Lesson Plan 5 Pillars

Day 1
Description: Students will learn about the 5 pillars of Islam, by wondering at different items
and names.
Days: 2
Focus: Understanding the 5 pillars.
Enduring Understanding: The Islamic faith has 5 religious aspects.
Essential Questions: What are the 5 pillars of Islam?
Content Objective: SWBAT discover the 5 pillars of Islam.
Standards:
● AZ State: Concept 3: World in Transition: PO 1. Describe aspects (e.g.,
geographic origins, founders and their teachings, traditions, customs, beliefs) of Hinduism,
Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Background: Students will know about the life of Mohammed.

Assessment: Completed worksheet.
Instructional materials: The Items for the wonders. 1st pillar- A written out declaration of
faith. 2 pillar- ipads with an audio clip about the call to prayer. 3rd pillar-Charity box. 4th
pillar-An empty plate. 5th pillar-Map to Mecca. Each student will need their composition
books.
Use of Technology: Audio clips of the call to prayer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe8qRj12OhY or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PIJOY2hfjo
Use of Inquiry: Wondering about the objects.
Accommodations:
Vocabulary:

Time- Activity Students learning Task Teachers learning

50 tasks

5 Directions Students will write down the learning goal and Teacher will have
listen to instructions. They will set up note the learning goal
taking paper in this format. written on the
Name Station Name Station # board. “I will
discover the 5
I noticed pillars of Islam”
Directions: At
I wonder your groups you
will uncover your
Write one sentence about what this pillar is. item and you will
Draw a Picture.
 write down things
you notice about
your item, and
things you
wonder about
your item. Once
everyone in your
group has
completed their
notice and
wonderings, you
will read your the
section in your
books that is
listed on the table
and find 3 things
you now know.
You will start at
the table you are
sitting at.

10 First Students will wonder and notice. Then read Teacher will
station and find. monitor the room
looking for
confusion and
clarifying
directions as
needed.

SEAT Ladies will stand and pick a new chair. Teacher will
SWAP Gentlemen will stand and pick a new chair remind students
their must be an
open chair in
order to be at that
table group.
10 Second Students will wonder and notice. Then read Teacher will
station and find. monitor the room
looking for
confusion and
distracted
individuals.

SEAT Gentlemen will move behind another chair.

SWAP Ladies will move behind a different chair.

10 Third Students will wonder and notice. Then read Teacher will
station and find. monitor the room
looking for
confusion and
distracted
individuals.

Seat Swap Blondes

Brunettes

10 Forth Students will wonder and notice. Then read Teacher will
station and find. monitor the room
looking for
confusion and
distracted
individuals.

END OF DAY
5 Directions Students will sit at whatever station they Teacher will
haven’t done yet, and they will write down the remind students
learning goals. of the directions.

10 Fifth Students will wonder and notice. Then Read Teacher will
station and find. monitor to keep
students on track

25 Group Students will share out about an item and how Teacher will hold
discussion/ it relates to the pillar of Islam. up the item and
debrief lead a discussion
on that pillar
hitting major
takeaways.
 The Fourth Pillar: Siyam or Fasting
Short Answer to put in your composition books
● What does it mean to fast?
● What and when is Ramadan?
Discussion Questions to talk about with your group
● Why do Muslims fast?
● Do you know of any other religions that fast? How is it similar? How is it
different?
For Muslims, Ramadan is a holy month. Muslims are followers of the religion of Islam.
During Ramadan, they pray and pay more attention to their own thoughts and feelings. They
are also supposed to avoid unkind thoughts and bad behavior.
During this month Muslims fast, which means giving up food for a time. Each day during
Ramadan, Muslims do not eat or drink any liquids from sunrise to sunset. Muslims end their
daily fasts each evening. Then they share meals with family and friends. The end of
Ramadan is celebrated with a three-day festival known as Eid al-Fitr. The festival is one of
Islam’s major holidays. This year, Ramadan begins at sunset on May 5, and ends on June 4.

Ramadan is celebrated as the month during which Muhammad received the first messages. It
is celebrated using an Islamic lunar calendar. This calendar is based on how full the moon is.
Because of this, Ramadan does not start on the same date each year.

Ramadan practices
Ramadan is a time to practice self-control. Fasting helps the person to have empathy for
those in the world who are hungry and less fortunate. Muslims go to work and school and
take care of their usual activities during Ramadan. However, some also read the entire Quran,
say special prayers and attend mosques more frequently during this time. A mosque is the
place where Muslims worship.

All Muslims who are in good health are required to fast, except children. People who are sick
and the elderly do not have to fast. Expectant mothers do not have to either. However, those
women are supposed to make up for the missed fast days sometime in the future or help feed
the poor.
The first predawn meal of the day during Ramadan is called “suhoor.” Each day’s fast is
broken with an evening meal known as “iftar.” Traditionally, a date is eaten to break the fast.
 The Fifth Pillar: Hajj or Pilgrimage

Short Answer Questions to write in your composition book.

● What is a pilgrimage?
● Where do Muslims go during Hajj and why?

Guiding Questions to talk about with your group

● What places are important to other religions?

● What is the significance of Abraham to pilgrims?

Muslims follow the religion of Islam. Their religion asks them to make the pilgrimage at
least once in their lives. A pilgrimage is a physical journey to places of importance in a
faith. They believe the trip traces the footsteps of prophets or religious leaders. Their leader
is called Mohammad.

From dawn until dusk, the huge crowd of people will be gathered at Mount Arafat to spend
the day in prayer and thought. It is on this mountain surrounded by the desert that
Muhammad delivered his final speech. That was more than 1,400 years ago.

Allah Means "The God" In Arabic

In his speech, Muhammad called on his followers to repay their debts and beware of Satan.
They also are to perform five daily prayers and give to help others. He also told them to
perform the hajj once in a lifetime, if they could afford it. Muhammad reminded worshipers
of the rights that women have. He said that no ethnic group or race is superior to another
except in good action.

During the hajj, pilgrims are expected to shed signs of wealth. But, the trip itself can be
expensive. Male pilgrims are required to wear white terrycloth garments for all of the hajj.
Women wear loose clothing, cover their hair and go without makeup to become humble and
spiritually pure.

Muslims Come From All Over The World

The large crowds came from more than 160 countries around the world. They wore similar
white garments. Their dress is meant to show unity among Muslims, as well as being humble
and equal before God. The rich and poor are to dress the same while performing the acts of
hajj.

The physically demanding journey tests pilgrims' patience. They face long waits and crowds
on their path to spiritual purification.

"God Willing, Allah Will Accept Our Pilgrimage"

Muslims believe the acts trace the footsteps of the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail. They are
called Abraham and Ishmael in the Bible.

Many begin their pilgrimage by traveling to Medina. It is the site of Muhammad's first
mosque, a place of worship. It is also where he is buried.

The Acts Of Hajj Begin In Mecca

The acts of the hajj, however, begin in Mecca, the site of Islam's holiest place of worship.
There, pilgrims kneel in prayer facing the cube-shaped Kaaba building. It represents the
house of God and the oneness of God in Islam.

After Mecca, pilgrims spend the day in Mount Arafat before heading to Muzdalifa. There,
they will pick up pebbles to represent a stoning of the devil and a casting away of sins. That
takes place in the Mina valley for three days.

In a sign of a new start, male pilgrims will shave their hair. Women will cut a lock of hair.
Around the world, Muslims will mark the end of hajj with a celebration called Eid al-Adha or
"Feast of Sacrifice."
 The Second Pillar: Salat or Ritual Prayer
Short Answer Questions to write in your composition books
● At what times do Muslims Pray?
● What building do Muslims face toward when praying?
Discussion Questions to talk about with your group.
● What was your reaction to the audio clip you listened to at the beginning of this
station?
● How is prayer in Islam similar or different to prayer in other religions? Explain.
Salat is the obligatory Muslim prayers, performed five times each day by Muslims.
God ordered Muslims to pray at five set times of day:
Salat al-fajr: dawn, before sunrise
Salat al-zuhr: midday, after the sun passes its highest
Salat al-'asr: the late part of the afternoon
Salat al-maghrib: just after sunset
Salat al-'isha: between sunset and midnight
All Muslims try to do this. Muslim children as young as seven are encouraged to pray.
Prayer sets the rhythm of the day
This prayer timetable gives Muslims the pattern of their day. In Islamic countries, the public
call to prayer from the mosques sets the rhythm of the day for the entire population,
including non-Muslims.
A universal Muslim ritual
Before praying Muslims position of themselves toward the Ka’bah in Mecca. The Ka'bah is
considered in Islam to be the first house of worship dedicated to the One God. The Ka’bah is
not an object of worship, but a center point unifying the worldwide Muslim community.
Muslims in North America face northeast because this places them in the direction toward
the Ka’bah. Prayer then begins with a set of ritual sayings and movements. Verses from the
Qur’an, the divinely revealed holy book of Islam, are recited.
The prayer ritual, which is over 1400 years old, is repeated five times a day by hundreds of
millions of people all round the world. Carrying it out is not only highly spiritual, but
connects each Muslim to all others around the world, and to people at different times in
Islamic history.
Prayers of body, mind and soul
The set prayers are not just phrases to be spoken. Prayer for a Muslim involves uniting mind,
soul, and body in worship; so a Muslim carrying out these prayers will perform a whole
series of set movements that go with the words of the prayer. Muslims make sure that they
are in the right frame of mind before they pray; they put aside all everyday cares and
thoughts so that they can concentrate exclusively on God. If a Muslim prays without the right
attitude of mind, it as if they hadn't bothered to pray at all.
Praying in the mosque
Muslims can pray anywhere, but it is especially good to pray with others in a mosque.
Praying together in a group helps Muslims to realise that all humanity is one, and all are
equal in the sight of Allah.
 The First Pillar: Shahadah or the Muslim Profession of Faith
Short Answer Questions to write in your notebook.
● What is the Shahadah?
● Are Muslims monotheistic or polytheistic?
Discussion questions to talk about with your group.
● Why do you think this statement is a significant part of being a Muslim?
● How is this statement similar to other religions you have studied? How is different?
The Shahada is the Muslim profession of faith and the first of the ‘Five Pillars’ of Islam.
The word shahada in Arabic means ‘testimony.’ The shahada is to testify to two things:
(a) Nothing deserves worship except God (Allah).
(b) Muhammad is the Messenger of God (Allah).
A Muslim is simply one who bears witness and testifies that "nothing deserves worship
except God and Muhammad is the messenger of God." One becomes a Muslim by making
this simple declaration.
It must be recited by every Muslim at least once in a lifetime with a full understanding of its
meaning. Muslims say this when they wake up in the morning, and before they go to sleep at
night. It is repeated five times in the call to prayer in every mosque. A person who utters the
shahada as their last words in this life has been promised Paradise.
(a) Nothing deserves worship except God (Allah).
The first part of this testimony states that God has the exclusive right to be worshipped. That
worship includes in a person’s heart and limbs. In Islamic belief, not only can no other God
can be worshiped. Worship is dedicated for God alone. A person becomes Muslim by
saying this statement of faith in front of two Muslims. This statement is the foundation of
Islamic belief in God. This statement is the foundation of all of Islam. It is considered the
central message of all prophets and messengers sent by God. Muslims believe that the
prophets of Judaism and Christianity agree that nothing deserves worship except God. These
prophets include Abraham, Jesus, and Muhammad.
But by a mere verbal profession alone, one does not become a complete Muslim. To become
a complete Muslim one has to fully carry out in practice the instruction given by Prophet
Muhammad as ordained by God. This brings us to the second part of the testimony.
(b) Muhammad is the Messenger of God (Allah).
Muhammad was born in Mecca in Arabia in the year 570 CE. His ancestry goes back to
Ishmael, a son of Prophet Abraham. The second part of the confession of faith asserts that he
is not only a prophet but also a messenger of God, a higher role also played by Moses
(Judaism) and Jesus (Christianity) before him. Like all prophets before him, Mohammed
was a human being. Muslims believe Mohammed was chosen by God to convey His
message. This message was meant to be shared with all humanity. For Muslims, Muhammad
brought the last and final revelation. In accepting Muhammad as the "last of the prophets,"
they believe that his prophecy confirms and completes all of the revealed messages. In
addition, Muhammad serves as a role model through his life example. The believer’s effort
to follow Muhammad’s example reflects the emphasis of Islam on practice and action.
 The Third Pillar: Zakat or Charity
Short Answer Questions
● What is the minimum Muslims are expected to donate?
● What is Zakat always connected with?
Discussion Questions
● Why do Muslims make donations?
● Do you know of any other religions that ask believers to donate
money? Is it similar or different?
Please watch the video on the Ipad.