Shahadah, Salah, Sawm, Zakat, and Hajj are the five pillars of worship in Islam. These five pillars must be established in one’s life in both form and spirit.
The concept of worship is related to every aspect of a person’s life. There are five fundamental pillars that form the basis of worship. The Prophet of Islam described these pillars as follows: “Islam is built upon five pillars: bearing witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God, establishing the prayers (Salah), paying the obligatory charity (Zakat), performing the Hajj pilgrimage, and observing fasting during Ramadan.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 8)
It is as if these are the five pillars on which the building of Islam stands. A structure is something that is visible. In this hadith, the metaphor of a building is used to illustrate the essence of Islam. Just as a building cannot be erected without pillars, the establishment of Islam is also dependent on these five pillars. To establish Islam means to establish these five pillars in one’s life.
There is both spirit and form of these five pillars of Islam. Undoubtedly, the primary importance lies in the spirit, but the form is equally essential. Just as the spirit requires a body to exist, similarly Islam cannot exist without its form. In this context, the spirit is of utmost importance, but it can only be effective when accompanied by the form; it cannot stand alone without the form.
Kalima: Testimony of Monotheism
Among these pillars, the first pillar is known as Tawheed, meaning to accept the oneness of God. It has a form that is accompanied by its spirit. Its form is to recite the prescribed Arabic words (Kalima Shahadah) in one’s own language. Maarifah is the spirit of this Kalima which involves finding God at the level of discovery. The valid recitation of this Kalima is based on Maarifah. Without Maarifah—God-realization, reciting the Kalima is merely the utterance of a few Arabic words; it does not encompass the true spirit of the declaration of monotheism.
The ancient Greek philosopher Archimedes was in search of an answer to the question of how ships float on water. He was deeply immersed in this quest. One day, while he was taking a bath in a water tub, he suddenly had a breakthrough and discovered the law of nature known as the law of buoyancy. He was so thrilled that he swiftly leaped out of the tub, exclaiming, “I have found it, I have found it!” (Eureka, Eureka).
This example helps us grasp the true meaning of reciting the Kalima. The recitation of the Kalima of Monotheism is, in essence, an external manifestation of inner realization. Undoubtedly, it holds paramount importance among the pillars of Islam, but its significance stems from one’s inner comprehension rather than mere verbal pronunciation.
Salah: Prayer
Prayer is the second pillar of Islam. Like the other pillars, prayer also has a specific form. As we know, its form includes standing, bowing, and prostrating. At the same time, there is a spirit of prayer, which is surrender. Surrendering oneself completely to God, and making Him the focal point of one’s life in the true sense of the word. It involves adopting a God-oriented life, which is mentioned in the Quran as remembering God abundantly (33:41). The purpose of prayer is also remembrance as stated in the Quran (20:14). Remembrance in this context, goes beyond the formal recitation of specific phrases; rather it entails constant remembrance of God with true feelings on every occasion.
When a person lives in this world, he goes through various observations and experiences. During this time, he should be able to convert worldly experiences into divine experiences, this process is called tawassum in Quran (15:75). It involves seeking spiritual nourishment from everything. True prayer instills in a person the mindset of seeking spiritual nourishment for himself from everything. When this spirit is combined with the form of prayer, then a person’s prayer becomes genuine prayer. Otherwise these words of the Prophet, “Go back and pray, for you have not truly prayed” will apply to him. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 757)
Sawm: Fasting during Ramadan
Fasting is the third pillar of Islam. The form of fasting involves abstaining from eating and drinking from dawn until sunset enduring hunger and thirst throughout the day. The spirit of fasting is patience. That is why the month of Ramadan is called the month of fasting (Sahih Ibn Khuzaima, Hadith No. 1887) This indicates that the month of Ramadan is specifically regarded as the month of patience.
What is patience? Patience means that a person begins to live a life of self-discipline in this world. He exercises control over his desires. He should not be provoked despite provocation. He can co-exist peacefully with others without letting his ego come in the way. In the realm of social life, when faced with shocks and challenges, he endures them without allowing their impact to affect those around him.
Zakat: The Prescribed Charity
Zakat is the fourth pillar of Islam. The form of Zakat involves allocating a portion of one’s earnings to spend on the needy as commanded by God. This is the form of Zakat. The spirit of Zakat is the well-wishing of the people, which entails recognizing the interconnectedness of all humanity. It involves embracing a truly human-friendly approach toward others. Instead of living only for oneself, one must live for the betterment of all humanity. Merely giving a prescribed amount of Zakat without possessing a sincere attitude of well-wishing towards others would render it incomplete, that is, the true spirit of Zakat remains unfulfilled. (2:264)
Hajj: Pilgrimage to Makkah
Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. The literal meaning of Hajj is to travel from one place to another. In religious terms, Hajj refers to the journey in which a person departs from his homeland and travels to Makkah to perform the rituals of Hajj on fixed dates in the month of Dhul-Hijjah and also offers animal sacrifice in the name of God. This is the prescribed form of Hajj.
The essence of Hajj lies in the act of sacrifice. When both the prescribed form of Hajj and the spirit of sacrifice are combined in a person’s life, then he is considered to have performed the worship of Hajj in the true sense.
During Hajj, all pilgrims offer animal sacrifice at Mina. Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha on specific dates. Eid al-Adha is regarded as a partial participation in the worship of Hajj. Through this festival, Muslims worldwide express their connection with the Hajj performed in Makkah.
Once Prophet Muhammad was asked, “O Messenger of God, what are these sacrifices? He replied, “This is the sunnah of your father Abraham. (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No. 3127) This means that the sacrifice that is offered during the Hajj is to follow the way set by Abraham.
Therefore, in order to understand the reality of Hajj and sacrifice, it is necessary to study the life of Prophet Abraham from this aspect. Through this study, we shall not only learn the historical background of Hajj and sacrifice, but we can also grasp their true significance. Hajj and Eid al-Adha, with their ritual of sacrifice, serve as a pledge to revive the tradition established by Prophet Abraham. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the true nature of sacrifice in the light of the life of Prophet Abraham.
