Acts of worship

Main article: Five Pillars of Islam

There are five core practices in Islam,[83] collectively known as 'The Pillars of Islam' (Arkān al-Islām)
or 'Pillars of the Religion' (Arkān ad-din), which are considered obligatory for all believers. The
Qurʼan presents them as a framework for worship and a sign of commitment to the faith: [84] Three of
the pillars are obligatory upon all Muslims, while Zakāt and Hajj are obligatory only upon able
Muslims.[85] Both Sunni and Shi'a sects agree on the essential details for the performance of these
acts.[86] Apart from these, Muslims also perform other religious acts. Notable among them are
voluntary charity (Sadaqah) and recitation of the Qurʼan.

Testimony

Silver coin of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, inscribed with the Shahadah

Main article: Shahada
The shahadah,[87] which is the basic creed of Islam, must be recited under oath with the specific
statement: "ʾašhadu ʾal-lā ʾilāha ʾillā-llāhu wa ʾašhadu ʾanna muħammadan rasūlu-llāh" ( ‫أشهد أن ال إله‬
‫)إال هللا وأشهد أن محمداً رسول هللا‬, or, "I testify that none is worthy of worship except God and I testify that
Muhammad is the messenger of God."[88] This testament is a foundation for all other beliefs and
practices in Islam. Muslims must repeat the shahadah in prayer, and non-Muslims wishing to convert
to Islam are required to recite the creed.[89][90]:135

Prayer
Main article: Salat
See also: Mosque and Jumu'ah

Muslim men prostrating in prayer, at the Umayyad Mosque, Damascus.

The five daily ritual prayers are called ṣalāh or ṣalāt (Arabic: ‫)صالة‬. Salat is intended to focus the
mind on God, and is seen as a personal communication with him that expresses gratitude
and worship. Salat consists of bowing and prostrating to God and praising God. Performing prayers
five times a day is compulsory but flexibility in the timing specifics is allowed depending on
circumstances. The prayers are recited in the Arabic language, and consist of verses from the
Quran.[91] The prayers are done in direction of the Ka'bah. The act of supplicating is referred to
as dua. Ritual purity is required for salat, this is achieved through wudu or ghusl
A mosque is a place of worship for Muslims, who often refer to it by its Arabic name masjid. A large
ِ ْ‫ َمس‬,
mosque for gathering for Friday prayers or Eid prayers are called masjid jāmi (‫جد جَ امِع‬
'congregational mosque').[92] Although the primary purpose of the mosque is to serve as a place of
prayer, it is also important to the Muslim community as a place to meet and study. The Masjid an-
Nabawi ('Prophetic Mosque') in Medina, Saudi Arabia, was also a place of refuge for the poor.
[93]
 Modern mosques have evolved greatly from the early designs of the 7th century, and contain a
variety of architectural elements such as minarets.[94] The means used to signal the prayer time is a
vocal call called the adhan.

Charity
Main article: Zakat
See also: Sadaqah
Zakāt (Arabic: ‫زكاة‬, zakāh, 'alms') is a means of welfare in a Muslim society, characterized by the
giving of a fixed portion (2.5% annually)[95] of accumulated wealth by those who can afford it in order
to help the poor or needy, such as for freeing captives, those in debt, or for (stranded) travellers, and
for those employed to collect zakat.[xii][96] It is considered a religious obligation (as opposed
to supererogatory charity, known as Sadaqah) that the well-off owe to the needy because their
wealth is seen as a "trust from God's bounty." Conservative estimates of annual zakat is estimated
to be 15 times global humanitarian aid contributions. [97] The first Caliph, Abu Bakr, distributed zakat
as one of the first examples of a guaranteed minimum income, with each man, woman and child
getting 10 to 20 dirhams annually.[98]
Sadaqah means optional charity which is practiced as religious duty and out of generosity. [99] Both
the Quran and the hadith have put much emphasis on spending money for the welfare of needy
people,[100] and have urged the Muslims to give more as an act of optional charity.[xiii][101][42]:90 The Quran
says: Those who spend their wealth in charity day and night, secretly and openly—their reward is
with their Lord.[xiv] One of the early teachings of Muhammad was that God expects men to be
generous with their wealth and not to be miserly.[xv][102] Accumulating wealth without spending it to
address the needs of the poor is generally prohibited and admonished. [103] Another kind of charity in
Islam is waqf, meaning perpetual religious endowment.