Beliefs

Aqidah (Articles of Faith)

The following are the six articles of faith in Islam. These are the basic beliefs that one must have in order to be considered a true Muslim. They are:

Pillars of Islam

There are five pillars of worship in Islam. These practices must be undertaken with the best effort to be considered someone that has genuinely submitted himself or herself to Allah. These pillars of practice relate directly to our fundamentals of faith and affect our character and conduct:

1- Testifying that Allah (God Almighty) is one, without a spouse, son, or partner, and that Muhammad (Peace and Blessing Be Upon Him) is the last Prophet & Messenger of Allah.

This testimony is pronounced to become a Muslim and is repeated several times a day in prayers and devotions as an affirmation of God's oneness and confirmation of faith.

2- Formal prayer five times a day.

By praying five times a day, one actively submits his will to God Almighty and devotes his mind, body, and soul to his worship. Formal prayer is both preventative and prescriptive; it serves as a reminder to avoid evil deeds and helps to expiate the effects of any sin committed throughout the day.

3- Fasting during the month of Ramadan.

During Ramadan, Muslims fast each day from dawn to dusk by refraining from food, drinks, and sensual pleasures. These outward actions have an effect on the inward, reminding believers that instead of being dependent on corporeal stimuli, they must rely on God Almighty alone. Abstaining from food & drink serves another purpose, which is to remind the believer of his duty to those less fortunate amongst fellow man, and that with God's bounties comes the responsibility to our brothers and sisters in humanity.

4- Alms to the Poor (Zakat).

With the blessing of wealth comes the responsibility to give back to those less fortunate. Zakat, the Arabic word for obligatory alms, is a purification of wealth and a method of redistributing wealth to those in need.

5- Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once, if physically and financially able.

Pilgrimage to Mecca commemorates the rites of Abraham in devoting his life to God Almighty. It is the culmination of the previous four pillars of Islam, consisting of prayers, devotions, charity & sacrifice.