The Messenger of Allah says:
Islam is built upon five: To worship Allah and to disbelieve in what is worshiped besides him, to establish prayer, to give charity, to perform Hajj pilgrimage to the house, and to fast the month of Ramadan,”

(Al-Bukhari, Muslim)

Islam and its Teachings:

Islam is the religion of peace, it is the religion of Love and care. Islam is the religion of believe, faith and trust, to believe in oneness of Allah, to keep your faith on the angels, books and Messengers of Allah, and to develop trust in Allah without seeing Him.

Allah SWT is the creator of this whole universe, the galaxies, the moon and the sun all of them testify that Allah is the one and only who is the creator and the sustainer of this whole universe. And when He Says “Kun Fayakon” and this whole universe has come into being. The pattern followed by day and night, by Sun and Moon testifies that there is no God but Allah.

Allah says,” It is He Who made the sun shining thing and the moon as a light and measured out its (their) stages, that you might know the number of years and the reckoning”

[Yoonus10:5]

Allah SWT sent his messengers to the people who were misguided, He sent them to bring them back to Him. And last He sent His beloved Prophet, Prophet Muhammad SAW to bring the Islam religion . before the religion Islam came into being people of Mecca used to worship idols, our Prophet always used to go Cave of Hira and thinks about the real creator of this universe and one day while He was busy spending His time in Cave of Hira Allah sent Hazrat Jibraeal AS (the angel of Allah) to reveal that Allah SWT has chosen Muhammed Mustafa His Last Prophet.

“There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer, [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful.”

(Al Taw bah, 9:128)

Islam is based on five pillars

1. Shahadda (Faith)
2. Saalah (Prayer)
3. Sawm (Fasting)
4. Zakat (Almsgiving)
5. Hajj (Pilgrimage)
6. Shahada (Faith):

1. Shahadah

Allah- there is no deity except Him. To Him belong the best names

(TaHa, 20:8)

Shahada is to testify and to believe that Allah is the only one to be worshiped, He is the one and only to be loved the most of all, he is the one and only to be feared more than anyone else and obeyed more than anyone else.

Shahada is to believe in all the Prophets sent by Allah and to believe that Hazrat Muhammad SAW is the Last Prophet of Allah SWT. A good Muslim must have to believe in everything that has been taught by Prophet Muhammad SAW.

2. Salah:

[29:45] “You shall recite what is revealed to you of the Scripture, and observe the Salah (Contact Prayers), for the Salah prohibits evil and vice. But the remembrance of God is the most important objective. Allah is aware of all that you do.”

Allah has commands us to offer five times Salaah. Salaah is the second but most important and strong pillar of Islam. Allah has made Salah obligatory to all Muslim. A Muslim who do not offer Salah becomes a disbeliever. The five obligatory prayers are:

1. Fajr (early morning, before dawn)
2. Zuhr (mid-day)
3. Asr (mid-afternoon)
4. Maghrib (just after sunset)
5. Isha (At night)

We should make our habit to offer all five times of Salah on their given times.

3. Zakah

According to the Quranic ranking Zakah is next after Salah in importance. Zakah means to purify your wealth by giving charity according to the value of one’s possessions. It is customarily 2.5% (or 1/40) of a Muslim’s total savings. Zakat is the obligatory charity commands by Allah to every Muslim who is rich so that he can give a part of their annual income to the ones who are in need. Islam is a religion of love and care and by this action a Muslim cares about his another Muslim. Zakah has to pay in the month of Ramadan so that every Muslim whether he is rich or poor can enjoy the festival of Eid.

4. Fasting In Ramadan

O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)”

[Al-Baqarah]

Allah has provided us a month of Ramadan. This month is so blissful. Muslims keep their fast from before Fajr till Maghrib. Fasting is the one of the most beloved deeds to Allah. Muslims has to do good deeds throughout their fasting along like offering extra prayers, reading and learning Quran, staying at night to worship Allah.

5. HAJJ

“And Hajj (Pilgrimage to Makkah) to the house (Kabah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, (for) those who can afford the expenses.” [Al-

Baqarah 2:183]

Hajj is the last obligatory pillar of Islam. It is obligatory for all the Muslims who can afford the expenses, but the Muslim Ummah used to save their money to perform pilgrimage at least for once in their life. Hajj is the visit to the house of Allah. Allah SWT will pardon every Muslim who performs Hajj.

There are many Islamic organizations who believe that spreading Islamic knowledge to the Muslim Ummah will not only bless them here but also they will get higher rank in the eyes of Allah.

For more information visit: http://www.dawateislami.net to gain more Islamic knowledge.