HoR - Islam (2. The Five Pillars)

lastminuteman (61)in #history • 7 years ago (edited)

Today, I'll introduce the Five Pillars of Islam, which are the duty of believing Muslims. Indeed, these latter must comply with the five ones, except in exceptional cases.

The Five Pillars

1. The first is the profession of faith (shahada). This is recited at the beginning of the prayer and consists in demonstrating its attachment to Islam, as well as the uniqueness of God. The next sentence should be recited five times a day (sunrise, noon, 4 pm, sunset, night), and always on a carpet (prevents the stain of this sacred moment).

"There is no god but God. Muhammad is the prophet of God."

2. The second is prayer (salat), which is a ritualized prayer from different suras, and must be recited five times a day. These prayers should be done in the direction of the Ka'ba of Mecca. It's normally preceded by ablutions (the latter mark the passage from the profane to the sacred).

3. The third is Ramadan (syiam). It takes place in the 9th month of the Muslim calendar. During this period, drinking, food, sex and smoke are forbidden from sunrise to sunset. And the Ramadan ends with a huge meal (Eid al-Fitr).

4. The fourth is mandatory alms (zakat). The latter has a purifying function, and every Muslim must give a share of his property to the poorest (about 2.5%).

5. The fifth and last pillar, is the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj). It must be done at least once in a life, for those who can do it (physical and financial means). The stages of this pilgrimage follow those of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad.