Five Pillars
The Five Pillars of Islam are the five duties that every Muslim must fulfill to live a good life. Islam regards and believes that even though a person may be very faithful, if they do not put their faith into action and practice it, it is pointless. The following are the Islamic names for the five pillars or duties:
1. SHAHADAH
2. SALAT
3. ZAKAT
4. SAWM
5. HAJJ
1. SHAHADAH
2. SALAT
3. ZAKAT
4. SAWM
5. HAJJ
Shahadah
Shahada is the first of the five pillars of Islam where Muslims recite the Islam faith. Muslims believe that anyone who cannot recite the basic statement of the Islam faith "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger." with passion is not a Muslim. While one recites the statement, one should declare that Allah is the one and only god, Muhammad is Allah's messenger, Muslims accept this as true, and that one would obey all the commitments of Islam in their life. This means that they should recite this statement out loud, with complete sincerity, fully understanding what it means.
Salat
Salat includes performing ceremonial prayers in the proper way fives times each day, everyday. Muslims have to pray at certain times, five times. They are encouraged to pray in the mosque but if the mosque is not reachable, they have to face Mecca and pray. Muslims are not only supposed to recite and speak these phrases but recite with a unified and right attitude of mind, soul, and body which includes a set of movements. Muslims must pray in the following times of the day:
1. before sunrise (Salat al-fajr)
2. after the sun passes its highest (Salat al-zuhr)
3. the late part of the afternoon (Salat al-'asr)
4. right after sunset (Salat al-maghrib)
5. between sunset and midnight (Salat al-'isha)
1. before sunrise (Salat al-fajr)
2. after the sun passes its highest (Salat al-zuhr)
3. the late part of the afternoon (Salat al-'asr)
4. right after sunset (Salat al-maghrib)
5. between sunset and midnight (Salat al-'isha)
Zakat
Zakat is the third of the Five Pillars of Islam which is the giving of a proportion of one's wealth as charity for the poor. The charities are not given out of kindheartedness or lavishness, but given out to benefit the poor by giving 2.5 % of one's wealth each year. Zakat is practiced because one can obey God more, help a person, learn self-discipline, behave honestly and free oneself from the love of possessions, greed and love of money.
Sawm
Sawm is the fourth of the Five Pillars of Islam where all Muslims fast during Ramadan which is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. During the month of Ramadan, all Muslims with the exception of physically or mentally disabled Muslims are required to not eat any sort of food or drink, smoke, or interact in a sexual activity. The main objective of Ramadan and Sawm is to let Muslims focus on their life goals and appreciate Allah's blessings and gifts to them.
Hajj
Hajj is the fifth and final Five Pillar of Islam which is a journey with rites and rituals to be done during the journey. Once a year, every Muslim with the exception of the poor and physically or mentally disabled is obligated to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca and stand before the Kaaba, praising Allah. They are told to wear simple white cloth (not fancy) called Ihram. Ihram is also the state of ritual purity which is the state every pilgrim should be in during the pilgrimage. During the hajj a person may not engage in marital relations, shave or cut their nail, use perfume/cologne or scented oils, kill or hunt anything and fight or argue. Also, it is considered not pure if women cover their faces, men wear clothes with stitching and if they bathe with scented soaps.This ritual is designed to encourage the bonds of Islamic sisterhood and brotherhood by reminding them that everyone is equal in the eyes of Allah.