The Five Pillars of Islam
During the ten years between his arrival in Medina and his death in AD 632, Muhammad (PBUH) laid the foundation for the ideal Islamic state. A core of committed Muslims was established, and a community life was ordered according to the requirements of the new religion. In addition to general moral injunctions, the requirements of the religion came to include a number of institutions that continue to characterize Islamic religious practice today.
Foremost among these were the five pillars of Islam, the essential religious duties required of every adult Muslim who is mentally able. The five pillars are each described in some part of the Qur’an and were already practiced during Muhammad’s lifetime. They are the profession of faith (shahada), prayer (salat), almsgiving (zakat), fasting (sawm), and pilgrimage (hajj). The five pillars are thus the most central rituals of Islam and constitute the core practices of the Islamic faith.
Questions:
1. When did Muhammad (PBUH) die?
2. What did Muhammad (PBUH) do after his arrival in Medina?
3. How was the new community life ordered?
4. What did the requirements of Islam come to include?
5. What are the five pillars of Islam?