Pillars of Islam
The pillars of Islam
Nahda Crew Gathering Summary
Week 5 – Sat 5 – January 2008.
“Oh Muhammad, tell me about Islam” The messenger of Allah said: “Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah and Mohamed is the messenger of Allah, to perform the prayers, to pay the zakat, to fast in Ramadhan, and to make the pilgrimage to the House if you are able to do so.” He said:”You have spoken rightly”, and we were amazed at him asking him and saying that he had spoken rightly….”
These five are the foundations of the Deen, they are what hold it up. They are what keep the believer in strength. If these foundations are not set down firmly, then all else will be flimsy and weak.
On the authority of Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar bin al-Khattab (ra) who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw), say:
“Islam has been built (like a structure) upon five things – on testifying that there is no god save Allah, and that Muhammad is His Messenger; on performing salah; on giving the zakah; on Hajj to the House; and on fasting during Ramadhan.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
We want to stress importance of strong foundations. Without strong foundations, a person is susceptible to the whispers of shaytaan, following his desires or misguidance of others (ie. Peer pressure of from families).
For example: Like a house that is built on soft sand. Even if the house is made of strong steel/wood, and bricks, if it was build on beach sand, or weak foundations, it will easily fall apart. Even if it remained standing for a little while, it only takes a little bit of wind, or some rain, to blow if down. THIS IS LIKE a Muslim with weak foundations, who does not pay attention to the 5 pillars.
NOTE: these five pillars are not the WHOLE Deen, but the foundation and start.
First Pillar : The Shahadah (the Basis of Belief)
The first part of the Shahadah is testifying that there is none worthy of worship except Allah.
Generally speaking, there are seven conditions of the Shahadah:
- Knowledge – to understand what it means
- Certainty – to have no doubt about anything confirmed in the Quran or Sunnah
- Acceptance – by the tongue and the heart of whatever the Shahadah implies
- Submission/compliance – the actual physical enactment by deeds
- Truthfulness – to say the Shahadah sincerely, with honesty, to actually mean it
- Sincerity – to do it solely for the sake of Allah
- Love – to love the Shahadah and to love its implications and requirements and what it stands for.
The Shahadah is not simply saying it with our tongue. We need to adhere to these conditions. If we say the Shahadah sincerely and with honesty, we will not do anything which contradicts with or violates the Shahadah.
The second part of the Shahadah carries the following conditions:
To believe in the Prophet (saw) and in whatever he told us and conveyed to us (from Allah)
- To obey him in whatever he commanded us to do
- To stay away from or avoid whatever he commanded us not to do
- To follow or emulate him in our ibadah, akhlaq and way of life
- To love him more than we love ourselves, our family and anything else in this world
- To understand, practice and promote his Sunnah in the best way possible.
Second Pillar: Establishing the Prayers (Salah)
The first thing accountable on day of judgement is prayer. If it’s in good order, then the rest will be easy. If it is bad/missing, then the rest will be a day of difficulty. Rasulullah (SAW) said, “The first matter that the slave will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound. And if it is bad, then the rest of his deeds will be bad.”
The second pillar of Islam – you cannot leave it. Five times a day you are obliged to do it and you cannot leave it for any reason. There is a very severe penalty for leaving prayer. If you are sick and you don’t fast there is no penalty. If you are poor and you have no money to give zakat there is no penalty. If you cannot afford to go to hajj there is no penalty. But for leaving salat there is a very high penalty – hellfire.
We should remember that Allah initially commanded us to pray fifty times a day and it was eventually reduced to five times (with the reward of fifty).
We must treat the salat with highest importance, not treat it as a burden. This is done by:
· Knowing the proper rules of prayer and wudu (Tahara) – will be taught in next few weeks.
· Pray on time: A companion came to prophet one day and asked him “What is the thing that Allah (swt) loves most?” Prophet Muhammad (saw) replied “The thing that Allah (swt) loves most is when his people pray salah on time.”
· Prophet (saw) said “The sins of those who Pray, fall off just as the leaves of a branch fall off.”
· Remembering that Jama’a prayer is 27 times the reward of praying alone.
· Allah mentions in quran that Prayer should keep you away from evil and haram actions. Make sure your prayers have this effect, otherwise you might be doing something wrong. “Observe the Salat (Prayers) for it prohibits evil and vice.” [29:45]
· Increasing in the Sunnah (nafilah) prayers, as this brings one closer to Allah (swt), and if your fard prayers have issues on Day of Judgment, then Sunnah prayers are your next best bet to help you out (mentioned in hadith).
· The Salat (along with charity) is the best investment in the hereafter: “Surely, those who recite the book of God, observe the Prayers, and give charity both secretly and openly, can hope for an investment that never loses. He will reward them generously and will multiply His blessings upon them. He is Most Forgiving, Appreciative.“ [35:29-30]
Third Pillar : Zakat
Literal Meaning: Zakat means grow (in goodness) or ‘increase’, ‘purifying’ or ‘making pure’. The vital importance of Zakat is reflected in the Quran:
“My mercy encompasses all things, but I will specify it for the righteous & those who give Zakat“ [7:156].
Zakat is paying 2.5% of your saved wealth accumulated over a period of one year. There are conditions to be met to start paying zakat, like having the minimum amount (Nisaab), etc
Fourth Pillar: Fasting
“O you who believe, fasting is ordered for you, as it was ordered for those before you, that you may attain Taqwa.” [2:183]
Ramadhan is like a training program for all Muslims to go through, performing good deeds to become better Muslims. However, we should continue with these good deeds outside of Ramadhan – praying in the mosque, Tahajjud, Qiyamu layl, reciting the Qur’an, helping and caring for others etc.
Fifth Pillar : Hajj
Pilgrimage (Hajj) to the House (Kaabah) is an obligation that we need to do only once in our lifetime – only if we meet certain conditions, e.g. if we have the financial means, a way of traveling peacefully, etc. If we meet these conditions then we should perform the Hajj as soon as possible and not to delay it.
Even as muture youth, if a person is able to achieve going to Haj, then he should not delay it. For a successful Haj may result is wiping away all your past sins and returning just as your mother gave birth to you – sinless. May Allah (swt) allow us all to attain this great reward. Ameen.
