*Note: this is a summary of the following article: https://www.searchforbeauty.org/islam-101/what-muslims-believe/
This article explores the core principles of Islam as a way of life, focusing on the five pillars of Islam. These pillars serve as the foundation of the Islamic faith, aimed at developing a strong relationship with God and fostering piety, self-restraint, and humility.
Islam is more than just a religion – it’s a way of life.
At the heart of this way of life are the five pillars of Islam, which form the foundation of the Islamic faith. These pillars include the testament of faith, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and pilgrimage to Mecca.
The testament of faith is the most fundamental and critical pillar of Islam. Muslims believe in one God, who has no partners or equals, and that Muhammad is the messenger of God. Prayer is also an essential pillar of Islam and involves five formal ritual prayers a day, with congregational prayer held every Friday. Fasting is a month-long practice of self-discipline during Ramadan, where Muslims abstain from eating and drinking during daylight hours, and almsgiving involves giving a set percentage of one’s wealth to the poor annually. Lastly, pilgrimage to Mecca is required once in a lifetime for those who can afford it and are physically able to do so.
These pillars aim to develop a strong relationship with God, teach piety, self-restraint, and humility, and emphasize the shared brotherhood of all Muslims. Enjoining the good and forbidding the evil is also a religious duty of Muslims.; however although all Muslims agree on the pillars of Islam, there have been debates and controversies surrounding the duty of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, particularly when it comes to political legitimacy, law enforcement, and rebellion. But at the end of the day, the pillars of Islam serve as the backbone of the Islamic faith, encouraging Muslims to surrender themselves to divinity and strive towards realizing the truly sublime.