Islam in a Nutshell

by Seemi Ahmad

Story provided by Egypt Magic

Islam in a Nutshell

Islam preaches moderation and abhors extremism, terrorism, fanaticism, oppression and subjugation. True and faithful Muslims are committed to living according to the Quran and to tolerance, charity, hard work and cooperation with others.

The Five Pillars of Islam are the practicing tenets to which the faithful adhere:

Decree of Faith. Muslims declare: There is no God EXCEPT ALLAH and Muhammad is His Prophet and Last Messenger.
Prayer. Prayers are said five times daily at prescribed hours.
Alms. Giving and distributing the annual charity and alms for the less fortunate.
Fasting. From dawn to dusk throughout the holy month of Ramadan, the ninth month in the Muslim calendar.
Hajj. Undertaking a pilgrimage to the city of Mecca, the birthplace of Muhammad, at least once in the lifetime for those capable of making the journey.

Islam in a Nutshell

Editorial Postscript: Certainly one of the major differences in Egypt (and other Arabic countries) that has grown out of Islam is art. While modern art in Egypt takes every form, traditionally, the Islamic cultures have taken the religious ban on "engraven images" more to heart. Hence, we have arabesque which is an art form of often intricate patterns. While Christian churches may have statues and icons depicting Jesus, prophets and saints, their Islamic mosques do not. Rather, the art is often very beautiful pattern work.

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