The Egyptian People 61 Muslims believe God has sent several Messengers or
Prophets through the ages. The Prophets of Judaism and
Christianity, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and
Jesus, are also Prophets of Islam. However, importantly
in Islam, Muhammad is believed to be the final Prophet
or Messenger of God.
Muslims believe God created unseen creatures such as
angels for special missions.
Muslims believe there is a Day of Judgement when all
people throughout history are brought before God for
accounting, punishment and reward.
In Islam, prayer is to God and only God, and is made by
the individual with no intermediaries.
There is no ‘Original Sin’ in Islam. Humans are born
free from sin, and it is only after they reach puberty and
after they commit a sin that they are charged for their
mistakes. Individuals can take responsibility for their
own sins. They cannot take responsibility for the sins of
others. The door to forgiveness by God is always open
through repentance.
The Five Pillars of Islam
Five basic duties are required of the believer in Islam. These
duties are typically called the ‘Five Pillars’ of Islam because
they form the foundation of the House of Islam. The Five
Pillars are:
The confession of faith or affirmation of the creed
(shahada)
Muslims believe that ‘There is no God but God, and
Muhammad is the Messenger of God’.
Prayers (salat)
Muslims are required to pray five times daily, facing in the
direction of Mecca, the holy city. The times for prayer are
dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, dusk and after dark.
Fasting (saum)
Ramadan, the month of the Prophet’s first revelations,
is the month of fasting for Muslims. Many rules regulate
Ramadan, but basically all sane adults are obligated
to fast between dawn and dusk during the month