Question

I need help answering this question, response should be 350 plus words. Thank you

Looking at the 5 Pillars of Islam, choose one and share with the class what it is and its significance. Are there elements of this pillar that you do or would like to integrate into your own life and why?

All Muslim beliefs rest on what are called the Five Pillars, or obligations, which uphold the very structure of Islam. Their practice is essential. Here they are, with their Arabic names:

1. tashahhud, the profession of unity. “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.” Called the shahada, or “witnessing,” this is the keystone of Islamic belief, and it is sometimes said that the earnest profession of this spiritual commitment is enough to make one a Muslim. However, unless one follows the other four “pillars,” especially the daily prayers, one may be considered to have forsaken Islam.
2. salat, the five-times-daily prayer. Performed just before dawn, just after noon, in midafternoon, just after sunset, and after nightfall, the prayers are preceded by ritual ablutions with water, and consist of a strictly prescribed series of postures. The raka, or cycle of prayer, which has not changed since the dawn of Islam, begins with the phrase Allahu Akbar (“God is greater” than human conception) followed by a short prayer of praise, then the Fatihah and the word Amin (“so be it,” equivalent to the Hebrew Amen). While reciting other prayers, worshipers lower their palms to their knees and bow the head, straighten up again, prostrate themselves on toes, knees, palms, and forehead, and return to a sitting position, hands on knees for the final prayer. The number of requisite rakas varies from two to four depending on the time of day.
3. zakat, the compulsory annual charity Traditionally one-fortieth of a person’s income, zakat is distinct from the duty of giving alms (sadaqa) on a spot basis to those in need (Muslim tradition insists that one should never refuse a beggar). The zakat is spent to help needy members of the Muslim community, for debtors and travelers, and to win converts to Islam. In the early days of Islam, since the zakat was not applied to the poor it amounted to a progressive tax, not merely on income (like the Jewish and Christian tithe) but on all assets. However, the zakat as a civil code is now virtually extinct, having been replaced by modern tax codes. It is a voluntary yet highly respected form of offering, often to the local mosque.
4. sawm, the fast from before sunrise to sunset each day for the full lunar month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. Ramadan may last 29 or 30 days depending on the cycle of the moon, and shifts earlier each year by eleven days, so that over 33 years it traverses all the different seasons. This time-shift affects the hardship connected with the fast; during long, hot summer days, to go without food or water is no easy matter. The fast covers food, drink, medicine, tobacco, and sexual intercourse; believers should hear or recite the entire Quran at least once during the course of the month. The proscriptions are lifted from sundown to dawn, and the breaking of the fast each evening and during the month should be a joyous occasion. A three-day festival takes place at the end of the month, as at the end of the month for pilgrimage. These are the two major holy festivals of Islam, and because of the Muslim lunar calendar they are not associated with a particular season, as with, say, Christmas or Passover. Children, pregnant or nursing mothers, the ill, travelers, and those involved in warfare are not obliged to fast.
5. hajj, the pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Mecca Expected of every healthy and solvent adult at least once in a lifetime, except for those who cannot afford the expense of the trip or of supporting their families while away. They may contribute what they can to the expenses of a substitute who represents a number of would-be pilgrims. Aside from its devotional aspects, hajj also causes Muslims of all races, colors, nations, and economic brackets to meet on an equal basis, stripped of the accoutrements of class and status.

Answer 1

• Islam as a religion believes in doing charity a lot especially during their holy month of Ramadan followed by Eid.According to the Islamic law,muslims donate a fixed portion of their income to any member in the community who is needy or some social institution like,hospitals,schools etc.It is considered to be a part of their religious duty,meant for self purification.It is a systematic giving of about 2.5% of one's income every year to benefit the poor.
• This pillar is not just about helping the needy but also the God and acknowledging the fact that everything comes from God and we dont own anything.And since we cannot take anything along with us when we die,we should not be too attached to these things.Its about acknowledging that whether we are rich or poor is God's choice,so if God has considered worthy to help others we should.Its about self discipline and freeing onself from greed of any materialistic things and be honest in life.
• This pillar I consider should be applied by all of us in our lives,since the world needs more people like this who help the needy self lessly and show gratitude towards the fact that one is in the position to help someone.Helping others brings a sense of contenment and satisfaction,that you could bring a smile to someone's face.As a part of my religion also,which is Hinduism,doing charity is an important part,which is similar to this pillar of Islam,and consider it as important.