A Muslims devotional submission to Allah is practiced through Akran Al-Islam, also known as The Five Pillars of Faith. Each pillar has a special and sacred meaning that is performed and is a uniting force in Islam. Shahada is the first pillar and most important role for a Muslim. It is time to declare his or hers faith into Islam; declaring that there is no other God except Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of God. This declaration is called “Kalima”, meaning sentence in Arabic. The meaning of this declaration is to serve and obey God. When an individual expresses this with other Muslims, they are accepted as a Muslim.
Salat is the second pillar and is an obligatory daily prayer performed five times each day. A Muslim prays at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and evening towards Mecca, the holiest city in Islam. It is the direction in which all Muslims should offer their prayers. Each Muslim must be clean before they present themselves to God. The purpose of this prayer is to unite the mind, body and soul, putting aside thoughts and non-essential things so they can exclusively focus on Allah.
Muslims pray because God has told them to do this and they believe they obtain great benefit in doing so. Muslims can pray anywhere but is specifically good to pray in congregation. It helps Muslims realise that all humanity is one and all are equal in the sight of Allah.
Zakat is the third pillar in Islam, meaning almsgiving. Muslims regard it as one of the most important religious duties. Zakat is giving a section (2.5%) of ones wealth to charity. As well as the benefit of duty is helping the poor, so is obeying God. It helps a person acknowledge that everything comes from God on loan and that no one owns anything themselves. Individuals cannot take anything with them when they die therefore they need not to hold onto it.
The six key beliefs that each Muslim believes is important to follow, are a guide to each individuals’ life. The Tawhid meaning “the alone” is the first principle belief that refers to the oneness of Allah. Every Muslim’s goal is to find out what Allah’s will is in order to live a moral and devoted life. In Islam, no one else is worthy of worship, only Allah.
The fourth belief “Akhira”, is the Arabic word for “last” or “final”, The belief of the Akhira is that God has a final assessment of humanity as it exits. It is a divine judgment that will either result in eternal reward or punishment, depending on Allah’s mercy and judgment. Muslims who believe in revelation of the Prophet or have done good