Marhaban!

Islam developed around the 7th century and is native to the Arabic peninsula located in western Asia. The final Prophet of Islam is Muhammad, who corrected and continued revelations by Judaism and Christianity. According to Muslims, the Quran is the word of God or more commonly referred to as Allah (literally meaning God in Arabic, the word is not specific to Muslim Arabs).

Five Pillars

The five pillars of Islam are the five duties that every Muslim should keep true to. The first pillar is the Shahada or the Declaration of Faith, the foundation. Without having recited the Shahada, every other act of worship is annulled and by declaring the Shahada one accepts Muhammad as the final messenger of God and the acknowledgement and belief in a singular God (Tawhid).

Salah

Salah or prayer shows the direct connection that one has with God. Prayer must be performed five times a day to maintain consciousness of God (Taqwa). Five prayers a day ensures one cannot forget the existence of God and gives one discipline.

Zakat

Zakat (charity) gives one a sense of social responsibility and, in order to purify one's wealth, one needs to help those in need by giving them wealth of their own. Zakat requires one to give as a mandatory act of worship. This helps prevent greed and inequality aswell as helps form a communal bond.

Sawm

To develop taqwa one needs to have self-discipline and empathy for the poor. Therefore, one should fast during Ramadan to help grow one's empathy. Fasting also acts like a spiritual detox where the soul and body are reset. Note that Ramadan is only obligatory for capable adults, individuals who are sick or otherwise are excused.

Hajj

In Islam, Mecca is the holiest city for Muslims and the Hajj (pilgrimage) mandates that every phyisically and economically capable Muslim should, atleast once in their lifetime, visit Mecca to memorialize the sacrifice that Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) made in the name of God.