Five Pillars of Islam Checkpoint

The Five Pillars of Islam are considered God’s commandments to Muslims, similar to the Ten Commandments in Christianity and Judaism (Fisher, 2005, p. 382)   The first pillar of Islam involves maintaining and professing the belief in God and the Islamic religion.   “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God,” professes the Shari’ah, the sacred law of Islam (Fisher, 2005, p. 382).   The Qur’an states to have respect for other religions and scriptures, but to inform followers of other religions of Islam so they can have “the information they need to make an intelligent choice” (Fisher, 2005, p. 382).
The second pillar is the act of daily prayer.   The faithful are expected to pray five times a day, reciting passages from the Qur’an.   Continuously repeating the prayers, according to the Islamic religion, strengthens “one’s belief in God’s existence and goodness” (Fisher, 2005, p. 383).   Prayer is said to purify the heart and comfort the soul.   Joint prayer is considered special because it brings all Muslims together (Fisher, 2005, p. 382).   Unlike Judaism, there is no Sabbath day for Muslims; God is to be remembered everyday (Fisher, 2005, p. 383).
Zakat is the third pillar of Islam.   Zakat stands for spiritual tithing and almsgiving.   Muslims are to give at least two and a half percent of the total amount earned at the end of each year to other Muslims in need, thus preventing personal greed and decreasing the inequalities that separate families (Fisher, 2005, p. 383).
The fourth pillar of Islam is fasting.   Although there is only one mandatory fast each year, Muslims are suggested to perform frequent fasts because it reminds them of the sacrifices and the conditions of the homeless (Fisher, 2005, p. 384).   Fasting also allows the body to cleanse itself of all impurities, freeing the mind and body, making the person more healthy.   The month of Ramadan, although it shifts from year to year, is the one mandatory fast every Muslim must participate...