What Are the Five Pillars of Islam? |
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The Five Pillars of Islam are the
framework of the Muslim life. They are the testimony of faith,
prayer, giving zakat (support of the needy), fasting during
the month of Ramadan, and the pilgrimage to Makkah once in a
lifetime for those who are able. |
1) The
Testimony of Faith:
The testimony of faith is saying with
conviction, �La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadur rasoolu
Allah.� This saying means �There is no true god (deity)
but God (Allah),1 and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of
God.� The first part, �There is no true god but God,� means that
none has the right to be worshipped but God alone, and that God has
neither partner nor son. This testimony of faith is called the
Shahada, a simple formula which should be said with conviction in
order to convert to Islam (as explained previously on this page). The
testimony of faith is the most important pillar of Islam.
2)
Prayer:
Muslims perform five prayers a day. Each
prayer does not take more than a few minutes to perform. Prayer in
Islam is a direct link between the worshipper and God. There are no
intermediaries between God and the worshipper.
In prayer, a person feels inner happiness,
peace, and comfort, and that God is pleased with him or her. The
Prophet Muhammad ![]() said: {Bilal, call (the people) to prayer, let us be
comforted by it.}2 Bilal was one of Muhammad�s ![]() companions
who was charged to call the people to prayers.
Prayers are performed at dawn, noon,
mid-afternoon, sunset, and night. A Muslim may pray almost anywhere,
such as in fields, offices, factories, or universities.
(For detailed information on how to perform
prayer, please refer to the links at How to Perform Prayer
or refer to the book entitled A Guide to Salat (Prayer) by M. A. K.
Saqib.3)
3) Giving
Zakat (Support of the Needy):
All things belong to God, and wealth is
therefore held by human beings in trust.![]() The original meaning of the word zakat is
both �purification� and �growth.� Giving zakat means �giving
a specified percentage on certain properties to certain classes of needy
people.� The percentage which is due on gold, silver, and cash funds
that have reached the amount of about 85 grams of gold and held in
possession for one lunar year is two and a half percent. Our
possessions are purified by setting aside a small portion for those in
need, and, like the pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and
encourages new growth.
A person may also give as much as he or she
pleases as voluntary alms or charity.
4)
Fasting the Month of Ramadan:
![]() Every year in the month of Ramadan,4 all Muslims fast from dawn until sundown, abstaining
from food, drink, and sexual relations.
Although the fast is beneficial to health, it
is regarded principally as a method of spiritual self-purification.
By cutting oneself off from worldly comforts, even for a short time, a
fasting person gains true sympathy with those who go hungry, as well as
growth in his or her spiritual life.
5) The
Pilgrimage to Makkah:
The annual pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah
is an obligation once in a lifetime for those who are physically and
financially able to perform it. About two million people go to
Makkah each year from every corner of the globe. Although Makkah is
always filled with visitors, the annual Hajj is performed in the
twelfth month of the Islamic calendar. Male pilgrims wear special
simple clothes which strip away distinctions of class and culture so that
all stand equal before God.
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![Pilgrims praying at the Haram mosque in Makkah]()
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Pilgrims praying at the Haram mosque
in Makkah. In this mosque is the Kaaba (the black building in
the picture) which Muslims turn toward when praying. The Kaaba
is the place of worship which God commanded the Prophets Abraham and
his son, Ishmael, to build. |
The rites of the Hajj include circling
the Kaaba seven times and going seven times between the hillocks of Safa
and Marwa, as Hagar did during her search for water. Then the
pilgrims stand together in Arafa5 and ask God for what they wish and for His
forgiveness, in what is often thought of as a preview of the Day of
Judgment.
The end of the Hajj is marked by a
festival, Eid Al-Adha, which is celebrated with prayers.
This, and Eid al-Fitr, a feast-day commemorating the end of
Ramadan, are the two annual festivals of the Muslim
calendar.
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Footnotes:
(1) For more details on
the word Allah, click here. ![Back from footnote (1)]()
(2) Narrated in
Abu-Dawood, #4985, and Mosnad Ahmad, #22578. ![Back from footnote (2)]()
(3) To order this book, click here. ![Back from footnote (3)]()
(4) The month of Ramadan
is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar (which is lunar, not solar). ![Back from footnote (4)]()
(5) An area about 15 miles
from Makkah. ![Back from footnote (5)]()
Home Page: www.islam-guide.com
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