Main Practices
In Islam there are five pillars of practice, often called
the 'Five Pillars of Islam':
1. Profession of Faith (Shahada):
The verbal commitment and
pledge that there is only One God and that Muhammad is the
Messenger of God.
2. Prayers (Salat): Muslims pray five times a day. before
dawn, mid-day, afternoon, after sunset and night . facing
toward the Kaaba, considered the House of God, in the Great
Mosque in Mecca. They may pray wherever they are when
prayer-time arrives, in any clean place, preferably in the
company of other Muslims. On Fridays in the afternoon,
Muslims are encouraged to pray as a gathered community in
congregational mosques and listen to a sermon in their local
language. There is a sequence of physical postures for the
ritual prayer, and the prayers are said in the language of
their revelation, Arabic. The performance of the five daily
prayers is required of all Muslims who are able.
3. Charity (Zakat): This is an annual payment of a certain
percentage of a Muslim's wealth which is distributed among
the poor. A fixed proportion of a Muslim.s net worth . not
just his or her income . is prescribed as a donation for the
welfare of the community, whether that community is made up
of Muslims, non-Muslims or both.
4. Fasting (Sawm): Every day from dawn to dusk during the
holy month of Ramadan, Muslims must abstain from eating,
drinking, smoking, and sexual contact; even more than at
other times they must also avoid cursing, lying, cheating
and otherwise abusing or harming others. Fasting is total
abstinence from food, drink, and unlawful actions from dawn
to sunset during the entire month of Ramadan.
5. Pilgrimage (Hajj): The journey to Mecca is obligatory
for every able bodied Muslim who can afford to make it.
Pilgrimage need be made only once in a lifetime, but it can
be made several times if a Muslim wishes. At Hajj every
pilgrim carries out specified rituals at specific times. At
any other time of year, Muslims can perform similar prayers
and rituals and thus complete a .lesser pilgrimage.. The
performance of pilgrimage to Mecca is required once in a
life time if means are available. Hajj is in part in memory
of the trials and tribulations of Prophet Abraham, his wife
Hagar and his eldest son Prophet Ishmael.
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