Pillars of Islam

Arabic: اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لاَ اِلهَ اِلاَّ اللهُ وَاَشْهَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ Turkish Pronunciation: Eşhedü en lâ ilâhe illallâh ve eşhedü enne Muhammeden abdühû ve resûlühü. Meaning: I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “Whoever says, 'I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, the One... and Muhammad is His servant and messenger... Allah will admit him to Paradise through whichever of its eight gates he wishes.” (Muslim, Iman 46).

Prayer (Salat) is a duty for every Muslim, five times a day. The word salat means “to pray, to praise, to honor.” One of its wisdoms is that the person who prays remembers God's power and mercy, thereby purifying their soul and preventing evil. The verse states, 'Perform prayer to remember Me' (Taha 20:14). As it was revealed on the night of Mi'raj, it is called 'the believer's ascension.'

Fasting (Sawm) means abstaining from eating, drinking, and sexual relations from dawn until sunset. It was made obligatory in the 2nd year of Hijra. Allah said, 'Fasting is for Me, and I will reward it.' The 'Rayyan' gate of Paradise is specially reserved for those who fast. The verse states, 'Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you...' (Al-Baqara 2:183).

Zakat literally means 'increase and purification.' It is the act of giving a specific share of wealth from those considered rich to the poor. It is mentioned alongside prayer in 27 verses; this is evidence that a person's Islam reaches maturity only by performing both. It was made obligatory in the 2nd year of Hijra. Prayer is a physical act, while zakat is a financial act of worship.

Hajj means visiting the Kaaba and sacred sites during a specific time according to proper rituals. It was made obligatory in the 9th year of Hijra. Performing Hajj once in a lifetime is a right of Allah upon those who are able (Al-Imran 3:97). The Prophet said, 'The reward for an accepted Hajj is nothing less than Paradise.' Hajj and Umrah remove sins just as a bellows removes rust from iron.