A Bedouin once asked the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him), “O Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him), if I do the five farz (pillars) of Islam – the declaration of faith (shahada), prayer (salah), alms-giving (zakat), fasting (sawm) and pilgrimage (hajj) and I won’t do anything more or less, will you guarantee Jannah to me?”. Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) replied in the affirmative, i.e. said yes. So, that is it, guys and ladies. Islam is a very simple and easy religion to follow.

Start With

The Founda tion

SHAHADA - The first pillar of Islam “Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Allah, Wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulu-Allah.” “I bear witness that there is no God but God (Allah – i.e. there is none worthy of worship but Allah), and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” This pillar is the cornerstone of Islam. Without this, there is no Islam at all.  And this should be done with one's heart totally and without any doubt whatsoever!

"Salah, prayer,  is the second pillar. The Islamic faith is based on the belief that  individuals have a direct relationship with God. The world's Muslims  turn individually and collectively to Makkah, Islam's holiest city, to  offer five daily prayers at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and  evening."

This pillar is so important that it is said that if this is performed right, then all the other deeds of the Muslim will also be perfect!

"Zakat, almsgiving,  is the third pillar. Social responsibility is considered part of one's  service to God; the obligatory act of zakat enshrines this duty.Zakat prescribes payment of fixed proportions of a Muslim's possessions  for the welfare of the entire community and in particular for its  neediest members. It is equal to 2.5 percent of an individual's total  net worth, excluding obligations and family expenses."

Sawm, fasting during the holy month of Ramadan,  is the fourth pillar of Islam. Ordained in the Holy Qur'an, the fast is  an act of deep personal worship in which Muslims seek a richer  perception of God. Fasting is also an exercise in self-control whereby  one's sensitivity is heightened to the sufferings of the poor.""

"Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah,  is the fifth pillar and the most significant manifestation of Islamic  faith and unity in the world. For those Muslims who are physically and  financially able to make the journey to Makkah, the Hajj is a once in a  lifetime duty that is the peak of their religious life."