According to a tradition narrated by Abdallah ibn, one of Muhammad’s

companions, the Prophet summarized Islam by saying that the religion is based on
five principles: “To
testify that there is no god but God and Muhammad is God’s messenger;
-second to offer the prayers dutifully and perfectly;
third to pay the obligatory alms;
fourth to perform the pilgrimage to Mecca;
and lastly to observe the fast during the month of Ramadan.”
these 5 principles is Known as ‘ibadat or (act of worship) to Muslims, and often
referred to as the pillars of Islam,
these five practices lie at the core of the faith, and all branches of Islam accept and
perform them.

The profession of faith

While not summarizing the whole of Islam as a religion, the pillars serve as a kind
of outline of minimal obligations for Muslims to abide by. Their simplicity and
straightforwardness are intentional, for Muslims are intended to follow God
unencumbered by the heavy burden of religious stipulations.
Quran stated “[God] has not laid upon you in religion any hardship.”
With this in mind, the first pillar, and central creed of Islam, is a simple
acknowledgment of the distinctiveness of the one, true God and the unique place of
his messenger, Muhammad.

This profession of faith, known as the shahada means (witness), is the only means
by which a person may become a Muslim. The shahada is whispered in a Muslim’s
ear at birth and at death. Although succinct, the shahada is made up of two
significant parts. In the first part, Muslims bear witness to the absolute oneness of
God. This affirms one of the core beliefs of Islam (tawhid, or God’s unity), it also
function as a reminder that polytheism or (belief in more than one god) and the
worship of any being or thing alongside, or in association with, God is the ultimate
sin in Islam. Remember that POLYTHEISM is the ultimate sin in Islam.
The second part of the shahada recalls that Muhammad is not just God’s prophet,
but his special messenger, surpassing other prophets before him. He is also
honored as the final prophet.

Commitment to prayer
That’s the second pillar of Islam also known as salat which means (prayer).
While Muslims may offer informal, or personal prayers or requests to God as they
wish, the main prayers of Islam are prescribed, quite formal and regulated, and are
a designated opportunity to worship God. Muslims are summoned to prayer five
times every day: at dawn, noon, midafternoon, dusk, and evening. Often, Muslims
gather for prayers at a mosque, but when this is not possible, prayers can be
performed alone or in groups in any location.
Then prayers are preceded by purification, an act so important that Muhammad is
thought to have said that it was “half the faith.”
For the five prayers, Muslims begin by washing their hands, mouth, and nostrils
with water. They wash their entire face and clean their forearms, also passing a wet
hand over their heads, and cleaning their feet and ankles. Having ritually cleansed
themselves, Muslims stand facing the direction of Mecca, the holiest city of Islam,
and recite their prayers. In mosques, this direction is marked by a decorated niche
known as a mihrab. Outside mosques, Muslims may find the exact direction of
Mecca using specially marked compasses and even web-based applications. Those
praying outside the mosque will usually perform their prayers on a special prayer
mat, this signify the act of prayer is performed in a clean place. Prayer is begun
with the declaration, “God is most great.”. To non-Muslim observers, the Islamic
prayer rituals may appear complex and overly regulated. For Muslims, however,
participating in the habits of ritual purification and prescribed prayer allows them
to worship God freely, unencumbered by the burden of their own agendas. As they
join in unison with other Muslims to pray, they are also reminded of God’s
greatness, knowing that fellow believers all over the world are worshipping God in
the same way.
next, The importance of charity
The third pillar of Islam is zakat (almsgiving). A central concern in the Qur’an is
the treatment of the poor, marginalized, and disadvantaged. Consequently,
Muslims are enjoined to care for the social and economic well-being of their
communities, not simply through acts of charity, which are encouraged, but also by
paying an alms tax. All adult Muslims who are able to do so offer a percentage, not
just of their monetary income, but of their entire assets for this tax. Not only is the
giving of alms considered an act of worship to God, but it is also thought to be
something that is owed okay it’s not just an act of worship but something owed. If
what Muslims receive comes to them from God’s sovereign blessing, then it is
only right for them to give to those who have received less. With this in mind,
almsgiving is not considered an act of charity for Muslims, but a duty they perform
on behalf of those who require and deserve assistance. According to the Qur’an,
worthy recipients of alms are the poor, orphans, and widows, as well as causes that
aim to eliminate slavery, to help those who are in debt, and to spread Islam.

Observance of Ramadan
The fourth pillar of Islam is sawm (fasting), and in particular, the fast of
Ramadan. This is the name for the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar. The
penultimate night of this monthlong fast commemorates the time when
Muhammad received the first revelation of the Qur’an from the angel Jibrail. Pious
Muslims may pray for the entire evening, hoping that their prayers will be
answered. In general during Ramadan, all Muslims who are physically able abstain
from food, drink, and sexual relations during daylight hours. Instead, they use this
time for purifying themselves by reflecting upon their spiritual condition,
considering any wrong committed, remembering God’s great mercy, and
contemplating the needs of their communities.
Ramadan ends with a special feast, known as ‘Id al-Fitr, which breaks the month of
fasting. The feast is obligatory and is enormously joyous occasion. Families visit
one another to share in special meals and to exchange gifts and sweets. Businesses
often close for part of the celebrations, which can sometimes continue for several
days.
last the Pilgrimage to Mecca
The fifth pillar of Islam is hajj: making a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in
Saudi Arabia, which begins after the month of Ramadan. Every adult Muslim who
is physically able, and has the financial means to make the trip, should perform the
pilgrimage at least once in his or her lifetime. To do so, Muslims travel by
whatever means possible to Mecca. As pilgrims near the city, they often shout, “I
am here, oh Lord, I am here!” The main focus of the pilgrimage is the Kaaba, the
cube-shaped structure sitting at the center of Mecca’s Grand Mosque. According to
tradition, the Kaaba was originally built by Ibrahim (Arabic for Abraham) and his
son Ismail (Arabic for Ishmael) in order to house a black stone given to Ibrahim by
the angel Jibrail (Gabriel). The stone was meant to symbolize God’s covenant with
Ismail. In pre-Islamic times, the Kaaba was also a pilgrimage site for followers of
polytheistic religions. At that time, the Kaaba was filled with shrines to various
tribal gods. But under Muhammad’s guidance, it was cleansed of these shrines and
restored as a symbol of worship of the one God, Allah. Before arriving at the
Kaaba, Muslim pilgrims must purify themselves. In this state of purity, both men
and women refrain from sexual activity, and from wearing jewelry or perfume.
They also refrain from bathing, arguing, or anything that might taint their purity. In
essence, everyone in their white robes represents not only purity, but unity and
equality as well. On the one hand, the hajj is meant to be free of hierarchy and
disunity, placing emphasis on total devotion to God and Muslims’ special worship
during the pilgrimage. On the other hand, the great variety shown in female
pilgrims’ clothing reflects the diverse character of the global Muslim community
coming together in spiritual unison at the Grand Mosque.

To conclude,
The five pillars of Islam may be seen to be representative of the faith as a whole,
and to reflect the light burden that God places on his followers. However, although
they show the simplicity of Islam, any number of practical difficulties may be
encountered in attempting to follow the necessary stipulations. What if the
direction of prayer cannot be established? What if a Muslim is unable to fast on
one of the days of Ramadan? God offers a simple solution to such obstacles: it
goes like this “And to God belong the east and the west, so wherever you turn there
is the face of God. Surely God is All-Sufficient for his creatures’ needs, All-
Knowing.” The essential point for Muslims is to turn toward God in worship in the
best way that they know how, until such a point in time when they may worship
him just as their fellow believers.