10 Nov The five pillards of Islam
The foundation of Muslim life: faith, prayer, obligatory charity, fasting during the month of Ramadan and the pilgrimage to Mecca for those who are capable.
Faith
There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His Prophet.
Prayer
Salat is the name of the obligatory prayers which are recited five times a day and
are a direct link between the believer and God. Prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid- afternoon, sunset and nightfall in order to follow the rhythm of the entire day. Those who visit the Arab world are struck by the importance of prayer in people’s everyday lives.
Zakat
One of the fundamental principles of Islam
is that all things belong to God and therefore our possessions are purified by setting aside a portion of them for the needy. Each Muslim calculates his own zakat individually. In general, this involves the payment of 2.5% of one’s capital each year.
Fasting
Every year, during the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from sunrise to sundown, abstaining from food, drink and sexual intercourse. Even though fasting is very healthy, it is mainly done for self- purification purposes.
The pilgrimage
The annual pilgrimage to Mecca – the Hajj – is a must for all those who are able to fulfil it both physically and economically. About two million believers from every part of the world come to Mecca every year and this, among other things, represents a unique meeting between people of different nationalities. The end of the pilgrimage
is marked by a feast – Eid al-Adha – which is celebrated with prayers and the exchange of gifts within the various Muslim communities. This event together with that of Eid al-Fitr, when the end of Ramadan is celebrated, are the two most important religious feasts of the Muslim calendar.
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