Hum_130-Five_Pillars_of_Islam

Five Pillars of Islam Islam is a religion or way of life that believes in only one God. Islamic’s worship Allah and only him. This God they worship and believe in, in return supposed to help them construct a healthy and moral lifestyle. They feel there is four fundamentals of their religion: creation, judgment, guidance, and sustenance. These fundamentals of the Islam religion reflected on what they call the Five Pillars which includes: Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, and Hajj. In order to fulfill Shahadah, Islamic’s only worship one God Allah. They Allah is the source of all things, and is where you are no matter what the situation is. This pillar of faith came from the “testimony of faith.” Faith is a powerful thing. Salat has to do with the prayer of this religion. Where you pray needs to be clean at all times. Salat is the pillar where you would pray five fixed times a day. Those fixed times would be sunrise, at noon, mid-afternoon, the sunset, and right before you would go to bed. This practice is for you to be able to get closer with Allah at all times. The next pillar Zakat is basically a practice of giving to the poor, depending on their financial situation. Muslims are supposed to give money, service and time to the poor. During the holy month of the Islamics, Ramadan they are supposed to give Zakat a portion of their money for the food consumed that month. Businesses in the Islam world are supposed to give a portion of money as well. Sawm is a ritual of fasting. This occurs in the holy month of Ramadan as well. In Sawn, you would give up food and refrain from violence, greed, envy, and of course to get along with other Muslims better. This ritual is is forbidden in some ways involving children, and elderly people with medical conditions. Hajj means pilgrimage. In this fifth pillar of Islam is for you to make a pilgrimage in front of Mecca before they die. When you get close to Mecca, you are required to wear white sheets. After they make this pilgrimage they are considered a Hajj. In my opinion I think the person I am, the easiest pillar for me to follow would be Zakat. I say this because I think it is a very helpful idea to carry out. In a community instead of living your own life and not worrying about others you are coming closer together by helping each other in different aspects of life. The hardest for me would be Sawm. Fasting for me is very hard. However, I do understand them trying to give up the violence and greed, etc. But no food for a period of time would make me feel weak in some time, not to feel as if I am getting cleansed. REFERENCES http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Pillars_of_Islam http://library.thinkquest.org/28505/islam/centr.htm All retrieved March 14, 2010