5 Pillars of Faith Station Readings

Shahada The shahada is the first pillar of Islam. It is their belief statement or profession of faith. A Muslim demonstrates his/her belief in one God and the importance of Muhammad by saying: “There is only one God (Allah) and Muhammad is his prophet.” A person wishing to join the Islam faith must make this declaration in the presence of at least two Muslim witnesses. Unlike the Christian faith, no formal ceremony, such as a baptism, is involved. This pillar is the main theme of Islam and the belief statement is repeated numerous times throughout the day during prayer and worship. It is meant to remind Muslims of their commitment to God and their effort to live an obedient life to His teachings. Salat The second pillar is salat (salah), or daily worship. Muslims worship 5 times a day through prayer. They pray at dawn, noon, in the afternoon, after sunset, and at night. When in prayer, Muslims face Mecca because that is where the Kabba is located. These times of prayer give Muslims the opportunity to seek God’s blessings and ask for forgiveness of sin. They also offer Muslims a break from the challenges and circumstances of daily life. Unlike Christians and Jews, Islam sets no day of the week apart from the others as a holy day. The closest Muslims have to a formal worship service is when they gather on Fridays for noon prayers. Muslims are encouraged to worship God daily through the practice of salat – daily prayer worship. Zakat The third pillar is zakat (zakah), charity or giving to help those less fortunate. In the Christian faith, this is called tithing. Islam recognizes that material things are important to life and that some people have more than others. Islam is not concerned with why this situation exists. Instead it looks at what should be done to help those who are less fortunate. This pillar reinforces the idea that those who “have” should give to those that “have not”. Paying the zakat is a way of earning spiritual rewards from God. Failing to pay zakat is considered a sin. Sawn The fourth pillar is the sawn or fast (not eating/drinking). The Qur’an encourages Muslims to fast as a means of showing their commitment to God in the face of temptation and difficulty. Sawn, fasting for the period of time from dawn to sunset, teaches Muslims self-restraint, patience, endurance, and obedience to God. It also brings home the problems and situations faced daily by people who do not have the means to eat on a regular basis. Muslims practice sawn during the holy time of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is a holy month for Muslims because the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to Muhammad in Ramadan 610 CE. Hajj The fifth pillar is the hajj, or pilgrimage (trip) to Mecca at least once in a lifetime. Every Muslim who is physically and financially able is expected to journey to Mecca. Muslims view the hajj as a time of turning away from the world and turning toward God. The rituals or steps of the hajj are meant to convey the Muslim’s rejection of evil and his/her embracement of monotheism. Muslims from around the world gather in Mecca to complete the hajj. They all wear the same white sheet like garments. This sea of white created by millions of pilgrims is meant to remind Muslims that all are created equal by God. (Muslims who cannot complete the hajj due to physical or financial hardships can complete other acts of worship to complete this pillar of faith.)