The 5 Pillars of Islam (Obligations)

  Saying the following creed from the heart in front of a Muslim converts one into a Muslim.

“There is no other god but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet!”

 Misconception that Muslims hold about Christians

Missionaries try to make Muslims convert to Christianity.   Missionaries are a threat to you and your family's way of life; someone who is going against Allah, Mohammed (PBUH) and the government if it is in a Muslim nation, and someone who is trying to steal souls from paradise.  Therefore a missionary is someone who is not to be trusted, is to be avoided and is to be stopped before they hurt you or your family.   

Truth
A missionary’s purpose—as with all Christians—is not to convert anyone but rather to share the love and truth about Jesus. It is never a missionary's job to convert a Muslim.  They do, however, talk about Jesus and explain how one can become a Christian.
 

The Holy Book (Bible) explains that it is the Holy Spirit of Allah (YHWH)—not man nor missionary—who convinces the heart of any man about the truth.  

Thus, missionaries do tell people to ask Allah (YHWH) what is true and allow Allah (YHWH) to reveal truth to every person.

There are three kinds of alms.

Obligatory

There is a legal one which is the only obligatory one.

It is a percent of one’s salary after basic needs are met. 

Sunnis give 2.5%    

Shiites give 5%

Private

There is a private alm which is extra generosity given in private.

Merciful

There is a merciful offering (the Waqf) which can be given daily.

i.e. a coin to a begging child

Misconception that Muslims hold about Christians

Missionaries are paid for pictures they take of the people they are trying to help so they make money off of those people and their work.

Truth

Missionaries’ living expenses are often paid by churches or individuals so that they can help people full-time instead of working an additional full-time job which would only allow them to help in the hours that remain after work. 

They do not get paid for pictures. 

Some missionaries create businesses to help cover living and ministry expenses. 

Some missionaries sell products for the people who make them but give the people the money to help them earn a living.  Missionaries do not keep the money for their own personal gain.

Ramadan commemorates the giving of the Quran to Mohammed (PBUH).

It is a month-long “fast” and an obligation with few exceptions: such as sickness and pregnancy (but it must be made up at a later date), or pre-pubescence.

“The night of power”—Islam’s holiest night of the year— is one of the odd-numbered days among the last ten days of Ramadan. 

It is said to be better—to have more reward and prayer requests answered—than a thousand months of obedience and worship.

Ramadan ends with the holiday Eid al-Fitr which can include the giving of presents. 

Muslims believe Allah will answers special prayers on Eid al-Fitr.

Ramadan lasts one lunar month, from 29-30 days. 

It moves forward 10 days every year because Islam adheres to a lunar calendar (354 to 355 days a year) to determine the Islamic Calendar.

An imam (leader of the mosque) announces the start of Ramadan right before it begins as well as the day it ends as it differs from place to place due to the moon, which is why no one knows the exact day it will begin or end until the night before.

Calendars can be found online.

Islamic tradition says the Ten Commandments, Torah, Psalms, and Gospel were all sent down during month of Ramadan.

During Ramadan, Muslims must abstain from food, liquid and intimate relations from sunrise to sunset. 

Strict Muslims include not even swallowing saliva thus the reason why many Muslims seem to spit a lot. 

Muslims can eat during Ramadan after sunset until sunrise. 

It’s often called the month of feasting because so much is eaten at night with special or favorite foods only made during Ramadan.

The fast is usually broken with dates as tradition says Mohammed (PBUH) broke the fast with three dates.

Misconception that Christians hold about Muslims

Muslims don’t really fast because they eat at night.

Truth

While the hunger is satisfied at night, fasting all day—especially during long summer days—is very difficult and effective.

Tradition says that Mohammed (PBUH) began Ramadan due to the heat of the desert in the summer. He would retire to a cave for a month to escape the heat, and would fast and pray there.

The Hajj is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca that takes place in the last month of the Islamic calendar. 

It is a requirement of every Muslim in good health and with economic means to complete it at least once.

The Hajj is a time to search oneself and make a stronger commitment to pleasing Allah.   

It is a time to find greater peace. 

When a Muslim returns from doing the Hajj, he (or she) is often then referred to from then on as Hajj (or Hajja) rather than using their personal name in honor and respect for them completing the pilgrimage.

This pilgrimage is done in a series of steps.

In Mecca, Saudi Arabia, one marches seven times around the Ka’aba (the black cube); and throws rocks at Shaytan (evil).

Then a march is made to Arafat to commemorate Hagar’s search for water in desert when Sarah expelled her and her son Ishmael from her presence. 

The Hajj ends with a Feast of Sacrifice.

White sheets are worn to show that all men are equal before Allah despite their income or social status.

Women are permitted to do the Hajj only when accompanied by a male but are segregated from men during prayers just as they are in daily life. They are segregated in certain places during the march to Arafat as well.

The Ka'aba was built around a black stone believed to have been given to Adam when he was expelled from paradise so he could have forgiveness of sins.  The black stone was brought to Earth by the angel Gabriel.  Abraham then built the Ka’aba around it to sacrifice his son, Ishmael. 

During the Hajj, Muslims used to try to get close enough to touch or kiss the black stone itself in the Ka’aba but that is no longer permitted.

The Ka'aba is now covered with an black curtain embroidered with elaborate, ornate, gold, geometric patterns and Qur'anic verses.  

For copyright reasons, the image shown above is an approximated representative drawing.  Please look online for actual photographic images. 

Jihad literally means “Struggle in the path of god”.   It is an internal battle—a spiritual battle—to choose to do what pleases Allah.

In Islam, it has come to also be associated with ‘holy war’ meaning a war that one is fighting in the name of Allah. 

Thus holy wars are called jihads and warriors (soldiers) are called jihadists.

It is often referred to as the sixth pillar because it is an ‘obligation’ to do as Allah commands. Being that a war could be a holy war, it would then be an obligation to fight if Allah so wishes. 

In return for the obligation of possibly losing your life, Allah promises salvation for anyone who dies in a jihad holy war which is the only guaranteed entrance into paradise.

Misconception that Christians hold about Muslims

Being that everything one does in Islam is because of Allah (there is no separation of church and state, and no separation from Allah and government or Allah and daily life) every war is a holy war.

Truth

Some Muslims believe for a war to be a jihad (holy war), it must be declared so by someone in authority. 

Just because some radical Muslim organizations claim they are fighting a holy war does not mean that it is accepted as a jihad to other Muslims.  

Many Muslims are even targeted by those radical organizations for not being radical themselves.