Let me preface this by saying I am not an expert, nor am I actually Muslim. However I have been living in an Islamic country for almost six months and I FEEL like a damn expert though.
Islam has five pillars that are a veritable guideline for daily living- let me give a brief synopsis of them:
The first pillar, or Shadaha, is a seemingly simple mantra - recognizing that there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger. End of story. Before the rest of the pillars can hold any personal or religious significance, one must first embrace the Shadaha as sacrosanct.
The four remaining ritualistic pillars are very clear and specific- with particular actions and procedures for each one. The second pillar of Islam is the practice of Salat, or the five daily prayers. Praying five times a day is obligatory for Muslims and has specific times in which they take place. Prayers are said at fajr(dawn) around 3 or four am, Dhuhr(noon), ‘Asr(mid-afternoon), maghrib(sunset) usually about 6:30, and isha’(early night). These prayers can be said alone or in the company of others. Praying in a congregation is apparently very beneficial because it can provide a strong sense of community and of shared faith and equality in Allah’s eyes. I visited the mosque awhile back and witnessed maghrib prayer( I was up high and out of sight of course). I watched as men swarmed into the huge mosque, they all mushed in next to each other. There was a TON of space but every newcomer would worm his way in right next to other people. They were all practically standing on top of each other, it seemed kinda ridiculous. Later when I asked about it, I was told that you pray as you would go into battle; shoulder to shoulder, foot to foot as a solid force- as in this case, a solid force of worship.
Communal prayer helps promote a spiritual union with fellow believers, but individual prayer can be just as important and beneficial, individual prayer is ones alone time with Allah- it helps solidify your relationship with Him.
Islamic prayer is highly ritualistic, nearly every aspect of it is specified. The act of praying itself is very specific- prayers consist of Qur’anic verses stated in Arabic (the language of the revelation of the Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad). Posture and bodily movements are also highly important- there is a set movement to prayers with specific postures- standing, bowing, sitting, kneeling, and prostrating oneself before Allah. Previous to praying you must also remove your shoes and be certain you are facing the holy city of Mecca. In addition there is a mandatory separation of men and women during prayer and specific washings and ablutions (three times in each spot- elbows, ears, feet, hands, and something else..) that must be done before prayers can commence.
Mosques are built with the main prayer room already facing Mecca. Every office, bank, school, airport, etc. has special prayer rooms and signs pointing the way to the holy city. I remember on the flight here there was a specific channel on the television with the sole purpose of pointing the way toward Mecca, the arrow kept moving and refreshing every time the plane dipped or turned. And even when we were on the beach during the noon and mid-afternoon prayers, the Muhammads quibbled over which way to face, and performed the ritual ablutions with sand. The five daily prayers are so important because through them one maintains a direct, personal, daily link with Allah.
Zakat, the giving of alms is the third pillar of Islam. Zakat is an act of required charity to those less fortunate and also an act of self-purification through the sharing of ones affluence with others. Zakat is calculated on an individual bases- everyone is responsible to uphold the ritual of alms giving themselves. I’m consistently besieged and beseeched by Somali beggars for money. I often give but I find my self growing ever resentful of it for myriad reasons- but let’s save that rant for another day, shall we? But while roaming around, some Muslim people have commented things like, “ya know, they shouldn’t be asking you for money, you have no need to give. They should be asking Muslims for money- we have to give, Allah decrees it. If we haven’t fulfilled our Zakat yet, then we will give. Huh.
The fourth pillar of Islam is the practice of Sawm, or fasting during the month of Ramadan aka RIGHT NOW. The holy month of Ramadan is a highly significant time in the Muslim calendar- much more than merely a time of fasting, the holy month of Ramadan is a period of increased spiritual awareness and devotion to God.
Ramadan takes place on the ninth month of the lunar calendar and throughout this month Muslims show their faith through the denial of food and drink, sexual relations, smoking, and QAT from dawn until dusk. In addition the Ramadan fast is also a time of total spiritual and physical abstinence from impure thoughts, harmful deeds, lust, anger, envy, etc. It is to be a time of physical, mental, and emotional purification. All who are able should fast at this time, with a few specific exceptions- children before the age of puberty, pregnant women, the elderly, travelers, and people ill or infirm are exempt from the fast. The fasting during the month of Ramadan is not supposed to be a burden or merely obligatory. Ramadan is to be a joyous time where can demonstrate their thankfulness and praise of Allah through the physical denial of worldly pleasures, self-sacrifice and total commitment to Him. It is thought that through physical denial, one can learn patience, strength and total reliance on Allah for comfort and peace in daily life.
The fifth and last pillar of Islam is the pilgrimage, or Hajj to Mecca( different than Umra, which can take place at any time of the year) The pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia is mandatory for every Muslim both male and female. The only exception is if someone is physically or financially unable to make the journey. Hajj is an extremely unique time- on this occasion Muslims from all across the world meet in one spot in order to worship Allah. During this time all pilgrims regardless of class or social standing wear a special white garment; this is designed to eschew all social classifications and allow everyone to stand equally before God in the ultimate form of devotion. Hajj is observed over a specific number of days and there are certain steps and rituals that must be performed including the circling of the Ka’bah and praying together at Arafat. Completing the pilgrimage is perhaps the hardest of the pillars to accomplish- in terms of physical sacrifice it is certainly the most “costly” but to Muslims it is also the most rewarding. Completely the pilgrimage to Mecca is a life altering experience. The pilgrimage of is the ultimate show of faith and devotion to God. Hajj is a logistical nightmare. And it has certainly become more commercialized over the years with companies devoted to Hajj accommodations, trip planning, etc.. I’ve watched documentaries and heard stories from people who have gone on
Hajj. I’ve heard many accounts of people being trampled or crushed in the teeming throngs of millions and millions of people all trying to perambulate around the Ka’bah or throw stones, or recreate the trek between the mountains. Every year people die from dehydration and exposure and exhaustion. Wild.Obviously Mecca is a place where only Muslims can go. This place is so revered and holy, that even Caucasian Muslims have to jump through hoops to get permission to go- a friend explained that she had to get a letter from her American Imam, and have official documents professing her faith notarized, and make a special appeal to the government of Saudi Arabia. It’s all very otherworldly to me.
So that's the basics of Islam in a nutshell, well the pillars at least. Obviously it's far, far more complicated than that. This doesn't even begin to cover the beliefs or history of Islam. There are a million rules, and rituals, and sayings... I honestly think it would take years of studying for an outsider to make heads or tails of this religion.
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