There are five 'pillars of Islam'. First, a Muslim is required to make a brief declaration of the unity of God. The other four - prayer, zakat, ramadan and al-hajj - emphasise social equity and community. All should pray five times a day as a communal act that is done, not just thought or said. Zakat, almsgiving as a proportion of income, should encourage the fair distribution of wealth in the community; many Muslims see western values of competition and self-interest as being a direct threat to the kind of society to which they aspire. The ramadan fast is a vivid reminder of privations suffered by the poor. For the fifth pillar, al-hajj, pilgrims wear a uniform white garment that allows no difference of rank or standing.
With its care for the community, Islam appeals to the poor. The Muslim is a social being in the body of Islam, the ummah, that transcends nationality. When a Muslim nation is ravaged, the hurt and shame is felt universally and by each individually.
Muhammad did not believe that he was creating a new religion but was bringing the primordial religion of humanity to his Arabian tribe. God had sent messengers to every people on the earth to tell them how to live. When they disregarded these basic laws, creating tyrannical societies that oppress the weak and refuse to share their wealth fairly, their civilisations have collapsed.
