HUM 130 Five Pillars (AXIA)

HUM 130 Five Pillars (AXIA)

Muslims feel that Islam includes all religions. Islam respects all the prophets as messengers of God. They also believe that Muhammad is the last of a continuing chain of prophets who have come to restore the true religion. The Qur’an and the Sunnah of Muhammad is called the Shari’ah which specifies the patterns of worship (known as the Five Pillars of Islam) as well as prescriptions for social conduct. The Five Pillars of Islam are considered, by Muslims, God’s commandments.
Believing and professing the unity of God and the messengership of Muhammad is what the first pillar of Islam, or the Shahadah, consists of. It is a requirement of the Qur’an that the faithful tell others of Islam. This way as they tell others, these will have the information they need to make an intelligent choice. But they must not use coercion as they spread the message.
The performance of a continual round of prayers is what the second pillar consists of. These prayers have to be done five times a day, the faithful are to perform rituals, face Mecca, and recite a series of prayers from the Qur’an, bowing and kneeling. The joint facing of Mecca for prayer unites all Muslims around the world. It is thought that by repeating the prayers, one’s belief in God’s existence and goodness strengthens. Prayer is expected to purify the heart, comfort the soul, encourage the good and suppress the evil in a person.
The third pillar is zakat, or spiritual tithing and almsgiving. This means that at the end of the year, all Muslims must donate at least two and a half percent of accumulated wealth to needy Muslims. This was designed to prevent personal greed. Many stories from the life of the Prophet Muhammad teach that one should help others whether they are Muslims or not.
Fasting is the fourth pillar of Islam. Fasting is obligated during Ramadan, the first revelations of the Qur’an to Muhammad. For those who are beyond puberty, but not sick or women who are menstruating or nursing...