The Pillars7 of Islam

Islam has been built upon five pillars. The first pillar of Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. No one can become a Muslim without believing in these two facts.

Prayer is the second pillar of Islam. It must be performed by all Muslims. Every Muslim prays five times a day. We must pray two raka’s in Dawn Prayer, four raka’s at Noon Prayer, raka’s in the Afternoon Prayer, three raka’s in Sunset Prayer and four raka’s in the Evening Prayer. Before praying, we must be clean, because we stand before Allah and directly address Him.

The third pillar of Islam is the giving of the poor due (Zakat). The poor and the needy should have a certain share in the wealth of the rich. Every Muslim who keeps a sum of money for a whole year must pay a certain percentage of that money to them. Merchants must pay part of their yearly profits. Landowners must also give part of their crops. If this duty is well performed, love, peace and prosperity⁸ will prevail among Muslims.

The fasting⁹ of Ramadan is the fourth pillar. It was prescribed to all healthy and able Muslims. During this month, they must stop eating and drinking from Dawn to sunset. It purifies the human soul and body. Some people are exempted from this duty. A person who is sick or on a journey is exempted from fasting on condition that he would fast a number of days equal to those he has missed.

The fifth pillar of Islam is the pilgrimage to the Holy House of Allah in Mecca. It is prescribed only to Muslims who are able to bear the difficulties and pay the expenses of the journey. It is a yearly meeting. Thousands of Muslims come from all over the world to perform this sacred duty. Everybody is dressed in the same simple manner. They spend the days of pilgrimage feeling that everybody is a brother or a sister. They return from the Holy Land with a pure heart and a pure soul to begin a new life.

Questions:

1. Upon what has Islam been built?

2. What must one testify in order to become a Muslim?

3. What is the second pillar of Islam?

4. How many times a day does a Muslim pray?

5. What is the third pillar of Islam?

6. What should the poor and the needy have in the wealth of the rich/

7. What is the fourth pillar of Islam?

8. How do Muslims fast?

9. What is the fifth pillar of Islam?

10. To whom is the pilgrimage only prescribed?

Choose the correct answers:

1. Islam has been built upon five__________

   1. pillar

   2. pillared

   3. pillars

2. We must pray two raka’s at ___________

   1. sunset

   2. dawn

   3. noon

3. Muslims must give the poor due (Al Zakat ) to_________

   1. the people

   2. Muslims

   3. the poor and the needy Muslims.

4. In Ramada Muslims must ________from dawn to sunset

   1. eat and drink

   2. stop eating and drinking

   3. stop working

5. The fifth pillar of Islam is the _________ to the Holy House of Allah in

Mecca.

1. pilgrimage

2. prayer

3. fasting

The Parents In Islam

The teaching of Islam pays great respect to the parents. The Holy Quran tells us to obey and respect them. It recommends us to treat them with the utmost kindness and respect.

A man once asked the Prophet (peace be upon him), “Who deserves the utmost of my care and kindness?”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Your mother”

Then the man said, “And who is next?”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) answered, “Your mother.”

Again the man asked, “And next?” and again the (peace be upon him), “Your mother”.

The man asked for the fourth time, “And then?” This time, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Your father”.

On another occasion, a young man complained to the Prophet (peace be upon him) that his father had stolen his money. The Prophet (peace be upon him) sent for the father in order to question him. The man was very old. His face was pale and his clothes were torn¹⁰.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked the man, “Have you taken your son’s money?” The man said, “Yes.”

When the prophet (peace be upon him) asked him why he had done so, he said. “When I was rich and strong, I brought him up and gave him everything he wanted. Now I am poor and weak, and he has become rich and strong but he refuses to help me.”

The tears of pity gathered in the Prophet’s eyes and he said to the ungrateful son. “You and your wealth belong to your father”.

Questions:

1. To whom does the teaching of Islam pay great respect?

2. What does the Holy Quran tell us to do for our parents?

3. How does it recommend us to treat our parents?

4. Who deserves most of your care and kindness?

5. How many times did the man ask the Prophet (peace be upon him)?

6. To whom did the young man complain?

7. Who took the young man’s money?

8. Why did the Prophet (peace be upon him) send for the father?

9. Describe the father!

10. What did the Prophet (peace be upon him) say to the ungrateful son?

Choose the correct answers:

1. The Holy Quran__________ us to obey and respect our parents.

   1. recommend

   2. recommends

   3. recommending

2. Islam tells us to _________our parents kindly.

   1. respect

   2. speak

   3. treat

3. __________ deserves the utmost of my care and kindness.

a) My friend

b) My mother

c) My doll

4. The Prophet (peace be upon him) sent for the father in order to__________

a) question him.

b) complain to him.

c) see him.

5. The father had taken his money because____________

a) his son was strong.

b) his son was rich.

c) his son refused to help him.

Some grammar models for the students

Ағылшын шақтарын ажырата біл

The Present Tense (Simple) (Осы шақ):

I get up at 7 o’clock. Мен сағат 7 тұрамын.

He lives in Astana. Ол Астанада тұрады.

He teaches Arabic. Ол араб тілінен сабақ береді.

How often do you go to the shops? Магазинге жиі барасыз ба?

Agriculture takes an important sector in economy of the country. Ауыл шаруашылығы ел экономикасының маңызды саласы.

There are for seasons in a year. Бір жылда төрт мезгіл бар.

Past indefinite tense (Жалпы өткен шақ)

The weather was fine yesterday. Кеше ауа райы тамаша болды.

I was bone in 1990 in Almaty. Мен 1990 ж. Алматы қаласында дүниеге келдім.

Marat went to the library last week. Марат өткен аптада кітапханаға барды.

Did you go there too? Yes, I did. I went there at two o’clock. I had much free time yesterday. Кеше менің бос уақытым көп болды.

Future Indefinite Tense (Жалпы келер шақ)

I shall be busy tomorrow. Менің ертен қолым босамайды.

They will come to Almaty next week. Олар келесі жетіде Алматыға келеді.

Soon it will be the Asian winter Olympic Games in Almaty. Жақында Алматы Қысқы Азия Ойындары өтеді.

Tomorrow I shall meet my friend. Ертен мен досыммен кездесемін.

We will visit Egypt next year. Біз ендігі жылы Мысырға барамыз.

Present Continuous tense (Созылыңқы осы шақ)

What are you doing? I’m reading newspaper. Не істеп отырсың? Мен газет оқып отырмын.

It’s warm, the sun is shining. Күн жылы, жарқырап тұр.

The children are playing in the yard. Балалар аулада ойнап жүр.

Present perfect tense (Аяқталған осы шақ)

Have you been to England? No, I haven’t. Сіз Англияда болып па едіңіз? Жоқ, болған емеспін.

We have seen him today. Біз оны бүгін көрдік.

“To be” етістігі

Almaty is our city. Алматы бұл біздің қала.

I’m glad to see you. Мен сізді көргеніме құаныштымын.

How are you? I’m well. Қалыңыз қалай? – Жақсы.

Don’t be in a hurry. Асықпаңыз.

I’m at home in the evenings. Мен кешкісін уйде боламын.