Five Pillars of Islam
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The religion of Islam consists of faith and practice. The Five Pillars of Islam is the term given to the five most fundamental aspects of Sunni Islam. The term is not used in Shia Islam.
For the Sunni sect, the Five Pillars of Islam (Arkan-al-Islam) are the five most important acts of a Muslim under Sharia law, and which devout Muslims will perform faithfully, believing them to be essential to pleasing Allah.
For the Shia sect, there are five beliefs, which are referred to as the Usūl al-Dīn, the Roots of Religion. As well as this, there are eleven practices, which are referred to as the Furū al-Dīn or Branches of Religion . The eleven Branches of Religion correlate more closely to the Sunni concept of the "Pillars of Islam".
Contents |
The Five Pillars of Sunni Islam
In summary, the practices are (In order of priority):
- The profession of faith in Allah (Shahadah) - the declaration that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is his messenger.
- Prayer (Salat) - establishing of the five daily Prayers.
- The paying of alms (Zakat) - which is generally 2.5% of the total savings for a rich man working in trade or industry, and 10% or 20% of the annual produce for agriculturists. This money or produce is distributed among the poor. Also, one may give 25% of found treasure such as money won in a non-gambling lottery.
- Fasting (Sawm) - refraining from eating, drinking or satisfying sexual needs from dawn to dusk in the month of Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar.
- The Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) - this is done during the month of Zul Hijjah, and is compulsory once in a lifetime for one who has the ability to do it. if the muslim is in ill health or in debt, he or she is not required to perform Hajj.
Some Muslims, mainly belonging to the sect of the Khawarij, hold that there is a sixth pillar of Islam, jihad literally meaning "struggle" or "combat"; often understood to refer to holy war, this is viewed by many as a misinterpretation. While jihād is widely considered a duty of Muslims, the view that it is one of the pillars is not shared by most theologians. Modern interpretations of Jihad have lead to the phenomenon of Islamic terrorism and particularly suicide bombers. Adherents are known as Jihadists or Jihadiis and have been involved in a number of spectacular mass murder events, including the notorious 9/11 massacres in the USA, the Beslan school murders in Southern Russia and the train bombings in Madrid and London. Within Islamic states there are frequent attacks aimed at followers of non-orthodox or rival sects or secularised muslims.
Shahadah, the profession of faith in Allah
According to the Qur'an, "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger." This declaration of faith is called the shahadah, a simple formula which all of the faithful Muslims pronounce daily. Intrinsic in this action is the acknowledgment of Muhammad, as "Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets. And Allah has full knowledge of all things." [Qur'an: Surah al-Ahzab 33:40]
Şalāh, prayer
Muslims are obliged to perform ritual prayers or salat five times a day:
- In the morning / (Fajr)
- After midday (Dhuhr)
- Midway between midday and sunset (asr)
- Right after sunset (Maghrib)
- one hour after sunset (Isha'a)
A Muslim may offer extra optional prayer(s) at any other time.
Although it is preferable for men to pray together in a mosque, there is no strict requirement to do so. On Fridays, congregational prayer (jumu'ah) is held at midday, deemed obligatory for men but optional for women. A Muslim may pray almost anywhere, such as in a place of work or a school. It is also a requirement for a Muslim to face Mecca during prayer.
Before prayer is the ritual of ablution, a ceremonial cleansing with water (or alternatively, with sand) which is usually performed. The parts cleansed include arms, head, and the feet up to the ankles. If the cleansing was done using water, the Muslim is considered to have wudhu, which means that he or she has cleansed him or herself from the physical manifestations of sin in a lasting fashion that extends between prayers. In other words, unless the Muslim does something to remove this cleanliness, the cleansing would not need to be repeated before the next prayer. When sand is used, the cleansing is only temporary and regardless of whether or not the Muslim commits any physical acts of uncleanliness he or she will need to undergo the ceremonial cleansing immediately before the next prayer.
The salat must be performed in the Arabic language (even if the person neither speaks nor understands Arabic; the prayers are to be recited by heart), and include praises to Allah, the shahada, a plea for forgiveness and various blessings, Chapter one (al Fatihah) and one or more other parts of the Qur'an (by heart) and an optional prayer of one's own. The entire session includes standing upright, bowing down, kneeling and prostrating oneself. The session ends with looking right and left to say "Peace be unto you, and on you be peace" in Arabic to the believers sitting with you. Muslims believe that there are angels sitting on both their shoulders (the angel on the right is said to record the person's good deeds and the one on the left is said to record the person's bad deeds).
Ramadan, fasting
Observance of the Siyam involves abstinence from eating, drinking, smoking, sexual intercourse, and other forms of worldly pleasure. This fasting is ordained in the Qur'an, and is observed by devout Muslims throughout the daylight hours of the 29 or 30 days of the lunar month of Ramadan. There are some exceptions, for example for children, pregnant women, sick Muslims, laborers, and travelers. The children do not have to fast until puberty, but most start fasting earlier.
As well as fasting, Muslims spend more time praying during this period. Siyam is intended to teach patience and self-control, and is seen as a debt owed by the believer to Allah.
Zakāh, the paying of alms
A major principle of Islam is the belief that all things belong to God and that wealth is only held by human beings in trust. The word zakah means both purification and growth. Each Muslim calculates his or her own zakah individually, and for most purposes this involves the payment each year of two and a half percent of one's capital in excess of one's basic needs. A Muslim may also donate an additional amount as an act of voluntary charity (sadaqah), in order to achieve additional divine reward. Zakah is calculated on the basis of 2.5% of an amount in excess of what you have in hand, after the needs of the family has been met
Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca
The final pillar of Islam is the pilgrimage to Mecca performed during the month of Zul Hijjah. Performance of the Hajj at least once in one's lifetime is obligatory to all who are physically and financially able to undertake it, and about two million people go to Mecca each year. Pilgrims wear a distinctive attire of simple garments to strip away distinctions of class and culture, so that all stand equal before God.
The beliefs and practices in Shia Islam
Although the term Five Pillars does not exist in Shi'a Islam, the five obligations that are referred to do apply. In Shi'a Islam, rather than Five Pillars, there are five beliefs and ten practices.
The five beliefs
- Tawhīd (Oneness) - The Oneness of God
- Adalah (Justice) - The Justice of God
- Nubuwwah (Prophethood) - God has appointed perfect Prophets and Messengers to teach mankind the religion
- Imāmah (Leadership) - God has appointed specific Leaders to lead and guide mankind
- Qayāmat (The Day of Judgment) - God will raise mankind for Judgment
The ten practices
- Salāt "called Namaaz in Persian" (Prayer) - performing the five daily prayers
- Sawm (Fast) - fasting during the holy month of Ramadhan
- Hajj (Pilgrimage) - performing the pilgrimage to Mecca
- Zakāt (Poor-rate) - paying money to the poor
- Khums (One-fifth) - paying the tax of 20%, levied on untaxed, annual profit
- Jihād (Struggle) - struggling to please God. The greater, or internal Jihad is the struggle against the evil within one's own soul in every aspect of life. The lesser, or external, Jihad is the struggle against the evil of one's environment in every aspect of life.
- Amr-Bil-Ma'rūf (Enjoin what is good)
- Nahi-Anil-Munkar (Forbid what is evil)
- Tawalla (To love the Ahl al-Bayt and their followers)
- Tabarra (To hate the enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt)
