The Five Pillars of Islam

The first pillar is the shahadashahada The declaration of faith: there is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God. Glossary, the witness: “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.” Saying it sincerely makes a person a Muslim. It is whispered into a newborn’s ear, repeated in every prayer and, ideally, they are the last words a Muslim speaks.

Its two halves hold the whole faith: tawhidtawhid The oneness of God, the central teaching of Islam. Glossary, the absolute oneness of God, and the acceptance of Muhammad as the final prophet in the line of Abraham, Moses and Jesus.

Salatsalat The ritual prayer, said five times a day facing Mecca. Glossary, the ritual prayer, is performed five times a day: at dawn, midday, afternoon, sunset and nightfall. Before praying, Muslims wash in a set way, wudu. They face the Kaaba in Mecca, and move through a sequence of standing, bowing, prostrating and sitting while reciting verses of the Qur’an in Arabic.

Prayer can be said anywhere clean, alone or together. On Friday at midday men in particular gather in the mosque for congregational prayer and a sermon. The call to prayer, the adhan, sounds from minarets across the Muslim world.

Zakatzakat The obligatory giving of a share of one’s wealth to the poor, one of the Five Pillars. Glossary, “purification”, is the duty to give a fixed share of one’s wealth each year to those in need, usually 2.5 percent of savings above a minimum. Muslims see wealth as a trust from God; giving purifies what remains and binds the community together.

Beyond zakat, voluntary charity, sadaqa, is encouraged at all times. At the end of Ramadan every household pays zakat al-fitr, so that the poor can celebrate the festival too.

During the month of Ramadan, healthy adult Muslims fast from dawn to sunset: no food, drink or smoking. The sick, travellers, pregnant women, children and the elderly are exempt. The fast is broken each evening, often with dates and water, and families and friends share the iftariftar The meal that breaks the fast at sunset during Ramadan. Glossary meal.

Fasting trains self-control and gratitude and turns the heart towards those who are hungry. Ramadan ends with the joyful festival of Eid al-Fitr.

Once in a lifetime, every Muslim who is physically and financially able should make the hajjhajj The pilgrimage to Mecca, required once in a lifetime of every Muslim who is able. Glossary, the pilgrimage to Mecca in the month of Dhu al-Hijja. Pilgrims wear simple white garments that erase differences of wealth and nation, circle the Kaaba seven times, walk between the hills of Safa and Marwa, and stand in prayer on the plain of Arafat.

The rites recall Abraham, his wife Hagar and their son Ishmael. Millions of pilgrims take part each year, and Muslims everywhere join them in spirit by celebrating Eid al-Adha.