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

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