Blog

Author: Mohammad Hashim Qasmi Bastawi

There are five very important aspects of the religion of Islam. These are the five pillars of Islam. These are the fundamentals which are the foundation of the Islamic faith and the organization of a The Muslim. Quran and the Hadith have stressed on these five pillars to a great extent. These five pillars are very important in the life of a believer. Actually, these five pillars make the identity of a believer and this is Islam. Through them the life in the hereafter is enhanced and if they are neglected the life in the hereafter is ruined and if anyone of them is rejected a person is of out the fold of Islam. So, what are those five pillars? This is explained in the narration of Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar mentioned in Sahih Muslim, whose words are as follows:

The meaning of the hadith is: The core of Islam is made of five things: (1) The first one is to bear witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His servant and His messenger; (2) To perform the prayer; (3) To pay the Zakat; (4) To perform the Hajj; (5) To fast.

In this article, we are going to discuss these five pillars in the light of the Quran and Hadith:

(1) The first pillar of Islam is testimony and Shahadah

Testimony and Shahadah are the gateway to Islam; it is also called the word of Islam. Its words are:

“Ashhau an laa ilaha illallah, washhadu anna muhammdan abduhu w rasuluhu”

“I bear witness with my heart and I bear witness with my tongue that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger”.

Testimony and Shahadah are the most important pillars of Islam, without which no one can become a Muslim. This testimony is necessary from both the heart and the tongue. It is the most crucial and fundamental pillar, and salvation and success in the Hereafter depend on this pillar. This subject is mentioned in the Holy Quran in approximately 36 places.

In one place in the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty says:

. Indeed, your God is the One God, who understands everything with a keen eye. [Taha: 98] In another place in the Quran, Allah Almighty states:

Allah Almighty testifies that there is no god but Allah. } [Aali Imran: 18]

Similarly, in numerous hadith, oneness has been mentioned. Sahih Muslim narrates from Hazrat Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, whose words are as follows:

Means: That is, whoever bears witness and testifies to the Oneness of Allah with sincere intention and then dies, he will definitely go to Paradise. [Sahih Muslim: 94]

Similarly, in Sahih Muslim, it is narrated from Hazrat Uthman bin Affan that:

That is, a person who dies believing in the Oneness of Allah with his heart and tongue will go to Paradise. [Sahih Muslim: 26]

However, oneness and its witness is the main pillar of Islam, but it is the door to enter Islam, without it, nobody being can enter Islam.

(2) The second pillar of Islam is prayer

After converting to Islam, the most important and necessary thing for a Muslim is prayer. Prayer is obligatory for every sane adult Muslim. It is the motto of Islam and the second most important pillar of religion. Prayer is not excused under any circumstances. There are strong warnings about the virtues of prayer and its omission:

In one place in the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty says:

Indeed, prayer is obligatory upon Muslims at specific times. [Al Nisa: 103]

In other place of Holy Quran, Allah Almighty says:

Indeed, prayer prevents immorality and bad things. [Al Ankaboot: 45]

It is narrated in Sahih Muslim on the authority of Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah:

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The only distance between a person and disbelief is prayer, and if a person intentionally neglects prayer, it will not take long for him to enter disbelief.” [Sahih Muslim: 82]

There is a narration in Bukhari and Muslim about the virtue of prayer.

Hazrat Abu Hurairah reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Tell me, if there were a river at the door of one of you in which he washed five times daily, would any of his filthiness remain?” When he received the reply that none of it would remain, he said, “That is like the five times of prayer by which God obliterates sins.” [Sahih Bukhari: 528, Sahih Muslim: 667]

Anyway prayer is obligatory for every Muslim five times a day: in the morning, after noon, an hour and a half before sunset, a quarter after sunset, and an hour after sunset. Muslims know these as Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha.

(3) The third pillar of Islam is Zakat

This pillar of Islam is very important. Zakat means the purification and purification of wealth. The Shariah commands the wealthy Muslims to give two and a half percent of their wealth to the poor Muslims.

The standard of wealth for giving Zakat is that a Muslim who has 612 grams of silver or 87 grams of gold, or the equivalent in rupees, and is free from the necessities of life, and if a whole year passes, it is obligatory for him.

The Quran and Hadith describe the virtues of Zakat and contains very strict warning in case of non-payment.

In the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty says in the virtue of Zakat:

Those who believe , do righteous deeds , establish prayer , and give zakat from their wealth- for them is a great reward with their Lord, and they shall have no fear on the Day of Resurrection, nor will they grieve. [Al Baqarah: 277]

And inform those who collect gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of Allah about the painful punishment of that Day (the Day of Resurrection).

Similarly, when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent Hazrat Mu’adh bin Jabal as the ruler and governor of Yemen, he received guidance on many matters, one of which was concerning Zakat, as the wording of the hadith:

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to Hazrat Mu’adh: “O Mu’adh! When the people of Yemen confess their monotheism and prophethood and begin to pray, then tell them that Allah has made Zakat obligatory on their wealth, which will be taken from their rich and distributed among the poor.” [Sahih Bukhari: 1395, Sahih Muslim: 19]

Anyway, Zakat is the most important pillar of Islam; it purifies wealth, help poor Muslims.

(4) The fourth pillar of Islam is Hajj

. Hajj is the fourth important pillar of Islam. It is a demonstration of Islamic power. It is a gathering place for all Muslims. It is obligatory upon every person who can afford to travel to and from Mecca. Leaving aside his daily necessities, he has enough money to cover the expenses of traveling to and from Mecca. If someone has enough money, then Hajj is obligatory upon such a person once in his life. Hajj also has great virtues and benefits in the Quran and Hadith:

In the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty says About the Hajj:

And pilgrimage to the House is a duty unto Allah for mankind, for him who can find a way thither.

And it has been mentioned in a hadith about the merits of Hajj:

“Whoever performs Hajj to this Ka`ba and does not commit sins (while performing Hajj), he will come out as sinless as a newborn child, (just delivered by his mother). [Sahih Bukhari: 1820, Sahih Mulim: 1350]

Those who do not perform Hajj, despite being able to afford it and bearing all its expenses, commit a great sin, and this serves as a severe warning from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

“If anyone possesses enough provision and a riding-beast to take him to God’s House and does not perform the pilgrimage, it does not matter whether he dies a Jew or Christian. That is because God who is blessed and exalted says, ‘Pilgrimage to the House is a duty men owe to God, those who can afford the journey’. (Qur’an, 3:97). [Sunan Tirmidhi: 812]

Anyway, anyone who has wealth should fulfill this obligation as soon as possible.

(5) The fifth pillar of Islam is fasting during Ramadan

 Along with the other pillars, fasting is obligatory for Muslims. Fasting is required of every Muslim who is sane, adult, and healthy. Fasting is a purely physical act of worship. All Muslims around the world fast during the month of Ramadan. Fasting has physical benefits in addition to following the rulings of Sharia.

Allah Almighty speaks about the obligatory nature of fasting:

O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those before you, that ye may ward off (evil); [Al Baqarah: 183]

Regarding the benefits and importance of fasting, a narration from Abu Hurairah is narrated in Bukhari:

“Allah said, ‘All the deeds of Adam’s sons (people) are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.’ Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, ‘I am fasting.’ By Him in Whose Hands my soul is’ The unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting.” [Sahih Bukahri: 1904]

During the month of fasting, Muslims feel a special change and blessing in their homes.

During Ramadan, sins decrease, and people are more inclined toward goodness. However, fasting is a great gift from Allah for Muslims. In it, where Allah’s command is followed, fasting also brings physical and spiritual benefits.

 People who fast throughout Ramadan remain healthy and do not fall ill.

 May Allah Almighty grant us all success in practicing these five pillars of Islam with the right intention.  Ameen.