ISLAM:

The Way of Life

GED:0223-1101

● Definition of Tawhid

Tawhid means the oneness or uniqueness of Allah. It is the oneness or uniqueness

of Allah. It is the main part of Īmān (Faith) and is beautifully expressed in Sūratul
Ikhlās in the Qur’an:

“Say, He is Allah, the One. Allah is Eternal and Absolute. None is born of
Him, nor is He born. And there is none like Him.” (Sūrah 112)

Tawhid is the belief in Allah with all His powers. Allah is All-Knowing,
All-Wise and All-Powerful. He is the Merciful, the Kind and the Most-Loving. He
is with us all the time. He sees us, but we do not see Him. He was, is and always
will be. He is the First and the Last. He has no partner, son or daughter, nor has a
father or mother. He gives us life and takes it away. Everyone must return to Him
after death.

● Classification of Tawheed

● Effects of Tawheed in the Life of Mankind

a) A believer in Tawhid surrenders himself completely to the Will of Allah and

becomes His true servant and subject.
b) It produces in the believer a high degree of self-respect, confidence and
contentment.
c) This belief makes a believer humble and modest.
d) Belief in Tawhid makes a believer dutiful and upright.
e) It makes a person brave and courageous. It removes from his mind the fear of
death or concern for safety.
f) A believer in Tawhid consciously feels himself to be part of the whole universe.
g) It produces in a believer strong determination, patience and perseverance.
h) The most important effect of the belief in Lā ilāha illallāh is that it makes a
person obey Allah’s commands.

● Conclusion

We Muslims are believers in Tawhid. We are Allah’s servants and subjects. We

must practise what we believe in.

● Five Pillars in Islam

or
Basic Duties in Islam

“Islam is based on five things: declaring that there is no god except Allah and that
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, the establishment of Salāh, the payment of
Zakāh, the Hajj and Sawm in the month of Ramadān.” (al-Bukhārī).

The five pillars which we call the Five Basic Duties as mentioned in the Hadith
are:

Shahadah (declaration of faith)

Salah (five compulsory daily prayers)

Zakah (welfare contribution)

Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah)

Sawm (fasting during Ramadān)

 ● Shahadah

A Muslim declares or affirms his faith by reciting:

La ilāha illallāhu Muhammadur rasūlullah.

These Arabic words mean: “There is no god except Allah; Muhammad is the
messenger of Allah.” This declaration is called al-Kalimatut Taiyibah. It contains
the whole of Islamic belief. There are two parts. The first part (La ilāha illallāh) is
about the Oneness of Allah (Tawhid in Arabic) while the second part
(Muhammadur rasūlullāh) concerns the prophethood (Risalah) of Muhammad.
The four Arabic words of the first part are: Lā which means no; ilāha meaning
god; illa meaning except; and Allah. The second part has three words: Muhammad;
rasūl meaning messenger; and Allah.

● Salah

Salah is the second pillar of Islam. It refers to the five compulsory daily prayers.
Salah is offered five times a day individually or preferably, for men and older boys,
in congregation. Women and girls may also join in congregation whenever
possible. We offer Salah to remember Allah. It brings us closer to Him.
Salah is the practical proof of our faith in Allah and Islam. It has been made
compulsory at certain fixed times. The five daily prayers are:

Fajr From dawn until just before sunrise

Zuhr After midday until afternoon

‘Asr From late afternoon until just before sunset

Maghrib After sunset until daylight ends

‘Ishā’ Night until midnight or dawn

 ● Zakah

Zakāh (welfare contribution) is the third pillar of Islam. The Arabic word Zakāh
means “to purify or cleanse”. Zakāh is to be paid once a year on savings at the rate
of two and a half percent. This rate applies to cash, bank savings and gold and
silver jewellery. The rate for cattle and agricultural produce is different.
Payment of Zakāh is a means of keeping our wealth clear of greed and
selfishness. It also encourages us to be honest in our earnings and expenditure.
Zakah is a compulsory payment and is neither charity nor a tax. Charity is
optional and taxes can be used by the state for any purpose, but Zakāh has to be
spent under fixed headings like helping the poor, the needy, payment of salaries to
its collectors, to free captives and debtors, for travellers in need, to win over hearts
of new converts and for the cause of Allah.

● Sawm

Sawm (fasting), the fourth basic duty of Islam, is another act of ‘Ibadah. All adult
Muslims must fast from dawn to sunset every day of Ramadān, the ninth month of
the Islamic calendar. This means abstaining from eating, drinking and conjugal
relations during the hours of fasting. Travellers and the sick can defer fasting
during Ramadan and make up for it later.

(optional) Sawm develops self-control and helps us to overcome selfishness,

greed, laziness and other faults. It is an annual training programme to refresh us for
doing our duties for Allah, our Creator and Sustainer. Sawm enables us to
experience the pangs of hunger and thirst. We feel for ourselves what it is like to be
hungry. We can begin to appreciate what it must be like for the poor and the
unfortunate — the millions who go hungry every day. Fasting develops
self-control, and teaches us not to think just about comfort. It also helps us to
restrain our sexual passions. We must learn to control our appetite for food, love of
comfort and sexual desires if we would like to be true servants of Allah.
 ● Hajj

Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. It is a visit to al-Ka’bah, the house of Allah in
Makkah, once in a lifetime by those Muslims who can afford and are physically fit
to make the journey. It is performed during the period 8-13 Dhul Hijjah, the twelfth
month of the Islamic calendar.
Al-Ka’bah, also known as Baitullāh (House of Allah), is a cube-like one-storey
building which was built originally by Prophet Ibrāhīm (Abraham) and his son
Ismā’īl (Ishmael). It is the first house ever built for the sole purpose of the worship
of Allah. Allah has blessed al-Ka’bah. Muslims from all over the world come here
every year.