Islamic Fanous Ramadan Lantern Pillars of ISLAM Arabic Crafts

About one fifth of the world’s population is Muslim, a belief system based on the Qur’an and the teachings of Muhammad. Egypt has approximately 90% Muslim believers. Islam has five major belief pillars which constitute the basic norms of Islamic practice. They include: the declaration of faith (shahada), prayer (salah), almsgiving or charity (zakat), fasting (sawm) and pilgrimage (hajj). This download includes pillars to color and create a Pillars of Islam poster, illustrating each of these norms of practice.

During the month of Ramadan, lanterns (known as fanous in Arabic) are used as both decoration and as a source of light. The Fanous has become a worldwide symbol for well over a thousand years. In modern day, with the availability of electricity and technology, lanterns are not really needed as a source of light. Instead, the Fanous is used as decoration for popular Ramadan tents, gatherings, and city streets to create a more festive ambiance during the holy month of Ramadan. This download also includes a template to create foldable paper lanterns which can be used with flameless candles as decorations.

This download includes five pages of resources, which are also included in the Egypt Unit Study.