An Introduction to Islam

Arkhan al Islam or the five pillars of faith are the foundations of Islam which govern the everyday actions and practices of Islamic adherents around the world. These core teachings of Islam are essential in order for Muslims to be able to efficiently express and practice their beliefs. Adherents are expected to follow these pillars as it is stated in the Qur’an, believed to be the direct word of Allah, revealed through the revelation to the prophet Muhammad. The five pillars are a crucial part of Islam, therefore being perfect examples of expressions of faith, as they shape how the Islamic faith is lived out. Both Sunni and Shi’ia Muslims agree of the fundamentals of Islam, and carry out practicing these beliefs in similar yet slightly altered ways. By living out these pillars, adherents are showing full submission to Allah and will assist adherents in gaining a place in the afterlife.

The three most practiced monotheistic religions- Christianity, Judaism, and Islam- share a belief in one singular God. Each have many similarities -like believing in one God and following sacred texts- as well as differences, such as different holidays and rituals. Although these three religions share similarities, there are more differences between them. Christianity is a religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ through the holy book called the Bible.

The teachings of Muhamad are based on brotherhood and the belief of all Muslims on a common faith. The Koran is the scriptural basis of Islam and it is believed to be the words of God delivered to Muhammad by Angel Gabriel. The five fundamental pillars of Islam are the confession, prayer, zakat, the haji and fasting. The haji is the prescribed visit to Mecca for all Muslims in a lifestyle. Islam also believes in the end of the world and Judgement day.

The Five Pillars of Islam are lifelong acts of worship, which includes faith, prayer, almsgiving (charity), fasting, and a pilgrimage to Mecca.

Faithful Islamics today still strive to complete the five pillars; Believe that Allah is the one and only God, pray five times a day, give alms, and fast at Ramadan, and make a pilgrimage to mecca. Since The Middle East continues to have a strong religious background ever since Muhammad’s teachings.

Islam was thus born and Mohammad wrote about the revelations into a book that is known today as the Qur’an. Within the Qur’an, there are many stories about how Muslims are supposed to live their lives and the way it guides them to the divine revelation. There are five pillars of practice in Islam and must be taken seriously in order to be considered a true Muslim. The first pillar is the testimony of faith which means that there is only one God and no one else besides him. The second pillar is prayer and Muslims pray five times a day and face towards Mecca each time they pray. The third pillar is giving or zakat, which is when Muslims give to the poor and those less fortunate. The fourth pillar is fasting during the month of Ramadan. The last and final pillar is the pilgrimage to Mecca that Muslims must make at least once in their life. Islam is a respected religion and just like Judaism is still practiced

Islam is the majority religion in Iran, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, and Turkey. The beliefs of the muslims vary by the two branches of Islam, Sunni, and Shia however there are several beliefs and practices that both branches follow. Muslims origin is from the prophet Muhammad. They believe he was the last prophet of Allah, their god. They believe he was the last person God spoke too, hence fulfilling the prophecy. Just like Christianity, Muslims also believe Moses and Abraham were prophets of God. In the islam religion, There are five pillars of faith. One, Allah is the only true God, all other gods are false. This beliefs comes from Surah 23, aaya 91, which states, “Never has God begotten a son, nor is there any other god besides Him. Were this otherwise, each god would govern his own creation, each holding himself above the other. Exalted be God above their falsehoods!” Two, you must pray to the holiest city, Mecca, five times a day. Muslims do this by physically phasing to the Ka’aba, the sacred mosque in Mecca. This comes from the Quran, Surah 2, aaya 144, which states “We hear our Lord and we obey “...So

When given this assignment, I was trying to think of a special population that I wanted to learn more about. Many different special populations came to mind. However, there is one in particular that I felt I knew very little about and began to question numerous aspects of their society; this culture is the Muslim culture. After doing some research, I realized that one of the most important dynamics to the Muslim culture is their Islamic faith. Islam is not only a religion, but it is a way of life to this population (Burrell, D., Pg. 18). The beliefs that Muslims uphold, in this religious sense, govern their way of life in almost every way possible. Once recognizing that religion is an extreme influential factor to their society, I wanted to learn what part of the religion gives the fundamental basis to this particular belief system. What I found regarding this are the five pillars of Islamic faith (IslamReligion.com).

When describing the five pillars of the Muslim faith, it is believed that this was the main foundation of the Muslim way of life. These five pillars give a true identity when it comes to the Muslim faith and lifestyle. One of the pillars is named Salat which is translated to Prayer in the English language. Throughout the day people would have to pray and it doesn't really matter where they do it. They have to at least do it five times a day. The second pillar that I will talk about is named Zakat. Zakat would mean charity or give charity. One of the principles following this is to have the knowledge that everything belongs to God.

The five Pillars of Islam are the belief in Allah and Muhammad his Prophet, prayer five times a day, observing the holy month Ramadan, pilgrimage to Mecca and alms to poor and unfortunate. Muslim scholars created the Shari’a which was a law code, influenced by Hadith. It was a collection of prophet’s sayings. Muslims were forbidden to gamble, eat pork, drink alcohol, or be involved in dishonest behavior. Marriages were arranged by parents. Abu Bakr, Muhammad’s father in law, was the successor and he was also a religious leader. Jihad was a holy war for striving in the way of the lord. The Arabs defeated the Byzantine army and later took over Byzantine region of Syria. They also defeated the Persian forces and conquered the Sassanid Empire. They unified the Bedouin people and they didn’t force people to convert. They had to pay taxes to not be in the military because all men were required to join. Islam began to struggle when people went against Abu and promoted Ali, Muhammad’s cousin and son in law. They established the new capital of Damascus. They conquered the Berbers and southern Spain but they failed to completely dismantle the Byzantine Empire. The Shi’ites were for Ali and were less strict than the Sunni

The 1st pillar, composed of two declarations it explains there is no god but God. However, to accept belief in a single divine of reality. The first pillar explains the reason for God is to accept faith and the two pillars explains Muhammad is royal messenger of God, accept submission to god and acceptance of his message as revealed to humanity through Muhammad. The form

Like many other religions, the Muslim faith has experienced many changes and branches. Like Christianity, the original faith is still practiced by some, but others have started new branches with their own unique interpretation being Muslim. Despite these differences within the Muslim religion, one set of rules for moral guidance is central to all. These rules are the Five Pillars of Islam. The Five Pillars act as a moral compass for Muslims and are universally accepted as they are mentioned specifically in the Qur’an, the sacred Muslim book of God’s words as they were recited to Muhammad (Molloy, 425).

Islam, now one of the major religions of the world, was found by a prophet, named Muhammad. The idea of Islam is the believer, called a Muslim, accepts surrender to the will of Allah, who is their God. Allah is viewed as the creator of the world. Islam is much like Christianity, as they are both monotheistic, potentially believing in the same God. Islam’s practices are written in the holy book, called the Qur’an, or Koran in English. Allah revealed the Koran to his messenger, Muhammad, who is considered the last of a series of prophets (Rahmin). Within the Islam religion, Muslims practice the Five Pillars of Islam, which is one of the most important practices. The Five Pillars of Islam are the five obligations that every muslim must satisfy in order to live a good and responsible life according to Islam (Five Pillars of Islam). Carrying out the Five Pillars demonstrates the Muslim is putting their faith first. The first pillar is called “Shahadah,” which focuses on reciting the Muslim profession of faith (Five Pillars of Islam).

The five pillars of Islam are the basics of the Muslim life. The first pillar is called the Shahada or Witness. It is a profession of faith that states simply that “there is no god but God (Allah), and Muhammad is the messenger of God.” Someone becomes a Muslim by stating this declaration of faith. It is also used daily in prayers. The second pillar of Islam is called Salat or Prayer. It describes the ritual prayers muslims are called to pray five times throughout the day. The prayers are made in position facing Mecca. The third pillar is called Zakat or Giving. It is the act of charity Muslims do by setting aside about 2.5 percent of their total income and give to the poor. The fourth pillar of Islam is called Swam or Fasting. Every year in the month of Ramadan, (the ninth month of

Islam is not a new religion but the final culmination and fulfillment of the same basic truth that God revealed through all His prophets to every people. For a fifth of the world's population, Islam is not just a personal religion but a complete way of living. Over a billion people from all races, nationalities and cultures across the globe are Muslim--from the rice farms of Indonesia to the deserts in the heart of Africa; from the skyscrapers of New York to the Bedouin tents in Arabia.