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The Five Pillars of Islam: Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm and Hajj

To identify the central beliefs of Islam is not necessarily a straightforward process. That is because it "may be both a religious faith and a political ideology; it is also, in some contexts, a mark of personal and group identity. These three definitions neither exclude nor include each other" (Ruthven, 2000, p. 2). Even so, Islam has definite historical roots. The other monotheistic religions that grew up in the Middle East, Judaism and Christianity, had somewhat more obscure origins. Islam can be traced to its founder and prophet, Muhammad.

Indeed, Muhammad conceived his religion at least in part as a response to what he characterized as the imperfections of the other two. For example, Jews "are declared [by Muhammad] to have closed their eyes to the confirmation of their own heritage when they rejected the message of Islam" (Campbell, 1978, p. 422). The Christians, meanwhile, adopted a form of polytheism "with their Trinitarian doctrines. . . misreading the words of their own prophet Jesus" (p. 422). Muhammad's analysis is articulated in the Qur'an:

Guide us to the straight Way, the Way of those on whom you have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (Such as the Christians). (Quran, Al-Fâtihah, v. 6-7)

The purpose of Islam is to acquiesce in the will of God. The meaning of the word Islam is "surrender" or "submission," and it is an idea to which Islamic texts continually return. Equally, Islamic texts invoke the concept of peace as an aspect of piety. In the hadith, a compilation of statements by Muhammad, peace is made equivalent to God (Vol. 1, book 4, no. 794). Such concepts are meant to resolve the contradictions of life and enable the worshipful individual to achieve peace and community with God and the confidence of doing God's will. The intent seems to be to reach a profound and self-abnegating piety, and it ...

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The Five Pillars of Islam: Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm and Hajj. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 05:08, March 29, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/2000177.html