Introduction
Islam remains one of the biggest religions in the world today with millions of followers. Believers should be aware of the teachings and pillars that can guide them to achieve their spiritual aims. This discussion seeks to analyze the Five Pillars of Islam and why they are given such a name. The paper also gives a detailed comparison of Islam and the ancient Armenian Christian community in the Arab world.
Five Pillars of Islam
Islam presents five acts and principles that are known as the Pillars of Islam. Such attributes get such a title since they are mandatory, are the founding blocks of this religion, and dictate the nature of worship and the established belief systems (Asni, 2017). Believers are expected to follow and behave by such obligations if they are to achieve their aims and continue to manifest Allah on earth. Such official and essential practices make it easier for more followers to relate positively with others while at the same time promoting the teachings of the Quran.
The first pillar is called shahada or profession of faith and it encourages believers to accept only one God whose messenger is Muhammad. Those who identify themselves as Muslims should recite shahada frequently and believe in it (Asni, 2017). The second one is that of salat or prayer and it requires that Muslims pray five times every single day while facing Mecca. These periods include early in the morning, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and during the night (Alghafli et al., 2019). They can have a small mat specifically dedicated to salat (Alghafli et al., 2019). The third one is that of giving alms or zakat (Carlson, 2017). Many Muslims will donate and offer a percentage of their income to different people who are poor or in need. The wealthy will construct mosques, schools, and engage in charity work as part of zakat.
The fourth pillar is that of sawm or fasting whereby individuals need to avoid drinks and food. This form of deprivation makes it easier for them to become aware and worship Allah. Such practice becomes essential during the period of Ramadan and it encourages Muslims to share with the needy members of their communities (Asni, 2017). The final one is that of hajj or pilgrimage and it encourages believers to visit Mecca, the holy city, at least once in their lives. They acknowledge that Abraham constructed Ka’ba for the primary purpose of worshipping God (Alghafli et al., 2019). Such rules are, therefore, identified as Pillars of Islam since they form the foundation that dictates the lives of all individuals who identify themselves as Muslims.
One Pillar of Islam
The selected pillar for this analysis is that of salat. The targeted individual is a friend who is a Muslim. This person usually prays around five times every day facing Mecca. Such a follower will consider the practice as essential to give thanks to His creator and ask for empowerment and guidance. The believer will also use the opportunity to pray for others to receive God’s guidance (Asni, 2017). Such a practice is essential and mandatory for him if he is to qualify as a faithful and true believer who follows Muhammad’s messages while focusing on God’s final reward. This example supports the argument that each of the outlined pillars is important and capable of taking Muslims closer to their religious aims.
Armenian Community
Before the infamous Armenian genocide, most of the Christian believers were allowed and capable of coexisting with Muslims in different regions across the Arabic world. They were able to attend the same learning institutions and social gatherings. The leaders in such areas were willing to permit such followers of Christ to pursue their spiritual aims without coercion or abuse (Carlson, 2017). Such a practice made it possible for them to focus on their aims and consider evidence-based approaches to improve their lives. This form of coexistence was essential since it presented a positive image of a true society that could empower and meet the demands of all citizens.
The belief system of these ancient Armenians gave them a new opportunity to worship and pursue their religious aims. The members of such a community engaged in prayers as their primary method of worshiping and considering the lessons presented in the Bible (Corduan, 2012). While the practice was quite different from that of Muslims, they both considered the best time and environment to say their prayers. These individuals were able to construct churches and attend services every Sunday. This approach was comparable to the common Islamic practice of visiting mosques that were found in such regions.
In terms of fasting and helping the poor, the Armenians were keen to support the needy and engage them to transform their experiences. They were keen to do so continuously and encourage more individuals to engage in the best work ethic. Similarly, Muslims focused on zakat to ensure that the needy in their societies led high-quality lives (Abolaban & Al-Moujahed, 2017). The Christian Armenians celebrated various festivals and holidays that were similar to Ramadan and donate alms to the needy.
The first pillar of Islam that guides worshippers to acknowledge the powers of God is comparable to the belief in the Holy Trinity. Just like the counterpart Muslims, these ancient Armenians acknowledged that God had sent Christ on earth to rescue mankind from sin and guide him to get closer to his spiritual goals (Carlson, 2017). Christians were reminded about the life and experiences of Christ and how He suffered in the hands of men to redeem the entire human generation. This form of worship was comparable to the Islamic idea of Mecca and why they were required to take the fifth pillar seriously.
From these analyses, it is evident that this ancient community had a standard way of worship that was similar to that of the Five Pillars of Islam. Such acts could be studied carefully to learn more about ancient Christian practices since these two religions were known to have identical roots and teachings (Carlson, 2017). They focus on a monolithic God and encourage believers to consider some of the best ways to put Him first, engage in prayers and fasting, help the needy, and consider evidence-based practices that can deliver their spiritual goals.
Conclusion
The above discussion has identified the Five Pillars of Islam as the primary principles that guide and dictate the way followers of the religion have to worship and relate with each other. Such acts form the basis of the religion and encourage believers to follow them accordingly. Although ancient Armenians living in Islamic regions were able to worship independently while coexisting at the same time, their religious practices appeared to converge due to the similarities associated with these two religions.
References
Abolaban, H., & Al-Moujahed, A. (2017). Muslim patients in Ramadan: A review for primary care physicians. Avicenna Journal of Medicine, 7(3), 81-87.
Alghafli, Z., Hatch, T., Rose, A., Abo-Zena, M., Marks, L., & Dollahite, D. (2019). A qualitative study of Ramadan: A month of fasting, family, and faith. Religions, 10(2), 123-137.
Asni, F. A. H. (2017). Analysis of the concept of two Kalima Shahadah Al-Tauhid and Al-Risalah according to the Qur’an and Al-Hadith. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 7(10), 347-353.
Carlson, T. A. (2017). Safavids before empire: Two 15th-century Armenian perspectives. International Journal of Middle East Studies, 49(2), 277-294.
Corduan, W. (2012). Neighboring faiths: A Christian introduction to world religions (2nd ed.). Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic.