Islam is the 2nd most followed religion in the world. It is the religion that is followed by 3 billion muslims in the world. There are five pillars of Islam that every muslim must follow.
As Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) said:
بُنِيَ الإِسْلاَمُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلاَةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ وَحَجِّ الْبَيْتِ وَصَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ
(The superstructure of) al-Islam is raised on five (pillars), testifying (the fact) that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is His bondsman and messenger, and the establishment of prayer, payment of Zakat, Pilgrimage to the House (Ka’ba) and the fast of Ramadan.
[Sahih Muslim 16 c]
In the above mentioned hadeeth, Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) describes the five pillars of Islam.
- Shahadat
- Salat
- Zakat
- Sawm
- Hajj
Carrying out these obligations provides the structure of Muslim’s life. It doesn’t matter how sincerely a person may believe. Islam regards it pointless to spend life without putting that faith into action and Practice.
Now we discuss the pillars of Islam, What are they and how we practice them in our daily life.
Shahada
It is the very first pillar of Islam. The word shahada means”to give testimony”. It is the asertion of muslim faith, combining the themes of Unity and Mercy.
أَشْهَدُ أنْ لا إلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأشْهَدُ أنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, the One alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
(2nd Kalma)-[Kalma-e-Shahadat]
Kalma-e-Shahadat has two parts. Whereas the first part is Tawhid, that there is no God but Allah and the other part is to testimony that Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is the Messenger of Allah (S.W.T). By giving the testimony of Allah, it becomes imperative for an individual to become a slave to the Almighty whom he has recognized as his Lord. Worship is that the name of being a servant to almighty Allah. That’s to mention, not simply language and dialect. But to become practically a lifetime of worship. Thus, in Islamic civilization, the effects of the testimony of tawheed on people and society are significant in their lives, in terms of discipline, promotion of morality and unity in faith and world.
Thus, the testimony of Prophet Muhammad(ﷺ) as “the Messenger of Allah” has the effect that a human being finds guidance and beauty. By which both the world and the Hereafter are beautify.
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Salat (Namaz)
Salat is the second most important pillar of Isalm. In Islam, Salat(Namaz) means a worship which was specially performed by Prophet Muhammad(ﷺ) and which every Muslim is obliged to pray five times a day. The Qur’an has ordered us to establish prayer at many places.
وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَلَا تَكُونُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Establish prayer and do not be of those who associate others with Allah.
[Surah Rum, Ayat 31]
All the prophets and apostles in the world performed Namaz to Almighty and ordered their Ummah also to pray.
Prayer is a great way to transform a person’s whole life into worship۔ Therefore, it has also been interpreted in the Quran as the word “Zikr”۔ Salat reminds man that he is a servant of Almighty Allah and that he is not a slave of the evil spirit. So he fights against the forces of the devil, and performs his duties before Allah and protects the limits of Allah.
It was narrated that Jabir bin ‘Abdullah said, Allah’s Apostle said:
بَيْنَ الْعَبْدِ وَبَيْنَ الْكُفْرِ تَرْكُ الصَّلاَةِ
Between a person and Kufr (disbelief) is abandoning the prayer.
Sunan Ibn Majah(Hadith 1078)
As soon as the prayer is ready, the process of training of the soul and the construction of Islamic character begins. Salat causes a person to cultivate the best qualities such as self-control, purity and restriction of times, equality, cohesion and obedience to the chief. Thus, in Islamic civilization, the character and the role of the prayer are made through the system of Salat, and when this system is broken, the character becomes deformed and the collapse becomes inevitable.
Zakat
It is the third and most important pillar of Islam. Zakat means to grow and purify. Zakat is a financial worship and a revolutionary economic concept. Which is computed at a fixed rate ie two and a half percent annually on each eligible liability. In the Quran, the word ‘charity’ for zakat is mentioned.
In Quran, Allah commanded Prophet Muhammd (ﷺ) :
خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ
Take, [O, Muhammad], from their wealth a charity by which you purify them
(Surah Taubah, Ayat 103)
Prayer is related to the rights of Allah and zakat is related to the rights of Human Beings. The person who establishes the reality of prayer does not forget the Almighty by coming out of the mosque, and thus, if a person pays the zakat, he avoids violating the rights of worshipers. With the true intention of giving zakat, the heart of the man is cleansed of the zeal of the world. Zakat should be given from lawful earning and the things given in Zakat should also be good. Zakat should only be given to the rights holders otherwise your Shariah duty is not fulfilled.
Islamic civilization has established a system of mutual aid in the form of zakat, which not only guarantees the basic needs of all people, but also relieves major economy problems such as stocks, mismanagement of wealth and poverty. Is. Establishment of the zakat system on the right grounds makes life a blessing for all.
Sawm (Roza / Fasting)
It is the fourth pillar of Islam. The literal meaning of Sawm is to stop while in the term of Shari’ah Muhammad, fasting is the name to stop eating and drinking from early morning to sunset at your will. Fasting was obligated in two Hijrah.
In Quran, Allah (S.W.T) says:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous
Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayat-183.
Allah (S.W.T) also says in Quran:
فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ
So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it –
Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayat-185
Fasting, like prayer, has long been an integral part of the Prophets’ Law. Just as prayer is a normal system of training, fasting is a month-long extraordinary system of training in the year, in which the abuses of daily training are eliminated.
Obviously, the fulfillment of two desires – Gaza and sexual desire – is banned during fasting.But the fact of fasting is that the feeling of Almighty Allah’s dominance over man is such that in his life patience, patience, thanks giving, compassion for the poor, unity, duty of self, training of self, mutual help, Feelings such as a sense of responsibility and collective well-being are possible.
Hajj
Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. The literal meaning of the Hajj is to intend for intention and pilgrimage. A visit to Baitullah, with special etiquette, on a fixed day, performing certain ceremonies in semen, Arafat and Muzdalifah is called Hajj. Hajj is an important pillar of Islam۔ It is obligatory for every wise, adult and capable Muslim to perform Hajj once in life.
In Quran, Allah (S.W.T) says:
وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ حِجُّ ٱلْبَيْتِ مَنِ ٱسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا
And [due] to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House – for whoever is able to find thereto a way.
[Surah Al-Imran, Ayat-97]
Hajj is the best demonstration of the unity of the Muslim Ummah۔ The example of equality and brotherhood seen on the occasion of Hajj is not exemplified. Hajj also offers Muslims the opportunity to solve their social, economic and social problems.
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