As in every other religion, Islam has words that define what religion is. From the Islamic point of view religion is believing in a supreme power, Islamic culture, Shari’a (laws ), Prophets, a sacred text (the Holy Qu’ran) etc. Some of these factors are actually the foundation or base of most religions in the world. A religion must have basic laws for its people to follow; a supreme power is also needed in a religion for its followers to look up to as their guide. The foundations of Islam as mentioned before make its structure and keep it followers from steering away.

Islam is one of the most flexible religions in the world. It allows people of any race gender or color to be a part of it, which is why Islam is spread around every continent. Keeping the fact in mind that Islam is flexible and anyone of any kind can convert to it, there are mostly positive but one major negative effect. The positive effect is that due to its flexibility Islam is the second largest religion in the world even though it is not as old as other religions existing. Islam is a religion that gives both men and women equal rights under any circumstance but gives women more respect for what roles they play as a mother sister and daughter. Due to this fact many European women are converting to Islam. Islam has no preference of people of a specific race or color and is the fastest growing religion. As Islam is spread in many countries of the world, its followers tend to bring in their own culture, mix it up with the Islamic culture and end up following culture or society instead of the Shari’a (Islamic laws).

A perfect example of Islamic culture mixed in with trends of a society can be seen as Muslims divide themselves as Arabs and Asians even though being racist is haraam in Islam. In Islam a Muslim may marry any other Muslim regardless of race or color but many Asian and Arabs parents teach their children from day one to stay away from people from other countries. The second example is the existence of various religious sects in Islam. All Muslims should keep in mind that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) brought one religion and told its followers not to divide each other into groups and sects. Islam is a religion, which tells its followers to be united. Muslims are leading behind because its followers are too busy dividing themselves and proving who is right and who is wrong.

Therefore, I would like to state that there is no such thing that should be reshaped or reevaluated in Islam. However, there are few things its followers should change. Muslims should stop mixing their societal and cultural trend with Islam, they should not waste their time dividing themselves; this defeats the purpose of the Shari’a and what true Muslims should believe in. Due to these changes within the faith, people outside of Islam see it in another way. Last but not least those followers of Islam who are born Muslims should not take it for granted; they should not think that they know their religion completely. It is wiser to study in-depth Islam and recognize how beautiful it is. This is one of the main reasons why converts to Islam are more religious because they study Islam and know what it actually means and keep and follow the true message.

-Ramla Hussain

A belief system is essential for any religion. The religious ideology provides the framework and the foundations for practice, theology, and tradition. In Islam, there are five pillars in which every Muslim is required to believe in and practice. These five pillars provide Muslims with a system of practices that express devotion and faith to God. These pillars are considered to be manadatory and seen by Muslims as a commandement from God. They are Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm and Hajj. To be a true Muslim, one is required to believe in and do all of these five practices.

Shahada is the declaration of one’s faith in Allah and the prophet Muhammad. It is the cornerstone of Islam, because it sets the framework for Muslim theology and practices. There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of God, is the oath one must declare to be considered a Muslim. This belief affirms the existence of Allah as the one and only God. This maxim is vital for Islam, because the whole religion is built upon this one principle.

Salat or prayer is the second pillar of Islam. Every Muslim is commanded by God to pray five times a day. Through this exercise a Muslim expresses his devotion to God and is reminded of God’s absolute existence. During every prayer, one declares his faith in Allah and asks him to show the straight path. The prayers are taken directly out of the Quran, which makes the prayer that more meaningful. The fact that a Muslim must pray five times a day shows the emphasis Islam places on this practice. By performing Salat, Muslims reaffirm their belief in one God.

Hajj is the fifth and last pillar of Islam. It is a pilgrimage to the holy sites in Mecca, where one reconnects with the Islamic heritage and reaffirms his belief in Islam. Mecca is believed to be a city where Abraham and his family resided. When Muslims go on Hajj they revisit the sacred places that Abraham and his family built and their trails through the mountains. On this journey, Muslims spiritually reconnect with their patriarch and prophet Abraham and reaffirm their belief in Allah. It is believed that God told Abraham to build Kaba, a holy site in Mecca, where he was supposed to bring all of mankind. This belief provides the foundation for Hajj and reasons for Muslims to perform this ritual. This practice, which is obligatory on all Muslims, makes a meaningful contribution to the Islamic faith because going on this journey and participating along side millions of Muslims creates a new experience, which many Muslims consider transformational.

The Five Pillars encompass the essential five practices that reaffirm Islam as a monotheistic religion. The belief in one God and Muhammad as the last prophet provides Muslims with the doctrine which reverberates in every aspect of the Islamic faith. The Islamic theology and practices are built around this credo, which the Five Pillars reinforce. The Pillars provide the groundwork for faith to commence.

-Arthur Meyster

Smart identifies “Six Dimensions of Religion”, among those the Doctrinal Dimension. In his opinion, the Doctrinal Dimension in all religions is the basic religious beliefs, especially those that are revealed through faith, ritual, and scripture. Smart’s Doctrinal Dimension, especially the doctrines of the vertical relationships Muslims have with God and the horizontal one they have with one another, can be applied to the Five Pillars of Islam. In particular, three pillars, Zakat (legal charity), Sawm (fasting during Ramadan), and Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca) reveal this concept.

The concept of both the vertical and horizontal relationship is manifested in the pillar of Zakat. Zakat, is the mandatory giving of a certain proportion of one’s income to charity. It is different from, for example, the Jewish concept of Tzedakah in that it is required by Islamic law to give, rather than encouraged and expected (although that concept exists within Islam as well). The horizontal and social aspects of Zakat are fairly obvious. Giving Zakat shows a concern and empathy for others, both individuals and a community at large. Zakat is an outward sign of charity, and shows the solidarity one has with all humans. The fact that it is commanded reveals the vertical relationship Muslims have with God; Muslims perform Zakat out of a connection and reverence to Allah. In addition, Muhammad once said to the Muslim community “you will never be Believers until you show charity.” By his saying this, he shows that Zakat and the concern for humankind is, in fact, a feature of faith, and is part of a belief in God and acceptance of Islam.

Another pillar which contains the doctrines of both the vertical and horizontal relationships Muslims have is Sawm. Sawm is the month-long fast during Ramadan, in which Muslims are commanded not to eat or drink from sunrise until sunset. Ramadan is a period of joy and celebration, but also of reflection. It is believed that the Quran descended during the month of Ramadan, and perhaps because of this, it is encouraged to read the Quran more than usual during this time. Ramadan allows Muslims to reflect on their relationship with God and the Quran, as well as their dependence on God for religious guidance and physical sustenance. In addition, fasting during Ramadan raises one’s awareness of the solidarity one has with others, especially the poor and hungry. Like on Yom Kippur, by choosing to deprive oneself of food, one is forced to think of those who do not have a choice and who must do so out of necessity, and feel compassion, empathy, and solidarity towards them.

The third pillar that relates to the relationships Muslims have with God and with each other is Hajj. Hajj is the commandment that Muslims make pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime, so all Muslims are connected in the experience. Between two and three million people from over 70 countries visit Mecca on Hajj each year. Everyone wears uniform attire: men wear two white sheets, and women wear loose dresses and headscarves. Muslims from all over the world, of all different nationalities come together, are equal in the eyes of God, and see themselves as a part of a unified religious community. Another way both of these relationships is manifested is through visiting sites of historical and religious importance. Pilgrims visit the Kaba, which is where God commanded Abraham and Ishmael to build. By visiting it as a place of worship, it shows how Muhammad truly was the last and greatest of the prophets (which connects to one of the articles of faith). It reveals the impact Muhammad had on turning the region from a polytheistic one to a monotheistic one, which relates to the pillar of Shahadah, the declaration of the oneness of God. In addition, Muslims go seven times between two small hills in order to reenact the story of Hagar’s search for food and water. By visiting places of historical significance, Muslims are able to feel the connection they have to other Muslims through their shared history, as well as the relationship they have with God through the relationship their ancestors and God had. Many Muslims, after going on Hajj, say that it renewed their connection to God and commitment to Islam as a shared religion.

Smart’s Doctrinal dimension of religion can be applied to the five pillars of Islam. The doctrines of the vertical relationship Muslims have with God and the horizontal one they have with other Muslims are revealed through several Islamic rituals. Specifically, the pillars Zakat, or commanded charity, Sawm, fasting during Ramadan, and Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, reveal these doctrines, foster a sense of community between Muslim, and allow them to feel spiritually and religiously connected and committed to God.

-Adina Marx-Arpadi

Nasir Al-Amin, Founder of the Alliance Investment Fund (ALIF), spoke about the personal experiences that led him to convert to Islam and to build an international anti-poverty organization. He spoke about his work and travels in Ethiopia and about a program he ran at Fordham University linking the Pillars of Zakat (the obligatory poverty tax) to Sawm (fasting during Ramadan) through student contributions of money they otherwise would have spent on daily meals.

During the break students catch up and discuss the begining of the meeting. From left to right: Fatima Waziry, Ramla Hussain, Sarielle Luger and Hallie Swidler.




Chatting after lunch - from left to right: Brenne Rimberg, Maya Matalon, Ramla Hussain and Fatima Waziry. (Syed Razvi and Co-Facilitator Dror Post are facing away from the camera in the foreground.)




From left to right: Sarielle Luger, Dror Post, Syed Razvi, and Timur Meyster.




From left to right: Brenne Rimberg, Maya Matalon, Fatima Waziry and Ramla Hussain.




During a break, Artur and Timur Meyster from Heschel play hackeysack with Senior Facilitator Ahmad Amara and Al-Iman student Syed Razvi. (Robyn Spector and Adina Marx-Arpadi are seated in the foreground.)




After lunch the group comes together to prepare for the discussion. From left to right: Ahmad Amara (Senior Facilitator), Brenne Rimberg, Maya Matalon, Fatima Waziry, Dror Post (Co-Facilitator) and Syed Razvi.