Like many other religions, the Muslim faith has experienced many changes and branches. Like Christianity, the original faith is still practiced by some, but others have started new branches with their own unique interpretation being Muslim. Despite these differences within the Muslim religion, one set of rules for moral guidance is central to all. These rules are the Five Pillars of Islam. The Five Pillars act as a moral compass for Muslims and are universally accepted as they are mentioned specifically in the Qur’an, the sacred Muslim book of God’s words as they were recited to Muhammad (Molloy, 425).
The first of the Five Pillars is the creed. The creed states, “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger,” (Molloy, 431). This pillar is the core for the Muslim faith. When the creed is recited and believed, it is believed that that person is now truly a Muslim. This message is also found all over within the Muslim faith. It is recited daily and frequently written within mosques and private homes (Molloy, 431).
The second pillar is prayer. Devote Muslims pray five times a day, at dawn, midday, mid-afternoon, sunset and nighttime (Molloy, 432). The prayer process for Muslims is rich with ritual. Prayers are called together by a muezzin from atop a tower called a minaret. Another ritual involved with prayer includes a purification process with water or sand, where the believer cleanses their hands, arms, face, neck and feet before beginning. Believers always pray facing Mecca, regardless of whether they are praying in a mosque, at home, or somewhere else. However, if they are praying in a mosque, there will be a leader that orchestrates the recitation, as well as instructs followers on various body posi...
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...ms believe there is a constant battle of good and evil on earth, and choosing to lead an equal and compassionate life will lend well to leading a “good life” (Molloy, 431).
Despite the ever-changing Muslim community, the core structure of their religion, specifically the Five Pillars of Islam, promote a morally sound life amongst its people. After completing the readings on Islamic beliefs, it is easy to see and value the emphasis these people put on community and human dignity. Other religions and organizations around the world could certainly benefit from an education on the rituals and values of the Muslim people.
Works Cited
Molloy, M. (2010). Experiencing the World's Religions: Tradition, Challenge, and Change (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Van Voorst, R. (2011). Anthology of World Scriptures (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
The Hajj or pilgrimage to Makkah is one of the five pillars of Islam "arkan-al-Islam”- Its purpose is essentially to facilitate the act of submission to Allah which is pinnacle to all followers of Islam. "Perform the pilgrimage and the visit [to Mecca] for Allah" Surah 2:196. It has enormous significance, not only for the pilgrim undertaking the Hajj but also for the wider Muslim community, the Umma, as it allows for all individuals to gain unification of faith. Such purpose can be examined through considering various rituals; the stand before Allah "wuquf", the stoning of the pillars at Mina, the commemoration of the festival of sacrifice "Id-ul-Adha", the circling of the Ka'bah and drawing water from the well of Zamzam. Such rituals give example to a profound meaning of the Islamic faith and upon completion, the individual is fulfilling to the ultimate goal of Islam, a more perfect submission to Allah.
Islam is a monotheistic and Abrahamic religion alongside Judaism and Christianity. It is currently the second largest religion in the world today. Its beliefs come from the Qur'an which literally means "the recitation" which is believed to be a literal transcription of the word of God. Its main prophet is named Muhammad who began Islam by speaking with the angel Gabriel in a cave during his meditation and then acting as an instrument of God to help write the Qur’an. Muhammad then spread Islam to the scattered tribes of Arabia by becoming the leader of Yathrib and using his wonderful leadership abilities to then grow his influence over virtually all of Arabia. Muhammad is known by Muslims to be the seal of the profits because no profits after Muhammad should be considered legitimate. Muhammad also left behind the Hadith or “tradition” which is a collection of writings compiled of reports of Muhammad’s actions as leader of Yathrib. These reports are used as a more specific code of ethics in day to day life and from these reports the 5 Pillars of Islam are derived (Smith 160). Although Islam shares many similarities to Judaism and Christianity it is often viewed in the US with hate derived from preconceived notions following the attack on September 11th 2001. This paper seeks to provide an overview of Islam’s history as well as its two major sects and 5 main pillars to remove preconceived notions and provide a glance into the minds of the Islamic people.
The Pillars are a list of rules that give five key practices that the observant Muslim should follow. An individual must follow these five rules: openly declare devotion to their god, Allah, pray five times daily facing towards the holy city Mecca, fast and abstain from secular pleasures during the month of Ramadan, pay an alms tax for the welfare of the poor, and make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during one’s life if circumstances allow (Smart 290). These guidelines provide an obvious way to distinguish the religious insider from the outsider and work to reinforce a continual sense of community among the insiders (Smart 291). The concept of jihad works to legitimize the expansion of Islam. Jihad, or the “struggle on behalf of the faith” resulted in two different interpretations (Smart 299). Firstly, the Qur’an states that it is the duty of religious adherents to fight against polytheists, Christians, and Jews until they pay the jizya, or tax, acknowledging Muslim supremacy (Smart 299). However, a branch of Islam called Sufism softened this doctrine to imply that jihad is not a physical conflict, but is instead an internal struggle to eliminate temptations and foster obedience to God (Smart 300). This concept is shown in action when examining the chronological expansion of Islam. In the classical and medieval periods of Islam, stretching from the early seventh
In the Islamic faith, the community obtains their framework and foundation of faith through the Five Pillars of Islam. The Five Pillars of Islam include: shahada or the profession of faith, salat or prayer, zakat or almsgiving, sawm or fasting, and hajj or the pilgrimage. The Five Pillars of Islam are mandatory; therefore, every Muslim is required to perform the Five Pillars of Islam. According to the book Introduction to Islam by Carole Hillenbrand, “adhering to the pillars of the faith is a joy and a blessing to the faithful and it gives deep spiritual meaning to their lives” (89). If one were to take a deeper look into the second most important pillar, the salat or prayer, they would discover that there are two different kinds of prayer:
These three pillars are somewhat the rules of the Islam religion. These beliefs are similar to the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes that tell the rules and practices that Christians and Judaists should follow. The Beatitudes and the explanations
Islam the complete ‘surrender to Allah’ is a living religious tradition with the principal belief in one God – Allah. Islam has remained the same in its principle beliefs of Allah, His Angels, His Prophets, His Books, The Last Day and his complete authority over destiny and has also changed over time to ensure that Islam remains a living religious tradition. Over its history Islam has had many significant people including Al Ghazali and Aisha Bint Abu Bakr who have ensured that Islam remains living in the hearts and minds of its adherents. In addition to significant individuals participation in the Five Pillars e.g. the Hajj ensure that Islam will continue to be the living religious tradition that it is.
The five pillars are: 1.shahada (witnessing the oneness of God and the prophet hood of Muhammad) 2. Salah (regular observance of the five prescribed daily prayers) 3. Fasting during Ramadan (Sawm) 4. Zakat (almsgiving, charity) 5. Performance of the hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) at least once in a lifetime.
Muhammad, the founder of Islam and member of Quraish tribe, was born in Mecca in 570. He was an Orphaned throughout his early life but met a rich widow who he later married. By 622 he had successfully gained enough converts to start his migration, known as the Hijrah. Marking the beginning of Muhammad’s movement. Muhammad changed the name of Yathrib to Medina (“City of the Prophet”) and established himself as the town’s ruler. Muhammad’s teachings are so important because they established the rituals and practices that help to ensure the salvation of all Muslims. These teachings are preserved in the sacred scripture of Islam. The Qur’an is considered a direct link with Muhammad. It is also unlike most books of the Bible because it takes the form of poetry, drawing on ancient genres of Arabic song.
In Zainab Ali's book, "Unveiling Islam: What Muslims Believe," she explains the basic beliefs of a Muslim. She also elaborates on the images of Muslims in the media created by important leaders such as Saddam Hussein and Louis Farrakhan and how they contradict the Islamic belief. The writer then gives her explaination of these contradictions with respect to Islamic rules. She focuses on the rules of the faith - the five pillars of Islam - by provinding explanations, definitions, and examples. After an elaboration of each pillar, the writer explains the relevance of the pillars in life and the affects that the pillars have on the character of a true Muslim. She then compares this character to the characters of the Islamic leaders in the media to support her claim that people of the Islamic faith are not compatible with the images portrayed through the media. By making this claim, the author is trying to correct the misunderstandings of the Islamic faith and of the Muslim image by providing examples, explanations, and comparisons to define a "true" Muslim.
DeAnn Grove 1)Describe the five pillars of Islam and include comments regarding how they are practiced and what the purpose of each pillar is for Muslims. Islam has five primary obligations, or pillars of faith, that each Muslim must fulfill in his or her lifetime. The five pillars define the basic identity of Muslims, their faith, beliefs, and practices that bind together a worldwide community of believers into a fellowship of shared values and concerns. The first pillar is called Shahadah, which is the profession of faith, is the most important pillar.
The five pillas of Islam have been prescribed by Allah , and a muslim is required to believe and act according to them . They are practical as well as easy , and the blessing and wisdom behind them are multiple . Carrying out the five pillars demonstrate that the Muslims are putting their faith first , and not just trying to fit it in around their wordly lives . These five pillars provide the solid structure for the betterment and success for all humanity . It’s obligatory on us (Muslims) to practice these in our lives for getting benefits in this life and hereafter .The
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When you become a Muslim,you believe salvation is dependent on man, not God. There are five pillars of Islam, these five pillars are the Muslims acts of worship to Allah. Allah means God. The five pillars of Islam are
Religion is an important factor in many lives in today’s society. A particular western religion that is taken very seriously by many is known as Islam. Essentially, Islam means “submission”, or in other words a person is to abide by God and peace will follow. In order to comprehend the Islamic religion, it is consequential to view the major themes associated with this religion. By going through the central themes of Islam it could help others comprehend what is involved with this specific religion.