The “Five Pillars of Islam” are: 1.) The declaration of faith; 2.) Prescribed prayers; 3.) Fasting; 4.) The alms; 5.) The pilgrimage to Mecca.
These articles of faith or acts of worship are prescribed at various intervals throughout one’s life – the declaration of faith is to be on one’s mind always; the prayers are offered daily; the fast in a full month once a year; the alms are given once yearly and the pilgrimage is performed annually, once in one’s lifetime.
Fasting
Fasting is prescribed in the month of Ramadan. Islam uses a lunar calendar, in which all months are either 29 or 30 days long. Because of the lunar calendar, each date falls ten days earlier each year. Thus Ramadan rotates throughout the seasons, completing the cycle of twelve months in about 33 years.
The ninth month, Ramadan, is the month in which Muhammed received his first revelation from Gabriel. Every day is a day of fasting. It is obligatory on everyone with exceptions for the sick, travelers, menstruating women & pregnant and nursing women. If one simply cannot fast for medical reasons, he is to give the equivalent of a meal to a needy person, a meal for each day he did not fast.
Moreover, the toxic generic levitra materials in semen can also reduce the quality of sperm by consuming the nutrition and oxygen in semen. At the beginning of Von Dutch Company, he joined cialis generic from india them and helped them become a world famous brand. This method of having some pleasure has some viagra without side effects impacts on cultural, political, legal and philosophical aspects of life. Particular sequential events are responsible for achieving an erection including buy cialis online excessive porn use, fear/guilt or shame surrounding sex or loss of attraction to a partner following pregnancy or birth. The fast is to train Muslims in self-discipline and scrupulous obedience to God’s commands. “It is not related to penance for sins or regarded as a means of appeasing God’s wrath…” (Haneef, 56).
This fasting involves abstaining from food, drink and intimate relationships throughout daylight hours. Not even water may be consumed. It is interesting that Haneef (145) specifically says that Ramadan also involves the “abstinence from falsehood, speaking ill of others, quarreling or engaging in angry talk, discussion of disreputable matters, and wrong behavior of any sort.”
They engage in extra devotional activities – an additional salah (prayer) is said, either individually or congregationally each night. The last ten days and nights of Ramadan are marked by especially intensive devotions. Giving charity is also enjoined during Ramadan.
It would seem clear that the Muslims’ emphasis on rituals like fasting is the opposite of the Gospel’s emphasis on freedom and faith in Christ. Consider, for example, Paul’s words in Colossians 2: “Why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to degrees, such as, ‘Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!’ (which all refer to things destined to perish with use) – in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence” (2:20-23).
On the contrary, Paul teaches in Galatians 5 that to live a pure lifestyle, we must be led by the Spirit (5:18), and walk by the Spirit (5:16), and live by the Spirit (5:25). Since the Spirit leads through His word (2 Timothy 3:16-17), we have all we need in the Bible to live a life of holiness to God. Compared to the Muslims’ false religion, we are free indeed!
