Five Pillars of Islam

Shahadah is the first of five pillars in the Islamic religion. It is the declaration of faith, essential to being a Muslim. 

Some may say this is the most important pillar because if a Muslim cannot state 'There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah' then they are not truly Muslim and therefore this is fundamental for a person's faith. Also, by declaring Shahadah multiple times during the day Muslims are constantly keeping Allah at the front of their minds.

QUOTES 

•   Reminds Muslims of the purpose ‘I have not created mankind and jinn except to worship me’ (51:56)

• ‘O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger…’

• ‘Have knowledge that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah’   

Salah is a precise worship, different from praying on the inspiration of the moment.  Muslims pray or, perhaps more correctly, worship five times throughout the day:

Between first light and sunrise, after the sun has passed the middle of the sky, between mid-afternoon and sunset, between sunset and the last light of the day and between darkness and midnight. 

These prayers serve as a constant reminder throughout the day to help keep believers mindful of God in the daily stress of work, family, and distractions of life.  Prayer strengthens faith, dependence on God, and puts daily life within the perspective of life to come after death and the last judgment.

QUOTES

• ‘Verily your Salah prevents you from all kinds of evil’

• ‘Truly in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find tranquillity’

Zakat is the compulsory giving of a set proportion of one's wealth to charity. It is regarded as a type of worship and of self-purification. Zakat is the third Pillar of Islam.

Zakat does not refer to charitable gifts given out of kindness or generosity, but to the systematic giving of 2.5% of one's wealth each year to benefit the poor.

QUOTES

• Zakah is compulsory on Muslims whose wealth must be over and above the basic needs of a person ‘…And all of you give Zakah’  

• The Prophet said ‘He, who eats and drinks while his brother goes hungry, is not one of us…’   

• ‘If you disclose your charitable expenditures, they are good; but if you conceal them and give them to the poor, it is better for you, and He will remove from you some of your misdeeds’

For Muslims, the Hajj is the fifth and final pillar of Islam. It occurs in the month of Dhul Hijjah which is the twelfth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is the journey that every sane adult Muslim must undertake at least once in their lives if they can afford it and are physically able.

QUOTES

• Commandment from Allah ‘…And proclaim to mankind to pilgrimage’   

• ‘ Whatever good you do, God is fully aware thereof. As you prepare your provisions for the journey, the best provision is righteousness. You shall observe Me, O you who possess intelligence’

Sawm is fasting. It's the fourth of the Five Pillars of Islam. Muslims are required to fast during Ramadan, during the 29/30 days of Ramadan all adult Muslims must give up the following things during the hours of daylight: Food or drink of any sort, smoking (including passive smoking) and sexual activity

Muslims who are physically or mentally unwell may be excused some of these. If an adult does not fast for the reasons above they should try to make up the fast at a later date, or make a donation to the poor instead. Reasons for this fast: Obeying God, Learning self-discipline, Becoming spiritually stronger, Sharing the sufferings of the poor and developing sympathy for them and Realising the value of charity and generosity.

QUOTES

• Allah says: ‘Every deed of the child of Adam is for himself, except for fasting. It is for me and I shall reward it’