The Five Pillars of Islam

Objectives: I will be able to describe the basic beliefs of Islam and explain the meaning of each of the Five Pillars of Islam. I will compare and contrast the Five Pillars of Islam with the duties of Catholicism. Materials:

● Station Note Taking Guide for students ● Primary Source Documents for each student station ● Construction paper (11x17) ● Colored pencils ● Rulers

Technology:

● Computer ● SmartBoard ● Personal student devices

Procedures:

1. Whole Group Share: What do you know about Islam?

2. Introductory Video: Students will watch “5 Pillars of Islam - part 1 | Cartoon by Discover Islam UK” (https://youtu.be/9hW3hH9_7pI) and “5 Pillars of Islam - part 2 | Cartoon by Discover Islam UK” (https://youtu.be/_bujwCZ9RHI)

3. Small Group Activity: Students will work in small groups of 4-5 and rotate between five stations (see below) and complete 5 Pillars of Islam note taking guide.

a. Declaration of Faith (Appendix A-B)

b. Ritual Prayer (Appendices C-G)

c. Obligatory Expenditure (H-I)

d. Fasting Ramadan (J-M)

e. Pilgrimage to Mecca (N-P)

4. Individual Activity: Using their notes, students will create a visual representation of the Five Pillars of Islam.

5. Pair Activity: Students will create a double bubble comparing and contrasting Islam with Christianity. (**You can substitute any other religion the students are familiar with or have been studying.** )

Resources:

www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/islam08.socst.world.glob.lppillars/the-five-pillars-of-islam/

http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/accessislam/lessonplan2.html

http://www.discoverislam.co.uk/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/teach/muslims/beliefs.html

THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

PILLAR DESCRIPTION/ NOTES PICTURE

The Declaration of

Faith

Ash - Shahadah

STATION 1: DECLARATION OF FAITH With your group, examine Appendices A-C and discuss the following questions. Complete the note-taking guide when you are done.

● What is the Shahadah?

● Why do you think this statement is a significant part of being a Muslim?

● How is this statement similar to other religions you have studied? How is different?

STATION 2: DAILY PRAYER With your group, examine Appendices C-G and discuss the following questions. Complete the note-taking guide when you are done.

● What is the process that Muslims go through to prepare for prayer?

● How often do Muslims pray? When?

● What do the prayers sound like?

● What do the movements look like?

● What direction do Muslims face while praying? Why?

● Why do Muslims pray?

● How is prayer in Islam similar or different to prayer in other religions? Explain.

STATION 3: CHARITY With your group, examine Appendices C-E and discuss the following questions. Complete the note-taking guide when you are done.

● What is Zakaat?

● How much is a person expected to give?

● Why do Muslims make donations?

● Do you know of any other religions that ask believers to donate money? Is it similar or different?

STATION 4: FASTING With your group, examine Appendices C-E and discuss the following questions. Complete the note-taking guide when you are done.

● What does it mean to fast?

● Why do Muslims fast?

● How does fasting alter people’s spiritual state of mind?

● What and when is Ramadan?

● What is Eid al-Fitr?

● Do you know of any other religions that fast? How is it similar? How is it different?

STATION 5: PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA With your group, examine Appendices C-E and discuss the following questions. Complete the note-taking guide when you are done.

● Where do Muslims go during Hajj? Why?

● How often must they go there?

● Who must participate in Hajj?

● What is the significance of Abraham to pilgrims?

● What other religions incorporate the idea of pilgrimage? How is it similar? How is it different?

APPENDIX A Scan the following QR code or go to the website below.

https://goo.gl/sQvrT

APPENDIX B

The first Pillar of Islam is called shahada . It is a brief prayer proclaiming the oneness of God and faith in Islam. Children memorize the shahada, an action which introduces them into the

Islamic community. The shahada simply states:

"There is no God but Allah,

and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah."

Here is the shahada written in Arabic. (Like Hebrew, Arabic is written from right to left.)

Arabic was Muhammad's native tongue, the language in which he claimed to have received theKoran . Many devout Muslims from outside Arabic-speaking countries will learn the

language in order to read the Koran in its original form. In fact, some Muslims consider any translation of the scripture totally unacceptable. Here is a map of Arabic-speaking countries.

Source: http://www.waupun.k12.wi.us/Policy/other/dickhut/religions/31%20Five%20Pillars%20of%20Islam.html

APPENDIX C Scan the following QR code or go to the website below.

https://goo.gl/KBd8q

APPENDIX D

Hassan II Mosque - Casablance, Morocco Photograph taken by Ms. Elliott

APPENDIX E

Hassan II Mosque - Casablance, Morocco Photograph taken by Ms. Elliott

APPENDIX F

Scan the following QR code or go to the website below and watch the video.

https://goo.gl/Xclv1x

APPENDIX G

Source: https://pixabay.com/en/prayer-islam-iran-muslim-religion-1008385/

Source: http://www.waupun.k12.wi.us/Policy/other/dickhut/religions/31%20Five%20Pillars%20of%20Islam.html

APPENDIX H Zakah, the third pillar, provided a steady source of charity because it is required, though additional giving is voluntary. One way of giving is to donate the money from a business on a regular and permanent basis, for example, from the sale of fruit from an orchard each year. These goods and money may be put into a foundation, as a kind of contract with God, or a trust fund that would last as long as the source lasted. By comparison, today in the U.S. wealthy people and organizations of many faiths give money to charitable foundations for hospitals, education, the arts, and other purposes. Source: https://cmes.uchicago.edu/sites/cmes.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/Global/WHFUA-Era5-landscape2-basicbeliefsexcerpt.pdf

Zakat

Zakat is the compulsory giving of a set proportion of one's wealth to charity. It is regarded as a

type of worship and of self-purification. Zakat is the third Pillar of Islam.

Zakat does not refer to charitable gifts given out of kindness or generosity, but to the systematic

giving of 2.5% of one's wealth each year to benefit the poor.

The benefits of Zakat, apart from helping the poor, are as follows:

● Obeying God

● Helping a person acknowledge that everything comes fromGod on loan and that we do

not really own anything ourselves

○ And since we cannot take anything with us when we die we need not cling to it

● Acknowledging that whether we are rich or poor is God's choice

○ So we should help those he has chosen to make poor

● Learning self-discipline

● Freeing oneself from the love of possessions and greed

● Freeing oneself from the love of money

● Freeing oneself from love of oneself

● Behaving honestly

The 2.5% rate only applies to cash, gold and silver, and commercial items. There are other rates

for farm and mining produce, and for animals.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/zakat.shtml

APPENDIX I Scan the following QR code or go to the website below and watch the video.

https://goo.gl/9n7HxA

APPENDIX J

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan

APPENDIX K

Source: https://www.asia.si.edu/explore/teacherResources/islam.pdf

APPENDIX L

Scan the following QR code or go to the website below and watch the video.

https://goo.gl/uiK2Vi

APPENDIX M Sawm

Sawm is fasting. It's the fourth of the Five Pillars of Islam.

Muslims are required to fast during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

During the 29/30 days of Ramadan all adult Muslims must give up the following things

during the hours of daylight:

● Food or drink of any sort

● Smoking, including passive smoking

● Sexual activity

Muslims who are physically or mentally unwell may be excused some of these, as may

those who are under twelve years old, the very old, those who are pregnant,

breast-feeding, menstruating, or travelling.

If an adult does not fast for the reasons above they should try to make up the fast at a

later date, or make a donation to the poor instead.

Muslims do not only abstain from physical things during Ramadan. They are also expected

to do their best to avoid evil thoughts and deeds as well.

There are many good reasons for this fast, including:

● Obeying God

● Learning self-discipline

● Becoming spiritually stronger

● Appreciating God's gifts to us

● Sharing the sufferings of the poor and developing sympathy for them

● Realising the value of charity and generosity

● Giving thanks for the Holy Qur'an, which was first revealed in the month of

Ramadan

● Sharing fellowship with other Muslims

Eating in Ramadan

During Ramadan many Muslims will try to eat a large meal called suhur just before dawn.

When daylight is over, most Muslims will break or open the fast with dates or water,

following the example of the Prophet Muhammad, before having a proper meal later.

The evening meals during Ramadan are occasions for family and community

get-togethers.

Eid ul-Fitr

The month of Ramadan ends with the festival of Eid ul-Fitr. This is marked by dressing

up and visiting the mosque for prayer, and with visits to family and friends for celebratory

meals.

Ramadan and the Western calendar

Because Islam uses a lunar calendar, the month of Ramadan comes around 11 days

earlier each successive year, so there is no Western season associated with Ramadan.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/sawm.shtml

APPENDIX N

Scan the following QR code or go to the website below and watch the video.

https://goo.gl/4IHU0G

APPENDIX O

Source: https://pixabay.com/en/mecca-saudi-arabia-kaaba-holy-656774/

Source: https://pixabay.com/en/mosque-masjid-saudi-arabia-1075807/

APPENDIX P

Scan the following QR code or go to the website below and watch the video.

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/saudiarabia_mecca