The first is radical monotheism, and Muhammad’s role in preaching it under divine guidance: “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is his Prophet.” The second is ritual prayer, prescribed at specific times. The third is zakat, which is often translated as “almsgiving,” but whose full meaning includes taxation, and specifically that the poor have a right to some of the wealth of the rich. Of the Five Pillars, it is this that has been most debated and modified in various Muslim communities. The fourth pillar is fasting during the month of Ramadan, in celebration of the month when the Qur’an was
...more
