Mercy of the lord

FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

Islam, the religion of truth is based on five fundamental concepts: Shahada - the Islamic Creed, Salat - the obligatory Prayers, Sawm - Fasting in the Holy Month of Ramadan, Zakat - paying charity to help the poor, and Hajj - the Pilgrimage to the Holy Ka’bah in Makkah. These are the basic Islamic beliefs and forms of worship in Islam.

Faith in existence of God and His oneness (Monotheism) is the first pillar of Islam. This also includes Faith in God’s Angels, His Revealed Books, His Messengers, faith in the life after death and the Day of Judgement, and belief in pre-destination. Allah asks mankind:
How can you deny Allah? Did He not give you life, when you were without life? And then He will cause you to die, then restore you to life, and then to Him you shall be made to return. It is He Who created for you all that the earth contains, then He proceeded towards the sky, and He perfected them into seven heavens, and He has complete knowledge of all things. [The Holy Qur'an, Sura 2:28-29]

Muslims believe in all the Prophets and Messengers of God, including Adam, Noha, Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus (peace be on them) and the last Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (peace be on him). Belief in all the revealed Books of Allah, of which the Holy Quran is the final and the most perfect Book; belief in all the Angels who are the spiritual beings of God; belief in the Day of Resurrection and the Day of Judgement; and belief in the Islamic doctrine that the power of all human actions proceeds from God and every human being is morally responsible of thier own actions. These beliefs form the fundamentals of religion Islam.

Allah says in the Holy Qur’an: The Messenger (Muhammad) believes in what has been revealed to him by his Lord, and so do the believers. They believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. They say: “We make no distinction between Allah’s Messengers.” And they say: “We hear and obey. Grant us Your forgiveness, Lord; to You shall all return.” [The Holy Qur’an, Sura 2:285]

The Qur’an is the last of Allah’s four Books to His Messengers. Three other books are: Tawrat (The Old Testament), also called The Law, revealed to Musa (Moses); Zabur (Psalms), revealed to Dawud (David); Injeel (The New Testament), revealed to Isa (Jesus). Finally, the Qur’an was revealed to Prohpet Muhammad (peace be upon him) from Allah by the Angel Gabriel.

God's message is very clear about it:
“This is a Book, not to be doubted, a guide for the God-fearing, Who believe in the unseen and are steadfast in prayer, who spend in charity of what We have provided them (and also spend in Allah’s cause). And who believe in what has been sent down (revealed) to you (Muhammad) and that what was revealed (to other messengers) before you and have firm faith in the Hereafter. These are on the guidance from their Lord and these shall surely prosper.” [The Holy Qur’an, Surah 2:2-5]

In the Qur’an, Allah teaches us to declare that:
Say (O Muslims), “We believe in Allah and what has been revealed to us (to Muhammad), in what was revealed to Ibrahim (Abraham) and Isma’el (Ishmael), and Is’haque (Isaac) and Yaquob (Jacob) and his (twelve) children and in what was given to Musa (Moses) and Isa (Jesus), and what was given to all other Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Allah we submit ourselves (in Islam).”

Prayers are the second pillar of Islam. All Muslims are required to perform Obligatory Prayers - five times a day. Fasting; is abstaining from all types of food, drinks and sensual pleasures from dawn to sunset during the Holy Month of Ramadan. Paying Zakat is an obligatory tax on savings above a prescribed quantity, given to help the poor people, and finally the Pilgrimage to the Holy Ka'bah in Makkah - if one has means of travelling and peforming it. All Muslims must attempt performing Hajj at least once during their lifetime.

About Hajj, God says in the Holy Qur’an:

Behold! We showed the site to Ibraheem, of the Sacred House saying: “Associate no partners with Me and purify My House for those who compass it round or stand upright in prayers, or bow or prostrate themselves in worship. And proclaim the Pilgrimage to people.

They will come to you on foot and on every kind of camel, making journeys through deep and distant mountain highways, that they may witness the benefits (in this) for them, and celebrate the name of Allah through the days appointed, over the (sacrificial) animals which God has provided them for food. So eat their flesh, also feed the poor and less fortunate. Then let the pilgrims complete the rites prescribed, fulfill their vows and circumambulate (again) The Ancient House.” Such is God’s commandment (about the Pilgrimage), Whoever honours the sacred rites of Allah, it is best in the sight of Allah.