The Five Pillars of Islam

Islamic Faith
The Islamic faith has been in existence for a number of years and an estimated 1.3 billion people world-wide identify and follow the religion. Islamic members study the scriptures of Qur'an or Hadith and worship their god, Allah. Allah is Arabic for the word meaning God. Muhammad is believed to be Allah's prophet, and he was instructed to spread the word of Allah's greatness. (2006, Zahid). It's recorded that Islam is to obey the Five Pillars are the core foundation of Islam and members must abide by the ethical codes in order to guarantee a position for eternal life after death. The Five Pillars consist of the following;

Faith and belief in only one higher Supreme Being; God, and the prophet Muhammad;
Establishing and upholding daily prayer sessions;
Concern, kindness, and compassion towards the less fortunate;
Self-cleansing periods through fasting; and
Pilgrimage for Makkah if possible.

Easiest Pillar
The easiest pillar out of the five seems to be number two, establishing and upholding daily prayer sessions. Praying on a daily basis can be completed several times throughout the day when a personal and peaceful moment arises. It would be easy to pray while on a fifteen minute break at work, before bed time, working out, cleaning, or while in the shower. However, certain religions require specific items or time frames to complete a prayer session. It may be more difficult if the Islamic faith requires a certain time, place, or shrine to pray with.

Challenging Pillar
The most challenging pillar appears to be the self-cleansing and purification methods through fasting. Ramadan is a period where Muslims fast from dawn until dusk, avoiding food, drink, and sexual activities. (2006, Zahid). From a personal standpoint, I would have major complications fasting during the hours I am active. I have hypoglycemia and one of the first things I do when I wake up in the morning is eat. I wouldn't be able to continue the day without some sort of food and liquid. This pillar may not be as challenging for others as it would be for me, but I think it would be difficult regardless.

Facts to Know
Countries of origin: Islam
Historical figures and events: Allah and the prophet Muhammad.
Central beliefs: Islamic faith refers to God as Allah, and believes he sent Muhammad to prophesize his power.
Nature of God: Allah and his prophet Muhammad.
Texts: Qur'an and the Hadith.
Ritual and practice: Islamic members worship Allah and the prophet Muhammad. They attend worship services, read the Qur'an, and the Hadith.
Ethics and morality: "Not one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." Fourth Hadith of an-Nawawi 13

References
Zahid, Ishaq. (2006). Theology-Worship-Five Pillars of Islam.Islam 101.http://www.islam101.com/dawah/pillars.html