Muslims practice adherence to the Five Pillars of Faith: 1) profession (shahada) of belief in Allah as the only God and Muhammad as his prophet; 2) ritual prayer (salat, pronounced saLAAT) five times daily—at dawn, at noon, in the afternoon, in the evening, and at nightfall; 3) giving alms to the poor (zakat, pronounced zaKAAT); 4) fasting from dawn until dusk during the holy month of Ramadan (sawm); and 5) making the pilgrimage (Hajj) to the holy city of Mecca at least once during their lifetime.