The Five Pillars of Islam
The religion of Islam is based around ‘5 key practices’ know as ‘pillars’ and these are essentially the fundamental obligations of Muslim life.
The Five Pillars of Islam are the obligations that every Muslim must follow in order to live a good and responsible life according to the teachings.
The 5 Pillars are made up of:
- Shahada: The profession of faith. Firm belief that Allah is the only God and Muhammad (pbuh) is his messenger
- Salat: Performing 5 Daily Prayers whilst facing Makkah and in its proper manner and time (Dawn, midday, mid-afternoon, sunset and evening)
- Zakat: paying alms (charity) tax to benefit those in needy from one’s overall wealth
- Saum: fasting during the month of Ramadan to gain spiritual purification
- Hajj: pilgrimage to Makkah once in a lifetime if one as the means and good health to do so
Why are they important?
Completing these obligations gives the system of a Muslim’s life, and interconnects their regular exercises and convictions into a solitary fabric of religious dedication.
Regardless of how genuinely an individual may believe, if these obligations are not adhered to, then one is not simply living their life as a true Muslim and going against Allah’s commandments.
Carrying out the Five Pillars shows that a Muslim is putting their religion first, and not simply attempting to fit it in around their materialistic lives.
