Understanding Religion - The Five Pillars of Islam

With every religion there are certain rituals and guiding principles that, to a large extent, define the ethos of that faith. Judaism features the Ten Commandments, Christianity both the aforementioned Commandments and the Golden Rule - Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Islam, a frequently misunderstood religion in the West, likewise has a set of guiding principles that its adherents follow. These are commonly referred to as the Five Pillars of Islam and they are at the heart of the religion.

Witnessing, or Shahadah

Witness, or Shahadah as it is called, is simply a public statement of belief - an indication that one believes that Allah is the sole God (a confirmation of monotheism), and that Muhammed is his messenger, or prophet. Translated very loosely, the confirmation is: "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammed is His prophet." This witnessing is a confirmation of Allah's supremacy and status as the one and only, true God, as well a confirmation of Muhammed as the chosen messenger of Allah, whose role it is to bring light to earth, which is shrouded in the darkness of ignorance.

Prayer, or Salat

Salat is a deep, ritualistic prayer by which the individual directs every part of themselves toward worshipping Allah. There are various requirements that must be met in order for the prayer to be in accordance with Islam's conditions, namely that the clothing and ground used for prayer must be cleaned, one must be properly attired (according to gender), one must face Ka'ba (a holy building in Mecca) and, finally, one must have a true intention to pray to Allah in a meaningful way. Prayers are directed toward Mecca five times daily.

Charity, or Zakah

Zakah is the charitable aspect of Islam, whereby Muslims give to those less fortunate than themselves as a type of worship. This is said to purify one's heart, ridding it of selfishness, as well as purifying the heart of the recipient, who is said to be freed of envy upon receiving charity. Zakah is a very specific, financial giving of all Muslims and is obligatory. Zakah is to be paid on one's earnings after expenses and taxes have been paid and those who have given large sums are not encouraged to publicize this fact unless it is likely to encourage others to give in amounts greater than their specific obligation. In all cases, Zakah is given to the poor, new converts to Islam, Muslims in debt, the employees whose job it is to collect Zakah and Muslims who serve as propagators of Islam.

Fasting, or Sawm

Sawm is a ritualistic fasting, as well as abstaining from drinking and sexual contact from dawn until sunset. Doing so is actually obligatory during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan for every adult Muslim who is physically and mentally able to do so, and who is not on a journey. This element of Islam is a sacrifice and an indication of dedication to Allah.

Pilgrimage, or Hajj

All Muslims are obliged to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least one time in their lifetime. This is intended to commemorate the rituals that Abraham - a great prophet of Islam - and his son Ishmael undertook as well as to glorify Allah. On the Day of Judgment, Muslims believe that they will stand before Allah as an equal, and this pilgrimage is also intended as a reminder of that coming day.