Islam In Practice
Written by Islamic Learning
It was narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Islam was built upon five (pillars): testifying that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, establishing prayers, giving Zakaah, performing Hajj and fasting Ramadhaan.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
It was narrated on the authority of Abu Jamrah Nasr ibn ‘Imraan, may Allaah have mercy upon him, that he said,
I was an interpreter between the people and Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him. Once Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him, said that a delegation of the tribe of ‘Abdul Qays came to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, who asked them: ‘Who are the delegates?' (or) 'Who are the people (i.e. you)?’They replied, ‘We are from the tribe of Rabee‘ah.’ Then the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to them:‘Welcome, O people (or said, “O delegation (of ‘Abdul Qays).”) Neither will you be disgraced nor will you have cause for regret.’
They said, ‘We have come to you from a distant place and there is the tribe of the disbelievers of Mudhar intervening between you and us and we cannot come to you except in a sacred month. So please order us to do something good (religious deeds) and that we may also inform our people whom we have left behind (at home) and that we may enter Paradise (by acting on them.)’
The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, ordered them to do four things: He ordered them to believe in Allaah The Almighty alone, and said to them: ‘Do you know what is meant by believing in Allaah Alone?’They replied, ‘Allaah and His Messenger know best.’ Thereupon, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:‘That means to testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, to offer prayers perfectly, to pay Zakaah, to observe fasting during the month of Ramadhaan, (and) to pay Al-Khumus (one fifth of the booty to be given in the cause of Allaah).’[…] The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, further said:‘Memorize them (these instructions) and convey them to the people whom you have left behind.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Benefits and rulings:
* First: Explanation of the foundation of faith and the foundation of Islam.
Faith is the inward acknowledgment, whereas Islam is the outward submission. This is the meaning of faith and Islam when both of them are mentioned in one context. However, if they are mentioned separately, then faith is meant to refer to Islam, and vice versa.
* Second: Islam is established by the two testimonies of faith.
* Prayers, Zakaah (obligatory poor-due), fasting and Hajj (pilgrimage) are added to the two testimonies because they are the most obvious and the greatest rituals of Islam.
* Third: Neglecting these five pillars or some of them indicates the absence of submission and obedience to Allaah The Almighty.
* Fourth: Fasting Ramadhaan is honorable and elevated in the sight of Allaah The Almighty, because Allaah made it a pillar of Islam.
* Fifth: The obligation of learning necessary aspects of religion, such as the duties (to observe them) and forbidden things (to avoid them) and conveying them to people.
This is clear when the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Memorize (these instructions) and convey them to the people whom you have left behind.”
