The Five Pillars Of Islam
...god but Allah; Muhammad (PBUH) is the Messenger of Allah. This essential phrase in Islam is termed “Shahadah” which literally means “to witness” and is the first pillar of Islam. Any Muslim or any individual that wants to convert to Islam must recite and more importantly, must truly believe this statement. It is the first words that are heard through the ears of a newborn, and is stressed from thereon as soon as an individual is capable of rationale. It is stressed in prayer everyday, five times. The first part clearly illustrates the oneness of Allah, acknowledging His absolute superiority and power. By reciting this, one truly believes that only Allah is worthy of worship. The second part of the Shahadah involves the belief in Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as the final messenger of Allah. When reciting this, one has faith in the guidance of Muhammad and his life (Sunnah). It is interesting then to examine why Islam, a religion that emphasizes the worship of Allah alone, places so much significance on the last messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The second of the five pillars of Islam is Salah. Salah refers to the physical act of praying towards the Kaaba in Mecca. It is an obligatory duty for Muslims to perform five times a day, with the proper cleansing and mentality. Salah is the physical transgression of God. When one performs this daily action, they are intended to stay focused, as if they were physically in front of God conveying their worship and gratefulness towards Allah (SWT). It is only God’s mercy that a Muslim prays five times a day. When Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) ascended into the heavens, according to islamic tradition, through his Isra and Miraj journey, he was in the presence of Allah (SWT). Allah tells him he wants the Muslims to pray fifty times a day. Knowing that this would be too much for the human race, Muhammad consults with...
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