Five Pillars and Shahadah

• “I did not create jinn and humans except to worship me.”
• 
  

  The Five Pillars of Islam are the main obligations that Muslims are expected to complete in order to live a life that is pleasing to Allah.  They are all classed as fard(obligatory) for all Muslim; there are exemptions for the practicing ofsome pillars
• 1. Shahadah

  • declaration of faith.

  2. Salah

  • set daily prayers which are competed five times a day.

  3. Sawm

  • Fasting during the month of Ramadan during daylight hours.

  4. Zakat

  • An act of charity whereby 2.5% of a person’s assets, after living expenses are deducted, are donated to charity.

  5. Hajj

  • A pilgrimage to Mecca during the month of Dhul-Hijjah.

   
• All Muslims follow the Five Pillars of Islam, however, Shi’a Muslims, have additional practices which are considered core obligations for them.  These are known as the Ten Obligatory Acts and include Salah, Sawm, Zakat, Hajj plus:

  5. Jihad

  • the struggle to follow Islam and its teachings.

  6. Khums

  • 20% tax paid on profit earned to fund charitable work.

  7. Amr-bil-Maroof

  • encouraging others to do what is good.

  8. Nahi Anril Munkar

  • discouraging people from wrongdoing.

  9. Tawalla-showing love to Allah and his followers.

  10. Tabarra

  • disassociating with the enemies of Allah.

   
• Shahadah

  Shahadah literally means to bear witness i.e. a declaration of faith.  The declaration that Muslims make when saying the Shahadah is:

  “I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and Muhammed* is His messenger”
• The Shahadah can be said at any time a Muslim wants to declare their faith, but is also specifically said during the occasions identified below:

  • As a part of Salah

  • Into a baby’s ear soon after birth

  • At the Aqiqah ceremony which is completed when a baby is seven days old

  • When converting to Islam it is said three times in front of a witness

  • When someone is close to death or by family on behalf of someone who has died
• Shi’a Muslims make an addition to the Shahadah by acknowledge Ali.  The Shi’a Shahadah is:

  “I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and Muhammed* is His messenger and Ali is the friend of God and the successor of Muhammed*”