is repeatedly articulated in multiple contexts.
The core beliefs of Islam are shored up by a structure of thought and worshipful practice known as the Five Pillars of Wisdom. Each of the pillars, which has an Arabic name, is connected in some way to rituals, some of which involve mighty physical exertion.
1. Shahada. This pillar is the obligation to cite the basic declaration of faith, which is that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is His prophet.
2. Salat. The term is assigned to the practice of worship that is performed five times daily: dawn, noon, midafternoon, sunset, evening. On Friday at noon, congregations gather in mosques.
3. Zakat. Referring to the moral requirement of providing compulsory charity for the poor, zakat was historically levied at the rate of "2.5 per cent of capital assets over and above a minimum known as the nisab." Today, Muslims are invited to give to the poor according to their conscience.
4. Sawm. This is the name given to the practice of daily fasting and reflection during the month of Ramadan, the most solemn month in Islamic tradition.
5. Hajj. This refers to the intention to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, Islam's holiest city, during one's lifetime. The major hajj o
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