The Five Pillars of Islam - Essay Example

Introduction It is rather unfortunate that human beings do not have a clear picture of our origins. For Christians and Muslims, the question about human origins is very clear – it is God who created human beings and all the animals, trees, the sun, and the moon. Though these two religions share some common elements such as the belief in God, there are many areas in which the two religions diverge. Whereas Christians consider the Bible the definitive book of morals for all time, the Muslims believe that the al Quran supersedes the Bible and that Mohammad, the prophet, was the last of the great prophets. In this sea of confusion it is encouraging to know that whether one is a Christian or not, whether one is a Muslim or not, one can benefit from the age-old wisdom that these two great religions have carried down to our day. This paper compares the Ten Commandments as given to Moses by God, according to Christian lore, and the Five Pillars that undergird the Islamic religion. The Five Pillars of Islam The five pillars of Islam include the confession that God is the One and Muhammad is God's prophet, along with communal ritual prayer five times daily, “fasting during the lunar month of Ramadan, an annual obligatory almsgiving and a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime if able” (Burrell 1997). Some of the pillars are explained below. The Haj It is the dream of every Muslim to make a trip to Mecca and to join in the experience of performing some religious rites that the Prophet Muhammad decreed. Though those who are infirm are not obliged to do so, every able-bodied Muslim is expected to make the trip. As one of the Five Pillars of Islam, many Muslims take it very seriously, knowing that its origins go back even farther than the Prophet Muhammad himself to the time of Ibrahim (Abraham). As the China Daily notes, “According to the doctrine of Islam, haj and its rites were first ordained by Allah in the time of the Prophet lbrahim and he was the one who was entrusted by Allah to build the Kaaba the House of Allah in Mecca. After building the Kaaba, Ibrahim went to Mecca to perform the haj every year. However, after his death, both the form and the goal of the haj rites began to change” (One of Five Pillars of Islam 2007). While the form of the Haj changed after 2000 years, Muhammad reinstated it in the form in which it is known today. During the Haj, Muslims show that they are all brothers by wearing the same two-piece white cloth. In addition to drawing closer to God, the Haj is an opportunity for pilgrims to reflect upon their lives and to consider what they will be doing with their lives over the remaining years left to them. In addition to the tawaf, walking around the Kaaba, another highlight of the Haj is the “Stoning of the Devil” rite in which pilgrims throw pebbles at the jamarat wall, which symbolizes evil. Fasting – Ramadan The period of Ramadan is believed to be the time when God revealed the first verses of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad. “During this most sacred time of year, most Muslims abstain from food, drink, sex and other temptations from sunup to sundown. Each day, we devoutly read, recite aloud and reflect on the complete Quran. In an effort to purify our souls, we avoid the worldly pleasures that encircle our daily lives and strive through self-sacrifice and devotion to get nearer to God” (Junejo 2006). Rather than starving oneself, fasting provides an opportunity for individuals to practice self-control. By fasting through the Ramadan period Muslims also benefit from God’s promise that their sins will be forgiven. Furthermore, Ramadan brings families and fellow believers together in prayer, charity, and sharing. Family members may gather together before 5am to partake of the meal before sunrise. They also gather together to partake of the meal after sunset, which may be around 6:45 pm. “the communal meal known as "iftar" in Arabic” (Junejo 2006). Zakat Muslims are urged to show caring for the poor around them. In fact, it is an obligation for Muslims to share their wealth with others by feeding those who are less fortunate than themselves. As one Muslim living in Seattle, Washington, writes, “We are commanded by God to give 2.5 percent of our income to charity each year. This last week of Ramadan, I paid our local mosque one of my required twice-yearly donations for the poor. This payment, called Zakat, is one of Islam's five pillars. The money will be distributed to the needy before the last day of Ramadan” (Junejo 2006). In Egypt, a Muslim bastion, the period of Ramadan is an opportunity to see brotherhood among Muslims at its finest. “Neighborhood merchants, mosques, film stars, and even belly dancers set up tables on streets, under overpasses, and along the Nile where all are invited to eat. But the convention is that only those that really need it should avail themselves” (Murphy 2006). Certainly, the period of Ramadan is a time when no poor person can go hungry for long. The Ten Commandments Of the ten commandments given unto Moses, perhaps the most famous is the injuction, “Thou shalt not murder.” Many people take it for granted that they understand it because it makes a lot of sense. What few people are aware of is that before the 20th century, that particular line, the sixth commandment, was translated as “Thou shalt not kill.” For Wilma Ann Bailey, an associate professor of Hebrew and Aramaic Scripture and Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, it is curious that the 20th century, in which this change was made, was also one of the centuries that was so awash in the spilling of human blood. While Bailey agrees that legally sanctioned killing was acceptable in Moses’ time, she believes that murder is too limited and that by changing the wording from “kill” to “murder,” Christians have given themselves greater latitude to destroy life. In fact, “Bailey thinks that Exod 20:13 should remain translated as "You shall not kill." The change in many English Bibles to "You shall not murder" is based not on critical exegesis but on the personal, political, and cultural presuppositions that the translators bring to the text” (Hensell 2006).Among the injunctions of the Ten Commandments were for the Jewsih people to refrain from worshiping other gods and to respect the name of God, not keeping it in vain. Furthermore, the Jewish people were to observe the Sabbath, a practice that continues to this day for many practicing Jews. bondage. Parents were to be honored and adultery was prohibited as was the bearing of false witness against one’s neighbor nor be greedy of coveting something that belongs to another. Discussion and conclusion We live in a time of great uncertainty. In the Middle East, the Jewish state is pitted against neighbors that are Muslim in part. It is disconcerting sometimes to note that the birthplace of the three great religions, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian, is the site of so much animosity, hatred, and spilling of blood. We are at the point where some people try to say, in so many words, that their God is better than another person’s God. These three religions, incidentally, believe in the same God, which they call by different names. It seems that human beings are most to be pitied because we are left in a sea of confusion, unsure of what is really the true path to follow. In all the religions, there are sincere people who really want to serve God but their path to truth may have been chosen for them because of their choice of parents! It is hardly surprising to see a child born in Israel worshiping passionately within the Jewish faith while another born in Saudi Arabia is certain that the way of Islam is the way to go. Perhaps, that little bit of sane advice from the Orient, where religions have a history of existing side by side without much rancor might wake up Jewish, Christian, and Muslim alike so that they can see clearly that all the great books, the Bible, the Quran, and the Bhagavad Gita, offer wisdom that can help bring peace to the human soul and bring a balm of peace into any society. As Mohandas Ghandi said if people would simply obey and follow their own religion to the best of their ability, we would have a peaceful world. No religion advocates the wanton killing of innocent souls and yet, so often, we have put on the mantle of religion and gone into the silent night, to confront, to kill, to murder, those who do not share our faith, our color, or our language. Bibliography Burrell, David B. “The pillars of Islamic faith.” Commonweal, Vol. 124 Issue 2 (Jan 31, 1997):17. Hensell, Eugene. "You Shall Not Kill" or "You Shall Not Murder"? The Assault on a Biblical Text.”  The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Vol. 68 Issue 4 (Oct 2006):719. Iozzio, Mary Jo. “I am the Lord Your God: Christian Reflections on the Ten Commandments.” Theological Studies, Vol. 67 Issue 3 (Sep 2006):690. Murphy, Dan. “Even the poor dine during Ramadan.” The Christian Science Monitor, (Oct 3, 2006):07. “One of ‘Five Pillars of Islam’.” China Daily (North American edition), (Jan 4, 2007):20. Junejo, Aziz. “Ramadan fast is chance to cleanse body, soul and renew one’s faith.”Seattle Times (Oct 21, 2006):B5. “Spiritual journey as nurse prepares for pilgrimage to Mecca.” Times Union, (Dec 30, 2006):B3. Read More