Lesson 3: The Five Pillars of Practice

Big Ideas addressed in this lesson:

· Islam is a religion and a way of life in which the primary goal is to serve Allah to enhance the life of the individual and the community, much like Judaism is a religion and way of life that seeks to serve God in the betterment of life on earth.

· At the core of Islam is the notion of tawhid, or Oneness of the universe and among all living creatures.

Questions addressed in this lesson:

· How do Muslims serve Allah/God?

· What happens if a Muslim sins or does not serve Allah?

· What are the differences, if any, of how Muslims in different parts of the world serve Allah?

· What are the texts that guide Muslims in their service to Allah?

· What is the concept of tawhid, or Oneness?

· How does tawhid guide and influence the practice and perspectives of Muslims?

Knowledge:

· The Five Pillars of Practice: Witnessing, Prayer, Fasts, Charity, Hadj

Texts to be used:

· Qur’an

· Excerpts from Islam: The Straight Path by John L. Esposito

· E-mail exchange with Sohaib Sultan, Author of The Koran for Dummies

Overview of Session:

I. Questions from previous session — 15 minutes

II. Introduction to the Five Pillars of Practice — 15 minutes

III. The Five Pillars of Practice — 50 minutes

IV. Jihad — 25minutes

V. Wrap-up — 10 minutes