REL 2029 Chapter : Islam Cont
Document Summary
Unifying elements: five pillars, creed: no god but god, muhammad is his prophet, prayer (salat): one who submits to the will of god will due his duty of prayer. 5 times per day, facing mecca (kabah ?). Sunrise, noon, afternoon, sunset, at night before bed. Bodily posture; mental attitude; formal words (passages from quran) all accompany prayers: other ways: 5 x day = individual or in group. Place to which people come to prostrate selves before allah: prayer as continuous activity: way of being in the world. Opening self to whispers of god. listening with the soul. Fairly well diffused throughout muslim world: alms (zakat) to the poor: social welfare tax. Not reflection of annual or weekly income, but overall economic work. Could be: endowing the arts, paying for charities, violin concerts, political facet of choice. Also, purifying remainder of wealth for personal use.
