There are more than one billion Muslims around the world, in many nations. Islam teaches that there are five obligations that every Muslim must fulfill in order to live a good life. They are the profession of the Islamic faith, prayers, the giving of alms, fasting in the month of Ramadan and making a pilgrimage to the holy city of Makkah (Mecca) if a Muslim is healthy and financially able to do it. Here are more detailed descriptions of the five pillars of Islam.
The First Pillar – Shahadah (Declaration)
Coming from the Arabic word meaning to testify, this is the Islamic creed. This is the Muslim declaration of belief in the oneness of God and acceptance of Muhammad as his prophet. By sincerely uttering the Shahadah, Muslims acknowledge Allah as the sole creator of all, and the supreme authority over everyone and everything in the universe.
There are seven conditions of the Shahadah, without which it's considered to be without meaning:
- Al-'Ilm: knowledge of the meaning of the Shahadah.
- Al-Yaqeen: certainty that counteracts suspicion and doubt.
- Al-Ikhlass: sincerity which negates shirk.
- Al-Sidq: truthfulness that permits neither falsehood or hypocrisy.
- Al-Mahabbah: love of the Shahadah and all that it stands for.
- Al-Inqiad: submission and implementing the deeds required of all Muslims.
- Al-Qubool: unconditional acceptance of the Shahadah.
The Second Pillar – Salah (Prayers)
In Islam, prayers are performed five times each day. These times are dawn, immediately after noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and night. Ablution is required before prayer, as are clean clothes and location, and the removal of shoes. When Muslims pray, it's believed that individuals hold a direct connection to God without any earthly intermediaries. Prayers can be made in any clean environment, alone or together, at home or in a mosque.
These prayers serve as a reminder throughout the course of a day to help keep believers mindful of God in the daily stress of work and other distractions. As they prepare to pray, all Muslims face in the direction of Mecca, the most sacred city in the Islamic world.
The Third Pillar – Zakah (Charity)
Zakah, or alms giving, is the practice of charitable giving by Muslims based on accumulated wealth, and is obligatory for all who are able to do so. It is considered a personal responsibility for Muslims to alleviate economic hardship for others and eliminate inequality.
Zakah should be paid on different categories of property — gold, silver, money, agricultural produce and livestock — and is payable each year after the excess wealth has been in possession for twelve lunar months. The annual contribution is 2.5% of an individual's wealth and assets.
The Fourth Pillar – Sawm (Fasting)
Muslims fast from dawn until sundown during the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Those who are sick, elderly and children under twelve years of age may be excused from this.
Fasting is meant to encourage Muslims to seek nearness to Allah. Muslims believe that it also teaches individuals to be patient, and it serves as a way to learn about the hardships faced by the less fortunate.
The Fifth Pillar – Hajj (Pilgrimage)
This is the largest religious gathering in the world. Mecca is the center towards which Muslims of all colors and nationalities converge once a year. Every Muslim should try to make this pilgrimage at least once in the course of a lifetime. The pilgrimage occurs from the eighth to twelfth day of the Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar.
No matter what the season is, all pilgrims wear the ihram — two, very simple, unsewn white garments. This clothing strips away all distinctions of wealth, status, class and culture; all stand together and equal before Allah. This pilgrimage serves as a penance — the ultimate forgiveness of sins, devotion and intense spirituality.
Reference:
TheMeaningOfIslam.org. Retrieved July 10, 2010.
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