5 Pillars

1)   FAITH                                                                             

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

2)   PRAYER

Salat is the name for the obligatory prayers that are performed five times a day, and are a direct link between the worshipper and Allah. There is no hierarchical authority in Islam, and no priests.  So, a learned person who knows the Quran, chosen by the congregation leads the prayers. These five prayers contain verses from the Quran, and are said in Arabic, the language of the Revelation, but personal supplication can be offered in one's own language.  Prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and nightfall, and thus determine the rhythm of the entire day.                                                                       

3)   ZAKAT                                                                                                              One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to Allah, and that wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The word zakat means both 'purification' and 'growth'.  Setting aside a proportion for those in need like the pruning of plants purifies our possessions, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth.  Each Muslim calculates his or her own zakat individually. For most purposes this involves the payment each year of two and a half percent of one's capital.              

4)    FASTING

Every year in the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from first light until sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations. Those who are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are pregnant or nursing are permitted to break the fast and make up an equal number of days later in the year. If they are physically unable to do this, they must feed a needy person for every day missed. Children begin to fast (and to observe the prayer) from puberty, although many start earlier.

                                                                                                                                              

5)   PILGRIMAGE  (HAJJ)                                                                                                 

The annual pilgrimage to Makkah - the Hajj - is an obligation only for those who are physically and financially able to perform it. Nevertheless, about two million people go to Makkah each year from every corner of the globe providing a unique opportunity for those of different nations to meet one another. Although Makkah is always filled with visitors, the annual Hajj begins in the twelfth month of the Islamic year (which is lunar, not solar, so that Hajj and Ramadan fall sometimes in summer, sometimes in winter). Pilgrims wear special clothes: simple garments that strip away distinctions of class and culture, so that all stand equal before Allah.