Five Pillars Of Islam Essay, Research Paper

What are the Five Pillars of Islam and why are they the basis for the Muslim

religion? The Five Pillars are the frameworks of a Muslim?s life. Revealed to

the prophet Muhammad by Allah, the Five Pillars are the basis of Islamic

religion. ?On another occasion, when the prophet (Muhammad) was asked to give

a definition of Islam, he named those five pillars.?(www.unn.ac.uk?) The

Five Pillars are: bearing witness to Allah, establishing prayers, giving alms,

fasting during Ramadan, and making a pilgrimage to Mecca. The Five Pillars are

the major duties in the life of a Muslim. Shahadah is the first of the Five

Pillars in Islam. More specifically, Shahadah is a declaration of faith.

Included in this manifesto, a Muslim proclaims that Allah is the only God and

Muhammad is His messenger. ?He recognizes that God alone is the creator, that

He alone is the Provider and Sustainer, that He is the true Reality, the source

of all things ? of all benefit and harm.?(http://salam.muslimsonline.com?)

Muslims acknowledge that Allah has all authority and that Muhammad is the last

prophet in a long line of prophets sent by Allah. A declaration of faith is the

first pillar of Islam. Another pillar is the establishment of frequent prayer.

Prayer in Islam is otherwise referred to as Salah. Salah is performed five times

everyday. ?No other form of worship can be compared to prayer(Salah), for it

is the basis of religion, without which there is no religion.? ( http://salam.muslimsonline.com?)

Salah is a direct link between Allah and His worshipper. Rather that a priest, a

learned person in the Qur?an leads group prayers. Salah, or obligatory

prayers, is a pillar of Islam. The practice of performing charitable acts is

another pillar of Islam. Zakat, a tax, is a required expenditure for Muslims

each year. The word Zakat means both purification and growth. ?Our possessions

are purified by setting aside a proportion for those in need, and like the

pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth.?(http://home.mweb.co.za/ka/?)

Besides the Zakat, a Muslim may give additional alms if they choose to do so.

Charity is an important principle in Islamic religion. Observation of the fast

of the holy month of Ramadan is another pillar of Islam. During Ramadan, Muslims

abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, and marital intercourse during daylight

hours. ?This teaches the believers patience and self- control, as well as

reminding them of their responsibility for the millions of human beings in the

world who lack provisions or are victims of their unjust distribution.?

(http://salam.muslimsonline.com?) Manners and righteous deeds are also

stressed during the fast of Ramadan. The last pillar of Islam is the pilgrimage

to Mecca. According to Muslim tradition, ?Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to

Makkah is an obligation only for those who are physically and financially able

to perform it.? (http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu./?) Pilgrims who participate in

Hajj wear very simple garments so that all people stand equal before God.

Muslims pray for Allah?s forgiveness while they fulfill the duty that is their

pilgrimage to Mecca. The Five Pillars are the basis of Islamic religion because

they structure the spiritual life of a Muslim person. ?Islam has five primary

obligations or pillars of faith that each Muslim must fulfill in his or her

lifetime.? (www.unn.ac.uk?) The Five Pillars help Muslims in their lives

because Islam is essentially personal or between God and the believer. The Five

Pillars are an integral part of a Muslim person?s spiritual life.