The religious obligations of all

Muslims are summed up in the

Five Pillars of Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam

• Shahadah – giving yourself to God

• Salat – praying to Allah

• Zakat – giving alms• Ramadan – fasting for

40 days• Hajj – pilgrimage to

Makkah or Mecca

Shahadah

The individual devotes their life to Allah and

will strive to serve him and honour him as the only God – there is no

God but Allah to a Muslim.

Salat.

• Salat is the practise of prayer. Prayer should be offered five times a day to Allah and personal prayer can happen anytime.

• Muslims must pray on a prayer mat so they are praying in a clean place and the air must be clean.

Zakat.

• Zakat is the practise of helping the poor by giving alms. This is a personal contribution by Muslims that can afford to give to the poor. It is usually 1/40 of a persons wealth but the contribution is up to the individual.

• Giving in this way is intended to free Muslims from the love of money. It reminds them that everything they have really belongs to God

Ramadan.

• Abstaining each day during Ramadan, the 9th Muslim month.

• Sawm is usually described as fasting. Not only is food forbidden, but also things like smoking and chewing gum.

Hajji

• The Hajji is the final pillar of Islam. A Muslim must make this pilgrimage once a lifetime providing they can make provisions for their family. The Hajji is a pilgrimage to Makkah or ‘Mecca’ as the English translation. This is to visit and touch Kaba.