PROFESSION OF FAITH (الشهادة)

Pillars of Islam - here is the first one. It accompanies Muslims from birth to death. Newborn babies are whispered in their ear. It is a formal confirmation of faith for every Muslim and at the same time makes the person a Muslim. In this way, the muezzin calls the faithful to prayer. The Creed is called الشَّهَادَة. They can be found in the First Sura of the Qur’an (سُورَةُ الفَاتِحَة ) and sounds: أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ لَا إِلَهُ إِلَّا ﷲِ وَأَنََّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ ma – there is no god but Allah, and his prophet is Muhammad.

PRAYER (صلاة)

The prayer is said by faithful Muslims five times a day, facing Mecca. This prayer is regulated by law – everyone carries it the same, a state of purity (طَهَارَة) is required and it is necessary to use Arabic regardless of the mother tongue. Common, public prayer is the midday prayer. It is obligatory for all adult men. Among Muslims, valuable is voluntary prayer at night, which is said independently of others.

ALMSGIVING (زكاة)

Initially, it was a voluntary and charitable act, and only later did alms become a mandatory legally regulated tax. The amount of the alms changed frequently. At the beginning of the formation of the Muslim state, alms were collected in the general treasury, from where it was distributed to all the faithful.

FASTING (صوم)

The month of fasting is the month of رَمَضَانُ. Muslims eat nothing from sunrise to sunset. The most zealous followers do not even swallow saliva at this time. Before Ramadan was instituted, Muhammad celebrated the tenth day of the muharram as a fasting day.

PILGRIMAGE (حج)

Once in a lifetime, every Muslim should make a pilgrimage to Mecca at a certain time of the year. A “little” pilgrimage can be made at any time of the year. The actual pilgrimage lasts from the 7th to the 8th day of ذُو الحِجَّةِ. The pilgrim should be in the required cleanliness. During حَجٌّ, the pilgrim must follow the rules of Ramadan. The pilgrimage / ceremony ends on the 10th day of ذُو الحِجَّةِ with the sacrifice of a camel, sheep or horned domestic animal – this is the Feast of Sacrifice – عِيدُ الأَضْحَى.

Sometimes جهاد (holy war) is considered to be the sixth pillar of Islam. In some religious factions, it is “rightfully” valid as well as the other pillars.