StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Describe in detail the set of religious observances known as the Five Pillars of Islam - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Islam is the second largest religion in the world with over 1.6 billion followers. At the heart of Islam are the pillars of the religion which consists of the…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER96.2% of users find it useful
Describe in detail the set of religious observances known as the Five Pillars of Islam
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Describe in detail the set of religious observances known as the Five Pillars of Islam"

Pillars of Islam Inserts His/Her Inserts Inserts Introduction Islam is a monotheistic religion expressed by the Quran which is believed by its followers to be literal word of God. Islam is the second largest religion in the world with over 1.6 billion followers. At the heart of Islam are the pillars of the religion which consists of the most important practices in Islam. The pillars are five basic mandatory acts that each Muslim should partake in during the course of their religious lives. The pillars form the foundation of Islam and both the Sunni and the Shia are in agreement on how the practices, as articulated by the hadith of Gabriel, should be performed.

The five pillars of Islam form the foundation of worship and dedication to the Islamic faith. They are: Shahada, Salat, Sawm, Zakat and Hajj (Ellwood, & McGraw, 2009).ShahadaShahadah is a statement of belief that professes monotheism and acceptance of Muhammad as the messenger of God (Allah) (Ellwood, & McGraw, 2009). The creed is customarily recited in Arabic during each call to prayer (Azaan) and when one wishes to convert to Islam. It is also believed that one should also recite the creed when they are about to die.

SalatSalat describes the obligatory set of prayers that each Muslim should partake in daily. It consists of five prayers that should be recited each day as defined by the Sunna (Hedayetullah, 2006). The first prayer is the Fajr that is performed at dawn just before the sunrise. The second prayer is the Dhuhr and is performed at noon after the sun has passed its apex. The third prayer is the ʿAṣr that is performed in the afternoon before the sun sets. The forth prayer is the Maghrib which is performed in the evening after the sun sets.

The final prayer is the Isha which is performed at night. Each of these prayers comprises of a set amount of rakaʿāt (prescribed words and movements). All of the prayers are performed while facing the Islamic holy city of Mecca. Before each prayer, Muslims must partake in Wudu (Cleansing), achieved by washing themselves.SawmThe third pillar of Islam is fasting (Sawm). According to the Quran, there are three types of fasting that Muslims should partake in. During the month of Ramadan, all Muslims have to partake in ritual fasting.

This type of fasting is mandatory and followers of Islam have to refrain from eating, drinking and other worldly pleasures from dawn to dusk during the whole period (Khan, 2006). They are also expected to be particularly attentive of other sins. The other two types of fasting are as compensation to penance and abstinent fasting. Sawm allows believers to pursue closeness to God, to convey dependence on and gratitude to God, and to atone for any sins committed in the past (Ellwood &.McGraw, 2009).

ZakatThe fourth pillar of Islam is alms-giving (Zakat). Zakat involves the practice of giving charity depending on the wealth with which one has accumulated. According to Islam, all Muslim have the responsibility of easing the economic hardship of others as well as eradicating inequality. Zakat is therefore considered obligatory to all who are able. The practice consists of devoting 2.5% of all accumulated wealth to assist the needy or the poor such as slaves, travellers and debtors (Hedayetullah, 2006).

HajjThe final pillar of Islam is pilgrimage (Hajj). Hajj is a derivative of ancient Arab traditions and involves pilgrimage to Mecca during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah (Ellwood &.McGraw, 2009). According to Islamic teachings, this pilgrimage should be carried out at least once by those who are able. The pilgrims are required to wear the Ihram clothing when they are about 10 km outside Mecca. Both sexes are required to make the pilgrimage after which they are referred to as hajj, for the men, or hajja, for the women.

The pilgrimage consists of several rituals which include: circling the Kaaba seven times (Tawaf), Touching the black stone, travelling between Mount Marwah and Mount Safa seven times (Sa’yee), and the stoning of the jamarāt (symbolical stoning of the devil) (Khan, 2006). The Hajj is carried out to show devotion to God and also the unity of Islam as a religion.ConclusionThe pillars of Islam are the foundation with which the religion stands. They form a guideline for worship and forge unity amongst the many followers of Islam.

The pillars are observed by the young and old, the rich and the poor, masters and slaves, and as such establish a sense of commonness among the Islamic community emphasizing that before God, everyone is equal.ReferencesEllwood, R., & McGraw, B. (2009). Many Peoples, Many Faiths: Women and Men in the World Religions (9th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Prentice HallHedayetullah, M. (2006). Dynamics of Islam: An Exposition. Bloomington, Indiana: Trafford Publishing.Khan, A. (2006). Islam 101: Principles and Practice.

California: Khan Consulting and Publishing, LLC

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Describe in detail the set of religious observances known as the Five Essay”, n.d.)
Describe in detail the set of religious observances known as the Five Essay. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/religion-and-theology/1652046-describe-in-detail-the-set-of-religious-observances-known-as-the-five-pillars-of-islam
(Describe in Detail the Set of Religious Observances Known As the Five Essay)
Describe in Detail the Set of Religious Observances Known As the Five Essay. https://studentshare.org/religion-and-theology/1652046-describe-in-detail-the-set-of-religious-observances-known-as-the-five-pillars-of-islam.
“Describe in Detail the Set of Religious Observances Known As the Five Essay”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/religion-and-theology/1652046-describe-in-detail-the-set-of-religious-observances-known-as-the-five-pillars-of-islam.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Describe in detail the set of religious observances known as the Five Pillars of Islam

The Importance of Sufism

Explain in Detail the five pillars of islam Muslims have various practices that should be observed.... Of all these, the five pillars are considered the most vital.... The second pillar of islam is Salat.... The third pillar of islam is Zakat.... The forth pillar of islam is Sawm.... This is the occasional fasting in Islam, which is done on the ninth month in the calendar of islam.... The last pillar of islam is Hajj, where Muslims from different parts of the world gather in Mecca to praise Allah....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Sources of Sharia Law in the Religion of Islam

All Muslims are following the five pillars because these pillars are the most important parts in Islam religion.... the five pillars include: Faith or belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the prophet hood of Muhammad Establishment of the daily prayers Concern for and almsgiving to the needy Self-purification through fasting The pilgrimage to Makah and this is especially for those who are able.... In other words, the five pillars involve declaring that Allah is GOD and Mohammad is GOD's messenger, doing prayers on time, alms “Zakat” giving poor Muslims food, money and so on for Muslims who are able to do the Zakat, fasting Ramadan, and doing pilgrimage “Hajj” for Muslims who can do the Hajj....
9 Pages (2250 words) Essay

The Five Pillars of

In the original Arabic rendition, the Five Pillars are termed “Shahadah: Describe in detail the set of religious observances known as the Five Pillars of Islam.... All people of the Islamic religion are expected to observe aset of five simple rules which are called the five pillars of islam.... BBC Religions, five pillars of islam, Last updated 2009-09-08, retrieved from ... the five pillars act as a template for how the faithful have to… Taken in the right spirit, adherence to the five pillars will take the faithful close to Allah and ensure a blissful after-life....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

The Meaning of Islam and the Five Tenets of Belief

nbsp; the five pillars of islam and their Significance The Muslim faith of Islam is based on five pillars or tenets which are as follows: (1) Shahada or Creed; (2) Salat or Daily Prayers; (3) Sawm or fasting during Ramadan; (4) Zakat or Alms-giving; and (5) Hajj, or the pilgrimage to Mecca, to be undertaken by a Muslim if he has the means, at least once in his lifetime.... And how does following the five pillars manifest Islam?... What specific religious beliefs help make sense of the necessity of islam for Muslims?...
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

Agree or Disagree with ISLAM

One should point out that there is a peculiar concept of five pillars of islam: a set of principles and practices that define the identity of a Muslim.... There are five prayers which true believers of islam should perform: the one at daybreak, noon, midafternoon, sunset and in the evening.... The third pillar which is able to contribute to a correct understanding of islam as a system is called zakat.... As some of the researchers put it, “zakat is a good demonstration of islam's commitment to social justice” (Rane 23)....
4 Pages (1000 words) Research Paper

Islamic Culture

The author states that Islam is highly dependent on the five pillars.... During the Hajj, Muslims embark on a pilgrimage to the heart of islam; Mecca.... All Muslims are expected to uphold the values of these pillars and participate in various activities to reinforce their faith.... It involves several religious rites carried out over the course of several days.... The date of carrying out the rites is set and is advanced by ten days each year....
6 Pages (1500 words) Research Paper

Jewish Religion of the Talmudic Period

nbsp; Also, the Jewish religious observances and beliefs during the biblical period were largely drawn from the five books endowed by Moses, which are collectively called the Torah.... nbsp; This Talmud offers its adherents a set of new religious observances than that required during the biblical period.... This assignment "Jewish Religion of the Talmudic Period" presents Judaism as one of the oldest surviving religions in the world, having preceded the birth of Christianity and islam....
1 Pages (250 words) Assignment

The Five Pillars of Islam

As one of the five pillars of islam, many Muslims take it very seriously, knowing that its origins go back even farther than the Prophet Muhammad himself to the time of Ibrahim (Abraham).... The Five Pillars of IslamThe five pillars of islam include the confession that God is the One and Muhammad is God's prophet, along with communal ritual prayer five times daily, “fasting during the lunar month of Ramadan, an annual obligatory almsgiving and a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime if able” (Burrell 1997)....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us