Shahadah, is the basic creed (or tenet) of Islam: “‘ašhadu ‘al-lā ilāha illā-llāhu wa ‘ašhadu ‘anna muħammadan rasūlu-llāh“, “I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah (الله) and I testify that Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) is the Messenger of Allah (الله).”
This testament is a foundation for all other beliefs and practices in Islam. Muslims must repeat the shahadah in prayer, and non-Muslims wishing to convert to Islam are required to recite the creed.
Salah, or ritual prayer, must be performed five times a day. Each salah is done facing towards the Kaaba in Mecca. Salah is intended to focus the mind on Allah (الله), and is seen as a personal communication with Him that expresses gratitude and worship. Salah is compulsory but flexibility in the specifics is allowed depending on circumstances.
Adhan (call to prayer) are broadcast publicly from local mosques at the appropriate times. The prayers are recited in the Arabic language, and consist of verses from the Holy Quran.
Zakat, or alms-giving. This is the practice of giving based on accumulated wealth, and is obligatory for all Muslims who can afford it. A fixed portion is spent to help the poor or needy, and also to assist the spread of Islam. Zakat is considered a religious obligation (as opposed to voluntary charity) that the well-off owe to the needy because their wealth is seen as a “trust from Allah (الله)’s bounty”. The Holy Quran and the hadith also suggest a Muslim give even more as an act of voluntary alms-giving (sadaqah).
Sawm, or fasting during the month of Ramadan. Muslims must not eat or drink (among other things) from dawn to dusk during this month, and must be mindful of other sins. The fast is to encourage a feeling of nearness to Allah (الله), and during it Muslims should express their gratitude for and dependence on Him, atone for their past sins, and think of the needy.
Sawm is not obligatory for several groups for whom it would constitute an undue burden. For others, flexibility is allowed depending on circumstances, but missed fasts usually must be made up quickly.
Hajj, is the pilgrimage during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah in the city of Mecca. Every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it must make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his or her lifetime.
When the pilgrim is about ten kilometers from Mecca, he must dress in Ihram clothing, which consists of two white seamless sheets.
Rituals of the Hajj include walking seven times around the Kaaba, touching the Black Stone, running seven times between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah, and symbolically stoning the Devil in Mina.
The pilgrim, or the hajji, is honored in his or her community, although Islamic teachers say that the Hajj should be an expression of devotion to Allah (الله) instead of a means to gain social standing.
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