according to the plan of the Creator, who is known as Allah (lit.: the
one God) in Islam. The Qur'an states that it is the duty of all
individuals to learn about Allah and to live according to His will. As
we cannot accomplish this be ourselves, Allah has sent messengers
andprophets to guide humanity All of these chosen individuals have
brought the same message and have served as examples to their people
of how Allahdesires all human beings to live. Through these selected
people, we havebeen told why mankind was created, what will happen to
us after death,and what Allah expects ofus. But most importantly,we
have been told that Allah is unique-He has nopartners, no sons or
daughters, and no competitors, as so many other man-made religious
systems have postulated. This messagealways remains the same, whereas
the laws laid down for a particularmight show some slight differences.
Muhammad, the last of Allah's prophets, was sent to present Allah's
revelation in its final form and for the last time. This was necessary
because the message delivered by the previousprophets and messengers
had been corrupted or distorted by their followers. They had been
mixed with philosophical speculations, superstitions, myths,
andneglect. Therefore, Islam is not a new religion-it is a restatement
of the original religion of Allah in its purest form and is designed
to provide humanity with the uncorrupted message of Allah.
Islam is an Arabic word that denotes submission and obedience to
Allah. Italso means "peace," for itbrings peace of mind as well as
peace on the individual and the social levels.
THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
In Islam, the term"worship" covers any action that one does in
accordance with the will of Allah. It can be mental, physical, spoken,
or otherwise. All such actions will be rewarded.
There are five acts of worship that are so fundamental that the
Prophet grouped them together as the five pillars of Islam. Every
Muslim is expected to fulfill these obligations. They are:
THE DECLARATION OF MONOTHEISM:
Recognizing and acknowledging the monotheistic nature of Allah stands
at the core of Islam. This consists of a public affirmation that"there
is no god but Allah (God), and Muhammad is His Messenger." One
cannotbe a Muslim until he states this fact in the presence of Muslim
witnesses.
PRAYERS:
A Muslim must perform thefive daily prayers. These must be performed
at specific times, corresponding roughly with dawn, noon, afternoon,
sunset, and nightfall. The prayers can be made in any clean place,but
it is preferable to pray them with others in a mosque, for this
communalundertaking acts as a reminder that all Muslims are equal.
When many people are praying together, it becomes clear that color,
economic status,social position, and all other artificial distinctions
have no importance to Allah, for all Muslims are commanded to stand
together, shoulder to shoulder, and prostrate themselves before Him.
There are no exceptions. Prayers also elevated the individual to a
higher level of morality, purifies his heart, and helps him to resist
his desire to engage in forbidden activities.
FASTING THE MONTH OF RAMADAN:
Every year during the Muslim month of Ramadan,Muslims abstain from
food, drink, and sexual activity from dawn to sunset. While this gives
the body amuch needed rest and improves ones health by getting rid of
excess weight, it also increases ones commitment to Allah, develops
his social conscience, and reminds him of how the less fortunate live
every day In addition, it strengthens one's patience, self-restraint,
will power, and sincerity.
CHARITY (Zakat):
Every Muslim whose net annual savings are above acertain specified
minimum must pay an annual
amount of 2.5% to the poor and needy This actionpurifies one's accrued
wealth, fosters the quality of sacrifice, and rids him of selfishness
and greed. It also helps to reduce resentment and envy between a
society's poor and rich classes.
HAJJ (Pilgrimage to Makkah):
Hajj is an act of worship that is to be performed at least once in a
lifetime, provided that one is physically and financially able to do
so. During this time, Muslims meet from all corners of the world in an
international congregation for the sole purpose of responding to the
call of Allah. It also reminds the participants that all Muslims are
equal, irrespective of their geographical, cultural, or racial
origins.
THE ARTICLES OF FAITH
All Muslims believe in:
. The oneness of Allah. Allahhas no partner, son, daughter, helper, or
competitor. There is nothing that even remotely resembles Him, for He
is unique.
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