Balik - Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam

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1. Shahada: Testifying to God's One-ness:

> ​The declaration "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His prophet." (La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad Rasul Allah)

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2. Salat: Prayer.

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General Features of Islamic Prayer

-Five prayer times each day:

• Early morning

• Noon

• Mid-afternoon

• Sunset

• Evening

-Raq'ah : Bowing and prostration. Represents submission to God

-Ablutions:  Symbolic purification by washing hands, feet, etc. with water (or sand).

-Qiblah: Direction for prayer towards Mecca. Designated by Mihrab, niche in the wall

-Du'a: spontaneous private prayer exists, but is less important than communal worship.

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Elements of Public prayer:

-Masjid (Mosque):
-Minaret (Tower for Muadhdhin to announce services).
-Imam leads prayers. Worshippers stand behind in straight lines.
-Imam or other scholar delivers a sermon (khutba ) from the pulpit (minbar).
-Women are not required to attend prayers. When they do, they usually stand behind the men men. 

-Friday, Yawm al-Jum'ah (Day of Assembly), main day of public prayer.

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3. Zakat: Giving charity:

-Originally a free-will donation (what is no called Sadaqah).

-Now largely compulsory.

-General rate: 2 1/2% of income annually.

-Given only to needy Muslims, or for religious purposes, etc.

 

4. Sawm: Fast / Abstainence

-In memory of the revelation of the Qur'an.

-During month of Ramadan, daylight hours.

-Those who have medical exemptions etc. should fast at another time.

-'Id al-Fitr, Feast of Fast-breaking: at beginning of next month.

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5. Hajj: Pilgrimage

-Every Muslim man and woman (if physically and economically able) should try to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their life-time.

• -Egalitarian atmosphere, Ihram:

  -donning of simple white garments.-Refraining from sex, haircuts, jewelry, arguing, etc.
• -Importance of the Ka'ba, associations with Abraham, Hagar, Ishmael and Muhammad.

 

-Symbolic reenactments of past events:

-Tawaf: Circling Ka'ba counterclockwise seven times, emphasizing its centrality.
-Touching black stone of Ka'bah
-Sa'y: Running seven times between hills and drinking from Zamam spring (recalling -Hagar's running for water)
-Throwing 49 stones at stone "Satan"s (recalling the resistance to Satan's attempts to -prevent Abraham from sacrificing Ishmael).
-On eighth day pilgrims move to the desert and live in tents. Rituals performed there include:
-Wuquf: Standing in prayer at the Plain of Arafat and Mount of Mercy.
-'Id al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice): Head or household slaughters animal for feast. Meat is also distributed to the poor.
-Return to Mecca for second circling of Ka'bah.
-Most pilgrims also visit Medinah.