Five Pillars of Islam

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The Five Pillars of Islam (Arabic: أركان الإسلام) is the term given to the five duties incumbent on every Muslim. These duties are Shahadah (profession of faith), Salat (prayers), Zakat (giving of alms), Sawm (fasting, specifically during Ramadan) and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). These five practices are essential to Muslims.

[edit] The Pillars

[edit] Shahadah

Shahadah is a statement professing monotheism and accepting Muhammad as God's messenger. ^[1] The shahadah is a set statement normally recited in Arabic "'ašhadu 'al-lā ilāha illā-llāhu wa 'ašhadu 'anna muħammadan rasūlu-llāh", translated as: "[I profess that] There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his Messenger." "Allah" means "God" in Arabic.^[2]

[edit] Salāt

The second pillar of Islam is Salat, the requirement to pray five times a day at fixed times during the day.^[3] The times of day to pray are at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and before you go to bed. Each salah is performed facing towards the Kaaba in Mecca. Salah is intended to focus the mind on Allah; it is seen as a personal communication with Allah, expressing gratitude and worship. According to the Qur'an, the benefit of prayer “restrains [one] from shameful and evil deeds”.^{[Qur'an 29:40][3]}

Salat is compulsory but there is some flexibility in body and clothing. Nonetheless, the place of prayer must be cleaned.^[4]

Muslims performing salat (prayer)

All prayers should be conducted within the prescribed time period (waqt) and with the appropriate number of units (raka'at). While the prayers may be made at any point within the waqt, it is considered best to begin them as soon as possible after the call to prayer (that comes from a muezzin on minarets) is heard.^[5] The prayers are essentially expressions of adoration of God, but the worshipper may add his own personal request. The most commonly repeated prayer is the First Sura of the Qur'an, beginning, 'Praise be to Allah, Lord of Creation, the compassionate, the merciful'. ^[6]

Salah was the most important practice for followers of Muhammed. Muhammed considered the following deeds, in order of goodness:^{[citation needed]}

1. To offer the prayers at their early stated fixed times.
2. To be good and dutiful to their parents.
3. To participate in Jihad, in Allah's cause.

The hadith states that when asked "O Allah's Apostle! What is the best deed?" he replied, "To offer the prayers at their stated times". When asked, "What is next in goodness?" he replied, "To be good and dutiful to your parents" and when further asked "What is next in goodness?" he replied, "To participate in Jihad in Allah's Cause." Sahih al-Bukhari 4:52:41 ^[7][8]

[edit] Zakāt

Zakāt 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 to be a personal responsibility for Muslims to ease economic hardship for others and eliminate inequality.^[9] Zakat consists of spending 2.5% of one's wealth for the benefit of the poor or needy, including slaves, debtors and travellers. A Muslim may also donate more as an act of voluntary charity (sadaqah), rather than to achieve additional divine reward.^[10] There are two main types of Zakah. First, there is the kajj, which is a fixed amount based on the cost of food that is paid during the month of Ramadan by the head of a family for himself and his dependents. Second, there is the Zakat on wealth, which covers money made in business, savings, income, and so on.^[11] In current usage Zakat is treated as a 2.5% collections on most valuables and savings held for a full lunar year, as long as the total value is more than a basic minimum known as nisab (three ounces or 87.48g of gold). As of 20 September 2008, nisab is approximately $2,640 or an equivalent amount in any other currency.^[12] Many Shi'ites are expected to pay an additional amount in the form of a khums tax, which they consider to be a separate ritual practice.^[13] There are four principles that should be followed when giving the Zakah:

1. The giver must declare to Allah his intention to give the Zakah.
2. The Zakah must be paid on the day that it is due. If one fails to pay the Zakat, people think he is refusing to fulfill God's wishes.
3. Payment must be in kind. This means if one has a lot of money then he needs to pay 2.5% of his income. If he does not have much money, he needs to pay in a different way such as good deeds and good behavior toward others.
4. The Zakah must be distributed in the community from which it was taken.^[14]

[edit] Sawm also known as Siyam

Many Muslims traditionally break their fasts in Ramadan with dates (like those offered by this date seller in Kuwait City), as was the recorded practice (Sunnah) of Muhammad.

Three types of fasting (Sawm) are recognized by the Qur'an: Ritual fasting,^{[2:183–187]} fasting as compensation for repentance,^[2:196] and ascetic fasting.^[33:35][15]

Ritual fasting is an obligatory act during the month of Ramadan.^[16] Muslims must abstain from food, drink, and sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk during this month, and are to be especially mindful of other sins.^[16]

The fast is meant to allow Muslims to seek nearness to Allah, to express their gratitude to and dependence on him, to atone for their past sins, and to remind them of the needy.^[17] During Ramadan, Muslims are also expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam by refraining from violence, anger, envy, greed, lust, profane language, gossip and to try to get along with fellow Muslims better. In addition, all obscene and irreligious sights and sounds are to be avoided.^[18]

Fasting during Ramadan is obligatory, but is forbidden for several groups for whom it would be very dangerous and excessively problematic. These include pre-pubescent children, those with a medical condition such as diabetes, elderly people, and pregnant or breastfeeding women. Observing fasts is not permitted for menstruating women. Other individuals for whom it is considered acceptable not to fast are those who are ill or traveling. Missing fasts usually must be made up for soon afterward, although the exact requirements vary according to circumstance.^{[19][20][21][22]}

[edit] Hajj

The hajj to the Kaaba, in Mecca, is an important practice in Islam.

The Hajj is a pilgrimage that occurs during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah to the holy city of Mecca, and derives from an ancient Arab practice. Every able-bodied Muslim is obliged to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime if he or she can afford it.^[23] When the pilgrim is around 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from Mecca, he must dress in Ihram clothing, which consists of two white sheets. Both men and women are required to make the pilgrimage to Mecca. After a Muslim makes the trip to Mecca, he/she is known as a hajj/hajja (one who made the pilgrimage to Mecca).^[24] The main rituals of the Hajj include walking seven times around the Kaaba, touching the Black Stone, travelling seven times between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah, and symbolically stoning the Devil in Mina.^[24]

The pilgrim, or the haji, is honoured in their community. For some, this is an incentive to perform the Hajj. Islamic teachers say that the Hajj should be an expression of devotion to Allah, not a means to gain social standing. The believer should be self-aware and examine their intentions in performing the pilgrimage. This should lead to constant striving for self-improvement.^[25] A pilgrimage made at any time other than the Hajj season is called an Umrah, and while not mandatory is strongly encouraged.

[edit] The Five Pillars in the Hadithh

قال المصنف -رحمه الله تعالى-: وعن أبي عبد الرحمن عبد الله بن عمر بن الخطاب -رضي الله عنهما-، قال: سمعت رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يقول: بني الإسلام على خمس: شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمداً رسول الله، وإقام الصلاة، وإيتاء الزكاة، وحج البيت، وصوم رمضان رواه البخاري ومسلم. ^[26]

Transliteration: 'An abi Abdi AlRahmani Abdi Allahi ibni Omara Bini AlKhattabi Radiya Allahu 'anhumaa qala: Sami'ta rasula Allahi sala Allahu 'alayhi wa salama yaqool: Buniya al-Islamu 'ala khams: shahadati an la illaha illa Allahu wa ana Muhammadan rasulu Allah, wa iqami alsalah, wa itayi' alzakati wa haji albayt, wa sawmi Ramadan. Rawahu AlBukhari wa Muslim.

On the authority of Abu 'Abd al-Rahman 'Abdullah bin 'Umar bin al-Khattab, radiyallahu 'anhuma, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, say: "Islam has been built upon five things - on testifying that there is no god save Allah, and that Muhammad is His Messenger; on performing salah; on giving the zakah; on Hajj to the House; and on fasting during Ramadhan."^[27] [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

[edit] See also

• Six articles of belief
• Shi'a Ismaili Seven Pillars of Islam
• Druze Seven Pillars of Islam
• Modern Islamic philosophy
• Allah
• Ilah
• Names of God
• Names of God in the Qur'an
• Tawhid
• Termagant
• Islam
• Qaaba
• Muhammad
• Prophets of Islam
• Abraham

[edit] References

[edit] Books and journals

• Brockopp, Jonathan; Tamara Sonn, Jacob Neusner (2000). Judaism and Islam in Practice: A Sourcebook. Routledge. ISBN 0415216737. 
• Esposito, John (1998). Islam: The Straight Path (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195112344. 
• Farah, Caesar (1994). Islam: Beliefs and Observances (5th ed.). Barron's Educational Series. ISBN 978-0812018530. 
• Goldschmidt, Jr., Arthur; Lawrence Davidson (2005). A Concise History of the Middle East (8th ed.). Westview Press. ISBN 978-0813342757. 
• Hedayetullah, Muhammad (2006). Dynamics of Islam: An Exposition. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 978-1553698425. 
• Hoiberg, Dale; Indu Ramchandani (2000). Students' Britannica India. Encyclopaedia Britannica (UK) Ltd. ISBN 978-0852297605. 
• Jonsson, David J. (2006). Islamic Economics And the Final Jihad. Xulon Press. ISBN 1597819808. 
• Khan, Arshad (2006). Islam 101: Principles and Practice. Khan Consulting and Publishing, LLC. ISBN 0977283836. 
• Kobeisy, Ahmed Nezar (2004). Counseling American Muslims: Understanding the Faith and Helping the People. Praeger Publishers. ISBN 978-0313324727. 
• Momen, Moojan (1987). An Introduction to Shi`i Islam: The History and Doctrines of Twelver Shi`ism. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300035315. 
• Levy, Reuben (1957). The Social Structure of Islam. UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521091824. 
• Ridgeon, Lloyd (2003). Major World Religions (1st ed.). RoutledgeCurzon. ISBN 978-0415297967. 
• Tabatabae, Sayyid Mohammad Hosayn; R. Campbell (translator) (2002). Islamic teachings: An Overview and a Glance at the Life of the Holy Prophet of Islam. Green Gold. ISBN 0-922817-00-6. 

[edit] Encyclopedias

• Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. Encyclopaedia Britannica. 2007. ISBN 978-1593392932. 
• Erwin Fahlbusch, William Geoffrey Bromiley, ed (2001). Encyclopedia of Christianity (1st ed.). Eerdmans Publishing Company, and Brill. ISBN 0-8028-2414-5. 
• P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs, ed. Encyclopaedia of Islam Online. Brill Academic Publishers. ISSN 1573-3912. 
• Salamone Frank, ed (2004). Encyclopedia of Religious Rites, Rituals, and Festivals (1st ed.). Routledge. ISBN 978-0415941808. 
• The New Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica, Incorporated; Rev Ed edition. 2005. ISBN 978-1593392369. 

[edit] External links

• Pillars of Islam in Oxford Islamic Studies Online
• Pillars of Islam. A brief description of the Five Pillars of Islam.
• Audio version of the Quran
• Living as a Muslim
• Patheos - Islam: The Five Pillars in worship
• Understanding the five pillars of Islam with pictures.