1) FAITH
There is no god worthy of worship except God and Muhammad is
His messenger. This declaration of faith is called the Shahada, a simple formula
which all the faithful pronounce. In Arabic, the first part is lai-laha illa Llah - 'there
is no god except God'; ilaha (god) can refer to anything which we may be tempted to put in
place of God - wealth, power, and the like. Then comes illa Llah: 'except God', the source
of all Creation. The second part of the Shahada is Muhammadun rasulu'Llah: 'Muhammad is
the messenger of God.' A message of guidance has come through a man like ourselves.
"Shahada inscribed at Ottoman Topkapi Palace, Istanbul."
2) PRAYER
Salat is the name for the obligatory prayers which are
performed five times a day, and are a direct link between the worshipper and God. There is
no hierarchical authority in Islam, and no priests, so the prayers are led by a learned
person who knows the Quran, chosen by the congregation. These five prayers contain verses
from the Quran, and are said in Arabic, the language of the Revelation, but personal
supplication can be offered in one's own language. Prayers are said at dawn, noon,
mid-afternoon, sunset and nightfall, and thus determine the rhythm of the entire day.
Although it is preferable to worship together in a mosque, a Muslim may pray almost
anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories and universities. Visitors to the Muslim
world are struck by the centrality of prayers in daily life.
A translation of the Call to Prayer (Azan) is:
God is most great. God is most great.
God is most great. God is most great.
I testify that there is no god except God.
I testify that there is no god except God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
Come to prayer! Come to prayer!
Come to success (in this life and the Hereafter)!
Come to success!
God is most great. God is most great.
There is no god except God.
New Mexico, U.S.A.
Prayer Call from Abiquiu Mosque.
3) THE 'ZAKAT'
One of the most important principles of Islam is that all
things belong to God, and that wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The word
zakat means both 'purification' and 'growth'. Our possessions are purified by setting
aside a proportion for those in need, and, like the pruning of plants, this cutting back
balances and encourages new growth. Each Muslim calculates his or her own zakat
individually. For most purposes this involves the payment each year of two and a half
percent of one's capital. Zakat keeps the money flowing within a society. A pious person
may also give as much as he or she pleases as sadaqa, and does so preferably in secret.
Although this word can be translated as 'voluntary charity' it has a wider meaning. The
Prophet said 'even meeting your brother with a cheerful face is charity.' The Prophet
said: 'Charity is a necessity for every Muslim. ' He was asked: 'What if a person has
nothing?' The Prophet replied: 'He should work with his own hands for his benefit and then
give something out of such earnings in charity.' The Companions asked: 'What if he is not
able to work?' The Prophet said: 'He should help poor and needy persons.' The Companions
further asked 'What if he cannot do even that?' The Prophet said 'He should urge others to
do good.' The Companions said 'What if he lacks that also?' The Prophet said 'He should
check himself from doing evil. That is also charity.'
4) THE FAST
Every year in the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from
first light until sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations. Those who
are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are pregnant or nursing are permitted to
break the fast and make up an equal number of days later in the year. If they are
physically unable to do this, they must feed a needy person for every day missed. Children
begin to fast (and to observe the prayer) from puberty, although many start earlier.
Although the fast is most beneficial to the health, it is regarded principally as a method
of self purification. By cutting oneself off from worldly comforts, even for a short time,
a fasting person gains true sympathy with those who go hungry as well as growth in one's
spiritual life.
5) PILGRIMAGE (Hajj)
The annual pilgrimage to Makkah - the Hajj - is an
obligation only for those who are physically and financially able to perform it.
Nevertheless, about two million people go to Makkah each year from every corner of the
globe providing a unique opportunity for those of different nations to meet one another.
Although Makkah is always filled with visitors, the annual Hajj begins in the twelfth
month of the Islamic year (which is lunar, not solar, so that Hajj and Ramadan fall
sometimes in summer, sometimes in winter). Pilgrims wear special clothes: simple garments
which strip away distinctions of class and culture, so that all stand equal before God.
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Pilgrims praying at the mosque in Makkah. The rites of the Hajj, which are of Abrahamic
origin, include circling the Ka'ba seven times, and going seven times between the
mountains of Safa and Marwa as did Hagar during her search for water. Then the pilgrims
stand together on the wide plain of Arafa and join in prayers for God's forgiveness, in
what is often thought of as a preview of the Last Judgment.
In previous centuries the Hajj was an arduous undertaking. Today, however, Saudi Arabia
provides millions of people with water, modern transport, and the most up-to-date health
facilities. Pilgrim tents during Hajj. The close of the Hajj is marked by a festival, the
Eid al-Adha, which is celebrated with prayers and the exchange of gifts in Muslim
communities everywhere. This, and the Eid al-Fitr, a feast-day commemorating the end of
Ramadan, are the main festivals of the Muslim calendar.