The Five Pillars of Islam
The first duties of a Muslim are known as the five Pillars of Islam. These are five acts of worship required of all Muslims, Like the Ten Commandments; they provide a spiritual foundation and function for followers of Islam.
The first pillar of Islam is called Shahada. It is a declaration of faith that says: "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah." At least once in their lifetime Muslims must state their faith by reciting the shahada. Muslims say this when they accept Islam. The shahada is also recited in their daily prayers.
The second pillar is Salat this is the daily prayer that Muslims are required to do five times a day: before sunrise, at midday, in late afternoon, after sunset, and before going to bed. At each of these times, a call goes out from a mosque (a Muslim house of worship) inviting Muslims to come and pray. When Muslims pray, they kneel and face in the direction of Mecca. Prayers involve different positions, or rakahs. In the morning prayer, for example, after laying out a prayer mat, the devotee raises his hands, touches his earlobes, and proclaims “Allahu Akbar!” meaning "God is great!" Next, he rests his hands at his waist/chest and recites the opening chapter of the Qur’an. The prayer continues when the worshiper bows, stands again, kneels, and sits back, each time praising Allah.
The third pillar of Islam is a yearly donation to charity „ called Zakat. It is the duty of allMuslims to participate in almsgiving. Muslims must pay part of their wealth to a religious official. The money is used to help the poor, build mosques, or pay debts. Helping and caring for the poor is an important religious duty and is an essential quality of an honest Muslim determined to go to heaven.
The fourth pillar, Sawm, is perhaps the most demanding. During the month of Ramadan (the month Muhammad received his first revelation),Muslims will not eat or drink anything between sunrise and sunset. Muslims believe that fasting is a way to show that God is more important than one's own body. Fasting also reminds Muslims of people in the world who struggle to get enough food.
The fifth pillar is the pilgrimage, or Hajj, The sacred destination, for Muslim pilgrims is Mecca, the holy city of Islam. The Qur’anrequires every Muslim to make the hajj at least once, if possible. During the hajj, pilgrims take part in many rituals. The most important is the circling of the Kaaba seven times, hoping to touch or kiss it at least once. Next, they run seven times between the hills of . As-Safa and Al-Marwah. This action symbolizes Hagar's search for water and the miracle of the well, Zamzam. After spending the night in the village of Mina, pilgrims take the next step, the wukuf, together. They meet at the plain of Arafat. From noon to sunset, they pray quietly, and they ask Allah's forgiveness for their sins. After spending the night at Muzdalifah, they return to Mina where the ritual of 'stoning the devil* takes place, followers gather pebbles which they throw at three pillars. This is symbolic of Abraham throwing stones at the Devil who had disturbed his prayers. On the tenth day, animal sacrifices - sheep or goat - are carried out.
Source: Exploring World Beliefs, World Book Encyclopedia; World History-Medieval to Early Modern Times
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The Five Pillars of Islam
DIRECTIONS: After reading about the Five Pillars of Islam, answer the following questions as completely as possible.
1. What are the Five Pillars of Islam? (English & Arabic)
2. Which of the Five Pillars Is part of everyday life for Muslims?
3. Which of the Five Pillars is part of some days in the year for Muslims?
4. What do Muslims say when they proclaim their faith?
5. When should Muslims make the pilgrimage to Mecca?
6. What is Ramadan? What do Muslims do during this time?
7. What do a mosque and rakahs have to do with a Muslim’s daily prayers?
8. Which of the pillars is the most important for Muslims to observe? Explain your answer,