THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

• Shahada - declaration of faith

"There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of Allah."
This summarizes the whole of Islamic belief.

• Salah - five required daily prayers

  Salah is the most important of the five basic Islamic duties. It is the practical proof of our faith in Allah and Islam.

  Lessons of Salah :

  • It brings men and women closer to Allah.
  • It keeps human beings away from indecent, shameful and forbidden activities.
  • It is a training program designed to control evil desires and passions.
  • It purifies the heart, develops the mind and comforts the soul.
  • It is a constant reminder of Allah and His greatness.
  • It develops discipline and will power.
  • It is a guide to the most upright way of life.
  • It is a proof of true equality, solid unity and universal brotherhood.
  • It is the source of patience, courage, hope and confidence.
  • It is a means of cleanliness, purity and punctuality.
  • It develops gratitude, humility and refinement.
  • It is the demonstration of our obedience to our Creator.
  • It is the solid program of preparing oneself for Jihad -- Striving one's utmost to please Allah.

• Zakah - welfare contribution

  The Arabic word Zakah means "to purify or cleanse".

  Zakah is a means of keeping our wealth clear of greed and selfishness. It provides us with the opportunity of sharing our excess wealth with those less fortunate than ourselves.

  We pay Zakah yearly to gain Allah's favor. It is an act of worship and obedience to Allah.
  
  

• Sawm - fasting

  All adult Muslims must fast from sunrise to sunset every day of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic year. This means abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking and conjugal relations during the hours of fasting.

  Sawm develops self-control and helps us to overcome selfishness, greed, laziness and other faults. This is an annual training program to refresh us for carrying out our duties towards Allah, the Creator and Sustainer. It gives us the feeling of hunger and thirst. This develops our feeling for the poor and hungry people. Fasting teaches us to control the love of comfort. It also helps us to keep our sexual desires within control. Hunger, comfort and sex are three factors which must be kept under control to behave as Allah's servants.

  The month of Ramadan is a month of forgiveness and mercy. The Qur'an was first revealed in the month of Ramadan.

  At the end of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate Eid ul-Fitr, a day of thanksgiving and happiness. It is one of the great occasions for the Muslim community. On this day, Muslims offer special prayers in congregation and thank Allah for His blessings and mercy.

• Hajj - pilgrimage to Mecca

  Once in a lifetime, those Muslims who can afford to make the journey, we visit Al-Ka'bah, the house of Allah in Mecca. It is performed during the twelfth month of the Islamic year.

  Al-Ka'bah is a cube-like, one-story building which was built originially by Adam and later rebuilt by Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) and his son Isma'il (Ishmael). It is the first house ever built for the sole purpose fo the worship of Allah.

  Islamic brotherhood becomes particularly evident and can be experienced in a special way by everyone who takes part. Barriers of language, territory, color and race disappear and the bond of faith is at it's highest.

-- from: Islam : Beliefs and Teachings, 4th edition, by Ghulam Sarwar.