Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬created the mankind for His worship and worship done by human

being is a relationship between Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬and mankind. There are two aspects
of worship, one involves the special acts which are sources for the direct
relationship between Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬and His bondsman, the other is the obedience
of Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬in affairs of life such as respecting the parents, avoiding RIBA etc.
In this blog we will discuss the first aspect which basically involves the five Arkan e
Islam.

The Beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad ‫ َص َّلی ُہللا َت َع اٰل ی َع َلْی ِہ َو ٰا ِلٖہ َو َس َّلَم‬said:

‫ُبِنَي اِإلْس َالُم َع َلى َخ ْم ٍس َش َه اَد ِة َأْن َال ِإَلَه ِإَّال ُهَّللا َو َأَّن ُم َح َّم ًد ا َع ْب ُد ُه َو َر ُسوُلُه َو ِإَق اِم الَّص َالِة َو ِإيَت اِء الَّز َك اِة َو َح ِّج‬
‫اْلَبْيِت َو َص ْو ِم َر َمَض اَن‬

Translation: Islam is structured on five pillars: Testifying that there is none worthy
of worship but Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬, that Muhammad ‫ َص َّلی ُہللا َت َع اٰل ی َع َلْی ِہ َو ٰا ِلٖہ َو َس َّلَم‬is His
bondsman and Messenger, the establishment of prayer, payment of Zakah,
Pilgrimage to the House (Ka'ba) and the fast of Ramadan.

(Sahih Muslim)
In the light of this blessed Hadith we come to know that there are five basic
obligations in Islam. These five basic obligations are called Arkan e Islam or five
pillars of Islam. These five include the utterance of the testimony that there is no
worthy of worship but Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬and that Muhammad ‫َص َّلی ُہللا َت َع اٰل ی َع َلْی ِہ َو ٰا ِلٖہ َو َس َّلَم‬
is the Rasool of Allah. Secondly, the establishment of the prayer by the individual
and the community with all of its rules and prerequisites. Thirdly, the payment of
Zakat, an annual financial obligation paid by Muslims on specific wealth or capital
they possess, exceeding a specific limit, to categories explained in the Quran.
Fourthly, fasting during the month of Ramadan and fifthly, the pilgrimage to
Mecca (Hajj) once in a lifetime for those who have means to do so. Here is a brief
detail of all these pillars of Islam:

1. Shahadah (Testimony of Faith)

The first is testifying that there is no God except Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬and Muhammad ‫َص َّلی‬
‫ ُہللا َت َع اٰل ی َع َلْی ِہ َو ٰا ِلٖہ َو َس َّلَم‬is His Prophet. In fact this is the basis of once belief. If
someone does not testify this reality then he is not entered in Islam and this
utterance creates zeal to act upon Islamic teachings, to follow Holy Prophet ‫َص َّلی‬
‫ ُہللا َت َع اٰل ی َع َلْی ِہ َو ٰا ِلٖہ َو َس َّلَم‬and to follow Holy Quran. This utterance enables one to avoid
from sins and to do good deeds. This utterance creates a sense of love of Allah
‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬.

2. Namaz (Obligatory Prayers)

The second rukan of Islam is “Namaz”. Namaz or prayer is the act done by
Muslims by bowing their heads in the court of Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬. Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬obligated
Namaz five times a day. It is a gift of Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬to Muslims which he gave on the
night of Mairaaj when the Beloved Prophet ‫ َص َّلی ُہللا َت َع اٰل ی َع َلْی ِہ َو ٰا ِلٖہ َو َس َّلَم‬went to the
skies and higher than skies. Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬orders the Muslims to offer Namaz in
Holy Quran in these words:

‫َو َأِقيُموا الَّص اَل َة َو آُتوا الَّز َكاَة َو اْر َك ُعوا َمَع الَّر اِكِعيَن‬

“And keep the prayer established, and pay the zakah, and bow your heads with
those who bow (in prayer).

The importance of Namaz or prayer can be easily realized by the fact that Allah
‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬commands approximately seven hundred times in the Holy Quran to
establish prayer. The five prayers are named as Fajar, Zohr, Asr, Maghrib, and
Isha. Offering Namaz keeps the Muslims close to Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬throughout the day.
As they start their day by offering Namaz (Fajar) and also end the day with Namaz
(Isha). Not only the start and end of day but also during the day Muslims offer
Namaz which strengthens our relationship to Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬. Offering Namaz in the
Masjid with jamaat creates a sense of equality and brotherhood among the
Muslims. Offering Namaz regularly also makes a man punctual and his life
becomes regular and neat.

. Zakat (Compulsory Charity)

The third rukan among Arkan e Islam is paying Zakah. Zakah is the donation of
2.5% of one’s belongings when these approach to a specific limit. As Allah ‫َع َّز َو َج َّل‬
permitted his bondsman to earn money by Halal sources and spend it to fulfill
their needs but along with this permission Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬orders hid bondsman to
donate their money to poor and needy people. Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬ordered thirty two
times in the Holy Quran to pay Zakah. Zakah in fact shows the beauty of the
Islamic social system that money circulates among the rich and poor and it is not
only bounded in the hands of rich people. It does not mean that the rich people
give money to poor by sacrificing their needs but it’s the rule that they have to
pay Zakah after fulfilling their basic needs.

4. Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca)

The fourth rukan of Islam is Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah in the last month of
Islamic year. Hajj is obligatory upon Muslims to do once in their life if they are
fulfilling the conditions required. The occasion of Hajj is a symbol of unity and
brotherhood of Muslims. They gather at the same day by uttering same words,
wearing same dresses and all of them having belief at one God, the creator of all
of them, Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬. This example of faith, unity and brotherhood can not be
found anywhere in the world.

5. Sawm (Fasting in Ramadan)

The fifth rukan of Islam is fasting in the month of Ramadan. It is obligatory upon
Muslims to fast in this month and fast means not to eat, drink and sexual
intercourse from dawn to sunset. The main objective of fast is to attain pleasure
of Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬and to attain piety in our hearts. The fast of the holy month
improves our connection with Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬. A person who controls his wish and
physical need of prohibited acts during fast realizes the plight of those people
who remain deprived without choice and it creates a sense of piety and zeal to
help those people. These Arkan e Islam are simple and easy way to worship Allah
‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬the main benefit of these five Arkan e Islam is that Muslims attain the
pleasure of Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬through these which is the supreme goal of every Muslim.

May Allah ‫ َع َّز َو َج َّل‬enable us to act upon these pillars of Islam! Ameen