Belief (Shahadah) iu ‘The first Pillar of Islam is for the believer to testify, in Arabic, that "There is no god but God and that Muhammad is His messenger.” This phrase, known as the shahada, (sha-AEH-da) or Profession of Faith, is central to Islam, for it affirms both God's oneness and the central role of the Prophet, while making clear that Muhammad is stilla human and should not be worshipped like a God. ‘The shahadah appears in daily life in many different ways, from being proclaimed in the call to prayer to being inscribed on flags and coins. For example, itis written on the flag of Saudi Arabia, ‘The shadahah is important to Muslims because it reminds them that worship should be directed towards God and not images, idols, or false prophets. It also focuses the relationship between the individual and God without an intermediary, In contrast to some traditions in the other monotheistic religions, which tells believers not to take the Lord's name in vain, Muslims constantly call on God by name in all sorts of situations, For example, when beginning any activity, one might say bismillah ("in the name of God") or when admiring something, one might say al- hamdu lillah ("praise be to God"). According to traditional interpretations of the Qur'an, the first step to converting to Islam is to make a sincere pronouncement of the shahadah. Quote from the Qur’an: "So know that there is no God save Allah, and ase forgiveness for your sin." (Muhammed Sura, Verse 19)Worship (Salat) Sie The second Pillar of Islam is to worship God five times a day — at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and nightfall. To do so, the believer washes according toa particular ritual and prostrates himself or herself on the ground in the direction of Mecca, while reciting certain phrases. This rite takes only a few minutes to perform and can be done anywhere. Many Muslims carry around a prayer rug with them to make sure the area of prayer is clean. Worshippers are summoned to prayer by a muezzin, who calls the faithful together by saying: God is Great (four times) I testify that there is no god but God (twice) I testify that Muhammad is God's messenger (twice) Come to prayer (twice), Come to salvation (twice) God is Great (twice) There is no god but God. ‘This phrase is knowm as the adhan. For the dawn prayer, the muezzin adds, after the second "Come to salvation,” the phrase "Prayer is better than sleep" twice. For Muslims, the prayers serve as a reminder of obedience to God through worship, and are daily opportunities for mental relaxation and spiritual cleansing. In Arab countries, many businesses will close briefly for the shop owners to pray in the mosque, rather than in the store, Thus, the daily prayers also serve a social function to help connect the community. Quote from the Qur‘an: “You shall observe the salat, especially salatil wusta (the middle prayer) and steadfastly maintain your obedience to God" (The Cow Sura, Verse 238)Fasting (Sawm) ps2 The third Pillar of Islam is to abstain from food and drink, as well as smoking and sex, between sunrise and sunset during the month of Ramadan, the ninth month in the Muslim calendar. Abstinence during Ramadan brings Muslims to greater awareness of God's presence and helps them acknowledge their gratitude for God's provisions in their lives. It serves to heighten a sense of community among believers as Muslims around the world join together in the performance of this ritual. The Arabic word ramadan comes froma root meaning "to be hot" and suggests that the month originally fell in the summer But following the Islamic lunar calendar, the month of fasting can come at any time during the year, The Ramadan fast starts at dawn, defined as the moment when the human eye can distinguish a white thread from a black one, and ends at dusk, when the eye is again no longer able to distinguish the difference. The end of the month of Ramadan is always marked bya feast, known as the Bid al-Fitr, or break-fast feast. For Muslims, the month of Ramadan is a month of self-discipline, not just from. eating, but also other vices. Some women choose not to wear makeup and flashy clothes during Ramadan, while men give up smoking. Ramadan is also a time for community building. Many mosques will host nightly Ifear, or the nightly meal that breaks the fast. Families often choose to break the fast in the mosque with other community members, rather than alone in their homes. The fast is traditionally broken by first eating dates, because it was believed that Muhammed broke his fast by eating the fruit. Quote from the Qur’an: The month of Ramadan {shall you fast], in which the Koran was sent down [from heaven], a direction unto men, and declarations of direction...Therefore let him among you who shall be present in this month, fast...; but he who shall be sick, or on a journey, shall fast on other days. God would make this an ease for you, and would not make ita difficulty for you. (The Cow Sura, Verse 185)Almsgiving (Zakat) #15 ‘The fourth Pillar of Islam is to give alms to the poor. Muslims are supposed to donate a fixed amount of their property to charity every year (often stated as minimum of 2.5% of yearly income). Zakat is considered to be more than charity; the salvation of the giver is at stake, Muslims who do not engage in zakat risk eternal damnation, according to the Qur’an. Many pious individuals, from the mightiest rulers to modest merchants, give money to help out the less-fortunate by establishing soup kitchens, hospitals, schools, libraries, mosques, and the like. One of the most common forms of charity in ‘medieval Islamic cities was to establish a public drinking fountain, where fresh, sweet water was distributed freely to all passers-by. Nowadays, zakat often goes to charities to help strengthen the local communities, including building new mosques, feeding the homeless, etc. In addition to the mandatory giving (zakat), there is also optional almsgiving known as sadaqah. This is often given during major life events, such as weddings, births, and deaths Quote from the Qur‘an: God strictly warned those who do not give zakat (charity) by saying, “And there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the Way Of God; announce unto them a most grievous penalty,” (The Repentance Sura, Verse 34)Pilgrimage (Hajj) cic The fifth Pillar of Islam is to undertake the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in one’s lifetime, if one is able, during the first days of Dhu'l-Hija, the twelfth month of the Muslim calendar, People who have performed this pilgrimage, called in Arabic hajj, earn the epithet hajji, which is a title of great respect. Before entering Mecca, the pilgrim dons a special garment made of two seamless white cloths. The ceremonies of the pilgrimage are associated with the prophet Abraham and center on the Kaaba, which Muslims believe to be the house that Abraham erected for God. ‘The pilgrimage then moves to Arafat, a plain some 12 miles east of the city, where the ceremonies culminate on the tenth day of the month in the Feast of the Sacrifices, Livestock is sacrificed in commemoration of Abraham's readiness to offer his son Ismail, and the meat is distributed to the poor. This event is also known as the Great Feast, and it usually lasts three or four days, In contrast to the spontaneous cheer with which people celebrate the end of Ramadan, the celebration of the Great Feast is a more solemn holiday. Although a visit to the Prophet's mosque and gravesite in Medina is not an official part of the pilgrimage, most pilgrims include it in their trip. Quote from the Qur'an: “And proclaim to mankind the Hajj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform Hajj)” (Pilgrimage Sura, Verse 27)Name: Block: Date: GROUP ASSIGNMENT: Each group will be assigned ONE pillar. In your group, you must create a poster about the pillar you were assigned. On your poster, you must include the following a) The name of your pillar in English and Arabic (transliteration is fine) b) Adescription of what the pillar instructs Muslims to do c) Why the pillar is important to the Islamic faith d) Atleast 2 visuals that are important to understanding your pillar e) Aquote from the Qur’an which discusses your pillar In addition to the poster, your group must be prepared to presenta five minute presentation explaining your pillar to the class. Everyone in your group must either contribute to the design of the poster or presentation, ‘The rest of the class will be taking notes based on your presentation, so make sure you are READY, PREPARED, and KNOWLEDGABLE!