Islam 5 Pillars
The Five Pillars of Islam could be seen as the structure or framework to the Muslim life. Islam consists of five key obligations, or “pillars of faith,” that each Muslim follower must accomplish by the end of his or her life. The five pillars are the following: reciting the act of faith, pray five times daily in Makkah’s direction, giving “zakat” (help to the poor or needy), fast (abstain from food) during Ramadan, and every Muslim must at least make one pilgrimage to Makkah during their lifetime. If a Muslim does not follow these requirements, he or she will not proceed and make it to paradise. Although these points are straight forward, they actually go a lot more into detail.
To begin with, Shahada, testimony of faith, is the first pillar of the five. Muslims must stand witness to the oneness of God by reciting the creed ““La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadur rasoolu Allah,” which in English means, “There is no God but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God." This very simple however insightful statement demonstrates a complete acceptance that Allah only real God, that He alone is the only one praiseworthy, and that he is the only autonomous lord. This pillar is considered to be the most important since it demonstrates your total acceptance towards Allah. …show more content…
Next is Salat, or prayer, is the second pillar.
The Islamic faith is based off of the principle that the people have a direct connection with Allah. All the Muslims turn individually and cooperatively to Makkah, Islam's holy capital, where they offer their five daily prayers throughout the day, more specifically at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and evening. In addition, Friday fellowship service is another requirement. Although this pillar can be achieved alone, it is commendable to carry out it out with others. They allowed to pray at home, at work, and even outdoors or in public but it is usually done in a
mosque.
Zakat, or charity, is the third pillar of the set. Social accountability is also considered part of the service to Allah, which is also a mandatory. Zakat sets a payment of fixed amounts consisting of Muslim's belongings, which are then given for the wellbeing of the whole community, but more particularly to those who are in utter need. A person can also give as much as he or she desires as charity.
Sawm, or better known as fasting, is done during the month of Ramadan. This is the fourth pillar of Islam. Originated in the Qur'an, the fast is an act of profound personal devotion in which Muslims seek a richer view of God. Ramadan begins with the appearance of the new moon, which then refraining from eating and drinking is mandatory from dawn to sunset. Ramadan is also a very blissful month. Muslims end their fasting with a special meal, “iftar”, perform more worshiping, “tarawih”, evening prayer and then swarm the creating into one huge festivity. At the end of Ramada, three days of celebration called Eid Al-Fitr, the breaking of the fast. Habitually, family reunions take place and it is the favored holiday for children who receive new clothing and gifts, similar to Christmas.
Lastly, Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah, is the last of the five pillars and one of the most significant manifestations of Islamic faith and union in the world. For those Muslims who are physically and economically able to make the trip, the Hajj is a once in a lifetime duty that is the crest of their holy life. The Hajj is a extraordinary religious congregation of over two million Muslims from all over the globe. In performing the Hajj, a pilgrim follows the order of ritual that Muhammad performed during his last pilgrimage.
The five pillars of Islam portray the basic identity of Muslims, their beliefs, practices and faith. This binds them together into a international community of believers into an association of shared principles and concerns. “A Muslim who fulfills the Five Pillars of Islam, remains in the faith of Islam, and sincerely repents of his sins will make it to Jannah (paradise).” If he or she does not perform the Five Pillars but does not remain in the faith, he will not be saved.
To begin with, Shahada, testimony of faith, is the first pillar of the five. Muslims must stand witness to the oneness of God by reciting the creed ““La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadur rasoolu Allah,” which in English means, “There is no God but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God." This very simple however insightful statement demonstrates a complete acceptance that Allah only real God, that He alone is the only one praiseworthy, and that he is the only autonomous lord. This pillar is considered to be the most important since it demonstrates your total acceptance towards Allah. …show more content…
Next is Salat, or prayer, is the second pillar.
The Islamic faith is based off of the principle that the people have a direct connection with Allah. All the Muslims turn individually and cooperatively to Makkah, Islam's holy capital, where they offer their five daily prayers throughout the day, more specifically at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and evening. In addition, Friday fellowship service is another requirement. Although this pillar can be achieved alone, it is commendable to carry out it out with others. They allowed to pray at home, at work, and even outdoors or in public but it is usually done in a
mosque.
Zakat, or charity, is the third pillar of the set. Social accountability is also considered part of the service to Allah, which is also a mandatory. Zakat sets a payment of fixed amounts consisting of Muslim's belongings, which are then given for the wellbeing of the whole community, but more particularly to those who are in utter need. A person can also give as much as he or she desires as charity.
Sawm, or better known as fasting, is done during the month of Ramadan. This is the fourth pillar of Islam. Originated in the Qur'an, the fast is an act of profound personal devotion in which Muslims seek a richer view of God. Ramadan begins with the appearance of the new moon, which then refraining from eating and drinking is mandatory from dawn to sunset. Ramadan is also a very blissful month. Muslims end their fasting with a special meal, “iftar”, perform more worshiping, “tarawih”, evening prayer and then swarm the creating into one huge festivity. At the end of Ramada, three days of celebration called Eid Al-Fitr, the breaking of the fast. Habitually, family reunions take place and it is the favored holiday for children who receive new clothing and gifts, similar to Christmas.
Lastly, Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah, is the last of the five pillars and one of the most significant manifestations of Islamic faith and union in the world. For those Muslims who are physically and economically able to make the trip, the Hajj is a once in a lifetime duty that is the crest of their holy life. The Hajj is a extraordinary religious congregation of over two million Muslims from all over the globe. In performing the Hajj, a pilgrim follows the order of ritual that Muhammad performed during his last pilgrimage.
The five pillars of Islam portray the basic identity of Muslims, their beliefs, practices and faith. This binds them together into a international community of believers into an association of shared principles and concerns. “A Muslim who fulfills the Five Pillars of Islam, remains in the faith of Islam, and sincerely repents of his sins will make it to Jannah (paradise).” If he or she does not perform the Five Pillars but does not remain in the faith, he will not be saved.