The Pillars of Islam

The five pillars of Islam are:

1) Declaration of Faith 2) Prayer 3) The 'Zakat' (Alms Giving) 4) Fasting 5) The Pilgrimage (Hajj)

PILLAR 1: FAITH

There is no god worthy of worship except God and Muhammad is His messenger. This declaration of faith is called the Shahada, a simple formula which all the faithful pronounce. In Arabic, the first part is la ilaha illa Llah - 'there is no god except God'; ilaha (god) can refer to anything which we may be tempted to put in place of God - wealth, power, and the like. Then comes illa Llah: 'except God', the source of all Creation. The second part of the Shahada is Muhammadun rasulu'Llah: 'Muhammad is the messenger of God.' A message of guidance has come through a man like ourselves.

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