In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, Ever Merciful.

Mosque
  1. The Pillars of Islam
  2. ZAKAT (ALMS): THE THIRD PILLAR
  3. Short Phrases
  4. Islamic Year
  5. Requirment for Scholar and Daya
  6. How to write will in Islam

The Pillars of Islam

One should know the five pillars of Islam, because it is through these practices that one can come to know Allah and feel closer to Him.

Prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, charity and good deeds will help to purify ones soul, and bring one to feel the presence of Allah, thereby making him “God-conscious” through all his actions.

The five pillars of Islam are:

  1. Believe in the unity of God:

    2. That He is the only One worthy to be worshipped, to Him alone we submit because He is the One who possesses all powers. We ask Him for guidance and help, and ask of His bounties upon us.

  2. To perform the five daily prayers:

    3. One of the most important of all the obligations is daily prayer, as it is the real demonstration of our submission to Allah. When we leave all our pleasure and sleep, and come to bow down in humility and obedience to our Creator; we show real submission, in action, not just words.

    When we pray, we recite the Qur’an- Allah’s own words and feel Allah’s presence, and ask His guidance. We say: “Show me the Right Path and Save me from your Wrath”.

    Prayer is talking to God Himself, with no one in between. We stand-alone with The Creator of all the heavens and earth, The king of all mankind, The Powerful and Sustainer of the universe.

    He gives us full attention. He Hears all that we recite and is aware of our inner thoughts and feeling and is in direct communication.

    The direct contact – between us and Allah the Almighty- during the day and night, five times a day is to remind us of our duties and responsibilities towards Him and fellow man.

    Prayers are constant reminders to man of his role in life, and the purpose of it.

    Prayers are also an opportunity to ask Allah’s forgiveness and pardon when one falls into temptations.

  3. Fasting during the month of Ramadhan:

    4. Obligatory fasting (Saum) is next in importance to obligatory prayers (Salah).

    Fasting during the month of Ramadhan, which is the 9th month of the Lunar year, starts at dawn and lasts until sunset. During this time one must obstain from all food, drinks, smoking and intimate relations.

    There are exemptions from the fast; people who are ill, women during their monthly cycle, during pregnancy or nursing (if in fear of endangering their lives other wise it is permitted) and those who are traveling.

    When the reason for the exemption has passed, they should make up for what they have missed. A person who is very old and weak who can not keep fast, is obliged to feed a needy person for each day he couldn’t fast or give its equivalent in cash.

    The significance of Fasting:

    Fasting is an act of worship and submission to the will of Allah. This month, the very first passages of the Holy Qur’an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (P.b.u.h.). This is the Everlasting Message from Allah to mankind, which will never change, as Allah has promised.

    Fasting, which is to refrain voluntarily from indulgence of appetite or eating food, has to be for the sake of gaining (obtaining) Allah’s pleasure.

    Fasting teaches the Muslim discipline and self-control, it gives him the spirit of patience, and it strengthens his faith.

    Giving up the lawful things voluntarily makes him more able to resist the temptation to do unlawful things. Fasting also teaches the Muslim self restrain from all evil acts or talks during his fasting along with his food and drink.

    By fasting, a Muslim atones for his sins and mistakes and asks Allah’s forgiveness. It is a form of struggle and training and basic desires. By fasting, he will experience hunger, which makes him more compassionate to the poor and needy.

  4. Zakat Obligatory charity:

    5. Zakat is an act of worship performed through obligatory charity by donating a portion of one’s wealth as commanded by Allah. It is the wealth taken from the rich and returned to the poor to prevent accumulation of the wealth in few hands. It is the backbone of the economic system in Islam.

    The rate of Zakat was laid down by the Prophet Muhammad (P.b.u.h.) is 2.5% of the savings of the wealth, which has remained in one’s possession for a complete year. The rate of Zakat on silver and gold is 2.5% of the actual value or its current market value.

    The payment of Zakat purifies the heart of the giver, and gives his wealth the Blessings of Allah, which promises to reward him and multiply his credit many times.

  5. The fifth pillar of Islam is “Hajj” Pilgrimage:

    6. Hajj is a duty on every Muslim who is financially and physically able to carry it out. It should be performed at least once in a person’s lifetime.

    Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mekka, to visit the House of Allah, The “Ka’bba” and to participate in certain rites and acts of worship, in the month of “Dhul-Hajja” the 12th month of the lunar year. It is an act of worship in which, the mind, body and soul participate.

    The Prophet (P.b.u.h.) said that a person, who performs Hajj and does not commit any indecent or sinful act during the performance, will come back from Hajj- “as pure as the day he was born”.

    The purpose of Hajj is the glorification of Allah alone as the House was built on earth by Prophet Abraham (P.b.u.h.) for the worship of Allah.

    Hajj is an important act of worship. When one prays and fasts, one worships Allah with his body. When one gives Zakat he worships Allah by sacrificing his money in the service of Allah. Hajj combines both types of worship.

    The journey to Hajj is very difficult, and unless one is a pious believer he will not attempt to go through the effort of leaving his home, family and business behind to please Allah. It is an act of worship that consumes both time and money, he doe it only to gain the great pleasure of Allah.

    That is why it is incumbent upon a Muslim to perform Hajj only once in his lifetime.