Five pillars of Islam

The Pillars of Islam (arkan al-Islam; also arkan ad-din, “pillars of religion”) are five basic acts in Islam, considered obligatory for all believers. The Quran presents them as a framework for worship and a sign of commitment to the faith.

The five Pillars of Islam are-

1. Shahadah (creed)

2. daily prayers (salat)

3. Almsgiving (zakat)

4. Fasting during Ramadan (Roza)

5. The pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)

 

1. Shahadah (creed)

The Shahadah, testifying the Allah’s One-ness which is the basic creed of Islam that must be recited under oath with the specific statement:

“ašhadu ‘al-lā ilāha illā-llāhu wa ‘ašhadu ‘anna muħammadan rasūlu-llāh”

Translation-
“I testify there are no deities other than Allah alone and I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

This testament is a foundation for all other beliefs and practices in Islam. Muslims must repeat the shahadah in prayer, and non-Muslims wishing to convert to Islam are required to recite the creed.

 

2. daily prayers (salat)

Ritual prayers must be performed five times a day. Salah is intended to focus the mind on God, and is seen as a personal communication with him that expresses gratitude and worship. Salah is compulsory but flexibility in the specifics is allowed depending on circumstances. The prayers are recited in the Arabic language, and consist of verses from the Qur’an.

The five daily prayer of muslims are-

1. Salat al-Fajr

It is the morning twilight prayer and its time starts at dawn and remains effective slightly before sun rise.
It has 4 Rakats-
Two Rakats Sunnat
Two Rakats Farz

 

2. Salat al-Dhuhr

It is noon prayer and its time begins when sun starts tilting towards west and the shadow of an object becomes equal to the size of the object. It remains effective half an hour before start of time of salat Asr.

Its has 12 Rakats- 

Four Rakats Sunnat 

Four Rakats Farz 

Two Rakats Sunnat 

Two Rakats Nafil

 

3. Salat al-Asr

It is afternoon prayer and its time starts when the sun declines and the shadow of an object becomes double the size of the object. It remains effective till few minutes before the sunset.

It has 8 Rakats- 

4 Rakat Sunnat

 4 Rakat Farz

 

4. Salat al-Maghrib

It is evening twilight prayer and its time starts just after sunset and the time remains effective till the afterglow remains visible in the west (twilight). (The afterglow is visible approximately 1 hour 15 minutes from the time of the sunset). But it would be much better to recite the salaat just after sun set .

It has 7 Rakats- 

3 Rakat Farz 

2 Rakat Sunnat  

2 Rakat Nafl

 

5. Salat al-Isha’a

It is night prayer and its time starts when the afterglow in the west vanishes (end of twilight which is approximately 1 hour 15 minutes after the sunset ) It remains effective upto approximately three hours before sunrise. But it is advisable to recite it before 2/3 of the night passes away.
It has 17 Rakats-
4 Rakat Sunnat
4 Rakat Farz
2 Rakat Sunnat
2 Rakat Nafl
3 Rakat Witr
2 Rakat Nafl

A mosque is a place of worship for Muslims, who often refer to it by its Arabic name, masjid. The word mosque in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated to Islamic worship, although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller, privately owned mosque and the larger, “collective” mosque (masjid jāmi`). Although the primary purpose of the mosque is to serve as a place of prayer, it is also important to the Muslim community as a place to meet and study. Modern mosques have evolved greatly from the early designs of the 7th century, and contain a variety of architectural elements such as minarets.

 

3. Almsgiving (zakat)

“Zakāt” (زكاة‎ ) is giving a fixed portion of accumulated wealth by those who can afford it to help the poor or needy and for those employed to collect Zakat; also, for bringing hearts together, freeing captives, for those in debt (or bonded labour) and for the (stranded) traveller. It is considered a religious obligation (as opposed to voluntary charity) that the well-off owe to the needy because their wealth is seen as a “trust from God’s bounty”. Conservative estimates of annual zakat is estimated to be 15 times global humanitarian aid contributions. The amount of zakat to be paid on capital assets (e.g. money) is 2.5% (1/40) per year, for people who are not poor. The Qur’an and the hadith also urge a Muslim give even more as an act of voluntary alms-giving called ṣadaqah.

(Surah Al-Baqara 2:43)

وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَارْ‌كَعُوا مَعَ الرَّ‌اكِعِينَ

Translation

"And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience]."

 

4. Fasting during Ramadan

Fasting from food and drink (among other things) must be performed from dawn to dusk during the month of Ramadhan. The fast is to encourage a feeling of nearness to God, and during it Muslims should express their gratitude for and dependence on him, atone for their past sins, and think of the needy. Sawm is not obligatory for several groups for whom it would constitute an undue burden. For others, flexibility is allowed depending on circumstances, but missed fasts usually must be made up quickly.

The fasting is done during the ninth month of the Islamic year which is Ramadan . During Ramadan, all adult Muslims are required to abstain from food, drink and sexual intercourse during daylight hours. Exceptions are made for travelers, soldiers, menstruating women, and the ill, although such persons are expected to fast later when they become able.

Ramadan fasting is not just about disciplining the body to restrain from eating food and drinking water from predawn until sunset . The eyes, the ears, the tongue , and even the private parts are equally obligated to be restrained if a Muslim wants to gain the total rewards of fasting . Ramadan is also about restraining anger, doing good deeds , exercising personal discipline, and preparing oneself to serve as a good Muslim and a good person during and after Ramadan .

This is why the Messenger of Allah (sallAllaahu ‘ alayhi wa salam ) has been attributed, by Abu Hurairah (radiyAllaahu anhu ) in hadith, to say :

“He who does not desist from obscene language and acting obscenely (during the period of fasting ), Allah has no need that he didn ‘t eat or drink . ”
[ Al- Bukhaari , al- Fath , no. 1903] .

In another hadith by Abu Harairah (radiyAllaahu anhu), the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘ alayhi wa salam) said :
“Fasting is not only from food and drink , fasting is to refrain from obscene (acts). If someone verbally abuses you or acts ignorantly toward you , say (to them ) ‘ I am fasting ; I am fasting . ”
(Al- Bukhaari and others . Al – Fath , no. 1894 ) .

5. The pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)

The pilgrimage, called the ḥajj has to be done during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah in the city of Mecca. Every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it must make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his or her lifetime. Rituals of the Hajj include: walking seven times around the Kaaba; walking seven times between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah recounting the steps of Abraham’s wife, while she was looking for water in the desert before Mecca developed into a settlement; spending a day in the desert at Mina and then a day in the desert in Arafat praying and worshiping Allah and following the foot steps of Prophet Ibrahim (Alaihis Salam); symbolically stoning the Devil in Mina recounting Ibrahim's (Alaihis Salam) actions.

Each Muslim is supposed  to undertake a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his or her lifetime (if physically and economically able).  While a visit to Mecca is beneficial any time of the year, but the Hajj is performed during  the first ten days of the last month of the Islamic year which is “Dhu al-Hijja”.