The Five Pillars of Islam

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What Are the five pillars of Islam

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.

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), 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 . The testimony of faith is the most important pillar of Islam.

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.} 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.

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.

Fasting the Month of Ramadan

Every year in the month of
Ramadan, 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.

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.

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 Arafaand 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 شa 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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