5 Pillars in Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam:

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1)
Shahada: Testifying to God's One-ness:

• The declaration "There is no God but Allah
  and Muhammad is His prophet."

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2) Salat:

Prayer.

• General Features of Islamic Prayer

  
  
  
  • Five prayer times each day:
    
    
    • early morning
      
    • noon
      
    • mid-afternoon
      
    • sunset
      
    • evening
    
    
  • Raq'ah: Bowing and prostration. Represents submission to God.

    
    

  • Ablutions, symbolic purification by washing hands, feet, etc. with water (or sand).

    
    
    

  • Qiblah, direction for prayer towards Mecca. Designated by Mihrab, niche in the wall.

    
    
    

  • Du'a, spontaneous private prayer exists, but is less important than communal worship.
    



• Elements
  of Public prayer:

  
  
  • Masjid (Mosque):

  • 
    Minaret
    (Tower for Muadhdhin
    to announce services).

    
    

  • Imam leads prayers. Worshippers stand behind in straight lines.
    
    
  • Imam or other scholar delivers a sermon (khutba ) from the pulpit (minbar).
    
  • Women are not required to attend prayers. When they do, they usually stand behind the men
    men.

  • Friday, Yawm
    al-Jum'ah (Day of Assembly), main day of public prayer.

  
  

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3)
Zakat: Giving charity.

• Originally a free-will
  donation (what is no called Sadaqah).
• Now largely compulsory.
  
  
• General rate: 2 1/2% of income annually.
  
• Given only to needy Muslims, or for religious purposes, etc.
  

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4) Sawm: Fast

• In memory of the revelation of the Qur'an.

• During month of Ramadan,
  daylight hours.

  
  

• Those who have
  medical exemptions etc. should fast at another time.

• 'Id al-Fitr, Feast of Fast-breaking: at beginning of next month.

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5) Hajj:
Pilgrimage.

Every Muslim man and woman (if physically and economically able) should try to make the
pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their life-time.

Egalitarian atmosphere, Ihram:

• donning
  of simple white garments.

• Refraining from sex, haircuts, jewelry, arguing, etc.

Importance of the Ka'ba,
associations with Abraham, Hagar Ishmael and Muhammad.

Symbolic
reenactments of past events:

• Tawaf: Circling Ka'ba counterclockwise seven times, emphasizing its centrality.

  
  
  

• Touching black stone of Ka'bah

  
  

• Sa'y: Running seven times between hills and drinking from Zamam spring (recalling Hagar's running for water)

  
  

• Throwing 49 stones at stone "Satan"s (recalling the resistance to Satan's attempts to prevent Abraham from sacrificing Ishmael).

  
  

• On eighth day pilgrims move to the desert and live in tents. Rituals performed there include:
  • Wuquf: Standing in prayer at the Plain of Arafat and Mount of Mercy.

    
    
    

  • 'Id al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice): Head or household slaughters animal for feast. Meat is also distributed to the poor.
  
  
• Return to Mecca for second circling of Ka'bah.
  
• Most pilgrims also visit Medinah.