Expression of Faith

Five Pillars of Islam

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 Content
• Three dimensions of religion
• The Five Pillars of Islam
1. Shahadah – testifying to creed
2. Salat – offering daily prayers
3. Zakat – paying charity
4. Sawm – fasting in Ramadan
5. Hajj – making pilgrimage

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 Introduction
• The religion of Islam is balanced through three
dimensions – belief, practice and spirituality.
• In Islam, faith is expressed in a diversity of ways to
engage full human faculties.
• The five pillars of Islam provides a Muslim with a
practical framework to cultivate spiritual growth.
• The five pillars range from once in a lifetime action
(pilgrimage) to daily activities (daily ritual prayers)
• The five pillars address five central attachments
humans have that may prevent one’s spiritual
development and hinder one’s relationship with
God.
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 Three Dimensions of Religion

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 Three Dimensions
• Iman – faith dimension
― 6 tenets of Islamic faith
― Mu’min is a believer
• Islam – devotional practice dimension
― 5 pillars of Islam
― Muslim is the one who is on a devotional path to
God
• Ihsan – spiritual excellence dimension
― “Ihsan is to worship God as though you see God;
even if you don’t see God, God sees you”, said
Prophet Muhammad.
― Muhsin is the one who has developed a
personal relationship with God.
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 Four Ways to Relate to God

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 Four Ways to Relate to God in Islam

There are four ways to relate to God which have a

strong foundation in the Islamic tradition. These are not
exclusive but are some of the more common means
used by Muslims to relate to God.
1.Reflection – Tafakkur
2.Daily Prescribed Prayers – Salat
3.Prayer Supplication - Du’a
4.Remembrance – Zhikr

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 1. Reflection - Tafakkur
• Reflecting over the universe and the natural world
can lead to strengthening one’s faith in God’s
existence. It also helps to appreciate the greatness
and glory of God.
• This mental act of reflection is considered an act of
worship in Islam.
― “Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth,
and the alternation of night and day, there are indeed
Signs for men of understanding. Men who celebrate
the praises of God, standing, sitting, and lying down on
their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of) creation
in the heavens and the earth, (and say): "Our Lord! You
did not create this in vein…” (Qur’an, 3:190-191).

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 2. Daily Prescribed Prayers - Salat
• Short daily prescribed prayers are
performed by following ritual
movements and recitations within
five time periods throughout the
day.
― “Recite that which has been
revealed to you of the book and
establish regular prayer (salat),
surely prayer keeps one away from
indecency and evil …” (Qur’an,
29:45)

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 3. Prayer Supplication - Du’a
• Speaking to God in an informal way and
asking for God’s support in personal and
spiritual life.
• This is to communicate with God in a
personal tone.
― “And when My servants ask you (O
Muhammad) concerning Me, then (answer
them), I am indeed near. I respond to the
invocations of the supplicant when he calls
on Me. So let them obey Me and believe in
Me, so that they may be led aright” (Qur’an,
2:186).

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 4. Remembrance – Zikr
• A silent or voiced chanting of God’s names and
attributes or expressions of glorifying, praising and
exalting God while bringing to consciousness
God’s presence.
― “Say: Call upon God, or call upon Rahman: by
whatever name you call upon Him, to Him belongs
the Most Beautiful Names. Neither speak thy prayer
aloud, nor speak it in a low tone, but seek a middle
course in between” declares the Qur’an (17:110).
• Muslims who follow a spiritual path to God (Sufism)
focus more on this form of worship as well as
others.
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 Expression of Faith
The Five Pillars

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 Expression of Faith
• For a Muslim, it is compulsory to practice the five pillars of
Islam.
• There are important reasons and benefits as to why
Muslims are obliged to practise the five pillars:
― Muslims believe that God has commanded them to practise
the five pillars. They are a symbol of a person’s willing
submission to God.
― The five pillars are acts of worship and have significance for
God and His relationship with humans.
― The five pillars are a spiritual regimen to cultivate spiritual
development in a practitioner. Each of the five pillars
enables a person to detach from a significant hindrance on
his or her spiritual journey.
― They have additional social, mental, spiritual and physical
benefits.
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 Five Pillars in a Snapshot
Pillar in Arabic Pillar in English
1 Shahadah to testify that there is no
deity but God and
Muhammad is the servant
and the messenger of God
2 Salat to offer daily ritual prayers
3 Zakat to pay the compulsory
charity
4 Sawm to fast in the month of
Ramadan
5 Hajj to make pilgrimage to the
House if one is able to do so attitude to religion
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Fundamental spiritual benefit
Freedom from fear and
incentive based earthly
masters
Countering distractive
effects of daily affairs
Attachment to possessions
and money
Self-restraint against limiting
and destructive inner
impulses
Removal of racism and tribal
 Shahadah – Testifying to Creed

The creed written in Arabic in an artistic manner.

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 Shahadah – Testifying to Creed
• A person becomes a Muslim when he or she utters the
statement of testimony in the presence of witnesses:
― “I bear witness that there is no deity but God and I bear
witness that Muhammad is the messenger and servant of
God”
• This is a public commitment to the path of Islam
― “He is God, there is no deity but He...” (59:23)
― “Muhammad is the messenger of God…” (48:29)
• There is no compulsion is Islam. No one can be forced to
convert to Islam.
― “There is no compulsion in religion…” (2:226)

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 Shahadah – Testifying to Creed
• With the shahadah a person frees himself or herself
from false masters or gods that may exert
disproportionate force upon a person.
― For some their own self can be their God
― For others it could be wealth, status or powerful
people,
― For some they may believe that there are more than
one God with supernatural powers
• Islam requires one to reject all such deities and only
submit to one supreme God.
― This gives a person freedom from worldly powers that
may influence him or her with fear or incentive.

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 Salat – Offering Daily Prayers

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 Salat – Daily Prayers
• “Salat is the central pillar of Islam.” – The Prophet
Muhammad
― “Who believe in the Unseen, and perform As-salat
(prayers) and spend out of what We have provided
for them.” (Qur’an, 2:3)
• The word ‘salat’ literally means ‘hot connection’.
• So, prayer in Islam is an act of worship that enables the
individual to get close to God through a meditative
state.
• It is a direct and personal communion with God. The
Prophet Muhammad said that a person during prayers is
closest to God at the moment of prostration.
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 Salat – Daily Prayers
• The meaning of worship is:
― “Human, as a servant of God, being aware of his
limitations, weakness and poverty, prostrates himself
in love and wonderment before the perfection of
God’s Compassion, Lordship and Majesty” Said Nursi
(d. 1960)
• The essence of five daily prayers is to glorify, exalt and
praise God with the heart, tongue and body at spaced
intervals throughout the day.
― The prayer is an index involving all forms of worship
― The prayer is an act symbolising submission to God

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 Salat – Daily Prayers
• Salat enables a person to detach from daily affairs and
to remember and connect with God on a daily basis.
• Salat raises human consciousness to an awareness of
being in the presence of God and hence greatly
reduces the chance of committing wrongful acts.
• All enjoined prayers can be performed individually or in
congregation.
― Congregation can be formed anywhere. It does not have
to be in a mosque.
― Rows are formed where shoulders touch each other,
hence building social cohesion and solidarity.
― Hence, men and women form separate rows.

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 Zakat – Paying Charity

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 Zakat – Paying Charity
• Zakat is the third pillar of Islam.
― “But those among them who are well-grounded
in knowledge, and the believers, believe in what
has been revealed to you and what was
revealed before you: And (especially) those who
establish regular prayer (salat) and practise
regular charity (zakat) and believe in God and
in the Last Day: To them shall We soon give a
great reward. (Qur’an, 4:162)

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 Zakat – Paying Charity
• Muslims are enjoined to give alms, which are called
the purifying alms
― Considered a right of the poor rather than being
purely charity.
• The minimum obligatory amount of alms (zakat) for
a Muslim is 1/40 (2.5%) of excess personal wealth.
― It is paid once in a year.
― Once collected, zakat can only be distributed to
poor, needy and other rightful beneficiaries.

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 Zakat – Paying Charity
• By observing the command of God to pay zakat a
Muslim:
― Acknowledges that he is not the true owner of the wealth
― Detaches from wealth and possessions removing
another impediment in his or her spiritual journey.
― Exhibits compassion for other less fortunate people.

• Zakat deals with the social problem of the ‘don’t care’

attitude of the rich.
― Therefore, zakat bridges the gap between the rich and the
poor.

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 Sawm – Fasting in Ramadan

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 Sawm – Fasting in Ramadan
• Fasting is the fourth pillar of Islam. Muslims are
required to fast for one month is a year over
consecutively days in the lunar month of Ramadan.
― “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you
as it was prescribed for those before you that you
are expected to be truly obedient.” (Qur’an,
2:183)
• From dawn to sunset a practising Muslim abstains
from eating, drinking and sexual relations while
spending time in reflection, doing good deeds and
being careful in one’s conduct.

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 Sawm – Fasting in Ramadan

• At the sunset each day, fasting is broken with a meal

usually with family and friends who compete to invite
one another to break fast with them in groups.
• A fasting Muslim usually wake up before dawn for an
early breakfast.
• Fasting is the best form of true thanksgiving:
― to know that all sustenance comes directly from God
― to acknowledge its value
― to feel our need and dependence on that sustenance.

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 Sawm – Fasting in Ramadan
• In Ramadan, Muslims usually go to the mosque
every night for a special congregational prayer.
• At the end of the month of Ramadan, there is a
three day festive celebrations (Eid) where Muslims
visit their families and friends.
• By fasting 30 days in a row, one acquires the habit of
controlling one’s inner impulses.
• One month of fasting rests the digestive system and
other related organs, especially the liver.

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 Hajj – Making Pilgrimage

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 Hajj – Pilgrimage
• The fifth pillar of Islam is Hajj (pilgrimage);
• To visit the holy lands once in their lifetime.
• It is obligatory for all Muslims who are rich and
healthy enough to make the journey.
• Pilgrimage consists of visiting a number of sacred
places, circling the Ka’bah and being present in
the plains of Mt Arafat at a specific time in the
lunar year.

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 Hajj – Pilgrimage

• “Verily, the first house (of worship) appointed for

mankind was that at Bakkah (Mekkah), full of
blessing, and a guidance for His creatures. In it, are
manifest signs, the Station of Abraham; whoever
enters it attains security. And Pilgrimage to the house
(Ka’bah) is a duty mankind owes to God, those who
can afford the journey; but if any deny faith, God
stands not in need of any of His creatures.
(Qur’an, 3:96-97)

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 Hajj – Pilgrimage
• With Pilgrimage, the central aims of worship – exalting,
glorifying and praising God – occur individually and
collectively in large numbers.
• According to Islamic tradition, Mt Arafat is the place
where the first man, Adam and his partner Eve
sincerely repented and received forgiveness for their
mistake.

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 Hajj – Pilgrimage
• Revolving around a central axis
is a universal act of worship
Hence Muslims circle Ka’bah.
― “All that is in the heavens and
on the earth extols and
glorifies God, for He is the
Tremendous, the Wise,”
(Qur’an, 57:1)
• Hajj is about connecting to the
monotheistic tradition and to
realise that Islam is not a new
religion but the primordial
religion of God.

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 Hajj – Pilgrimage
• Pilgrimage is a total human experience and has
multiple outcomes for a Muslim.
• A Muslim truly appreciates the universality of belief
in one God (tawhid) and oneness of humanity.
• Therefore it detaches a person from tribalism in
religion and racism. Many people have a significant
leap in their faith and go through a transformation
after Hajj.
• Hajj is one of the most spectacular religious and
social annual events in the world. It brings together
millions of Muslims from all around the world.

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 Conclusion
• Expression of faith in the form of five pillars makes a person
recognisably Muslim. Yet, if not practiced a person does
not cease to be a believer or Muslim.
• The five pillars of Islam are:
1. Shahadah – to testify that there is no deity but God and
that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
2. Salat – to offer daily ritual prayers.
3. Zakat – to pay the compulsory charity.
4. Sawm – to fast in the month of Ramadan.
5. Hajj – to make pilgrimage to Mecca if one is able to do so.
• The five pillars is a regimen for spiritual development. It is
possible to excel spiritually by following these practices.

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 Copyright

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© Islamic Sciences and research Academy Australia 2015

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