The Five Pillars of Islam

The worship of Allah is principal in a Muslim’s mind at all time. There are also five formal acts of worship which help strengthen a the faith and obedience of a Muslim. They are frequently called the “Five Pillars of Islam”. The Five Pillars of Islam are the framework and guidelines of the Muslim life. They are the testimony of faith, prayer, supporting the needy, fasting during the month of Ramadan, and the once in a lifetime trip to Makkah for those who are able to do so. These Five Pillars are the thing Muslim’s do to please God and to keep themselves well and happy in this lifetime and for the future ones to come. It was Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam, who was reported to have said, “Islam is based upon five pillars”.

     One of the five pillars is Shahadataan or Kalima. This is the declaration or testimony of faith. The declaration itself is very simple and it goes as follows: “I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.” Islam is based on faith and the Unity of God. When one agrees with this statement, they are testifying upon the Unity of Allah and the message of Prophethood. When one witnesses the statement that Muhammad is His messenger, one is verifying that all the prophets before him were also His messengers showing that Allah is one and His message is one. When one declares this statement with their purity of heat and conviction of faith, they are then Muslim.

     The second of the five pillars is Salat. This is the name for the mandatory prayers which are to be performed five times a day. The prayer is a direct link between the worshipper and God. The is no authority like a priest, so the prayers are said by a person who is well familiarized with the Qu’ran, which is chosen by the worshippers. The prayers contain versus from the Qu’ran but the personal supplication may be said in one’s own language. These prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and nightfall.