Keep Thy Faith

The Five Pillars of Islam

The 'Five Pillars' of Islam are the foundation of Muslim life:

• Faith or belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the prophethood of Muhammad:

As mentioned in the previous post, Muslims rest their belief on the one statement which means the above "La Ilaha Illallah Muhammad-ur Rasull-allah" and declarartion of one's faith on this statement also forms one of the five pillars of Islam.

• Establishment of the daily prayers:

The Muslim worship is based on the concept of ihsan meaning realisation - which implies that the human being really is making an effort of to be 'in communication' with God Almighty. And so 'namaaz' is performed with complete peace of mind - five times in a day. The times determine the course of the day - dawn, mid-day, late-afternoon, sunset and nightfall, and thus it is expected of every Muslim to connect to God at the turn of each of these courses during the day. A call for Prayer or Adan is made at all five times to call people busy in their work to come and indulge in praising Allah and thanking him for his kindness.

• Concern for and almsgiving to the needy:

An important principle of Islam is that everything belongs to God, and wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. And so zakah meaning both "purification" and "growth" is given away to the needy. The belief is that one's possessions are purified by setting aside a portion for those in need and for the society in general. Each Muslim calculates his or her own zakah individually. This involves the annual payment of a fortieth of one's capital, excluding such items as primary residence, car and professional tools.

• Self-purification through fasting:

Every year in the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from dawn until dusk (sunset to be precise)--abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations with their spouses.
Those who are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are menstruating, pregnant or nursing, are permitted to break the fast and make up an equal number of days later in the year if and when they are healthy and able. Children begin to fast (and to observe prayers) from puberty, although many start earlier. This practice is considered a way of self-purification and beneficial for health. It lays much emphasis on self-restraint from worldly pleasures-even if it's for sometime.

• The pilgrimage to Makkah for those who are able:

The fifth pillar of Islam is the Pilgrimage to Mecca, Hajj, literal meaning - to set out with a definite purpose. It is an obligation for those who are financially and physically able to perform it. Pilgrims wear special clothes: simple garments which strip away distinctions of class and culture, so that all stand equal before God.

posted by Shanya @ 11:10 PM