Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasul Allah. These words compose the first lines of the Islamic call to prayer , which emanates hauntingly five times a day from live or recorded muezzins perched atop their minarets. Any person who wishes to con- vert to Islam may do so by repeating these lines three times, thereby completing the first pillar of Islam and becoming a Muslim. Enemies of Islam often memorized the lines before battles, thus providing themselves with an emergency survival tactic. The second pillar is prayer , performed five times per day, preferably fol- lowing the call of the muezzin. Prayers, preceded by ablutions, begin with a dec- laration of intent and consist of a set cycle of prostrations. No group or leader is necessary for prayers-they constitute a personal communication with God. The person praying must face Mecca. The word for Friday in Arabic means "the day of gathering;" on that day, communal prayer is particularly encouraged. The third pillar is alms . Because all belongs to God, wealth is only held in trust by people, and zakat represents the bond between members of the community. Zakat has been historically administered as a tax, and the level of giv- ing is determined as a percentage of the surplus wealth and earnings of the individual. It is believed that Muhammad received the Qur'an during the month of Ramadan. Fasting during this holy month is the fourth pillar of Islam. Between dawn and sunset, Muslims are not permitted to smoke, have sexual intercourse, or let any food or water pass their lips. Exceptions are made for women who are pregnant or menstruating, the sick, and people who are traveling-they must make up the fast at a later date. As soon as the evening adhan is heard, Muslims break the fast and begin a night of feasting, visits to friends and relatives, and revelry. The last pillar, required only once in a lifetime, is pilgrimage . Only Mus- lims who are financially and physically able are required to fulfill this pillar by journeying to Mecca and Medina during the last month of the Muslim calendar. While hajj is essentially a re-creation of the actions of the Prophet Muhammad, its effects are to unite Muslims and to stress the equal status of all people who submit to the will of Allah, regardless of gender, degree of wealth, race, or nationality. All pilgrims, from Gulf princes to Cairo street-sweepers, must wrap themselves in white cloth and remove all accessories . CHRISTIANITY Christianity began in Judea among the Jewish followers of Jesus. The most signifi- cant sources on the life of Jesus are the Gospels. Scholars agree that the gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke were written in that order some time after 70 CE, draw- ing on an oral tradition which recorded the words of Jesus. The Gospel of John was written in about 100 CE, but it has roots as old as those of the others. These sources provide a history influenced by the experiences of the church fathers and the beUef that Jesus was the Messiah .