Foundations of Foundations of Islamic BeliefsIslamic BeliefsGlobal History I: SpiconardiGlobal History I: Spiconardi

The Five Pillars of IslamThe Five Pillars of Islam

Faith (Faith (shahadashahada)) “La ilah illa Allah “La ilah illa Allah wa Muhammad wa Muhammad rasul Allah,”rasul Allah,” meaning “There is meaning “There is no no GodGod but the one but the one God and God and MuhammadMuhammad is His is His prophet.”prophet.”

Prayer (Prayer (salatsalat)) Muslims must Muslims must recite 5 daily recite 5 daily prayersprayers Muslims must Muslims must

perform a ritual perform a ritual bathing before bathing before prayer (wudu)prayer (wudu)

The Five Pillars of IslamThe Five Pillars of Islam

Prayer (Salat)Prayer (Salat) Muezzin – Person who calls Muslims to Muezzin – Person who calls Muslims to

the mosque for prayer or Friday the mosque for prayer or Friday servicesservices

The Five Pillars of IslamThe Five Pillars of Islam

Almsgiving (Almsgiving (zakatzakat)) a tax is levied on a tax is levied on those living above those living above subsistence and subsistence and the tax is then the tax is then supposed to be supposed to be redistributed to the redistributed to the poorpoor

Fasting (Fasting (saumsaum)) No food, drink, No food, drink, smoking or sex smoking or sex from sunrise to from sunrise to sunset during the sunset during the holy month of holy month of RamadanRamadan

The Five Pillars of IslamThe Five Pillars of Islam

Pilgrimage (Pilgrimage (HajjHajj)) Every able- Every able-bodied Muslim must make a bodied Muslim must make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetimetheir lifetime

The Five Pillars of Islam: The Five Pillars of Islam: The HajjThe Hajj

Ramadan Ramadan

Ramadan Ramadan month of fasting and month of fasting and worshipping that evokes pietyworshipping that evokes piety Fasting promotes self-discipline and Fasting promotes self-discipline and

spiritual awarenessspiritual awareness Celebrates when the Qur’an was first Celebrates when the Qur’an was first

revealed to Muhammad revealed to Muhammad New crescent moon starts Ramadan, New crescent moon starts Ramadan,

while new moon ends Ramadanwhile new moon ends Ramadan Eid al-Fitr – feast that ends RamadanEid al-Fitr – feast that ends Ramadan

Qur’an (Koran)Qur’an (Koran)

Qur’anQur’an Islamic holy book Islamic holy book Considered the very word of AllahConsidered the very word of Allah Arabic for “recitation” since Arabic for “recitation” since

Muhammad recited what the angel Muhammad recited what the angel Gabriel told himGabriel told him

Difficult to translateDifficult to translate No one versionNo one version

HadithHadith

HadithHadith collection of the sayings collection of the sayings and traditions of Muhammadand traditions of Muhammad SunnaSunna The example of Muhammad The example of Muhammad

(“What would Muhammad do?”)(“What would Muhammad do?”)

The Shari’ahThe Shari’ah

The Shari’ah The Shari’ah “The way” “The way” Body of laws and rules that regulate Body of laws and rules that regulate

Islamic lifeIslamic life No alcoholNo alcohol No porkNo pork Not allowed to depict living thingsNot allowed to depict living things

Countries like Iran base their laws on Countries like Iran base their laws on the Shari’ahthe Shari’ah

MuftiMufti experts on Islamic law experts on Islamic law