The Five Pillars Of Islam

The first Pillar of Islam

A muslim declares their faith by reciting:

La ilaha illal muhammadur rasulal lah

This means: There is no God but God and Muhammad is a messenger of God

This declaration is called Kalimah Tayyibah and it summarises the whole of islamic belief.

The first part is about the oneness of God and the second one is about the prophethood of Muhammad.

The first pillar of Islam concerns the belief in Tawhid and Risalah of Muhammad and the other 4 pillars concern idadah (worship)

This is the central pillar, even though it is the only non-action pillar

The words sum up all you need to believe to be a Muslim,-the unity of God and the prophethood of Muhammad

The second Pillar of Islam

Salah is the most important of the five basic duties of Islam.

It brings the Muslim closer to Allah by performing it regularly, correctly and woth full awareness of its significance and meaning.

Allah created man, therefore man submits before Him and so any duty that is performed is done so for Allahs sake.

The Lessons of Salah

It Brings you closer to Allah

It keeps humans away from indecent, shameful and forbidden activities

It is a training programme designed to control evil desires and passions

It purifies the heart, develops the mind and comforts the soul. (God is the greatest is said x100)

The Third Pillar of Islam

Islam teaches that God gives wealth to man and therefore it is something that must be shared. It is not optional it is compulsory and is an annual tax on your wealth.

You perform Zakah as part of you ibadah (worship) of God.

The major difficualty is how much you pay, the koran does not specify an amount. 'Whatever ye spend is good.', it does state there must be a minimum amount you should be earning before you are eligible for Zakah, clearly the poor cannot be expected to pay and so there is a nisab.

Zakah is used to provide for orphans, widows the poor, the homeless, tax-collectors and for religious purposes.

Special Zakah are paid on the eids (festivals). The zakah paid at eid al'fitr (festival at the end of ramadan), is paid in light of the fact that they have just completed ramadan and can therefore empathise with the starving, the price is £1.25 per member of the family.

Zakah is a way of ensuring that all Muslims share in the gifts of God and is a sign of brotherhood.

The Fourth Pillar of Islam

Sawm is an act of ibadah(worship). All adult Muslims must fast from dawn to sunset everyday of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calender. This means they must refrain from eating, drinking, smaoking and sex during these hours of fasting. Tavellers and the sick can defer their fasting until later.

Sawm develops self-control and helps to overcome selfishness, greed, laziness and other faults. It is an annual training programme to refresh you for carrying out your duties towards Allah, the creator and sustaoner.

A truely obedient Muslim is called a Muttaqi and his true obesdience developed through Sawm is known as TAQWA in Islam Taqwa keeps a person away form sin.

The month of Ramadan is a month of forgivness. The duty of fasting is only for Allahs sake.

In addition to Ramadan a Muslim can also fast at other times, these fasts are known as Sunnah.

At the end of Ramadan Muslims celebrate Idu Fitr, which is a day od thanksgiving and happiness.

The Fifth Pillar of Islam

Onc ein a Muslims lifetime they are expected to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, but if this is not affordable then this is the only pillar that a Muslim is not obliiged to do.

During Hajj, Islamic brotherhood becomes particularly evident and can be experienced in a special way by everyone who takes part, barriars of language, territory,colour and race disappear.

Hajj has in it all the lessons of Salah, Zakah and Sawm.

We offer Salah to remember Allah, we pay Zakah to please him and fast for his sake.

We learn from Hajj that wee belong to Allah, we will return to Him and we must do as he commands us.  

The Fifth Pillar of Islam

Onc ein a Muslims lifetime they are expected to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, but if this is not affordable then this is the only pillar that a Muslim is not obliiged to do.

During Hajj, Islamic brotherhood becomes particularly evident and can be experienced in a special way by everyone who takes part, barriars of language, territory,colour and race disappear.

Hajj has in it all the lessons of Salah, Zakah and Sawm.

We offer Salah to remember Allah, we pay Zakah to please him and fast for his sake.

We learn from Hajj that wee belong to Allah, we will return to Him and we must do as he commands us.