What are the Pillars of Islam?

Islam is predicated upon five foundational beliefs which are sometimes referred to as the five pillars of the faith. They include the belief in One God, five daily prayers, charitable giving, fasting during the month of Ramadan, and the performance of the pilgrimage known as the Hajj.

Testimony of faith (shahada):

The testimony of faith in Islam is the that one testifies that there is no God except Allah and that Muhammad is the final messenger of Allah. This statement in Arabic is as follows: Ash-hadu Ana Lā ilāha illā Allah wa ash-hadu Ana Muhammad Rasul Allah. After affirming this declaration and believing it in one’s heart, a person then becomes a Muslim.

Prayer (salah):

Muslims pray 5 times daily at different times during the course of the day. These prayers are not to be confused with supplications or calling on God which can be done at anytime. The prayers consist of standing in the presence of God, reciting some portions of the Qurʾān, genuflecting and prostrating in submission, and of course the glorification of God throughout. The different times these prayers are offered inlcude before sunrise, in the afternoon, late afternoon, after sunset, and at night. There are time frames in which these prayers are performed and they do not need to be done at an exact time per se. For example, the afternoon prayer might begin at 1 pm and end around 4:30 pm. This gives one performing the prayer a window in which the prayer must be performed. Each prayer takes about 10 minutes to perform and can be done anywhere such as in one’s home, office, or at a park. This enables the aspirant to be constantly connected with God and in communion with our Lord.

Charity (zakat):

Giving in charity is referred to as Zakat which comes from the root meaning “to be cleansed.” As such, by virtue of giving to the poor, we become internally cleansed of diseases of the heart like greed and avarice. Zakat cannot be given to organizations or even places of worship like Mosques. Instead, Zakat must be given to the needy, the orphans, and the truly destitude among us. In addition to Zakat, other types of charity are highly encouraged and considered meritorious in Islam. But Zakat is a specific type of charity that must be given annually consisting of 2.5% of one’s income.

Fasting (saum):

Ramadan is the ninth month of the lunar calendar during which Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. During this month, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, and marital relations during these hours. Fasting cultivates discipline and self-control over one’s desires and most basic needs. It teaches us that happiness can be found outside of food, drink, and satisfying the needs of the flesh. Although Muslims experience fatigue, hunger, and thirst, there is a spiritual happiness and a sense of community that envelops during the month of Ramadan. At nights, Muslims go to the mosque, break fast together, and spend much time in prayer and supplication.

Pilgrimage (hajj):

Hajj is the final of the five pillars. Once in one’s lifetime, Muslims who are financially and physically capable are obligated to perform pilgrimage to Mecca. During the pilgrimage, Muslims abandon all of their worldly possessions and instead adorn their bodies with two pieces of white cloth. This is intended to reduce the individual to his/her most basic humanity.  All artificial constructions are discarded and everyone is equal in the presence of God. Such an experience has a transformative impact on the lives of many. The hajj is the largest annual religious gathering in the world. Each year approximately three million people perform the pilgrimage from all over the world. The ocean of people also serves as a reminder of the Day of Judgment when our Lord will ressurect humanity so that we may be accountable for our deeds. 

Concluding remarks:

Although these are the five pillars, they in no way constitute the totality of the religion. They are pillars and not the complete structure. Most of the Quran and teachings of Prophet Muhammad revolve around doing good to God’s creation. Faith must be manifested in righteous deeds. Once the companions of Prophet Muhammad informed him of a woman who constantly prayed and fasted. But unfortunately no one was safe from her tongue. She used to engage in slander and backbiting. Prophet Muhammad declared that there is no good in such a person. This is why he taught that a person may gain nothing from his prayer except fatigue, and that a person may gain nothing from his fasting except hunger.

According to the Quran, human beings are the representatives of God on earth and the custodians of God’s creation. As such, most of the Quran and teachings of Prophet Muhammad instructs believers on how to treat parents, neighbors, guests, other family members like one’s spouse and children, workers, and so forth. There are extensive passages on the sanctity of the environment and protecting the precious resources of the earth which have been given to humans as a trust from God. There are detailed instructions on the proper treatment of animals under our care. Even the treatment of the disabled is connected to charity and altruism.

Consider the following exchange to illustrate the point. On one occasion, Prophet Muhammad asserted that charity is prescribed on every person for each day the sun rises. On hearing this, his companions inquired “Oh Messenger of God, how can one give in charity if he/she does not have any possessions?” He responded, “The doors of charity include the supplications of God like Allahu Akbar (God is most great), Subhanallah (God is most perfect and removed from all imperfections), Alhumdulillah (God is most praiseworthy), La Ilaha Ilallah (God is One), Astaghfirullah (asking God for forgiveness), enjoining good, forbidding evil, removing thorns and stones from the paths of people, guiding the blind, listening to the deaf and dumb until you understand them, guiding a person to his object of need, hurrying with the strength of your legs to one in sorrow who is appealing for help, and supporting the weak with the strength of your arms. These are all the doors of charity.”

Again, Islam teaches that both faith and righteous deeds are necessary for the well being of a society. Emphasizing one over the other leads to an incompleteness of faith. Since Islam is the final faith, its teachings are comprehensive and complete covering all aspects of life.