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5 Pillars of Islam

 5 PILLARS OF ISLAM

  • INTRODUCTION:
As a Muslim, we need to first know the main pillars of Islam. For Sunni Islam, there are 5 pillars that needs to be followed. However, for shias, there is one additional pillar along with 5. Thus, the Shia Islam adheres upon 6 pillars rather than 5 pillars followed by Sunnis. This is not our objective to differentiate between Shia Islam and Sunni Islam although. The main objective of our post is to tell the Muslim about the 5 pillars of Islam. In this article, we will discuss about 5 Pillars of Islam that every Muslim must believe and act upon. WHoever rejects any one of  these is no doubt a Kafir(disbeliever).  

  • 5 PILLARS OF ISLAM
1. TAWHEED (ONENESS OF GOD): 
Tawheed is basically the belief upon one single GOD mighty in power and the belief upon MUHAMMAD (S.A.W.) as the last Prophet and Messenger of ALLAH (S.W.T.). From the day ALLAH (S.W.T.) created the universe, He has sent the Prophets to guide the people for worship of one GOD.

 “And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): “Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) all false deities” Then of them were some whom Allah guided and of them were some upon whom the straying was justified. So travel through the land and see what was the end of those who denied (the truth).” 
        - Al Qur'an (Ch16, v36)

The one single GOD that a true believer believes in is all powerful, and the knower of all things. If any other fake GOD, or demi-God is compared with ALLAH (S.W.T.), then a believer has committed 'Shirk'. 

“Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives anything else to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin”
- Al Qur'an (Ch4, v48)

Tawheed is the basic pillar of Islam. Every sin ALLAH (S.W.T.) will forgice except 'Shirk'. 

Thus, 'Tawheed' is the basic pillar which acts as the main foundation of Islam.

“And indeed when we heard the Guidance (this Qur’an), we believed therein (Islamic Monotheism), and whosoever believes in his Lord shall have no fear, either of a decrease in the reward of his good deeds or an increase in the punishment for his sins” 

- Al Qur'an (Ch72, v13)

“You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything)” 

-  Al Qur'an (Ch1, v5)

Tawheed (One of the 5 Pillars of Islam)


2. SALAH (PRAYER): 

Prayer is the second most important pillar after Tawheed. ALLAH (S.W.T.) asks the believer to pray to him regularly. In Hadith, a Muslim is commanded to offer five regular prayers on their respective times. If somehow, a Muslim is not able to offer a certain Prayer (Salah), then he/she has to offer Qaza.

 According to a Hadith and according to Imam Shafai, " a person who does not offer 'Salah' regularly is a Kafir. Qur'an also confirms it. According to Qur'an, "Salah is the thing that differentiates between a believer and a non-believer". 

 And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience].

  - Al Qur'an (Ch2, v43)

 [O Muhammad], tell My servants who have believed to establish prayer and spend from what We have provided them, secretly and publicly, before a Day comes in which there will be no exchange, nor any friendships.

 - Al Qur'an (Ch14, v31)

SALAH (One of the 5 Pillars of Islam)


3. SAWM (FASTING) IN THE MONTH OF RAMADAN:

The month of Ramadan is one of the holy month for us. History is a big witness that many important historical events have happened in the month of Ramadan. The first Battle of Islam (Battle of Badr) fought between the momins and Kuffar e Makka was also fought and won by us in this month. Our Holy Book Qur'an was completely revealed in this month.

Thus, this month is sacred to all of us, and ALLAH (S.W.T.) commands us to do fasting in this month and do lot of Ibadah. 

The fasting in this month has lot of virtues associated with it. Firstly through fasting, a rich understands the pain and hunger of the poor. Also, it trains us to bear the difficult circumstances (if in future we fall into the difficult circumstances). Apart from it, as it is the command of ALLAH (S.W.T.) and every command of ALLAH (S.W.T.) is important for us, fasting in the month of Ramadan makes ALLAH (S.W.T.) happy and also makes our path easy for the day of judgement.

Sawm (one of the 5 Pillars of Islam)

Fasting (one of the five pillars of Islam)




4. ZAKAT (CHARITY):

In the month of Ramadan, the Muslims having a good amount of money and property with them must pay Zakah. Zakah is thus mandatory only for the Muslims having enough money in the form of gold, property, or livestock. 

  • Narrated by Anas (R.A.)

Abu Bakr (r.a.), wrote to me about the Zakat which Allah had ordered His Apostle to observe: Whoever had to pay Jahda (Jahda means a four-year-old she-camel) as Zakat from his herd of camels and he had not got one, and he had Hiqqa (three-year-old she-camel), that Hiqqa should be accepted from him along with two sheep if they were available or twenty Dirhams (one Durham equals about 1/4 Saudi Riyal) and whoever had to pay Hiqqa as Zakat and he had no Hiqqa but had a Jadha, the Jadha should be accepted from him, and the Zakat collector should repay him twenty Dirhams or two sheep; and whoever had to pay Hiqqa as Zakat and he had not got one, but had a Bint Labun (two-year-old she-camel), it should be accepted from him along with two sheep or twenty Dirhams; and whoever had to pay Bint Labun and had a Hiqqa, that Hiqqa should be accepted from him and the Zakat collector should repay him twenty Dirhams or two sheep; and whoever had to pay Bint Labun and he had not got one but had a Bint Makhad (one-year-old she camel), that Bint Makhad should be accepted from him along with twenty Dirhams or two sheep.

- Sahih Bukhari (Ch24, v533)

If a  Muslim who has been granted with wealth by ALLAH (S.W.T.)  does not pay Zakah, then at the day of Judgement, his wealth will come to him in the form of snake and will be tormented. All the wealth that he earned during his lifetime will not benefit him in the Aakhirah (day of judgement). 

  • Narrated by Abu Dhar (R.A.)

Once I went to him (the Prophet) and he said, “By Allah in Whose Hands my life is (or probably said, ‘By Allah, except Whom none has the right to be worshipped) whoever had camels or cows or sheep and did not pay their Zakat, those animals will be brought on the Day of Resurrection far bigger and fatter than before and they will tread him under their hooves, and will butt him with their horns, and (those animals will come in circle): When the last does its turn, the first will start again, and this punishment will go on till Allah has finished the judgments amongst the people.

Sahih Bukhari (Ch24, v539)

The person who pays Zakah will be given Barakah in his money, and also at the day of Judgement will get the benefit.

"And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience]."

- Al Qur'an (Ch2, v43)

The mosques of Allah are only to be maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish prayer and give zakah and do not fear except Allah , for it is expected that those will be of the [rightly] guided.

- Al Qur'an (Ch9, v18)

obligations of zakatI gave the pledge of allegiance to the Prophet (pbuh) for offering prayer perfectly, giving Zakat and giving good advice to every Muslim.

- Sahih Bukhari (Ch24, v484)

  • Narrated by Abu Huraira (r.a.)

Allah’s Apostle (pbuh) said, “A man said that he would give something in charity. He went out with his object of charity and unknowingly gave it to a thief. Next morning the people said that he had given his object of charity to a thief. (On hearing that) he said, “O Allah! All the praises are for you. I will give alms again.” And so he again went out with his alms and (unknowingly) gave it to an adulteress. 

Next morning the people said that he had given his alms to an adulteress last night. The man said, “O Allah! All the praises are for you. (I gave my alms) to an adulteress. I will give alms again.” So he went out with his alms again and (unknowingly) gave it to a rich person. (The people) next morning said that he had given his alms to a wealthy person. 

He said, “O Allah! All the praises are for you. (I had given alms) to a thief, to an adulteress and to a wealthy man.” Then someone came and said to him, “The alms which you gave to the thief, might make him abstain from stealing, and that given to the adulteress might make her abstain from illegal sexual intercourse (adultery), and that given to the wealthy man might make him take a lesson from it and spend his wealth which Allah has given him, in Allah’s cause.”

- Sahih Bukhari (Ch24, v502)

Zakah being the undetachable pillar of Islam must be paid on time by the wealthy Muslim. According to Hadith and as told by the scholars of Islam, it is mandatory for a Muslim to pay 2.5% from the total wealth a Muslim has. 

Narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote to him this document when he sent him to Bahrain: “This is the obligatory charity that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoined upon the Muslims and that Allah enjoined upon His Messenger:… for silver, one quarter of one tenth.” 

- Sahih Al-Bukhaari (1454)

Narrated from ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If you have two hundred dirhams and one full year has passed, then five dirhams are due on them. You do not have to pay anything - i.e. on gold -- unless you have twenty dinars; if you have twenty dinars and one full year has passed, then half a dinar is due on them, and if the number increases then work it out on this basis.”

- Sunan Abu Dawood (1572) 

(Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood).

From the above Hadith, it is clear that the 2.5% of Zakah is mandatory 

The Muslims who are poor are exempted from recieving Zakah. They are eligible to recieve Zakah from their wealthy Muslim brothers. 

If Zakah will be paid on time and in a proper manner, then there will be no poor on Earth IN SHA ALLAH that will be left. Such is the economic system of Islam. Islam came to eliminate the poverty and provide good lifestyle to the people.

Thus, Muslims are advised to pay Zakah on time to get nearness to ALLAH (S.W.T.).

5. HAJJ (PILGRIMAGE):

For every Muslim granted enough wealth by ALLAH (S.W.T.), it is mandatory for him/her to perform Hajj once in a life. 

The Muslims who have not been granted wealth by ALLAH (S.W.T.) and cannot perform Hajj, then they must repent to ALLAH and ask for His forgiveness, and ask ALLAH (S.W.T.) for an opportunity to perform Hajj.

The Hajj is performed during 10th of Shawwal to 10th of Zil-Hajj. Before and after the prescribed months, Hajj is not permissible.

Ḥajj is (during) well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein (by entering the state of iḥrām), there is [to be for him] no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj.  And whatever good you do – Allah knows it. And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allah. And fear Me, O you of understanding.     

- Al Qur'an (Ch2, v197)

Performing of Hajj has various benefits. While kissing Hajr e Aswad, all the small sins committed by the Muslims during his/her lifetime will be forgiven. 

While doing Tawaf, a Muslim achieves a high spiritual bonding with ALLAH (S.W.T.) and also attains peace.

 Apart from this, there are other rewards for performing Hajj.

Hajj (5 Pillars of Islam)


  • CONCLUSION:
These are the five pillars of Islam that completes the Islam and must be considered necessary and important by every Muslim. Muslim brothers and sisters have to act upon these pillars (as these are mandatory).

May ALLAH (S.W.T.) help us to die upon Iman and Shahadah.

- Ameen

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