Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

The Five Pillars of Islam

A series of short films on the five pillars of Islam - the five duties obligatory for all Muslims - told through objects from Oxford collections.

Detail of a sitarah made for the Mosque of the Prophet in Medina, Egypt, 1791-1792

Conclusion

In this short film, the Yousef Jameel Curator of Islamic Art concludes her discussion of the five pillars of Islam.

 

Transcript

As symbols of the submission of Muslims to God, the five pillars confer to Islam a unique character which sets it apart from the other monotheistic religions. Although expressions of individual piety and obedience to God, these rituals also reveal the importance of the Muslim community - the umma - and help to reinforce the believers’ sense of belonging to a larger entity.

© 2013 University of Oxford - Ashmolean Museum