Blog Post 27: The Five Pillars of Islam

Megan
Mr. Sanchez
April 29, 2013

1) The shahadah is the Muslim declaration of faith the proclaims the belief of oneness. It central to the Muslim faith because it affirms the Muslim belief that there is only one God.
2) Salat is the performance of ritual prayers in the proper way five times a day. It mentally helps Muslims to live in obedience to the will of Allah because it gives them time to focus on their beliefs and how they will live them out. Physically, salat requires a person to bow down into a vulnerable position, signifying that Allah is mightier than humans.
3) Zakat is the paying of alms tax to benefit the poor and needy. It shows that Allah’s will is for all people to be taken care of and treated equally. Through their almsgiving, Muslims are committed to helping the less fortunate in their communities.
4) Sawm is the practice of fasting during Ramadan. It mentally allows a person to live in obedience to the will of Allah because it requires a person to fast all day; something that is hard for many to do without faith or a reason. It physically  allows a person to live in obedience to the will of Allah because it reinforces that suffering that the marginalized go through on a daily basis, thus reiterating the message of zakat.
5) The hajj is a pillar of Islamic faith because it allows believers from all over the world to come together to practice their faith as a global community. This is similar to the Catholics going to the mass when Pope Benedict came to America to profess our faith to the holy father; however, it differs because Muslims go to Mecca all at once while only a handful of the Catholics in America got to see the mass in person. Additionally, the hajj is required for Muslims; it was not required for Catholics to go and see this mass. However it would have been really awesome

6) Many of the possible challenges of living the Five Pillars stem from living in a non-Muslim country. When everyone has the same goal in mind, it is easier for a person to focus on what they need to do. However, when those practicing the Five Pillars, especially salat and sawm, are the minority, it may be difficult for one to focus on their faith. There are many obstacles that come with being Muslim and therefore it is important that these people remain close in their faith.