The five pillars of Islam refer to the 5 obligations you must fulfill as a Muslim. If any of them is not fulfilled the building of Islam is not completed. These five pillars, including Shahadah, Salah, Zakat, Sawm, and Hajj, are also the foundations of Islam.
In the blog, we will discuss these pillars in detail, how they are essential for Muslims, and what Allah and His Rasool say about these 5 pillars of Islam.
5 Pillars of Islam
- Shahada or Declaration of Faith
- Salah or Prayer
- Zakat or Charity
- Sawm or Fasting
- Hajj or Pilgrimage
Shahada or Declaration
Shahada is a testimony to accepting Allah as the one and only God worthy to be worshiped, and the Prophet Muhammad sallu alaihi wa aalihi wasallam is His Messenger. A person enters into the boundaries of Islam by uttering the Shahada by mouth and embracing it by heart.
Shahada is the first and fundamental pillar of Islam. After shahada, a person becomes entirely devoted to following the commandments of Allah and the guidance of His Rasool. Moreover, the first obligation of a Muslim is to offer Salah or prayer after the declaration of faith.
Salah or Prayer
The second pillar of Islam is Salah or Prayer. Every Mulsim is obliged to offer 5 prayers in a day: Fajr, Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha. These all are complementary prayers. Being a Muslim you must show them at their exact time. The interesting fact of the Salah is that it builds your relationship with Allah. The prayer is offered alone or in congregation. According to the Hadith of Hazrat Muhammad sallu alaihi wa aalihi wasallam, The Prophet (PBUH) indicated that “The prayer in congregation is twenty-seven times superior to the prayer offered by person alone.” (Sahih Bukhari – Book 11; Hadith 618).
In addition, the declaration of faith and offering prayers make you near to Allah. But helping your Muslim brothers financially also gives you a high rank in the eyes of Allah. For that, Islam introduces the rules of giving Zakat or charity.
Zakat or Charity
Zakat is the third pillar of Islam. It means to cleanse or to purify your wealth. Also, it is a reason for forgiveness on the Day of Judgment. As the Prophet Muhammad sallu alaihi wa aalihi wasallam says, “Every man will be in the shade of his charity on the Day of Resurrection.”
Furthermore, Allah SWT makes it obligatory for Muslims to pay a fixed ratio of their wealth to the poor. However, not all Muslims are obliged to pay Zakat, only those who have a certain amount of wealth.
Sawm or Fasting
Sawm or Fasting is the 4th pillar of Islam. Sawm means to stop yourself from eating, drinking, sexual activities, smoking, and any impure thoughts. Muslims must keep fasting for 1 month in the year in the month of Ramzan, the 9th month of Islamic Callendar.
Furthermore, Islam is a complete religion encompassing all the aspects of leading a successful life according to the commandments of Allah SWT. So, it is essential to submit yourself before Allah. Therefore it is necessary to keep fasting to get entirely devoted to religious duties.
Hajj or Pilgrimage
The fifth pillar of Islam is Hajj or pilgrimage. Allah SWT makes it obligatory for wealthy persons to go to Mecca for Hajj. In Dhu al-Hijjah, Muslims with a particular amount of wealth are obliged to go to Mecca and perform certain rituals called Hajj. One of the most important rituals is circumambulation and Qurbani. In the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims worldwide gather in Mecca and perform Hajj.
Being a Muslim It is essential to learn basic knowledge about Islam. In addition, if you have basic knowledge, you should learn more about the religion.
Where to learn more about Islam?
It may be challenging for you to find time to learn about Islam in your busy schedule. Therefore, Online Madrasa introduces Islamic Teaching Courses for the junior and senior levels where you learn about Islam online.
Islamic Teaching Courses by Online Madrasa
The Online Madrasa offers Islamic teaching courses that are helpful for students to gain deep knowledge about Islam.
- Junior Level Course
- Senior Level Course
Junior Level Course
The curriculum experts of Online Madrasa have included some essential topics in the junior-level Islamic teachings course. The course is from Grade 1 to Grade 6. In the Islamic Teachings Junior Level Course, the students can learn about the following topics.
- Aqaaid
- Akhlaaq
- Islamic History
- Hadeeth
- Ahadeeth wal Akhlaaq
- Essential Duas
- Yassarnal Qur’aan
- Juz Amma/AmmaPara
- 100 Sunnats
- Aqaaid
Senior Level Course
The Islamic Teaching Senior Level Course is from Grade 7 to Grade 12. However, almost all the topics are the same, with a few additional issues. However, the topics are discussed more thoroughly with certified and expert teachers. The additional issues are:
- Tuhfatul Banaat
- Tuhfatush Shabaab
- Tasheel Duroosil Quran
Conclusion
The 5 pillars of Islam are the 5 chapters that provide a Muslim with a complete guide to living a virtuous life. All these pillars are interconnected. After reading in detail about these pillars, your mind is now clear on how to live according to the principles of Islam. Also, you can register for the Islamic Teaching courses mentioned above to learn more about the religion.