Page 84 - World Religions I - Islam

Study Section 10: The Pillars of Islam

10.1 Connect

Every Muslim longs to reach paradise after death. They believe that by obedience to the Five Pillars of
Islam, they can outweigh all their sins. Then, hopefully Allah will admit them to paradise. So daily, an
ardent Muslim will pray five times a day toward Mecca and recite the shahada or creed on their lips.
They will give to the poor, fast during Ramadan, and once in their life travel to Mecca on a pilgrimage
to see the Black Rock. All these good behaviors may just outweigh the bad things they have done.

It's like putting all your works on one side of a balance scale, and all the sins you have committed on the other side
of the scale. If the good outweighs the bad, perhaps Allah will acknowledge your efforts and allow you entrance
into paradise. Basically, it boils down to a system of good works. Heaven is obtained by personal effort.

The Bible declares that no amount of personal good works can save us from destruction. Ephesians 2:8-9 says that
if a person could be saved from personal works, then heaven would be filled with personal boasters. But no man
shall boast in heaven, because salvation does not come by our own merits, but only by God’s mercy and grace.
Jesus Christ’s work on our behalf is the only work that will satisfy the justice of God. By the works of the Law shall
no man be justified (Romans 3:20, Gal 2:16)!

Let’s learn about the Five Pillars of Islam, and the burden placed on Muslims to please their god…

10.2 Objectives

1. The student should be able to explain the first pillar of Islam, the Shahada or Creed.

2. The student should be able to explain the second pillar of Islam, the Salah or prayers.

3. The student should be able to explain the third pillar of Islam, the Zakat or Alms Giving.

10.3 The Pillars of Islam
The Pillars of Islam are five basic acts in Islam, considered obligatory by Muslims.

83