A Firm Foundation

Asalaam alaikum wa ramatullahi wa barakatuhu. In sha Allaah you all are doing well. I feel like it has been forever since I have posted. Also, I feel like I jump around quite a bit in my topics so I apologize for that, entries really just come to the page as ideas come to me. Mashallah I have noticed many views from around the world, many of those are from fellow Muslim brothers and sisters, there are many here as well who may or may not know much if anything about Islaam past what I write. So, today's post is mainly for them, and in essence will be starting at the very beginning, giving a foundation to be built upon and to clarify some of the terms that I have previously used and will continue to use in the future. In sha Allaah it be of benefit to anyone who reads it.

Just as a well built building has a firm foundation to stand on, Islaam is guided by five pillars that are the basis of the whole religion and are mandatory for all believers. These are all integral parts of a Muslim's life.

Shahada is the declaration of faith; that there is one God, Allaah, and Muhammad is His messenger. Normally recited in Arabic as "la ilaha ila-ilahu muhammadun rasulu-llah (There is no god but Allaah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allaah)", it is essential to become Muslim and convert to Islaam. (I had never spoken any amount of Arabic before the day I spoke those words).

Salat is the Islamic prayer. Done facing the Kaaba of Mecca, the most holy site in Islaam, salat consists of five daily prayers; Fajr (sunrise), Dhuhr (noon), Asr (afternoon), Maghrib (evening) and Isha (night).  Washing for purification before prayer is called wudu, there are specific movements and postures to do for each prayer and each different prayer has a prescribed number of repetitions. Also, while prayers can be done nearly anywhere, the mosque is the preferred place to offer them.

Zakat is the charitable giving based on a person's accumulated wealth. It is mandatory for all Muslims who can do so and is considered each person's responsibility to ease economic hardship of others and lessen inequality. It consists of giving a portion of one's wealth (if able) for the poor or needy such as debtors or travelers. Muslims may also donate as an act of voluntary charity called sadaqah. There are five principles that must be followed when donating zakat as well. These include: the giver must declare to Allaah their intentions in giving the zakat; it must be paid on the date that it's due; after the offering, the payer must not exaggerate spending their money outside of their usual means; payment must be in kind (if a person is wealthy, they donate money but if a person is not wealthy they must make up for it in other ways such as good deeds and good behavior towards others); and the zakat must be distributed in the community in which it was taken.

There are three types of fasting recognized in the Qur'an; ritual fasting, fasting as a compensation for repentance, and ascetic fasting. Ritual fasting is obligatory during the month of Ramadan. During this month, Muslims must abstain from consuming food or drink and other sins from dawn to dusk and is required for all who have reached puberty unless he or she has a medical condition that prevents it. The purpose of the fast is to bring the individual closer to Allaah and to seek forgiveness from Him and Him alone, to express gratitude to Him, atone for their sins and remember the needy. Also during Ramadan, Muslims are expected to more closely follow the teachings of Islaam by refraining from violence, anger, envy, greed, lust, profane language and gossip, as well as avoiding all obscene or irreligious sights and sounds. It should be noted that pre-pubescent children, those with medical conditions, elderly people, and pregnant, breastfeeding or menstruating women are not required to fast. If a fast is missed it should be made up as soon as possible but at least before the next Ramadan.

The final pillar is hajj. This is the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah* and all able-bodied Muslims must make at least once in their lives. Both men and women dress in Ihram clothing which consists of two white sheets and includes the rituals of walking seven times around the Kaaba, touching the Black Stone, traveling seven times between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah, and symbolically stoning Shaytaan (Satan) in Mina. The pilgrim is called a haji and is honored among the Muslim community. Hajj should be an expression of ones devotion to Allaah and not as a status symbol or means to social gain. Therefore, the believer should evaluate their intentions for making the pilgrimage and should lead to constant striving for self improvement.

*Islam uses a lunar calendar and not a Gregorian calendar, therefore the exact months of each year change with the phases of the moon.*

There you have it everyone; the basics of the foundation of Islaam and of every Muslim's life. I know that for many of you who may read this, it is nothing new to you and that is fine. For the rest of you, I truly hope that it helps to clear up and questions and give a basis for understanding the religion itself in sha Allaah. As always, feel free to leave questions or comments because I love hearing from you all!