.png)
The pillars of Islam mean those basic principles and deeds of religion on which the whole building of Islam is established. The Prophet Muhammad said.
بنِي الْإِسْلَامُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لَا إِله إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلوةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَوةِ وَالْحَةِ وَصَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ» (بخاری ومسلم )
Translation: The building of Islam has been raised on five pillars. It is to testify that there is no God but Allah and Hazrat Muhammad is His slave and prophet (Last Prophet) and to establish prayer and to pay Zakat, (to pay charity tax) and to perform Hajj and to do fasting of Ramadan.
i. Shahadah: (Declaration Of Faith)
Among pillars of Islam, the most important is kalimah shahadat and its words are.
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Translation: I witness that there is no God but Allah. He is One and no one is His partner and I witness also that Hazrat Muhammad is His slave and His (Last) Prophet.
Parts of Kalimah Shahadah:
It consists of two parts which are
- Tauheed
- Risalat
ii. Significance of Kalimah Shahadat:
The significance of Kalimah shahadat can be known by this fact that this is the first step to enter the fold of Islam.
iii. Freedom from Disbelief and Shirk:
The first part of Kalimah Shahadah:أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ is the announcement and confession of oneness of Allah. The second part of kalimah shahadat أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ is the announcement of this truth that Hazrat Muhammad is the slave and truthful messenger of Allah and the Deen presented by him is the only true religion no one can be a believer without witnessing, these two aspects of Kalimah. It seems that Tauheed and Risalat are two different things but actually they are two aspects of the same fact. No on could believe in Prophet without believing in Allah and no one could believe in Allah without believing in prophet.
In believing the Prophet Muhammad, it is required to believe in his teachings too. Therefore, after reading this Kalimah, human mind gets rid of all concepts of disbelief and shirk.
iv. Real Witness:
By believing in Allah as Lord and Prophet Muhammad (S.A.S) as His last prophet the witness is done. However, besides this verbal witness, it is important that the reciter's heart testifies this witness and the practical form of this heart's witness is the obedience of Allah's prophet such obedience that all desires of heart surrender to Islamic shariah. As prophet said:
" لأبُو مِنْ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى يَكُونَ هَوَاهُ تَبِعَا لِمَا جِئْتُ بِهِ
Translation: No one among you is a perfect believer unless desires of his heart are not obeyed to my Shariah.
v. The belief assuring human Sublimity:
The study of human history tells that when Muslims witnessed about tauheed and Risalat with their saying and deeds and in their all individual and collective affairs completely obeyed Islamic shariah, then they reached the heights of human greatness. On the other hand, when this witness got devoid of true witness and practical disobedience, then our greatness ar.d prestige was down to dust,
