Five Pillars of IslamFive Pillars of IslamFive Pillars of IslamFive Pillars of Islam

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Shahadah• The shahadah, which is the basic

creed or tenet of Islam: "I testify that there is none worthy of worship except God and I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of God."

• This testament is a foundation for all other beliefs and practices in Islam. Muslims must repeat the shahadah in prayer, and non-Muslims wishing to convert to Islam are required to recite the creed.

Salah• Salah, or ritual prayer, which must be

performed five times a day. • Each salah is done facing towards the Kaaba in

Mecca. • Salah is intended to focus the mind on God,

and is seen as a personal communication with him that expresses gratitude and worship. Salah is compulsory. In many Muslim countries, reminders called Adhan (call to prayer) are broadcast from local mosques at the appropriate times. The prayers are recited in the Arabic language, and consist of verses from the Qur'an.

Zakat• Zakat, or alms-giving. A fixed

portion is spent to help the poor or needy, and also to assist the spread of Islam. The zakat is considered a religious obligation (as opposed to voluntary charity) that the well-off owe to the needy because their wealth is seen as a "trust from God's bounty".

Sawm• Sawm, or fasting during the month

of Ramadan. Muslims must not eat or drink (among other things) from dawn to dusk during this month, and must be mindful of other sins. The fast is to encourage a feeling of nearness to God.

Hajj• The Hajj, which is the pilgrimage during the

Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah in the city of Mecca. Every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it must make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his or her lifetime. When the pilgrim is about ten kilometers from Mecca, he must dress two white seamless sheets.

• Rituals of the Hajj include walking seven times around the Kaaba, touching the Black Stone, running seven times between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah, and symbolically stoning the Devil in Mina.

• Tenet = principio• Worthy of worship = degno di

adorazione• Face = guardare verso• Compulsory = obbligatorio• Reminder = promemoria• Broadcast = trasmettere (per radio)

• Alms = elemosina, carità• Spread = diffusione• Well-off = benestante• Owe = essere debitore/ dovere• Trust = custodia, cura, credito• Bounty = generosità• Fast = digiunare

• Dawn = alba• Dusk = imbrunire, crepuscolo• Mindful = attento (guardarsi da …)• Sin = peccato• Able-bodied = robusto• Afford = permettersi (avere i mezzi)

• Seamless = senza cuciture• Sheet = lenzuolo• Stone = lapidare