Introduction to Philosophy

Achieve Test Prep: Philosophy

• Shahadah is the First Pillar: This is the profession of faith that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet. This is the foundational stone of Islam. Although Islam believed that there are many names for God, it is a religion built on one God and it is our responsibility to totally submit to God’s will in every dimension of our lives. • The Second Pillar is Salat: The principle of praying five times a day in a prescribed manner. It is the response of the natural yearning heart to pour fourth its love and gratitude toward its Creator. • The Third Pillar is Zakat: The yearly setting aside of a portion of one’s wealth for the benefit of others. There are always those who possess more material things than others and Islam tries to bring balance to this situation by asking those who have much to help lift the burden of those who have less. • The Fourth Pillar is Sawm: This is observance of the holy month in the Arabian calendar and involves fasting as a means of spiritual devotion. This is the period in which Muhammad received his historic flight from Mecca to Medina and to commemorate these two occasions, those who are physically able are asked to fast during the entire month. From dawn to sunset, Muslims do not eat, drink, have sexual intercourse, or smoke. Fasting underscores humankind’s dependence on God and, by experiencing what it is like to feel hunger and suffering, helps makes us more compassionate. • The Fifth Pillar is Hajj: This is the holy pilgrimage to Mecca where one performs a set of rites. Once in a lifetime, a Muslim is expected, if physical and economic conditions permit, to make this journey to Mecca, where God’s ultimate revelation was first disclosed. The purpose of this journey is to heighten the pilgrim’s devotion to God and to his revealed will. Indigenous Sacred Ways These are religions that have remained tied to the original people and location from which they developed. For the most part, indigenous religions practice sacred ways and a spiritual way of life that has remained virtually unchanged for centuries. This type of religion is fully integrated into the lives of those practicing them rather than being discrete and separate activities. This includes a profound respect for their natural environment and with religion and life all a part of one integrated reality. There are four aspects of indigenous sacred ways: • Relationships with spirit: The spirit world is central and is the source of awesome power that influences every aspect of life. Many worship a Supreme Sprit whom they view as the Sacred Creator of the cosmos. Maintaining harmonious relationships with the spirits of the ancestors is another significant theme. • Kinship with all creation: They believe that everything in the world is alive. The physical world is considered to be fully animate and spiritually interconnected with all life forms in the universe. The spiritual view of Mother Earth encourages an ecological philosophy of the environment, in which human life is intended to interlock and mesh with the natural world, thus preserving the harmony and balance between people and their home, the natural world. • Spiritual specialists: The average person has limited contact with the spirit world. This task is entrusted to spiritual specialists known as priests, priestesses, and shamans. The spiritual world

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