Approaching the Qur’an

By Nicole Savinda

It is always hard to learn something new. Learning a new religion for someone who has
no real religious background can be even harder. When I first found out that I was going to be
taking a class on Islam, I became very nervous. I have very little religious knowledge at all
beyond what I recently learned in a class on Jesus. I knew nothing about the Islamic faith or
their practices. Yes, I had heard of Ramadan and had some knowledge of the pilgrimage to
Mecca. But that was about the extent of my knowledge. Based on these facts alone, I have
chosen to cover some of the simpler aspects of Islam in my writing. These are things that I feel
are important for people to understand if they are looking for just basic knowledge of Islam.

One of the first things that we come across in the teachings of Islam is the five pillars of
Islam. These are the core beliefs of the religion; the things that every Muslim is expected to do
in their lifetime. To begin, let’s list them. The five pillars of Islam are Shahadah, Salat, Zakat,
Sawm, and Hajj. What, you may ask, are these? To make it easier, we will now dig into them a
little deeper. We will learn exactly what they are and how they come into play in the Qur’an.

The first and most important pillar of Islam is Shahadah. Shahadah is “the principal
statement of faith”. (Hewer, 11) The idea behind this is that God is the only one to be
worshipped. No other being is worthy of being worshipped the way that God is. This particular
translation of Chapter 3, Verse 18 of the Qur’an reads “Allah bears witness that there is no God
but He”. (Corpus. 2009) In other words, his messengers are not to be worshipped, the angels
are not to be worshipped. He is the only being that should be worshipped. It is customary in
Islam to have no portraits or statues representing God. In place of these, you will find a
scripture similar to the quote above carved into the sides of buildings and mosques.

God is held to such a high regard that he is mentioned at the beginning of almost every
Surah. Everyone except the first reads, “In the Name of God the Compassionate the Caring”.
God plays two very important roles. He is the creator and the final judge. He is the one being
with the ability to decide one’s fate in the end. The phrase “Praise be to God” is a common
phrase, showing the respect for Him and all He has given.

The Opening

In the name of God

The Compassionate the Caring

Praise be to God

Lord sustainer of the worlds

The Compassionate the Caring

Master of the day of reckoning

To you we turn to worship

And to you we turn in time of need

Guide us along the road straight

The road of those to whom you are giving

Not those with anger upon them

Not those who have lost the way

(Sells, 42)

Islam has a strong belief that God has no equals. They do not believe that he has any
partners. Surah 112, titled Sincerity/Unity, reads “Say he is God, one God forever”. (Sells, 136)
He, alone, is responsible for all things.

The second pillar is Salat. Salat is the Muslim word for prayer. Every Muslim who has
reached puberty is expected to pray five times a day. When praying, Muslims face the direction
of Mecca. There are specific time periods during the day that they are required to pray. Those
time periods include dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and after dark. (Metropolitan) It is not
necessarily an exact time, but a range of times surrounding those periods of the day.

The first prayer of the day is known as Fajr. This prayer is typically done before sunrise.
The second prayer is Dhuhr. This prayer takes place around noon. Next is ‘Asr. This is the
prayer that takes place in the afternoon. The fourth prayer of the day is called Maghrib. This
particular prayer is done just after the sun goes down. The final prayer of the day is called ‘Isha
and takes place right before bed. (Huda. 2019)
 Before praying, Muslims must clear their minds. They are encouraged to wash their
hands before praying and have on clean clothes. (Huda. 2019) Muslims may pray individually
or in a group. They may pray at home or at work, but it is preferred for them to pray in a
mosque when possible.

“And perform the prayer, and give alms.

Whatever good you forward for yourselves,

you will find it with God.

God is Seeing of everything you do.”

(Itani, Qur’an 2:110)

And that leads us to the third pillar of Islam…which is Zakat. Zakat is also known as
alms. According to Islam law, Muslim must give a percent of their income to charity or those in
need. This is about 2.5% of their net worth after their personal expenses are paid. (Embassy)
Muslims believe that everything that they have is because of Allah. Taking care of the poor is
an important because it protects the welfare of their society. The Prophet Muhammad was a
great example of how generosity should work. While giving charity to those in need,
Muhammad did so in a way that made the people believe that they were in fact helping him by
doing so. He never made them feel as though they were a burden. (Garcia. 2020)

Charitable giving is a very important part of the economic system of Islam. The idea
behind it is that wealth is circulated throughout. The society is only as strong as its weakest
members. If the rich help the poor, the poor will not be as poor. Muslims are expected to bear
one another’s burdens…help those in need. (Hewer, 12) Muslims are forbidden to seek
economic gain from helping those in need. Economic exploitation is strictly forbidden. (Hewer,
107)

“Worship none but God;

And be good to parents, and relatives, and orphans, and the needy;

And speak nicely to people;

And pray regularly, and give alms.”

(Itani, Qur’an 2:83)

 The fourth pillar of Islam is Sawm. Sawm is the fasting done during Ramadan. Muslims
are required to fast during the day the entire month of Ramadan. This is the ninth month of
the Islamic calendar. Fasting does not only mean eating. Muslims are expected to refrain from
eating, smoking and sexual activity during the daylight hours. There are many reasons for
fasting. Fasting teaches them self-discipline and sympathy for the poor. It reminds them of the
things they should be thankful for and makes them spiritually stronger. (BBC. Sawm) Muslims
use this time to reflect upon everything they have and become closer to God.

“O you who believe!

Fasting is prescribed for you,

As it was prescribed for those before you,

That you may become righteous.”

(Itani, Qur’an 2:183)

There are some people who are exempt from fasting. Children who have not reached
puberty are not required to fast. However, some of them choose to participate and with their
parent’s approval, they are allowed in some capacity. Women who are pregnant or
breastfeeding do not fast. They need to be able to take care of themselves and their babies.
Sick or elderly people are also exempt from fasting. (Hewer, 113)

Fasting is to be done by the entire community at the same time. However, anyone who
is unable to participate at that time is expected to make it up at some point throughout the
year. If a person is unable to fast for health reasons, it is requested that they feed the poor if
they are financially able to do so.

“For a specified number of days.

But whoever among us is sick, or on a journey,

Then a number of other days.

For those who are able:

A ransom of feeding a needy person.

But whoever volunteers goodness,

It is better for him.

But to fast is best for you,

 If you only knew.”

(Itani, Qur’an 2:184)

Muslims are permitted to eat a meal before dawn each day during Ramadan. This meal
is called suhur. After sunset, they break their fast with dates or water. Then family, friends and
neighbors gather for a meal. This meal is known as iftar. The month of Ramadan ends with a
celebration known as Eid ul-Fitr. This is a celebration which includes prayer, visitation with
family and friends and a meal. (Elnakib. 2020)

The fifth and final pillar of Islam is the hajj. The hajj is a religious pilgrimage to Mecca.
Every Muslim adult is expected to make the trip once in his lifetime. However, this is not meant
to be a burden to anyone. If a person is unable to do so financially or because of their health,
they are exempt from making the pilgrimage. (Hewer, 21) The hajj occurs during the twelfth
month of the Islamic calendar, known as the month of Dhul Hijjah. (BBC. Hajj)

“And announce the pilgrimage to humanity.

They will come to you on foot,

And on every transport.

They will come from every distant point.”

(Itani, Qur’an 22:27)

Mecca is a holy place. Non-Muslims are not allowed to even enter the area. Upon
entering, Muslims must take off their regular clothes and put on special garments. Women are
required to wear a plain dress and a head-covering. Every Muslim entering Mecca, no matter
where they come from, must be dressed alike. They then follow a set of rituals that have been
in place for thousands of years. This is just one of the ways that they show their unity with one
another. Not one is better than the next.

The five pillars of Islam are very important to the lives of Muslims around the world.
They are obligations that every Muslim is expected to live by. Following these pillars is an
integral part of their lives. By doing so, they are constantly reminded of all that Allah has
provided for them. The five pillars of Islam are ultimately bringing them closer to God.
Muslims are able to use these to focus their attention on the things that matter most in life.
 In conclusion, I chose to do my research on the five pillars of Islam because I have very
limited knowledge of any religion. While there is a lot of different topics that I could have
chosen, this seems to cover a pretty wide scope of ideas. I feel that in order to start to
understand the Islamic faith, you must begin with the basics. These “basics”, however, are the
most important aspects of Islamic faith. Here, we have briefly touched on these five
pillars…what they are and how they tie into the Qur’an.

Before I started this class, I had no prior knowledge of Islam. To be honest, I am not
much of a religious person at all. I hope to use some of what I learned in this class to teach my
children about the diversity that exists in the world we live in. We don’t live in a big city, so
their exposure is limited. I want them to grow up to be responsible and respectful adults. Part
of that is understanding how different people can be while also being very similar. Different is
not a bad thing and that is something that our society needs to understand.

Works Cited

BBC. 2009. Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/hajj_1.shtml#:~:text=For%20
Muslims%2C%20the%20Hajj%20is,it%20and%20are%20physically%20able.

BBC. 2009. Sawm: Fasting.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/sawm.shtml

Corpus. 2009. Quranic Arabic Corpus. Language Research Group.

https://corpus.quran.com/translation.jsp?chapter=3&verse=18

Elnakib, Sara. 2020. Ramadan the Practice of Fasting. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
https://www.eatright.org/health/lifestyle/culture-and-traditions/ramadan--the-
practice-of-fasting

Empire of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Five Pillars of Islam.

https://www.saudiembassy.net/five-pillars-islam
Garcia, Paola. 2020. Charity, the third pillar of Islam, is at the Heart of the Islamic Faith.
https://insidearabia.com/charity-the-third-pillar-of-islam-is-at-the-heart-of-the-
islamic-faith/

Hewer, C.T.R. 2006. Understanding Islam. London: SCM Press.

Huda. 2019. The 5 Muslim Daily Prayer Times and What they mean. Learn Religions.
https://www.learnreligions.com/islamic-prayer-timings-2003811

Itani, Talal. Quran. https://www.clearquran.com/002.html

Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Five Pillars of Islam.

https://www.metmuseum.org/learn/educators/curriculum-resources/art-of-the-islamic-
world/unit-one/the-five-pillars-of-islam

Sells, Michael. 1999. Approaching the Qur’an. Ashland: White Cloud Press.