The Meaning Of Islam And The Five Pillars

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.

Explain and analyse the significance of the Five Pillars of Islam on the individual and the community making reference to the principal beliefs where relevant.

In the ancient world, idea of god was ever-changing and was different depending on the religion. For the Muslims, there was a sacred text called The Five Pillars of Islam that guided them through their religion to form a stronger relationship with god. The religious duties gave the Islamic disciples a unique quality and faith. Although the pillars belonged to the Muslims, many of the views were parallel to those of Judaism, which it emerged from. The beliefs within the Five Pillars of Islam were similar to the beliefs in Judaism in the aspects of faith, fasting, and pilgrimage.

Islam is not only religion, but a way of life followed by over 1 billion Muslims. Islam identifies the six articles of faith, central beliefs that every Muslim must believe in order to be a true Muslim. These include the belief in existence and unity of God, existence of angels, God’s revelation to humans in holy books, God appointing prophets to all people, resurrection and life after death, and God’s Will and human freedom of choice (Ewing, 2004, p. 1). The importance of these beliefs can be highlighted through the practical expressions of the five pillars. These include Shahadah, Salah, Zakah, Saum and Hajj which are all important during Muslim life because they are used daily or have to be performed at least once. Many of the six

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.

According to a Britannica article by Annemarie Schimmel, Muhammad is the last of a series of prophets, according to the Islam religion. He is considered the messenger of Allah who was given the words to write the Qur'an from Allah through the angel Gabriel (Schimmel, 2016).

Formal agreements or treaties recognized Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians as “people of the book,” giving them the status of dhimmis, protected but second-class subjects. Such people were permitted to freely practice their own religion, so long as they paid a special tax known as the jizya.

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 is defined as, “the monotheistic religion based on the doctrine of submission to God and of Muhammad as the last chief and prophet of God”(Dictionary 720). There are multiple practices included in the religion of Islam, similar to any other religion. Compared to Christianity or Judaism, when one follows Islam, one must follow The Five Pillars of Islam and the rules and circumstances of the worshipping practices. In addition, depending on the branch one is apart of, they may have to follow laws enforced by different prophets as well. One’s lifestyle will change because when following Islamic faith, their religious life is their main priority. Meaning, a Muslim makes the commitment to the practices one-hundred

The five pillars of Islam are the five fundamental acts in Islam that are believed to be mandatory by Muslims all around the world. The fifth pillar of Islam is the Hajj, which is a required annual pilgrimage for all Muslims financially and physically healthy enough to make the trip. The Muslims make the trip in the last month of the lunar calendar and they go to Mecca in Saudi Arabia to see the Kaaba built by Abraham. With the Hajj being one of the largest gatherings of people in the world, Saudi Arabia's economy benefits greatly from all of the spendings of the people taking the pilgrimage. The economy benefits due to sheer amount of Muslims taking the trip, it is estimated that around 2 million Muslims travelled to Mecca in 2015 for

Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, performed by two million of Muslims around the world, every year. It is considered as the most prominent part of a Muslim’s life, as they have to perform it, at least once in their life time.

From the Qur’an, there have been five Pillars of Faith that Muslims have followed. The pillars include a truth statement/belief, prayer, alms, an observed feast, and pilgrimage. Of these pillars, the statement is the most important and central pillar, and the statement is “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is God’s Prophet.” ( Aslan 152) The prayers may be the most well-known part of Islam practice, and the Muslims do it five times a day at specific times.(Aslan 148)

Believe it or not, the Christian and Islamic religions can be similar, many people think they are very different but I will prove that then can be similar. In the Islamic religion there are five pillars which represent five basic acts in Islam, these acts are considered to be mandatory by believers and are the basis of Muslim life. The second pillar called “Salat” represents mandatory prayer five times a day. These prayers take place before dawn, mid-day, late afternoon, after sunset, and after dark. Prior to being able to say their prayers they must perform a cleansing ritual known as “wudu” which means “making pure or radiant”. There is also another form of cleansing a person may be required to after sexual intercourse, menstruation, nocturnal emissions, or childbirth. This is called “ghusl” it is a cleansing of the entire body. The second pillar revolves around prayer and the preparation of prayer, which is similar to the Christian practice of prayer;

One of the most prominent and significant core beliefs at the heart of the Islamic Tradition is the Five Pillars of Islam; Faith, Prayer, Charity, Fasting and Pilgrimage to Mecca, five obligations that every Muslim must fulfil in order to live an enriched and full life, according to the teachings of Islam. However, while each Pillar is held in very high regard the Fifth and final Pillar, referred to as Hajj, ḥadjdj or hadj, as it is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, the Holy City of Islam in Saudi Arabia.

All great things are built on a solid and strong foundation. The religion of Islam is no different. The foundation on which Islam was built is known as The Five Pillars of Islam. These are the essential duties that are required of all Muslims. The pillars are the shahadah (declaration of faith), salah (establishment of the five ritual prayers), zakah (almsgiving), sawm (fasting the month of Ramadan), and hajj (pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca). These five pillars are in the central religious text of Islam, the Qur’an, and are presented as “the framework for worship and a sign of commitment to faith” (Esposito, “Pillars of Islam”). The pillars are often compared to a creed such as those seen in Christianity. While the two are similar in regards to the first pillar, they differ in that the five pillars of Islam are acts or practices that Muslims must perform while a creed, as defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, is a brief authoritative formula of religious belief. Shahadah, salah, zakah, sawm, and hajj are the five obligations all Muslims have to satisfy to live a respectable life according to Islam. They are the framework and foundation of a Muslim’s life.