5 Pillars of Islam

Five Pillars of Islam are the five compulsory acts upon every Muslims.

When a person becomes a Muslimah, the following acts will become obligatory upon her under certain conditions.

Those five (5) pillars are:

1. Testimony/Faith (Kalimah/Iman)

2. The Prayers (Salat)

3. The Fasting (Sawm)

4. The Compulsory Charity (Zakat)

5. The Pilgrimage (Hajj)

1. Imaan/Kalimah

Imaan (Faith) is the fundamental of Islam. A woman becomes a Muslimah when she has Faith and expressing the kalimah. In other words, a Muslimah should possess the Imaan (Faith) to become a Muslim and whatever good deeds she does will not be accepted by Almighty Allah without the Imaan.

Hence, every Muslim must believe 6 things in Islam. If she refutes to believe even one of them, she will not be considered as a Muslimah.

Those are:

1. Belief in Allah

2. Belief in Angels

3. Belief in Scriptures

4. Belief in Prophets

5. Belief in "Day of Judgment”

6. Belief in Divine Decree

Kalimah is the statement (words) which testifies the belief of Islam. There are 5 kalimah in Islam.

1. Kalimah Thoiba

Laa ilaaha illallaahu Muhammadur Rasoolullaah

(Trans: There is no god but Allah, Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is the messenger of Allah)

2. Kalimah Shahaada

Ash-hadu an-laa ilaaha illallaahu wahdahoo laa shareeka lahoo, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan abduhoo wa rasooluh

(Trans: I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship besides Allah. He is alone. He has no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger)

3. Kalimah Thamjeed

Subhaanallaahi wal hamdulillaahi wa laa ilaaha illallaahu wallaahu Akbar, wa laa hawla walaa quwwata illaa billaahil aliyyil adheem

(Trans: Glory be to Allah. All praise be to Allah. There is none worthy of worship besides Allah and Allah is the Gratest. There is no power and might except from Allah, the Most High, the Great)

4. Kalimah Tawheed

Laa ilaaha illallaahu wahdahoo laa shareeka lah. Lahul mulk, wa lahul hamd, yuhyiy wa yumeet biyadihil khayr wa huwa alaa kulli shay-in qadeer

(Trans: There is none worthy of worship besides Allah who is alone. He has no partner. For him is the Kingdom, and for Him is all praise. He gives life and causes death. In His hand is all good. And He has power over everything)

5. Kalimah Radd Kufr

Allaahumma inniy a’oodhu bika min an ushrika bika shay-an wa ana a’alamu bihi wa astaghfiruka lima laa a’alamu bih. Tubtu anhu wa tabarratu minal kufri wash-shirki wal kizbi wal ma’aasi kullihaa aslamtu wa aamantu wa aqoolu laa ilaaha illallaahu Muhammadur rasoolullah

(Trans: O Allah, surely I do seek refuge in You from knowingly associating any partner with You, I beg Your forgiveness for the sin from which I am not aware of, I repent it and I declare myself free from infidelity, polytheism (associating any partner with Allah), telling lies and all other sins. I accept Islam and believe and declare that there is none worthy of worship besides Allah and Muhammad [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] is the messenger of Allah.

2. Salat (Prayers)

Salat is the second of five pillars of Islam. It is the duty of every Muslimah to pray five times a day. Prayers are intended to focus the mind on Allah, and is seen as a personal communication with him that expresses gratitude and worship. According to Islam, if a person offers the prayers, he will get merits and blessings of Allah Almighty, on the other hand, if he misses the prayers, he will get sins which will lead for the divine punishment.

There are five compulsory prayers:

1. Fajr — The dawn prayer: 2 raka'at

2. Dhuhr — The noon prayer: 4 raka'at

3. Asr — The afternoon prayer: 4 raka'at

4. Maghrib — The sunset prayer: 3 raka'at

5. Isha'a — The night prayer: 4 raka'at

The Jumu'ah (Friday prayer) consists of 2 raka'at and is prayed in place of the Dhuhr prayer on Friday. However, since women are praying at home, they are obliged to pray the same Dhuhr prayer with 4 raka'at.

In addition to these compulsory prayers, there are many additional prayers which are called as Nafl or Sunnat prayers. These additional prayers will help to gain the love of Allah Almighty and beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) and unlimited blessings of Allah.

3. Sawm (Fasting)

It is obligatory to every Muslim to fast during the month of Ramadan. That is, abstain from eating, drinking (including water), having sex and anything against to Islamic law from dawn to dusk.

4. Zakat

Zakat is the fixed portion of one’s wealth should be given as the Charity to the needy. Zakat, however, is not obligatory for all the Muslims, except those who exceed the limit of wealth, which is prescribed by the Islamic Jurisprudence.

5. Hajj

Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. It is the pilgrimage to holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah. Every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it must make the pilgrimage to Makkah at least once in his or her lifetime. Rituals of the Hajj include walking seven times around the Kaaba, touching the black stone if possible, walking or running seven times between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah and symbolically stoning the Devil in Mina.