the five pillars

• the five pillars are:

  • the shahadah
  • salah
  • zakah
  • sawm
  • hajj
• shahadah:

  • a statement of faith: "There is no God but God and Muhammad is the prophet of God."
  • announced in the adhan (call to prayer)
  • recited each time a Muslim prays
  • first words whispered to a newborn
  • last word spoken to the dying
  • states central belief of tawhid
  • shows that Muslims reject polytheism
  • denies Christian beleif in the Trinity
• salah:

  • duty for all Muslims to pray five times a day, facing Makkah
  • draws believers closer to God
  • includes a sequence of movements (rak'ah)
  • performed after niyyah (intention to focus on God), after wudu (washing parts of body), five times a day
  • reminds Muslims to give thanks to God for his blessings
  • unites all Muslims
  • sign of submission to God's will

  1. stand and recite prayers
  2. bow
  3. prostrate on floor, in submisson to God
  4. kneel
  5. stand, reciting prayers once to the left and once to the right
• zakah:

  • form of charity
  • 2.5% tax of wealth - giving money to the poor and needy
  • it is an obligation - Qu'ran states "And do not swallow up your property among yourselves"
  • performed every year as a duty
  • can be performed voluntarily - as sadaqah, done out of compassion
  • believed that God will reward those who give
  • sign of cleansing and purity
  • all humans are khalifahs and should act in the way of God
• sawm:

  • any religious fast, especially during Ramadan
  • "he leaves his food and drink for my sake, fasting is for me, and i reward it"
  • abstaining from sexual activity, evil thoughts etc.
  • fasting is started with suhar (meal before dawn) and broken with iftar (meal at dusk)
  • performed during Ramadan, expect by those who are ill or travelling
  • Laylat-Al_Quadr is on 27th day of Ramadan - when Prophet Muhammad recieved Qu'ran
  • follows the examples of MUhammad
  • promotes self discipline
  • unites Muslim communities
  • celebrates God giving Qu'ran to humans
• Hajj:

  • pilgrimage to Makkah
  • only pillar that is not compulsory as some may not be physically or financially able to go
  • performed at least once in a lifetime
  • going to the city of God, where great events took place e.g Hajar searching for water and found it because of an angel
  • shows submission to God and unites ummah

  events performed:

  • tawaf - circling Ka'ba seven times to get closer to Black Stone which Ibrahim built
  • drinking from Zam Zam well to remember spring showed to Hajar
  • throwing pebbles at stone pillars in Mina to show rejection of Devil like Ibrahim did
• salah:

  • "salah restrains oneself from shameful and injust deeds"
  • Muslims pray at home
  • Muslims may pray alone or with family
  • men and women do not need to segregated to pray at home
  • Muslims should prepare for prayer with niyyah
  • Muslims perform wudu perfore prayer
  • Muslims may use a room at home as a prayer room
  • prayer mats are used at home
  • Muslims read the Qu'ran and reading the Qu'ran is an act of prayer