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Five
Articles of Faith
The five articles of faith are the main doctrines
of Islam. All Muslims are expected to believe
the following:
1. God. There is one true God and his name
is Allah.
2.
Angels. Angels exist and interact with human
lives. They are comprised of light, and each
have different purposes or messages to bring
to earth. Each man or woman has two angels who
record his actions; one records good deeds,
the other bad deeds.
3. Scripture.
There are four inspired books, the Torah of
Moses, the Psalms (Zabin) of David, the Gospel
of Jesus Christ (Injil) and the Qur'an. All
but the Qur'an have been corrupted by Jews and
Christians.
4. Prophets. God has spoken through numerous
prophets throughout time. The six greatest are:
Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad.
Muhammad is the last and greatest of Allah's
messengers.
5. Last Days. On the last day there will
be a time of resurrection and judgment. Those
who follow Allah and Muhammad will go to Islamic
heaven, or Paradise. Those who do not will go
to hell.
The
Five Pillars of Faith
The five pillars of faith are observances in
Islam which are duties each Muslim must perform.
1. Creed (Kalima)- One must state, "There
is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Prophet
of Allah." publicly to become a Muslim. Prayer
(Salat)-
2. Prayer must be done five times a day
(upon rising, at noon, in mid-afternoon, after
sunset, and before going to sleep) towards the
direction of Mecca. The call to prayer is sounded
by the muezzin (Muslim crier) from a tower (minaret)
within the mosque.
3. Almsgiving (Zakat)- Muslims are legally
required to give one-fortieth of their income
to the needy. Since those whom alms are given
are helping the giver achieve salvation, there
is no sense of shame in receiving charity.
4. Fasting (Ramadan)- During the holy
month of Ramadan, faithful Muslims fast from
sunup to sundown each day. This develops self-control,
devotion to God, and identity with the needy.
5. Pilgrimage (Hajj)- Each Muslim is
expected to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at
least once in their lifetime if they have the
means to do it and are physically capable of
the trip. It is an essential part of gaining
salvation, so the old or infirm may send someone
in their place. It involves a set of rituals
and ceremonies.
A
sixth religious duty associated with the five
pillars is Jihad, or Holy War.
This duty requires that if the situation warrants,
men are required to go to war to defend or spread
Islam. If they are killed, they are guaranteed
eternal life in Paradise.
References McDowell, Josh and Don Stewart, Handbook
of Today's Religions. Nashville: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 1983. Twelfth printing, June 1992.
Shelley, Fred M. and Audrey E. Clarke, eds.
Human and Cultural Geography. Dubuque, Iowa:
Wm. C. Brown Publishers, 1994.
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