[Umm Mohammad]

Explaining the fundamentals of faith - The Pillars of Islaam (Arkan ul Islam) Shaikh - Mohammed Saleh Alothaimeen

Arkan ul Islam

The Pillars of Islaam

Arkan Ul Islam are its basic foundations upon which it is established ; they are five , mentioned in the narration by Ibn Umar in Which the prophet said:

( بنى الإسNotم على خمسة : على أن يوحد الله ( وفى رواية أخرى على خمس): شهادة أNot إله إNot الله ، و أن محمدا عبده و رسوله ، و إقام الصNotة ، و إيتاء الزكاة ، و صيام رمضان ، و الحج . فقال رجل : الحج و صيام رمضان ، قال : Not صيام رمضان و الحج ، هكذا سمعته From رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم – متفق عليه – و اللفظ لمسلم.
“ Islaam is raised on five (pillars): To establish His Tawheed {and in other narration “The Shahaadah (testimony) that La illaha illa Allaah ( none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah ) and that Mohammed is Allah’s salve and Messenger}, establishment of prayers, payment of Zakaat, the fast of Ramadan , and pilgrimage to (to Makkah) . A person said ( to the narrator) ( which of the two precedes the other ) Pilgrimage or the fast of Ramadan? Upon this (the narrator) replied: No ( it is not the pilgrimage first) but the fast of Ramadan precede the pilgrimage , this is how I have heard it from Allaah’s Messenger”18

FIRST: The Shahaadah of :

Not إله إNot الله ، و أن محمدا عبده و رسوله

La ilaaha illal laah,Mohammed Rassoulul laah

Is the deceived belief expressed on the tongue as though one sees with his own eyes the certainty of his firm conviction. The fact that Shahaadah has been made as single pillar despite the multiplicity in what is being attested, because of either of the following (reasons):

The Messenger is a bearer ( of News) about Allaah تعالى . Attesting therefore , that he , the messenger is a true slave of Allah and bearer of the message ( of Islaam) is integral part of the meaning of Shahaadah ( La illaha illal laah) or

That the two testimonies la illa illal laah , and Mohammed Rassoulal laah are ( the required) bases for the rightness of deeds and their acceptances , since both , the validity and acceptance of deeds , cannot be achieved without Al-Ikhlas to Allaah ( sincere devotion of intention to Allaah alone) and Mutaba’ah ( following) of Rasooulaul laah . It is through Al-Ikhlas that the Shahaadah of la illah illa llah is realized , while through Al-Moutaba’ah of Rasoolul laah , the Shahaadah that Mohammed is Allaah’s slave and Messenger is manifested.

Some of the benefits attained by the declaration of the great Shahaadah include the liberation of the heart and soul from slavery to the created, and from following paths other than the Messenger’s path.


SECOND: Regarding the establishing of Prayers: it is worshipping Allah by performing it in the right and perfect manner19 and its prescribed times. Some of it’s benefits include the openness of the chest, contentment joys and detrainment from committing sins and wrong-doing.

THIRD: The Giving of Zakaat: is devoting worship to Allaah by offering the obligatory prescribed amount charity deducted from the wealth upon which Zakaat is due. Some of it’s benefits are : purifying the self from immoral characteristics like misery , and fulfilling the needs of Islaam and Muslims.

FOURTH: Fasting: It is devoting worship to Allaah by refraining from any everything known to nullify the fast during the days of the month of Ramadan.

Fasting coaches the self to endure the relinquishment of what it likes seeking to gain the pleasure of Allaah.

FIFTH : The Hajj to the House of Allaah: is worshipping Allaah by going to the sacred House (Al-Ka’abh) to execute the rites of Hajj.
Some of the benefits includes: the training of the self to expend the physical and financial sacrifices in obedience to Allaah تعالى . This is the reason why Hajj is considered as one kind of Jihad in the cause of Allaah تعالى.

The benefits that we have mentioned above regarding the basic of Islaam , and others which we have not mentioned ,makes of this Ummah a virtues and purified Islaamic Nation adhering to Allaah through the Deen of Truth , and treats the created with justice and truthfulness . This (conclusion) holds true because the right adherence to the rest of the Islaamic laws depends upon the proper practicability of the above basic.

The status of the Ummah will thrive and prosper as long as it properly adheres to the matters of its Deen. The degree of its prosperity that may escape is proportional to the degree of abandonment of good adherence to matters of its Deen. Whoever seek san evidence for this, let him read the saying of Allah تعالى :

( و لو أن أهل القرى آFromوا و إتقوا لOpenنا عليهم بركات From السماء و الأرض و لكن كذبوا فأخزناهم بما كانوا يكسبون أفأFrom أهل القرى أن يأتيهم بأسنا بياتا و هم نائمون أو أFrom أهل القرى أن يأتيهم بأسنا ضحى و هم يلعبون أفأFromوا مكر الله فNot يأFrom مكر الله إNot القوم الخاسرون ) ( الأعراف ، 96-99)


And if the people of the town had believed and had the Taqwa(piety fear of Allaah) certainly , We should have opened for them the blessing from the heaven and the earth , but belied ( the Messenger) . So we took (with punishment ) for what they used to earn ( polytheism and crime ,..etc) Did the people of the towns then feel secure against that coming of our Punishment by night while they are asleep? Or, did the people of the towns then feel secure against the coming our Punishment in the afternoon while they play? Did they feel secure against the plan of Allah . None feels secure from the plan of Allaah except the people who are lost. (Qura’an 7:96-99)

Let also examine the history of those who preceded because history is a lesson for people of thought, and an insight for anyone free from any obstructing to barrier his heart. And it is Allaahh alone who’s Help can be sought.

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18 Agreed upon hadeeth : The text is that from Saheeh Muslim
19 As detailed by the prophet Mohammed in his authentic Sunah. See for example an excellent collection of the narrations describing the prophet prayer in Shayekh Nassir-ud-Deen Al-Alnanee’s book”The Prophet’s prayer” translated into English by Suhib Hassan .England /{TN}