The Five Pillars Of Islam - Embassy of Saudi Arabia

Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah, is the fifth pillar and the most significant manifestation of Islamic faith and unity in the world. For those Muslims who are ... TheFivePillarsOfIslam Islamhasfiveprimaryobligations,orpillarsoffaith,thateachMuslimmustfulfillinhisorherlifetime.Theyareasfollows: Shahadah,professionoffaith,isthefirstpillarofIslam.MuslimsbearwitnesstotheonenessofGodbyrecitingthecreed"ThereisnoGodbutGodandMuhammadistheMessengerofGod."ThissimpleyetprofoundstatementexpressesaMuslim'scompleteacceptanceofandtotalcommitmenttoIslam. Salah,prayer,isthesecondpillar.TheIslamicfaithisbasedonthebeliefthatindividualshaveadirectrelationshipwithGod.Theworld'sMuslimsturnindividuallyandcollectivelytoMakkah,Islam'sholiestcity,toofferfivedailyprayersatdawn,noon,mid-afternoon,sunsetandevening.Inaddition,Fridaycongregationalserviceisalsorequired.Althoughsalahcanheperformedalone,itismeritorioustoperformitwithanotherorwithagroup.Itispermissibletoprayathome,atwork,orevenoutdoors;howeveritisrecommendedthatMuslimsperformsalahinamosque. Zakat,almsgiving,isthethirdpillar.Socialresponsibilityisconsideredpartofone'sservicetoGod;theobligatoryactofzakatenshrinesthisduty.ZakatprescribespaymentoffixedproportionsofaMuslim'spossessionsforthewelfareoftheentirecommunityandinparticularforitsneediestmembers.Itisequalto2.5percentofanindividual'stotalnetworth,excludingobligationsandfamilyexpenses. Sawm,fastingduringtheholymonthofRamadan,isthefourthpillarofIslam.OrdainedintheHolyQur'an,thefastisanactofdeeppersonalworshipinwhichMuslimsseekaricherperceptionofGod.Fastingisalsoanexerciseinself-controlwherebyone'ssensitivityisheightenedtothesufferingsofthepoor.Ramadan,themonthduringwhichtheHolyQur'anwasrevealedtotheProphetMuhammad,beginswiththesightingofthenewmoon,afterwhichabstentionfromeating,drinkingandothersensualpleasuresisobligatoryfromdawntosunset.Ramadanisalsoajoyfulmonth.Muslimsbreaktheirfastatsunsetwithaspecialmeal,iftar,performadditionalnocturnalworship,tarawih,aftereveningprayer;andthrongthestreetsinmoodsthatarefestiveandcommunal.TheendofRamadanisobservedbythreedaysofcelebrationcalledEidAl-Fitr,thefeastofthebreakingofthefast.Customarily,itisatimeforfamilyreunionandthefavoredholidayforchildrenwhoreceivenewclothingandgifts. Hajj,thepilgrimagetoMakkah,isthefifthpillarandthemostsignificantmanifestationofIslamicfaithandunityintheworld.ForthoseMuslimswhoarephysicallyandfinanciallyabletomakethejourneytoMakkah,theHajjisaonceinalifetimedutythatisthepeakoftheirreligiouslife.TheHajjisaremarkablespiritualgatheringofovertwomillionMuslimsfromallovertheworldtotheholycity.InperformingtheHajj,apilgrimfollowstheorderofritualthattheProphetMuhammadperformedduringhislastpilgrimage. ThefivepillarsofIslamdefinethebasicidentityofMuslims-theirfaith,beliefsandpractices-andbindtogetheraworldwidecommunityofbelieversintoafellowshipofsharedvaluesandconcerns. Close