Religions of the World What it means to be a Muslim? The Five Pillars of Islam are the fundamental beliefs that shape Muslim thought, deed, and society. They consist of the faith or belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the prophethood of Muhammad, the establishment of the daily prayers, the concern for and almsgiving to the needy, self-purification through fasting, and the pilgrimage to Makkah for those who are able. These five religious duties are expected of every Muslim and are mentioned individually throughout the Qur’an, the sacred text of Islam and the highest authority in both religious and legal matters. Also, Muhammad listed them together in the Hadith, which is a record of the words and deeds of the Prophet, his family, and his companions, when he was asked to define Islam.
Referring to their importance, examine the principal beliefs of Christianity. Christianity is a monotheistic religion whose adherents are followers of Jesus of Nazareth. Christianity reformed out of Judaism in the first century CE and originated in Palestine. Christians preached their faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Jewish Messiah, who is saviour of all peoples through his death and resurrection. The principal beliefs of Christianity are highlighted in the Ten Commandments, the Nicene Creed, the Beatitudes and the Golden Rule.
This intended that he was the divine Son of God and recognised as being ‘one with the Father’. Christian adherents believe of the divinity through the birth of Virgin Mary and the Son of God. Shown in the scripture passage Matthew 1:16, “and to Jacob was born Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ”, this can explicitly identify the Virgin birth, thus showing divinity. He was recognised as being human, living with normal human restrictions and sufferings however; was considered Son of God as his life, death and resurrection plays importance in humanity. Through the divinity and humanity of the Christ, Christians and believers share the stories through word of mouth.
In Christianity it is believed that Jesus Christ was the savior to all humanity and was sent to Earth by his father (God) to pay for the sins of all mankind. In Judaism on the other hand, Jesus was merely a prophet. Both Christianity and Judaism were established in Israel. Christianity was founded around 30 AD in contrast to Judaism which started around 1000 BC. Although a few sacred readings and the form that followers pray are similar in both religions they are also slightly different.
So the trunk of these three religions is Abraham and the descendants or branches of the trunk are his two sons Isaac and Ishmael. Both Jews and Christians believe their religion emerged from Isaac because their founders Moses and Jesus are decedents of Isaac. Muslims believe though that their roots are traced back to Abraham’s other son Ishmael. And that Muhammad their founder is a decedent of Ishmael and created Islam. How are the three major holy books of the monotheistic faiths both
The five basic acts in Islam, Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, and Hajj are the foundation of the life of Muslims and is a primary obligation that one must fulfill in their lifetime to be in full submission to Allah. These core beliefs which express the faith of Islamic adherents are based on beliefs, sacred texts, ethics and rituals. Beliefs are essential within a religion in order to make ethical decisions. Shahada, also known as Declaration of Faith, is the first of the five Pillars of Islam and is a statement of both ritual and worship. This Islamic creed is the profession of faith and trust, in which Muslims bear witness to the oneness of God and profess that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
The four other pillars include, fasting (Saum), prayer (Salat), and pilgrimage (Hajj), alms-giving or charity (Zakat), Shahada is a declaration that is made by followers of the Islamic faith, which says, “there is no true God except Allah,” and also says that, “Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. Christianity and other religions whose bible teaches that God is part of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit); Islamic faith teaches that Allah is the one and only God. Muslims also firmly believe that Muhammad is Allah’s greatest prophet, and it is important that those who practice the Islamic acknowledge and recognize him as such. They also believe that Allah used Muhammad to convey the last and final revelation (Slick, 1995-2010). The second pillar, Salat (Prayer), is a prayer that consists of confessions of sins and concluding with purification of the soul.
The Five Pillars of Islam The Five Pillars of Islam form the moral framework for the Muslim life. They are the testimony of faith, prayer, fasting during the month of Ramadan, giving to the needy, and the pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime. These acts are considered pillars because they are the very foundation to which Islam is built upon. The first pillar, Shahada, is the confession that Allah is the one and only true God and that there is no other god before Allah. The Shahada also states that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and is recognized as the true and greatest prophet of Allah; it was through Muhammad that Allah conveyed the last and final revelation (Slick, 2010).
The Five Pillars of Islam Islam is comprised of five pillars that together provide the structural framework for Muslims daily life. From these pillars are the guidance that includes ritual acts of worship on an individual and community level. Muslims are always reminded of their obligatory duties. They help to reinforce the belief in one God and the rituals create a united Muslim Community. The first of these pillars is Shahada, which is the declaration of faith.
Originating in the Middle East, it quickly spread to Europe, Syria, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor and Egypt. Christianity is related to western civilization. Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God, fully divine and fully human, and the savior of humanity whose coming as Christ or the Messiah was prophesied in the Old Testament. 2. Islam: Also a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Qur’an (a religious text considered by its followers to be the word of God).