Difference between revisions of "Pillars of Islam" - New World Encyclopedia

From New World Encyclopedia
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==Shahadah==
 
==Shahadah==
The shahadah ([[Arabic]]: {{Audio|ar_shahadah.ogg|<big>'''شهادة'''</big>}}  {{ArTranslit|Šahādah}}) ([[Turkish language|Turkish]]: ''Şehadet'') is the basic creed or tenet of Islam: "''{{ArabDIN|'ašhadu 'al-lā ilāha illā-llāhu wa 'ašhadu 'anna muħammadan rasūlu-llāh}}''", or "I testify that there is no [[Ilah|god (ilah)]]  but [[God in Islam|Allah]], and I testify that [[Muhammad]] is the [[rasul|messenger]] of Allah". As the most important pillar, this testament is a foundation for all other beliefs and practices in Islam. Ideally, it is the first words a newborn will hear, and children are taught as soon as they are able to understand it and it will also be recited when they die. Muslims must repeat the shahadah in prayer, and non-Muslims wishing to convert to Islam are required to recite the creed.<ref>Farah (1994), p.135</ref>
+
The first (and most important) Pillar of Islam is the affirmation of the ''shahadah'' (<big>'''شهادة'''</big>, "witness"),<ref>"Shahadah," ''Oxford Dictionary of Islam''. John L. Esposito, ed. Oxford University Press Inc. 2003. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. University of Saskatchewan.  24 May 2007  [http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t125.e2154].</ref> a concise credal statement that summarizes the essentials of Muslim belief in a single line: "''{{ArabDIN|'ašhadu 'al-lā ilāha illā-llāhu wa 'ašhadu 'anna muħammadan rasūlu-llāh}}''", or "I testify that there is no [[Ilah|god (ilah)]]  but [[God in Islam|Allah]], and I testify that [[Muhammad]] is the [[rasul|messenger]] of Allah". This pithy faith statement is a foundation for all other beliefs and practices in Islam. Ideally, it is the first words a newborn will hear, and children are taught as soon as they are able to understand it and it will also be recited when they die. Muslims must repeat the shahadah in prayer, and non-Muslims wishing to convert to Islam are required to recite the creed.<ref>Farah (1994), p.135</ref>
 +
 
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It should be noted that [[Shi'a Islam|Muslims of the Shi'a school]] append the phrase "... and Ali is the Friend of God" to the ''shahadah'', reflecting their slightly disparate understanding of divine revelation.<ref>Ruthven, 147.</ref>
  
 
==Salah==
 
==Salah==
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'''Books and journals'''
 
'''Books and journals'''
 
*{{cite book | last=Brockopp | first=Jonathan | coauthors=Tamara Sonn, Jacob Neusner | title=Judaism and Islam in Practice: A Sourcebook | publisher=Routledge | year=2000 | id=ISBN 0415216737}}
 
*{{cite book | last=Brockopp | first=Jonathan | coauthors=Tamara Sonn, Jacob Neusner | title=Judaism and Islam in Practice: A Sourcebook | publisher=Routledge | year=2000 | id=ISBN 0415216737}}
*{{cite book | last=Esposito | first=John | authorlink=John Esposito | title=Islam: The Straight Path | publisher=Oxford University Press | year=1998 | edition=3rd | id=ISBN 978-0195112344}}
+
*{{cite book | last=Delcambre | first=Anne-Marie  | title=Inside Islam | publisher=Marquette University Press | year=2005 | edition=3rd | id=ISBN 1423733460}}
*{{cite book | last=Farah | first=Caesar | authorlink=Caesar E. Farah | title=Islam: Beliefs and Observances | publisher=Barron's Educational Series | year=1994 | edition=5th | id=ISBN 978-0812018530}}
+
*{{cite book | last=Esposito | first=John  | title=Islam: The Straight Path | publisher=Oxford University Press | year=1998 | edition=3rd | id=ISBN 978-0195112344}}
 +
*{{cite book | last=Farah | first=Caesar | title=Islam: Beliefs and Observances | publisher=Barron's Educational Series | year=1994 | edition=5th | id=ISBN 978-0812018530}}
 
*{{cite book | last=Goldschmidt, Jr. | first=Arthur | coauthors=Lawrence Davidson | title=A Concise History of the Middle East | publisher=Westview Press | year=2005 | edition=8th | id=ISBN 978-0813342757}}
 
*{{cite book | last=Goldschmidt, Jr. | first=Arthur | coauthors=Lawrence Davidson | title=A Concise History of the Middle East | publisher=Westview Press | year=2005 | edition=8th | id=ISBN 978-0813342757}}
 
*{{cite book | last=Hedayetullah | first=Muhammad | title=Dynamics of Islam: An Exposition | publisher=Trafford Publishing | year=2006 | id=ISBN 978-1553698425}}
 
*{{cite book | last=Hedayetullah | first=Muhammad | title=Dynamics of Islam: An Exposition | publisher=Trafford Publishing | year=2006 | id=ISBN 978-1553698425}}
*{{cite book | last=Hoiberg | first=Dale | authorlink=Dale Hoiberg | coauthors=Indu Ramchandani | title=Students' Britannica India | publisher=Encyclopaedia Britannica (UK) Ltd | year=2000 | id=ISBN 978-0852297605}}
 
*{{cite book | last=Jonsson | first=David J. | title=Islamic Economics And the Final Jihad | year=2006| publisher=Xulon Press | id=ISBN 1597819808}}
 
*{{cite book | last=Khan | first=Arshad | title=Islam 101: Principles and Practice | publisher=Khan Consulting and Publishing, LLC | year=2006 | id=ISBN 78-0977283835}}
 
 
*{{cite book | last=Kobeisy | first=Ahmed Nezar | title=Counseling American Muslims: Understanding the Faith and Helping the People | publisher=Praeger Publishers | year=2004 | id=ISBN 978-0313324727}}
 
*{{cite book | last=Kobeisy | first=Ahmed Nezar | title=Counseling American Muslims: Understanding the Faith and Helping the People | publisher=Praeger Publishers | year=2004 | id=ISBN 978-0313324727}}
 
*{{cite book | last=Levy | first=Reuben | title=The Social Structure of Islam | location = UK | publisher=Cambridge University Press | year=1957 | id=ISBN 978-0521091824}}
 
*{{cite book | last=Levy | first=Reuben | title=The Social Structure of Islam | location = UK | publisher=Cambridge University Press | year=1957 | id=ISBN 978-0521091824}}
 
*{{cite book | last=Ridgeon | first=Lloyd | title=Major World Religions | publisher=RoutledgeCurzon | year=2003 | edition=1st | id=ISBN 978-0415297967}}
 
*{{cite book | last=Ridgeon | first=Lloyd | title=Major World Religions | publisher=RoutledgeCurzon | year=2003 | edition=1st | id=ISBN 978-0415297967}}
*{{cite book | last=Tabatabae | first=Sayyid Mohammad Hosayn | coauthors=R. Campbell (translator) | authorlink=Allameh Tabatabaei | title= Islamic teachings: An Overview and a Glance at the Life of the Holy Prophet of Islam | publisher=Green Gold | year=2002 | id=ISBN 0-922817-00-6}}
+
*{{cite book | last=Ruthven | first=Malise | title= Islam : A Very Short Introduction | publisher=Oxford University Press | year=1997 | id=ISBN 0585111219}}
 +
*{{cite book | last=Sedgwick | first=Mark J. | title= Islam & Muslims : A Guide to Diverse Experience in a Modern | publisher=Intercultural Press | year=2006 | id=ISBN 142378717X}}
 +
*{{cite book | last=Tabatabae | first=Sayyid Mohammad Hosayn | coauthors=R. Campbell (translator) | title= Islamic teachings: An Overview and a Glance at the Life of the Holy Prophet of Islam | publisher=Green Gold | year=2002 | id=ISBN 0-922817-00-6}}
  
'''Encyclopedias'''
+
'''Dictionaries and Encyclopedias'''
  
*{{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica Online|Encyclopaedia Britannica Online]] | publisher=Encyclopaedia Britannica | year=2007 | id=ISBN 978-1593392932}}
+
*{{cite encyclopedia | editor=Erwin Fahlbusch, William Geoffrey Bromiley | title=Encyclopedia of Christianity | publisher=Eerdmans Publishing Company, and Brill| year=2001| edition=1st edition| id=ISBN 0-8028-2414-5}}
*{{cite encyclopedia | editor=Erwin Fahlbusch, William Geoffrey Bromiley | encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Christianity | publisher=Eerdmans Publishing Company, and Brill| year=2001| edition=1st| id=ISBN 0-8028-2414-5}}
+
*{{cite encyclopedia | editor=P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs | title=Encyclopaedia of Islam Online | publisher=Brill Academic Publishers | id=ISSN 1573-3912}}
*{{cite encyclopedia | editor=P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs | encyclopedia=[[Encyclopaedia of Islam]] Online | publisher=Brill Academic Publishers | id=ISSN 1573-3912}}
+
*{{cite encyclopedia | editor=Salamone Frank | title=Encyclopedia of Religious Rites, Rituals, and Festivals | publisher=Routledge | edition=1st edition| year=2004 | id=ISBN 978-0415941808}}
*{{cite encyclopedia | editor=Salamone Frank | encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Religious Rites, Rituals, and Festivals | publisher=Routledge | edition=1st | year=2004 | id=ISBN 978-0415941808}}
+
*{{cite encyclopedia | editor=John L. Esposito, editor in chief | title=Oxford Dictionary of Islam Online | publisher=Oxford University Press | id=ISBN 0195125584}}
*{{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia=The New Encyclopedia Britannica | publisher=Encyclopedia Britannica, Incorporated; Rev Ed edition | year=2005 | id=ISBN 978-1593392369}}
 
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==

Revision as of 17:33, 24 May 2007

Part of the series on

Islam


Mosque02.png
History of Islam
Beliefs and practices

Oneness of God
Profession of Faith
Prayer · Fasting
Pilgrimage · Charity

Major figures

Muhammad
Ali · Abu Bakr
Companions of Muhammad
Household of Muhammad
Prophets of Islam

Texts & law

Qur'an · Hadith · Sharia
Jurisprudence
Biographies of Muhammad

Branches of Islam

Sunni · Shi'a · Sufi

Sociopolitical aspects

Art · Architecture
Cities · Calendar
Science · Philosophy
Religious leaders
Women in Islam
Political Islam · Jihad
Liberal Islam

See also

Vocabulary of Islam
Index of articles on Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam is the term given to "the five duties incumbent on every Muslim". These duties are shahadah (profession of faith), salah (ritual prayer), zakat (alms tax), sawm (fasting during Ramadan), and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).[1]

Shahadah

The first (and most important) Pillar of Islam is the affirmation of the shahadah (شهادة, "witness"),[2] a concise credal statement that summarizes the essentials of Muslim belief in a single line: "'ašhadu 'al-lā ilāha illā-llāhu wa 'ašhadu 'anna muħammadan rasūlu-llāh", or "I testify that there is no god (ilah) but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah". This pithy faith statement is a foundation for all other beliefs and practices in Islam. Ideally, it is the first words a newborn will hear, and children are taught as soon as they are able to understand it and it will also be recited when they die. Muslims must repeat the shahadah in prayer, and non-Muslims wishing to convert to Islam are required to recite the creed.[3]

It should be noted that Muslims of the Shi'a school append the phrase "... and Ali is the Friend of God" to the shahadah, reflecting their slightly disparate understanding of divine revelation.[4]

Salah

The second pillar of Islam is salah, the requirement to pray five times a day at fixed times.[5] Each salah is performed facing towards the Kaaba in Mecca. Salah is intended to focus the mind on Allah; it is seen as a personal communication with Allah, expressing gratitude and worship. According to the Qur'an, the benefit of prayer "restrains [one] from shameful and evil deeds".[Quran 29:40][5] Salah is compulsory but some flexibility in the specifics is allowed depending on the circumstances.[6] For example in the case of sickness or lack of space, a worshiper can offer salah while sitting, or even lying down, and the prayer can be shortened when traveling.[6]

The salah must be performed in the Arabic language to the best of each worshiper's ability, if he or she cannot speak Arabic, then the native language can be used, although any extra prayers (du'a) said afterwards need not be in Arabic. The lines of prayer are to be recited by heart (although beginners may use written aids), and the worshiper's body and clothing, as well as the place of prayer, must be cleansed.[6] All prayers should be conducted within the prescribed time period (waqt) and with the appropriate number of units (raka'ah). While the prayers may be made at any point within the waqt, it is considered best to begin them as soon as possible after the call to prayer is heard.[7]

Zakah

Zakah, or alms-giving, is the practice of charitable giving by Muslims based on accumulated wealth, and is obligatory for all who are able to do so. It is considered to be a personal responsibility for Muslims to ease economic hardship for others and eliminate inequality.[8] Zakah consists of spending a fixed portion of one's wealth for the benefit of the poor or needy, including slaves, debtors, travelers, and others. A Muslim may also donate more as an act of voluntary charity (sadaqah), in order to achieve additional divine reward.[9]

There are two main types of zakah. First, there is the zakah on traffic, which is a fixed amount based on the cost of food that is paid during the month of Ramadan by the head of a family for himself and his dependents. Second, there is the zakat on wealth, which covers money made in business, savings, income, and so on.[10] In current usage zakat is treated as a 2.5% levy on most valuables and savings held for a full lunar year, as long as the total value is more than a basic minimum known as nisab (3 ounces or 87.48 g of gold). As of 16 October 2006, nisab is approximately US $1,750 or an equivalent amount in any other currency.[11]

Sawm

Muslims traditionally break their fasts in Ramadan with dates (like those offered by this date seller in Kuwait City), as was the practice (Sunnah) of Muhammad.

Three types of fasting (Sawm) are recognized by the Qur'an: Ritual fasting,[2:183–187] fasting as compensation or repentance,[2:196] and ascetic fasting.[33:35][12]

Ritual fasting is an obligatory act during the month of Ramadan.[13] Muslims must abstain from food, drink, and sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk during this month, and are to be especially mindful of other sins.[13] The fast is meant to allow Muslims to seek nearness to Allah, to express their gratitude to and dependence on him, to atone for their past sins, and to remind them of the needy.[14] During Ramadan, Muslims are also expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam by refraining from violence, anger, envy, greed, lust, harsh language, and gossip; in other words, they are expected to try to get along with each other better than normal. In addition, all obscene and irreligious sights and sounds are to be avoided.[15]

Fasting during Ramadan is not obligatory for several groups for whom it would be excessively problematic. These include pre-pubescent children, those with a medical condition such as diabetes, elderly people, and pregnant or breastfeeding women. Observing fasts is not allowed for menstruating women. Other individuals for whom it is considered acceptable not to fast are those in combat and travelers who intended to spend fewer than five days away from home. Missing fasts usually must be made up soon afterwards, although the exact requirements vary according to circumstance.[16][17][18][19]

Hajj

The hajj to the Kaaba in Mecca is an important practice in Islam.

The Hajj is a pilgrimage that occurs during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah in the city of Mecca. Every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so is obliged to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his or her lifetime.[20] When the pilgrim is around ten kilometers from Mecca, he must dress in Ihram clothing, which consists of two white sheets.[21] Rituals of the Hajj include walking seven times around the Kaaba, touching the Black Stone, running seven times between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah, and symbolically stoning the Devil in Mina, among others.[21]

The pilgrim, or the hajji, is honored in his or her community. For some, this is an incentive to perform the Hajj. Islamic teachers say that the Hajj should be an expression of devotion to Allah, not a means to gain social standing. The believer should be self-aware and examine his or her intentions in performing the pilgrimage. This should lead to constant striving for self-improvement.[22]

Notes

  1. "Pillars of Islam", Encyclopaedia Britannica Online (2007)
  2. "Shahadah," Oxford Dictionary of Islam. John L. Esposito, ed. Oxford University Press Inc. 2003. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. University of Saskatchewan. 24 May 2007 [1].
  3. Farah (1994), p.135
  4. Ruthven, 147.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Kobeisy (2004), pp.22-34
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Hedáyetullah (2006), pp.53-55
  7. "Islam", Encyclopedia of Christianity (2001)
  8. Ridgeon (2003), p.258
  9. "Zakah", Encyclopaedia of Islam Online
  10. Brockopp (2000), p.140; Levy (1957) p.150; Jonsson (2006), p.244
  11. Zakat Calculator (2006-10-16). Retrieved 2006-11-25.
  12. "Fasting", Encyclopedia of the Qur'an (2005)
  13. 13.0 13.1 Farah (1994), pp.144-145
  14. Esposito (1998), p.90,91
  15. Tabatabaei (2002), p. 211,213
  16. For whom fasting is mandatory. USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts. Retrieved 2007-04-18.
  17. Quran 2:184
  18. Khan (2006), p.54
  19. "Islam", The New Encyclopedia Britannica (2005)
  20. Farah (1994), pp.145-147
  21. 21.0 21.1 Hoiberg (2000), pp.237-238
  22. Goldschmidt (2005), p.48

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

Books and journals

  • Brockopp, Jonathan and Tamara Sonn, Jacob Neusner (2000). Judaism and Islam in Practice: A Sourcebook. Routledge. ISBN 0415216737. 
  • Delcambre, Anne-Marie (2005). Inside Islam, 3rd, Marquette University Press. ISBN 1423733460. 
  • Esposito, John (1998). Islam: The Straight Path, 3rd, Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195112344. 
  • Farah, Caesar (1994). Islam: Beliefs and Observances, 5th, Barron's Educational Series. ISBN 978-0812018530. 
  • Goldschmidt, Jr., Arthur and Lawrence Davidson (2005). A Concise History of the Middle East, 8th, Westview Press. ISBN 978-0813342757. 
  • Hedayetullah, Muhammad (2006). Dynamics of Islam: An Exposition. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 978-1553698425. 
  • Kobeisy, Ahmed Nezar (2004). Counseling American Muslims: Understanding the Faith and Helping the People. Praeger Publishers. ISBN 978-0313324727. 
  • Levy, Reuben (1957). The Social Structure of Islam. UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521091824. 
  • Ridgeon, Lloyd (2003). Major World Religions, 1st, RoutledgeCurzon. ISBN 978-0415297967. 
  • Ruthven, Malise (1997). Islam : A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0585111219. 
  • Sedgwick, Mark J. (2006). Islam & Muslims : A Guide to Diverse Experience in a Modern. Intercultural Press. ISBN 142378717X. 
  • Tabatabae, Sayyid Mohammad Hosayn and R. Campbell (translator) (2002). Islamic teachings: An Overview and a Glance at the Life of the Holy Prophet of Islam. Green Gold. ISBN 0-922817-00-6. 

Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

  • "Encyclopedia of Christianity". (1st edition). (2001). Ed. Erwin Fahlbusch, William Geoffrey Bromiley. Eerdmans Publishing Company, and Brill. ISBN 0-8028-2414-5.
  • "Encyclopaedia of Islam Online".. Ed. P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs. Brill Academic Publishers. ISSN 1573-3912.
  • "Encyclopedia of Religious Rites, Rituals, and Festivals". (1st edition). (2004). Ed. Salamone Frank. Routledge. ISBN 978-0415941808.
  • "Oxford Dictionary of Islam Online".. Ed. John L. Esposito, editor in chief. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195125584.

See also

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