PILLARS OF ISLAM
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1. FAITH :
There is no god worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is His messenger. This declaration of faith is called the Shahada, a simple formula which all the faithful pronounce. In Arabic, the first part is la ilaha illa Llah - 'there is no god except Allah'; ilaha (god) can refer to anything which we may be tempted to put in place of Allah - wealth, power, and the like. Then comes illa Llah: 'except Allah', the source of all Creation. The second part of the Shahada is Muhammadun rasulu'Llah: 'Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.' A message of guidance has come through a man like ourselves. |
2. PRAYER : [ Daily Five Times ]
Salat
is the name for the obligatory prayers which are performed five times a
day, and are a direct link between the worshipper and Allah. There is no
hierarchical authority in Islam, and no priests, so the prayers are led by
a learned person who knows the Quran, chosen by the congregation. These
five prayers contain verses from the Quran, and are said in Arabic, the
language of the Revelation, but personal supplication can be offered in
one's own language. |
3. THE 'ZAKAT'
One
of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to
Allah, and that wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The
word zakat means both 'purification' and 'growth'. Our possessions are
purified by setting aside a proportion for those in need, and, like the
pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth. |
4. THE FAST :
Every year in the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from first light
until sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations. Those
who are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are pregnant or
nursing are permitted to break the fast and make up an equal number of
days later in the year. If they are physically unable to do this, they
must feed a needy person for every day missed. Children begin to fast (and
to observe the prayer) from puberty, although many start earlier. |
5. PILGRIMAGE : [ Hajj ]
The annual pilgrimage to Makkah - the Hajj - is an obligation only for
those who are physically and financially able to perform it. Nevertheless,
about two million people go to Makkah each year from every corner of the
globe providing a unique opportunity for those of different nations to
meet one another. Although Makkah is always filled with visitors, the
annual Hajj begins in the twelfth month of the Islamic year (which is
lunar, not solar, so that Hajj and Ramadan fall sometimes in summer,
sometimes in winter). Pilgrims wear special clothes: simple garments which
strip away distinctions of class and culture, so that all stand equal
before Allah. |