In Islam, serving one’s parents is a duty second to prayer, and it is their right to expect it. It is considered despicable to express any irritation when, through no fault of their own, the old become difficult. God has said: Your Lord has commanded that you worship none but Him, and that you be kind to your parents. If one of them or both of them reach old age with you, do not say to them a word of disrespect, or scold them, but say a generous word to them. And act humbly to them in mercy, and say: “My Lord, have mercy on them, since they cared for me when I was small.” (Qur’an, 17:23-24) What Are the Five Pillars of Islam? The Five Pillars of Islam are the framework of a Muslim’s life. They are the testimony of faith, prayer, giving zakat (support of the needy), fasting during the month of Ramadan, and the pilgrimage to Makkah once in a lifetime for those who are able. 1) The Testimony of Faith: The testimony of faith is saying with conviction, “La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadur rasoolu Allah.” This saying means “There is no true god but God (Allah),1 and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God.” The first part, “There is no true god but God,” means that none has the right to be worshipped but God alone, and that God has neither partner nor son. This testimony of faith is called theShahada, a simple formula which should be said with conviction in order to convert to Islam (as explained above on pages 52-53). The testimony of faith is the most important pillar of Islam. Chapter 3 General Information on Islam A Brief Illustrated Guide To Understanding Islam What Are the Five Pillars of Islam? 65 (1) For more details on the wordAllah, see the next to last paragraph of page 47.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUxNjQ1