In Islam, there are five pillars that Muslims are to follow. The five pillars are declaration of faith (Shahadah), prayer (salah), alms-giving or charity (zakah), fasting (sawn), and pilgrimage (Hajj). Muslims’ declaration of faith is that Allah is the only God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God. Every day, five times a day, Muslims are expected to stop whatever it is they are doing and start praying when they hear the call to Prayer. Muslims are also expected to give to those living in poverty or those in need. They are expected to donate at least 2.5% of their wealth annually. If they are in a position to give more, then many followers typically do. The followers of Islam fast during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, called Ramadan. They fast during the daylight hours, which includes no food, drink, smoking, or sex. During Ramadan, many Muslims will flip their schedules so that they work during the nights while they can eat and drink and will sleep during the day while they must fast. Finally, every Muslim is expected to make the trip to Mecca at least once in their life. However, the reading stated that only about 10% of Muslims actually make it to Mecca because many Muslims are too poor to make the journey.
The Hajj documentary with Michael Wolfe was very special because only Muslims are allowed to enter the Great Mosque of Mecca. During the Hajj, Muslims surround the Kaaba, which is the house of God that was built by Abraham. It is a symbol of God’s oneness. The first obligation while on the Hajj is to circle around the Kaaba seven times, following the direction of the Earth around the sun. This symbolizes the importance of putting God at the center of your life. One of the traditions is to throw pebbles at a pillar, which represents stoning the Devil and driving the Devil out of your life. One of the most interesting things I got from the documentary was how Muslims will stop whatever it is they are doing to pray together five times a day. The video showed people stopping in the middle of a crowded market, rolling out their carpets with one another, and start praying when they heard the call to Prayer.