A Presentation of the Five Pillars of Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam are the corner stones, the core beliefs of the Islamic faith. Each pillar is designed to help Muslims model their life towards Allah's wishes and live their life to the fullest.

Muslims are encouraged to enjoy the good things in life (including food, drink and sexual relations) since all good things come from Allah (God). Yet for all willing and able Muslims, one month of the Islamic calendar year is set aside for fasting. This month is called Ramadan and the 'Festival of Ramadan' or 'Saum' is the 4th Pillar of Islam.

Saum was first established in 624 CE. Before this date, no fasting of Ramadan has been recorded except for the Jewish-inspired ashura which is 1 day of intense fasting to seek redemption (ashura only started being practiced 2 years before Saum was introduced).

Ramadan is the 9th month in the Islamic calendar. It begins with the sighting of the new moon. This month is part of the Lunar Calendar, therefore it comes 11 days earlier every year which allows fasting in various seasons and weather throughout ones life time. This month of fasting and prayer is well known to Non-Islam followers and is often the only aspect of the religion many non-believers know.

'O ye who Believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint' Quran 2:183.

This passage explains one aspect of why Saum is necessary: self-restraint. By fasting, Muslims cut oneself off from worldly comforts and by doing so gain true sympathy with those who go hungry as well as growth in one's spiritual life.

Ramadan also celebrates the time when Muhammad received the first revelation of the Quran from the angel Gabriel. This happened on the 27th of Ramadan - 'the Night of Power'.

Each day of Ramadan, the fast lasts from sunrise to sunset, as instructed by the Quran: 'Eat and drink until you can tell a white thread from a black one in the light of the coming down. Then resume the fast till nightfall' The end of the fast each day used to be signaled with a gunshot or calling from the Mosque over the town. In modern days, each fast day's end is conveyed on TV or through radio.

It is traditional for Muslims to break their fast on water and then the traditional meal Iftar is enjoyed by the whole family. This is seen as an important meal not only in its spiritual aspect, but also it is, for some families, the only time the whole family is together. In modern times, woman and girls (who are traditionally subservient to men) are given a break and often the men and boys of the family cook the traditional Iftar meal.

The month of Ramadan is a time of moderation, forgiveness, patience kindness and a concern of the welfare of others.

During Ramadan, one must refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual relations during the time allocated. Throughout the month, the Quran instructs Muslims to abstain from all sinful thoughts and actions as little and as insignificant as they may seem. The Quran also encourages Muslims to read as much of the holy book as possible (the biggest sign of holiness in Islam is being able to recite the Quran off by heart). Those who can afford to do so, should feed at least 1 poor, needy person each day or as often as possible throughout Ramadan.

The only people exempt from fasting are:

*The very old

*Those under the age of 12

*Those who are ill

*Woman who are menstruating, pregnant or breastfeeding

*Those who are traveling

Amazingly even very secular Muslims still observe this ancient tradition. Because of this, the festival is deemed to last forever.

Apart from the elderly and the young, anyone who misses the fast, should make up the days missed by fasting after Ramadan or by doing community service such as helping the poor.

The following are acts pointed out by the Quran as ones that break the fast:

*Deliberate eating, drinking or smoking during fasting hours

*The taking of anything into the body through the mouth or nose, including smoking or sniffing anything

*Having conjugal relations during fasting hours

If one unintentionally eats or drinks, due to forgetfulness, and those who bath or brush their teeth is not considered to be a breakage of the fast. 30 years ago, Muslim leaders recognized that drug addiction is an illness and have since allowed heavily addicted drug addicts, who are reliant on their drugs, to consume them doing Ramadan. This is evidence of a continually changing and adapting religion to modern times.

The last 10 days of Ramadan are extremely important. These last 10 days build up to 'the night of power'. From the 17th of Ramadan, Muslims begin offering Tahajjud prayer. These prayers are offered only between midnight and dawn. The basis of this prayer offering is the recitation of portions of the Quran. It is seen as extremely favorable in Allah's eyes if these portions are said off by heart. When Muslims have built themselves up and have been properly prepared for 'night of power', they start intense prayer. It is 'as if you have prayed 1000 months of prayers' if you pray sincerely on this special night. Once Ramadan is finished, thousands of Muslims of all ages flock to the streets to celebrate.

Ramadan is an essential part of the Islamic faith. It is often the identifying ritual of Islam to non-believers. The festival has pure intentions to do good for oneself and good for ones fellow man. In years to come, I believe Ramadan will continue to bring together Muslims from all over the globe, young, old, secular and religious.