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1.
The Testimony of Faith :
The testimony
of faith is saying with conviction, “La
ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadur rasoolu Allah.”
This saying means “There is no true god
(deity) but God (Allah),1
and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of
God.” The first part, “There is no true god
but God,” means that none has the right to
be worshipped but God alone, and that God
has neither partner nor son. This testimony
of faith is called the Shahada, a
simple formula which should be said with
conviction in order to convert to Islam.
The testimony of faith is the most
important pillar of Islam.
2.
Prayer:
Muslims perform
five prayers a day. Each prayer does not
take more than a few minutes to perform.
Prayer in Islam is a direct link between
the worshipper and God. There are no
intermediaries between God and the
worshipper. In prayer, a person feels inner
happiness, peace, and comfort, and that God
is pleased with him or her. The Prophet
Muhammad said: {Bilal, call (the people) to
prayer, let us be comforted by it.} Bilal
was one of Muhammad’s companions who was
charged to call the people to prayers.
Prayers are performed at dawn, noon,
mid-afternoon, sunset, and night. A Muslim
may pray almost anywhere, such as in fields,
offices, factories, or universities.
3.
Giving Zakat (Supporting
of the Needy):
All things
belong to God, and wealth is therefore held
by human beings in trust. The original
meaning of the word zakat is both
‘purification’ and ‘growth.’ Giving
zakat means ‘giving a specified
percentage on certain properties to certain
classes of needy people.’ The percentage
which is due on gold, silver, and cash funds
that have reached the amount of about 85
grams of gold and held in possession for one
lunar year is two and a half percent. Our
possessions are purified by setting aside a
small portion for those in need, and, like
the pruning of plants, this cutting back
balances and encourages new growth. A person
may also give as much as he or she pleases
as voluntary alms or charity.
4.
Fasting the Month of
Ramadan:
Every year in
the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from
dawn until sundown, abstaining from food,
drink, and sexual relations. Although the
fast is beneficial to health, it is regarded
principally as a method of spiritual
self-purification. By cutting oneself off
from worldly comforts, even for a short
time, a fasting person gains true sympathy
with those who go hungry, as well as growth
in his or her spiritual life.
5.
The Pilgrimage to Makkah:
The annual
pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah is an
obligation once in a lifetime for those who
are physically and financially able to
perform it. About two million people go to
Makkah each year from every corner of the
globe. Although Makkah is always filled
with visitors, the annual Hajj is
performed in the twelfth month of the
Islamic calendar. Male pilgrims wear
special simple clothes which strip away
distinctions of class and culture so that
all stand equal before God.
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