Part of a series on the Islamic creed: Aqidah

Five Pillars (Sunni)

Shahādah - Profession of faith Ṣalāt - Prayers Zakāh - Paying of alms (giving to the poor) Ṣawm - Fasting during Ramadan Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca

Six articles of belief (Sunni)

Tawhīd - Oneness Prophets and Messengers in Islam Islamic holy books Angels The Last Judgment Predestination

Principles of the Religion (Twelver)

Tawhīd - Oneness ‘Adalah - Justice Nubuwwah - Prophethood Imāmah - Leadership The Last Judgment

Practices of the Religion (Twelver)

Ṣalāt - Prayers Ṣawm - Fasting during Ramadan Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca Zakāh - Poor-rate Khums - One-fifth tax Jihad - Struggle Commanding what is just Forbidding what is evil Tawallā' - Loving the Ahl al-Bayt Tabarrá - Disassociating Ahl al-Bayt's enemies

Seven Pillars (Ismaili)

Walāyah - Guardianship Ṭahārah - Purity & cleanliness Ṣalāt - Prayers Zakāh - Purifying religious dues Ṣawm - Fasting during Ramadan Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca Jihad - Struggle

Others

Kharijite Sixth Pillar of Islam. This box: view • talk •

The Five Pillars of Islam (Arabic: أركان الإسلام) is the term given to the five duties incumbent on every Muslim. These duties are Shahadah (profession of faith), Salat (ritual prayer), Zakat (alms giving), Siyam (fasting during Ramadan) and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). These five practices are essential to Sunni Islam. Shi'a Muslims subscribe to eight ritual practices which substantially overlap with the Five Pillars.¹ Twelvers have five fundamental beliefs which relates to Aqidah. ²

The concept of five pillars is taken from the Hadith collections, notably those of Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. The Qur'an does not speak of five pillars, although one can find in it scattered references to their associated practices.

The Five Pillars to Becoming a Practicing Muslim

Shahadah

Main article: Shahadah

Shahadah is professing oneness of Allah and accepting Prophet Muhammad as his messenger to humanity. And saying: I testify that there is only one god Allah and that Muhammad (PBUH) is his messenger: but you must say that in Arabic.

"God is the only God, and Muhammad is his messenger"

Salat

Main article: Salat

The second pillar of Islam is Salat , the requirement to pray 5 times a day at fixed times during the day.³ The time of day to pray are at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, at night. Each salat is performed facing towards the Kaaba in gratitude and worship. According to the Qur'an, the benefit of prayer "restrains [one] from shameful and evil deeds".^{Qur'an 29:403}

Salat is compulsory but some flexibility in the specifics is allowed depending on the circumstances.⁴ For example, in the case of sickness or a lack of space, a worshipper can offer salat while sitting, or even lying down, appropriate number of units (raka'ah). While the prayers may be made at any point within the waqt, it is considered best to beggin them as soon as possible after the call to prayer is heard.⁵

The prayers are essentially expressions of adoration of God, but the worshipper may add his own personal request.⁶ The most commonly repeated prayer is the short first Sura, or Section of the Qu'ran, beginning, 'Praise be to Allah, Lord of Creation, the compassionate, the merciful'. ⁷

Zakaat

Main article: Zakaat

Zakaat or alms-giving, is the practice of charitable giving by Muslims based on accumulated wealth, and is obligatory for all who are able to do so. Usually it is 2.5% of the persons annual income.

Sawm (during month of Ramadan)

Main article: Siyam

Many Muslims traditionally break their fasts in Ramadan with dates (like those offered by this date seller in Kuwait City), as was the recorded practice (Sunnah) of Muhammad.

Three types of fasting (Sawm) are recognized by the Qur'an: Ritual fasting,^2:183–187 fasting as compensation or repentance,^2:196 and ascetic fasting.^33:358

Ritual fasting is an obligatory act during the month of Ramadan⁹ Muslims must abstain from food, drink, and sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk during this month, and are to be especially mindful of other sins.⁹ The fast is meant to allow Muslims to seek nearness to Allah, to express their gratitude to and dependence on him, to atone for their past sins, and to remind them of the needy.¹⁰ During Ramadan, Muslims are also expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam by refraining from violence, anger, envy, greed, lust, harsh language, gossip and to try to get along with each other better than normal. In addition, all obscene and irreligious sights and sounds are to be avoided.¹¹

Fasting during Ramadan is not obligatory, and even forbidden in some cases, for several groups for whom it would be dangerous or excessively problematic. These include pre-pubescent children, those with a medical condition such as diabetes, elderly people, and pregnant or breastfeeding women. Observing fasts is not permitted for menstruating women. Other individuals for whom it is considered acceptable not to fast are those who are ill or travelling. Missing fasts usually must be made up soon afterwards, although the exact requirements vary according to circumstance.^12131415

Many Muslims break their fast with a date because it is claimed Muhammed broke his fast with a date.

Hajj

Main article: Hajj

The hajj to the Kaaba, in Mecca, is an important practice in Islam.

The Hajj is a pilgrimage that occurs during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah to the holy city of Mecca, and derives from an ancient Arab practice. Every able-bodied Muslim is obliged to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime if they can afford it.¹⁶ When the pilgrim is around ten kilometers from Mecca, he must dress in Ihram clothing, which consists of two white sheets. Both men and women are required to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, as the Hajj is mandatory for both males and females. After a Muslim makes the trip to Mecca, he/she is known as a hajj/hajja( one who made the pilgrimage to Mecca).¹⁷ The main rituals of the Hajj include walking seven times around the Kaaba, touching the Black Stone, traveling seven times between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah, and symbolically stoning the Devil in Mina.¹⁷

The pilgrimage, or the haji, is honoured in their community. For some, this is an incentive to perform the Hajj. Islamic teachers say that the Hajj should be an expression of devotion to Allah, not a means to gain social standing. The believer should be self-aware and examine their intentions in performing the pilgrimage. This should lead to constant striving for self-improvement¹⁸

A pilgrimage made at any time other than the Hajj season is called an Umrah, and while not mandatory is strongly encouraged.

Shia viewpoint

Main articles: Practices of the Religion and Seven Pillars of Islam (Ismaili)

According to Shia Twelvers doctrine, what is referred to as pillars by Sunni Islam are called the practices or secondary principles (Firoo e Din). There are three additional practices. The first is jihad, which is also important to the Sunni, but not considered a pillar. The second is Amr-Bil-Ma'rūf, the "Enjoining to Do Good", which calls for every Muslim to live a virtuous life and to encourage others to do the same. The third is Nahi-Anil-Munkar, the "Exhortation to Desist from Evil", which tells Muslims to refrain from vice and from evil actions and to encourage others to do the same.¹⁹

Shi'a Ismaili Seven Pillars of Islam, including the Nizari, Druze, and Mustaali have three doctrines that are not included in the Sunni Five Pillars of Islam: Walayah, Taharah and Jihad. This would raise the total to eight, but the Bohra Ismailis do not include Shahadah, lowering it to seven. The Shahadah is a prominent part of other Ismaili traditions, with the added inclusion of " Alīyun Ameerul Mo'min wali Allah (علي ولي الله("Ali, the Master of Believers, is the representative of God")", at the end of the standard shahadah as recited by the rest of the Muslim Ummah. ²⁰.

See also

• Six articles of belief
• Sixth Pillar of Islam
• Shi'a Ismaili Seven Pillars of Islam
• Druze Seven Pillars of Islam
• Modern Islamic philosophy
• Allah
• Ilah
• Names of God
• 99 Names of God in the Qur'an
• Tawhid
• Termagant
• Islam
• Qaaba
• Holy Prophet Muhammad
• Prophets of Islam

Notes

References

Books and journals

Quran, Hadith, and Islam (online book)

• Brockopp, Jonathan; Tamara Sonn, Jacob Neusner (2000). Judaism and Islam in Practice: A Sourcebook. Routledge. ISBN 0415216737. 
• Esposito, John (1998). Islam: The Straight Path, 3rd, Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195112344. 
• Farah, Caesar (1994). Islam: Beliefs and Observances, 5th, Barron's Educational Series. ISBN 978-0812018530. 
• Goldschmidt, Jr., Arthur; Lawrence Davidson (2005). A Concise History of the Middle East, 8th, Westview Press. ISBN 978-0813342757. 
• Hedayetullah, Muhammad (2006). Dynamics of Islam: An Exposition. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 978-1553698425. 
• Hoiberg, Dale; Indu Ramchandani (2000). Students' Britannica India. Encyclopaedia Britannica (UK) Ltd. ISBN 978-0852297605. 
• Jonsson, David J. (2006). Islamic Economics And the Final Jihad. Xulon Press. ISBN 1597819808. 
• Khan, Arshad (2006). Islam 101: Principles and Practice. Khan Consulting and Publishing, LLC. ISBN 0977283836. 
• Kobeisy, Ahmed Nezar (2004). Counseling American Muslims: Understanding the Faith and Helping the People. Praeger Publishers. ISBN 978-0313324727. 
• Momen, Moojan (1987). An Introduction to Shi`i Islam: The History and Doctrines of Twelver Shi`ism. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300035315. 
• Levy, Reuben (1957). The Social Structure of Islam. UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521091824. 
• Ridgeon, Lloyd (2003). Major World Religions, 1st, RoutledgeCurzon. ISBN 978-0415297967. 
• Tabatabae, Sayyid Mohammad Hosayn; R. Campbell (translator) (2002). Islamic teachings: An Overview and a Glance at the Life of the Holy Prophet of Islam. Green Gold. ISBN 0-922817-00-6. 

Encyclopedias

• Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. (2007). Encyclopaedia Britannica. ISBN 978-1593392932. 
• Encyclopedia of Christianity (1st). (2001). Ed. Erwin Fahlbusch, William Geoffrey Bromiley. Eerdmans Publishing Company, and Brill. ISBN 0-8028-2414-5. 
• Encyclopaedia of Islam Online. Ed. P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs. Brill Academic Publishers. ISSN 1573-3912. 
• Encyclopedia of Religious Rites, Rituals, and Festivals (1st). (2004). Ed. Salamone Frank. Routledge. ISBN 978-0415941808. 
• The New Encyclopedia Britannica. (2005). Encyclopedia Britannica, Incorporated; Rev Ed edition. ISBN 978-1593392369. 

External links

• Pillars of Islam. A brief description of the Five Pillars of Islam.
• Audio version of the Quran
• Understanding the five pillars of Islam with pictures.

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• This page was last modified on 20 November 2008, at 03:13.

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