In understanding Islam through the eyes of its practitioners, distinctions in fiqh (Islamic Law) must be made initially in the two types of human activities: ibadat: duties/ obligations owed to god and mu'alamat: mutually owed duties to humanity. In Islam, purity of intentions (niyya) is key in determining one's destiny, as the purification of major and minor najasas and hadaths represent necessary practices and rituals (i.e. washing, bathing to purify oneself). Purification practices “are a reminder that holiness refers to the physical, as well as the mental and spiritual aspects of life” (Shepard 100). Maintaining purity of intention and holiness, Muslims adhere to the five main pillars of Islam which relate to the umma, or the entire Muslim community. The personal and public dimensions characterize all the pillars. The first pillar is shahada, or the idea that there is only one God, and Muhammad serves as a prophet who shares God's sacred message. After the shahada is salah: a form of worship practiced five times a day, during periods designated following the movements of the sun and moon, consisting of specific bodily movements, recitations and prayers. It is important that the salah does not occur exactly at sunrise, midday or sunset to avoid the misconception that it is the sun, and not God, that is worshipped, reaffirming the pillar of the shahada: the monolithic vision of Islam. During the time of prayers, the sexes are often separated, with an imam as the prayer leader. An adhan or “call to prayer” is recited just before the salah begins, and one must face the quibla: the direction of Mecca during the prayer. The Salah, similarly to the shahada, “effectively integrates the individual and social dimensions…[bringing] the individual face to face with God” (Shepard 106). Another pillar of Islam is zakah: the act of distributing, in the name of God. Zakah are not considered donations (sadaqas), but rather a form of fulfilling one's duty to give back to people in need what already belongs to them by the will of God. Fasting during the month of Ramadan is the fourth pillar of Islam. The month of Ramadan is historically known as “the month in which the Quran was first revealed and also the month of the Battle of Badr” (Shepard 107). Therefore, Ramadan strengthens the universal solidarity of the umma and reinforces the idea of ​​a higher self, as well as control and strength of oneself. The last day after Ramadan is the day of 'Id al-Fitr, the feast of breaking the fast. Finally, the pilgrimage to Mecca, known as Hajj, is the final pillar of Islam that invites its constituents to travel to Mecca to experience the sacred space and “the center of the Muslim universe and the place most in contact with heaven ” (Shepard 110). .The minor pilgrimage, umrah, is often undertaken by many Muslims before the Hajj. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The view of Islam as an isolationist ideology incompatible with the secularism and modernism of evolving life is a broad misconception. As stated by Douglas, “Islam is a life project… it is a process” (Douglas 1). The idea that religion is a violation of daily life and the growing push towards the separation of church and state neglect to understand the value and intrinsically intertwined nature of spirituality in daily life, thus leading to the “compartmentalization of religious belief” (Douglas 2). Because of the modern, often Western, view that religion is harmful to individual freedoms, there has been a push against Islam, as Muslims.