The Five Pillars of Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam

The first is Shahada, or faith in god, whom Muslims call Allah. The creed of Islam is "There is one god and Muhammad is His prophet." This is the foundation of Islam, and it is believed that the only true evil in the world is disagreement with this statement.
The second Pillar is Salah, or daily prayer. Muslims are required to pray five times per day: at sunrise, midday, mid-afternoon, sunset, and night. They must ritually wash themselves first, including their hands, heads, feet and ankles. Then they pray while facing toward Mecca. Although praying can occur anywhere, men often congregate in mosques and do so. Women, on the other hand, are either barred from mosques or forced to use a segregated space. On Fridays, men are required to gather at the mosque to hear the imam, or spiritual leader, give a sermon. The prayers are memorized and must be spoken in Arabic.
The third pillar is Zakat, or alms giving. In exchange for later reward, Muslims are required to give a portion of their income to charity in order to further strengthen the religion or help the poor. This portion is typically 2.5 percent of their income, but some Muslims voluntarily give more to gain additional divine praise.
The fourth Pillar is Siyyam [saum], or fasting. During Ramadan, the ninth month of Islam's calendar, Muslims are forbidden to eat, drink, smoke, or have relations between sunrise and sunset. This was the month which Muhammad had his first revelation. During the month, Muslims pray and read the Quran more often than usual.
The fifth and final Pillar is Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. Each Muslim is required to go to Mecca once in his or her lifetime. When Muslims make the pilgrimage, they wear simple clothing, thereby eliminating any indication of class or culture. This pilgrimage symbolizes Muhammad's return to Mecca after defeating the city and destroying the idol temple Kaaba. Today, the Kaaba is the center of the Hajj ceremony.

Additional Facts
1. Muslims living in non-Muslim cultures often find these practices difficult to comply with, especially the Salah, which requires stopping five times a day (twice during the workday) to pray.
2. These requirements have the effect of constantly forcing Muslims to reconfirm their faith through small practices. Not only does this remind them of their commitment to God, but it also helps them to identify themselves as Muslims.
3. There are some exceptions to these rules. For instance, people without proper means do not have to participate in Zakat or the Hajj, and people who are sick, young, elderly, or pregnant so not have to participate in the Siyyam.