CHAPTER-III ,LAMIC CHARACTER THE PILLARS OF ISLAM The religion, Islam has been founded on the five busic pillars, which are called pillars of Islam or principles of Islam, [tis incumbent on each and every Muslim to follow these principles. About these pillars of Islam the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) said: stighy Spiel) pli yADpnyy ode Maeas ly ail UNAM U gl Salgd Goad Gle AY! iy can) pps Foals 353) “The building of Islam stands on five pillars; to give witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad (S.A.W) is His servant and prophet, to establish Namaz, to give Zakat, to perform Haj and observe fasting during the month of Ramzan.” Itis clear from above Hadith that fundamental principles of Islam are five: i) KALMA-E-SHAHADAT: Bearing witness through verbal declaration that none is worthy of worship except Allah and that Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W) is His humble servant and Messenger. ii) SALAT OR NAMAZ:. ‘Offering Namaz.(Prayer) regularly five times a day at appointed times. ZAKAT: Expending ones wealth to give the poor their due. iv) HALL Pilgrimage to Makkah at least once in one's lifetime, if one is able to do so. v)SAl OR ROZA: ‘asting during the month of Ramzan every year. ‘The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) compared these five principles ta a tent ie. supported by five pillars. The first and the mast important is Kalma-e-Shahadat. This is the central pillar, as one finds in the center of a tent, the tallest and most important without which the tent will not stand. Four other pillars in the corners give further support to the tent. They are Prayers, Zakat, Hajj and Fasting.THE SECOND PILLAR SALAT (PRAYER) The second most important pillar after Tauheed and Risalat is Salat (Prayer). Salat is Arabic word which means to pray or blessing, but in religious point of view Salat or Namaz is the way of worship which includes the recitation of the Holy Quran, bowing (Rukoo), prostration (Sajdah) with the praises of God and sitting (Qa'adah). Prayer is the top of all sort of Islamic worships. It is physical worship and obligatory upon every Muslim five times a day at appointed times which shows manifestation of faith in Allah. It is the distinguish feature between a Muslim and non-Muslim. The Holy Quran has mentioned the prayer at about 700 places and stressed for its establishment. It says: (Blsps NOES pSadl (ys! gi p55 Y 53 sleall | pasils “Establish prayer and be not of those who ascribe partners (tinto Him).”” Our Holy prophet (S.AW) has highlighted the importance of prayer on various ovcasions, he has said: i) "What stands between a man and disbelief is the abandonment of Salat.” ii) "Prayer is the pillar of Deen (Religion), who has upheld it, has actually upheld the Deen; and the man who demolished it, has actually demolished the Deen." iii) "The man who deliberately gave up Namaz has adopted the way of disbelief.” iv) "The coolness of my eyes is in the Prayer.” The man who doesn’t offer the prayer will be thrown into the hell. According to a Hadith they will be with Firown, Haman, Qaroon and Ubay-e-bin Khalaf on the Day of Judgment. The Holy Quran says about those who don’t offer prayers, they will be thrown into the hell, it says: (A142; $a) ofplaal Gua dL all slg ju yb SSL Le "What was the cause of your being thrown into the hell? They will answer we were not of those who prayed."INDIVIDUAL BENEFITS OF PRAYER: According to a Hadith the person who offers prayers five times a day regularly is, washed off from his Sins like the man who has rivulet flowing before his house; and he baths in it five times a day regularly which leaves no dirt on his body. Prayers protect from sins and evil deeds. The Holy Quran says: (ASSpSad) o pSidy cLtadll ye pt shally! "Prayer protects from shameful and unjust acts.” Prayer makes the worshipper to realize that he is in the presence of Allah. This helps him a great deal in becoming a true Muslim. Prayer makes the Muslim feel that Almighty Allah is always with feels lonely and his heart is free from all __ sorts of fears and g1 im. He never Prayer purifies the worshipper; and the body and the clothes of worshipper remains neat and clean. COLLECTIVE ADVANTAGES OF PRAYER: v) vi) Congregational prayers afford an occasion for Muslims and creates love and harmony in them. It evokes love and regard among the Muslims for prayers. It gives. an occas needy. nto the Muslims to know the problems of the poor and the It is a bright sign of Unity and Equality of Muslims, which is displayed five times everyday. To follow an Imam while performing Namaz, creates a sense of collective edification and discipline. It creates punctuality, sense of duty and responsibility, self-discipline, self-control, humanity, social organization and equality.THE THIRD PILLAR ZAKAT ‘The literal meaning of Zakat is to develop, to grow and to purify, but in the religious terminology Zakat may be defined as "the fixed portion of wealth which is taken from the rich of his annual earning and given to the poor in a year at a rate of 2.5% as a worship of Allah.” EOF ZAKAT: ‘Zakat is an important pillar of Islam and the backbone of the economic system of Islam, which is worship related to wealth. It is obligatory upon every Muslim who is able to give Zakat. The Holy Quran has mentioned the Zakat with Namuz in several places, as the Holy Quran says: 432 ill) Cee SI ge I pxS 5) 5855 5Il sis 5 glial I all 5 “And establish the prayer and pay Zakat and bow down with the bowing ones.”” Hazrat Abu Bakar (R.A) the first caliph waged a Holy war against those who refused to give Zakat till at last they agreed to it. Hazrat Abu Bakar (R.A) declared, “By Allah, I shall fight against all those who differentiate between Salat and Zakat.” NISAB AND RATES OF ZAKAT: Nisab is the minimum wealth, in form of money or otherwise, that makes it obligatory for a person to give Zakat. The rates of Nisab are as follows: i) Gold -7.5 tolaor 87.48 grams, Silver 52.5 tola or 612.36 grams. Usher the tenth part of agricultural products, iv) Zakat on cash, gold, silver, bonds, shares etc. shall be given at 2.5% per year. DISBURSEMENT OF ZAKAT: The Holy Quran has clearly ordered to disburse the Zakat among eight types of person, as describe in the following verse: ce My OES Ay pee algo, Lale ule Lally eSLiadly ol pail GLa (60:81) 0 psSa pale ails dil (ja Any 98 Lal Gals ail See ody 31“The Zakat is only for 1) destitute and 2) the needy and 3) those who collect Zakat and 4) those whose hearts need to be reconciled and 5) the captives and 6) debtors and 7) in the cause of Allah and 8) the way farers. This is the duty imposed by Allah and Allah is Knower and Wise.” ECONOMIC AND OTHER BENEFITS OF ZAKAT: i) Zakat enables Muslims to establish a welfare society. ii) Islam induces a wealthy person to do good to a needy person by giving Zakat ‘before he asks for help, so that fraternity and compassion may grow and develop. iii) ‘The main aim of Zakatis to assist needy and poor people with a view to securing their economic well-being and also to help them stand on their own feet and ‘become usefull member of the society. iv) Zakat roots out the crime and establishes love and equality. ¥) The person who pays Zakat not only purifies his wealth according to the order of Allah, but also purifies his heart from the greed of wealth and gives places in his ‘heart to the love for God.THE FOURTH PILLAR SAUM (FASTING) The literal meaning of Saum (fasting) is to refrain or to abstain, but in the religious terminology Saum means to refrain from eating, drinking and sexual intercourse from sunrise to sunset. IMPORTANCE OF FASTIN Saum is an important pillar and vital practice of Islam. It is obligatory for every Muslim, as the Holy Quran says: (1833 36a) o¢y AS Stal S15 (yo GST gb CES US lial Sle 6S I gial uit) you who believe! Fasting is written down for you as it was written down for others before you, so that you may be pious.” And the Holy Quran Says: (185 3 fall) oA mmaald yell pS te ag Gad “It is necessary for the person, who gets this month (Ramzan), to fast.” Fasting becomes obligatory in Islam in 2nd Hijri. Muslims fast im the month of Ramzan, this month is too much important because in this month the Holy Quran was sent down and Allah’s mercy and blessings are in abundant in this month. According to a Hadith, “Good deeds performed in this month are rewarded 70 times more than the rewards given in other days.” In this month the door of paradise is opened and the doors of hell are closed and leading Shaitans are put into prison. SPIRITUAL AND SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF FASTING: i) PIETY: Due to fasting a person becomes pious, because fasting is a sort of training to adopt all of good deeds and to avoid all types of bad deeds. Fasting cultivates Taqwa or piety in a person since he abstains himself from ill deeds and seeks Allah's pleasure. ii) SELF-CONTROL: Fasting produces self-control in a man and enables him to perform every thing within the limits of religious laws. Fasting which stops man for a few hours for from eating, drinking etc. and unlawful things. 33iii) COMPASSION AND KINDNE: By exercising the fasting, a man bears hardships and difficulties of thrust and hunger for the sake of Allah, This naturally draws the mind of person towards the hungry and poor persons. Fasting creates such feelings of sympathy and kindness for others, iv) SINCERITY: By observing fasting, a man becomes sincere because fasting does not allow showing. He firmly believes in Allah and thinks that Allah knows and sees all his acts and deeds, so he fears Allah and becomes sincere.