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A Study of Islam
The Second Largest Global Religion
The Five Pillars of Islam
• All Muslims accept and follow the Five
Pillars of Islam as prescribed in the
Quran
• They are core beliefs and actions that
have united Muslims across time and
space
The Five Pillars of Islam
• They are simple hallmarks of Muslim
faith that clearly distinguish Islam from
all other religions
• Submitting to the obligations of the Five
Pillars reinforces an ongoing sense of
God’s presence and reminds Muslims
of their worldwide community of
believers
The Five Pillars of Islam
Declaration of Faith-Shahadah
• One must testify: ‘there is no god but
God (Allah - the God) and Muhammad
is the messenger of God’
• This proclamation affirms Islam’s
absolute monotheism (tawhid oneness of God) and can not be
compromised without allegation of
idolatry and unforgivable sin
The Five Pillars of Islam
Declaration of Faith-Shahadah
• The second part of the declaration of
faith asserts that Muhammad is final
prophet that brought God’s complete
revelation to man through the Quran
• Muslims consider Muhammad the
ultimate role model through his life
example
The Five Pillars of Islam
Prayer - Salat
• Salat (worship) must be performed five
times a day
• Daybreak, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset,
evening
• The entire day is sanctified and God is
remembered and praised
• ‘I am near. I answer the appeal of the
prayerful one whenever he appeals to
Me. Let them respond to Me, and
believe in Me so they can be directed.’
Q. 2:185
The Five Pillars of Islam
Prayer - Salat
• Recitation of portions of the Quran in
Arabic and the glorification of God
• The worshipper stands, bows, kneels,
touches the ground with forehead, and
sits
• The salat may be performed in a
mosque, at home, at work, indoors,
outdoors, alone, or with others
• The worshipper faces the holy city of
Mecca and the Kaaba
The Five Pillars of Islam
Prayer - Salat
• Every Friday Islamic worshippers have
a congregational prayer, juma, in a
mosque or congregational area
• Mosque: masjid - a place of prostration
that has a niche: mihrab on one of the
walls that indicates the direction of
Mecca and a pulpit: minbar - from
which the sermon is given and a pool in
the courtyard for ceremonial washing
and removal of shoes
The Five Pillars of Islam
Tithe - Zakat
• Zakat - ‘purification’ of self and a social
obligation
• Reminder that wealth is a gift from God,
and it should be shared
• Paid during Ramadan - the month of
fasting
• Mandatory 2.5% of total wealth and
assets
• Sadaqah - voluntary alms given to the
poor
The Five Pillars of Islam
Tithe - Zakat
• Zakat collected by government in early
Islamic times and now dependent on
the conscience of the giver
• ‘The alms are for the poor, the needy,
and those who collect and distribute
them, and for redeeming slaves (and
captives), (repaying) debtors and in the
cause of God and for travelers, Thus
God commands. God is All-Knowing
and Wise.’ Q.9:60
The Five Pillars of Islam
Fast of Ramadan
• O believers, fasting is enjoined on you as it was
on those before you, so that you might become
righteous. Fast a fixed number of days, but if
someone is ill or on a journey, then complete
the number of days missed; and those who find
it extremely difficult should, as a penance, feed
a poor person. So whoever of you is at home,
let him fast for a month. And let any who are
sick or on a journey set aside an equal number
of other days to fast. God wants things to be
easy for you and does not want any hardship
for you, so complete the number and give glory
to God for the guidance and be grateful.
Q.2:183-185
The Five Pillars of Islam
Fast of Ramadan
• Once a year in month of Ramadan - the
ninth month of the Islamic lunar
calendar
• The month of the first revelation of the
Quran to Muhammad
• Muslims (whose health permits) must
abstain from food, drink, and sexual
activity from dawn to sunset
• Fast is ‘broken’ after sunset with a
‘breakfast’ consisting of special foods
and sweets
The Five Pillars of Islam
Fast of Ramadan
• After ‘breakfast’ many will go to the
mosque for evening prayers and
special recitations from the Quran
• On the 27th day of Ramadan, Muslims
commemorate the ‘Night of Power’
• Ramadan ends with the Feast of the
Breaking of the Fast - Eid al-Fitr
• Similar to Christmas or Hanukkah
The Five Pillars of Islam
Pilgrimage - Hajj
• Every physically and financially able
adult Muslim once in a lifetime is
required to pilgrimage to Mecca in
Saudi Arabia
• Occurs about sixty days after Ramadan
• Commemorates the sacred events of
Abraham, Hagar, Ishmael, and
Muhammad
• Only simple clothing worn by pilgrims
The Five Pillars of Islam
Pilgrimage - Hajj
• Performed ritual: circumambulation
around the Kaaba seven times
• Kaaba is 40 feet long, 33 feet wide, and
50 feet high, covered with a black cloth
embroidered with gold thread of
Quranic verses
• The ‘black stone’ from heaven is in the
eastern corner - about twelve inch
diameter
The Five Pillars of Islam
Pilgrimage - Hajj
• Performed ritual: running or walking
between the nearby hills to
commemorate God’s intervention in her
search for water for Ishmael - Genesis
21:17-19
• Drinking and bottling water from a
nearby well to commemorate God’s
intervention
• Commemoration of Muhammad’s final
sermon on Plain of Arafat
• Hajj ends with feast of Eid al-Adha
Jihad
• Called the ‘sixth pillar’ by many
• Means ‘to strive or struggle’ in the path
or way of God
• Strive to live a virtuous life and fulfill the
mission of the life of a Muslim
• Can be used to describe a personal
struggle: to be a good parent, student,
etc.
• To clean up a neighborhood, to fight
drug use, to work for social justice