolute belief in the oneness of God, His
exclusive right to be worshipped, as well as the doctrine that associating
anything else with God is the one unforgivable sin as we read in the Koran:
“God does not forgive anyone for associating something with Him,
while He does forgive whomever He wishes to for anything else. Anyone who gives
God partners has invented an awful sin.” (Quran 4:48)
The
second part of the testimony of faith states that Muhammad, may God praise him,
is a prophet of God like Abraham, Moses and Jesus before him. Muhammad brought
the last and final revelation. In accepting Muhammad as the “seal of the
prophets,” Muslims believe that his prophecy confirms and fulfills all of the
revealed messages, beginning with Adam’s. In addition, Muhammad serves as the
role model through his exemplary life. A believer’s effort to follow Muhammad’s
example reflects the emphasis of Islam on practice and action.
Muslims
worship five times a day: at daybreak, noon, mid afternoon, sunset, and
evening. It helps keep believers mindful of God in the stress of work and
family. It resets the spiritual focus, reaffirms total dependence on God, and
puts worldly concerns within the perspective of the last judgment and the
afterlife. The prayers consist of standing, bowing, kneeling, putting the
forehead on the ground, and sitting. The Prayer is a means in which a
relationship between God and His creation is maintained. It includes
recitations from the Quran, praises of God, prayers for forgiveness and other
various supplications. The prayer is an expression of submission, humility, and
adoration of God. Prayers can be offered in any clean place, alone or together,
in a mosque or at home, at work or on the road, indoors or out. It is
preferable to pray with others as one body united in the worship of God,
demonstrating discipline, brotherhood, equality, and solidarity. As they
prepare to pray, Muslims face Mecca, the holy city centered on the Kaaba - the
house of God built by Abraham and his son Ishmael.
In
Islam, the true owner of everything is God, not man. People are given wealth as
a trust from God. Zakah is worship and thanksgiving to God by supporting the
poor, and through it one’s wealth is purified... It requires an annual
contribution of 2.5 percent of an individual’s wealth and assets. Therefore,
Zakah is not mere “charity”; it is an obligation on those who have received
their wealth from God to meet the needs of less fortunate members of the
community. Zakah is used to support the poor, orphans, and widows, help those
in debt, and, in olden times, to free slaves.
Ramadhan
is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar which is spent in fasting.
Healthy Muslims abstain from dawn to sunset from food, drink, and sexual
activity. Fasting develops spirituality, dependence upon God, and brings
identification with the less fortunate. A special evening prayer is also held
mosques in which recitations of the Quran are heard. Families rise before
sunrise to take their first meal of the day to sustain them till sunset. The
month of Ramadhan ends with one of the two major Islamic celebrations, the
Feast of the Breaking of the Fast, called Eid al-Fitr, which is marked by
joyfulness, family visits, and exchanging of gifts.
At
least once in a lifetime, every adult Muslim who is physically and financially
able is required to sacrifice time, wealth, status, and ordinary comforts of
life to make the Hajj pilgrimage, putting himself totally at God’s service.
Every year over two million believers from a diversity of cultures and
languages travel from all over the world to the sacred city of Mecca to respond
to God’s call.
Who are Muslims?
The
Arabic word “Muslim” literally means “someone who is in a state of Islam
(submission to the will and law of God)”. The message of Islam is meant for the
entire world, and anyone who accepts this message becomes a Muslim. There are
over a billion Muslims worldwide. Muslims represent the majority population in
fifty-six countries. Many people are surprised to know that the majority of
Muslims are not Arab. Even though most Arabs are Muslims, there are Arabs who
are Christians, Jews and atheists. Only 20 percent of the world’s 1.2 billion
Muslims come from Arab countries. There are significant Muslim populations in
India, China, Central Asian Republics, Russia, Europe, and America. If one just
takes a look at the various peoples who live in the Muslim World - from Nigeria
to Bosnia and from Morocco to Indonesia - it is easy enough to see that Muslims
come from all different races, ethnic groups, cultures and nationalities. Islam
has always been a universal message for all people. Islam is the second largest
religion in the world and will soon be the second largest religion in America.
Yet, few people know what Islam is.
And
Allāh Almighty Knows best.
[Via
IslamReligion.]
See: What is Islam. 5
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