Revision: Five Pillars of Islam

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!

Being a muslim for a life long, had we ever think of stating down again what are the proofs for us to be a muslim as a revision, dear brethren in faith? We are recognized as muslims with these five standards concluded in the pillars of Islam. It differentiate us from people of different faiths. These pillars of Islam is actually inter-connected with pillars of faith. When one is broken in the pillars of Islam, our faith in the pillars of faith for the day would also be incomplete so we really have to be careful, beloved brethren!

1. Proclamation of faith in the God and prophet Muhammad (saw) as His appointed messenger. The proclamation is done orally, verbally, and displayed through acts whether we are in public or alone. We testify that there is no gods but only the God, and we testify that Muhammad (saw) is His servant and His messenger! This is not only a testimony for a newly revert muslim but for everyone who calls themselves muslim. Why? We have the second pillar as well.

2. Five times daily salaat (prayer services). Salaat means that we are in contact with the Lord our Creator. He had prescribed for us the five times daily prayer services and it is obligatory to every muslim no matter male or female, and those who are able without any trouble must perform it. In salaat we have two tasyahuds (testimonial postures) where we recite the proclamation of faith. So, when we leave even one of obligatory salaat, our faith is not complete and we are not even counted as a faithful muslim. This is the barometer for our iman, brothers. Not at our ID card nor our muslim sounding name no not even genetically inherited from a father to his son. It is inherited through the teachings of Quran and upbringing according to Sunnah.

3. Fasting a full month in Ramadhan for every muslim who are able and without any illness. Ramadhan is a month prescribed by the God as a training for faithful servants of Him. He also opened up His grace and mercy to every creatures. It is a month full of opportunity for blessings and a faithful servant would take every opportunity in this holy month to please Him. When a muslim who are healthy and facing no trouble skip the fast in this month, he is not a faithful servant and only a muslim by name.

4. Zakaat, it means purification of property because some tiny portion in our property are not ours but belongs to others and we clean it in order to give justice to other brethren. There are eight asnaafs (rightful type of people) who could receive the zakaat. It is almost equivalent to tithe in Catholic church in europe and I don't know whether Catholic church still practice tithe since 17th C French Revolution due to that priests had misused their position to steal tithe from the public and many other misunderstandings happened where they had burdened paupers to pay tithe while tithe is meant for the paupers. We have many kinds of zakaat including the zakaat of saving account and zakaat fitrah that we pay during ramadhan for our household. Be careful brothers and sisters please check with zakaat centers at your neighborhood or offices. We still remember on a group of apostates who refuse to pay the zakaat during the era of our first caliph, Abu Bakr as-Siddiq.

5. Hajj to Mecca. Hajj is a pilgrimage to holy Mecca for every muslim who possess ability to access the city. It is only for once in a lifetime. It is not a mere travel but a travel to perform manasik (rituals) of our forefathers and services to the Lord. The calling of patriarch Abraham for the service is announced by the Lord in glorious Quran.

These are the barometer for our iman. We are not really faithful by just being a child in a muslim family. I had experienced that. I believe many others are the same. There are so many things that we didn't get to know when we do not even bother to access the Quran and Sunnah.  Always revise basic things so that we would get to step into another level.

Sealed with prayers for peace and love to every creature of the Lord, may the Lord strengthen my faith to Him and also the faith of my beloved brothers and sisters in faith, amin!