Islam: Five Pillars

Kalema - Embracing Islam:

Salat - Social System:

Allah Almighty has promised those amongst you who believe and perform deeds consistent with the Divine Laws that He will of a surety grant them suzerainty in the land, as He granted it to those before them" (Al-Quran 24:55)

Allah Almighty is a being who controls the entire universe and moves it on to its final destiny in accordance with His inviolable laws. According to these laws everything in the universe from its initial stage grows, develops and in time attains its full stature, just like the tiny apple seed which gradually grows into a huge tree. Man is no exception. There are Allah's laws that govern man's development and growth also. (Man has not developed fully yet, as he uses only 25% of his brain).

Therefore, the objective of granting this power (suzerainty) in the land is that "they (the Muslims) may establish with authority their "Deen": the one that Allah Almighty has chosen for them so that He may change their state of fear in which they lived to one of peace and security". Once the authority has been bestowed, Allah Almighty commands the Muslims: "So establish Salat and provide Zakat and obey the Rasool, so that you may undergo development, within the specified pattern." (Al-Quran 24:56). Undergo development, within the specified pattern. It is clearly evident from this ayyat that the Salat and Zakat is a system under which Mankind undergoes development according to the pattern that Allah Almighty has designed, to help Man reach his ultimate destiny.

Having commanded the Muslims to establish Salat, Allah Almighty then gives Mankind the following undertaking "We are responsible for providing your and your children's subsistence." (Al-Quran 6:152). A question arises. If Allah Almighty has given this clear and unambiguous undertaking to provide Mankind with its subsistence (the means of existing, the basic essentials of life), why is there so much hunger and destitution in the world?

The answer is very simple and clear. It is because we (the Muslims) have singularly failed to Establish Salat ! Islam is not a dogma. It is a pragmatic system of Cause and Effect. Since we have failed to satisfy the necessary condition i.e. Cause: Establish Salat and Provide Zakat! We have been denied the Effect i.e. the fulfilment of Allah's promise to us.

[Quote: Establishing Salat entails regular submission to Allah Almighty and striving collectively to form a social order where no one in society sleeps hungry (Al-Quran 107:1-7)] In other words Salat is the society working together -not singly- to establish such a social order, a system, the end product of which would be that no-one in society would go hungry. No-one would be in want for anything. All the needs of the individual and of the society would be met as a consequence of this system. Thereby fulfilling the promise of Allah Almighty to Mankind and freeing Man to devote his time and energy to developing his personality, his potentialities.

The system that produces such tangible results that enable God's promise to Mankind to be fulfilled, has been given to us by God free of charge. This system, which on the one hand takes away from Man worries, anxieties, and fear and on the other hand gives him shelter, food, clothing, education and health care (basic necessities of life), this precious gift of God to mankind is nothing other than Islam! All we have to do is implement this system.

An Example: Let us for a moment, see how a system, produces the kinds of results that we have discussed above. I have lived in Britain for twenty eight years of which twenty two have been spent in the service of the British Government. The British Government, since 1948 has established a system under which every working person has to pay two separate taxes from his income, Income Tax and National Insurance.

The funds collected from income tax go straight to the Treasury which the Government uses to run the business of state. A percentage of funds collected from National Insurance is handed over to the Department of Health, that runs the Health Services. The rest of the funds collected from National Insurance are given to the Department of Social Security. This Department is charged with the responsibility of paying benefits to people who do not have an income or whose income is not sufficient for their needs.

I apologise for indulging in my private circumstances. But it was deemed necessary to explain how a system produces results. I have been a diabetic for some twenty-one years. I have developed all the complications that diabetes can lead to. The worst of which, is heart disease and end stage kidney failure. As a result of this, in the last two years I have had four major operations and been hospitalised on no less than eight times and each time my stay varied from four days to two and a half months. For all the treatment received, I have paid from my pocket, not a single penny. In addition, the medical treatment I receive as a diabetic and a kidney patient is also received free of all charges. One may wonder as to how, is this possible? The answer is that the system of National Insurance, which pays a sum to the Department of Health from the contributions made by every worker in the land guarantees that, every citizen will receive free medical and health care. Can you see how this system has produced a result?

Now let us look at the other aspect of National Insurance contributions. For one and a half of the two-year period that I have not gone to work, my employer paid me, my full salary. My salary was then reduced to pension rate which is £600 a month. The mortgage I pay on my house is £500 a month. I could not survive on the remaining £100 a month. Given these facts, had I been living in Pakistan or any other Islamic country for that matter, I would have by now surely lost my property and not only become homeless, but destitute also. That is of course if my wife had not already become a widow and my two young children orphans!

However, in Britain due to the system of tax and National Insurance, I receive a benefit called "Incapacity Benefit", which is paid to people who due to ill health are unable to return to work. This benefit is based on the amount of National Insurance contributions one has paid whilst in work and is payable for as long as one is sick. When added to my pension this benefit brings my total income to just slightly below my monthly salary. The result is that my mortgage is being paid so my property is safe. In addition all of my and my families needs are being met. Just imagine, I have not gone to work for two whole years and I have no idea as to when I will be fit enough to return to work. But as a consequence of the system of National Insurance which the British Government set up in 1948, all my needs are being taken care of and as a result I am free from all worry, anxiety and fear.(Al-Qur'an 11:6, 29:60) In this non Islamic country can you see how the promise of Allah Almighty to mankind is being fulfilled as a direct consequence of a system? This is precisely the concept of Salat. Al-Salat is a system in which all human beings follow the law of Allah, and after retaining that which is necessary for their basic needs (Al-Qur'an 2:219), they keep the remaining material resources open for the nourishment of the needy. It is only by adhering to the system of Salat that it is possible for man to develop his potentialities and have order in his life and then, this development is in accordance with the pattern designed by Allah. Therefore, establishing Salat is collectively understanding, implementing and the continuing of such a system, that on the one hand removes from man all anxiety and fear and restores in its place contentment, which then affords every citizen the opportunity to develop their latent potentialities.

This is the concept of Salat. The pillar on which rests the building of Islam. Please ponder over how we have turned Salat into a mechanical ritual . What consequences or results has our interpretation of Salat produced so far and what results is it ever likely to produce as long as we continue to blindly follow this interpretation. You can also see what we have lost by not establishing the Salat (the benefits of Allah's promise to Mankind) and what gains if any have we accrued through our interpretation of it! For Allah Almighty says in the Quran: "Those whose reward is shame and humiliation in this world will have shame and humiliation in the next" (Al-Quran 17:75, 22:11, 24:19). (C)

Zakat - Economic System:

The Holy Quran has declared clearly and unambiguously, that an individual, a society, or a state has no right to claim obedience from any person, since obedience is due to God and God only. The Quran says: "The right to rule belongs to none but Allah. It is commanded that you obey none but Him." [(Al-Quran 9:40, 74:3) further explained by (17:111)] (Dear reader, let us pause here for a while and just remind ourselves of the explanation of Kalema, discussed earlier). But we can neither see, nor hear, nor feel God, so how are we then to obey Him? The answer is simple. Allah Almighty says: "Follow the revelation given unto you from your Rabb, and follow not as friends and protectors other than Him." (Al-Quran 7:3). This is further qualified by "We have sent down to thee the Book in truth, that you might establish the rule between men, as guided by Allah." (Al-Quran 4:105). Obedience therefore is not to God personally but to the laws He has revealed in the Holy Quran. For securing obedience to the Law however, we require a properly constituted enforcing agency.

The agency that enforces God's Laws, is the Islamic State and obedience to God in practice, means obedience to the State that enforces His laws. (This was the reason, for which Pakistan was acquired?) 

However, the burden of the Islamic State is a heavy one. For God says to the Islamic State: "Since you take obedience from the people in my name, you must give them what I have promised to give them. That is, fulfil the responsibilities that I have assumed in respect of Mankind. ["So establish Salat (the way of life consistent with divine laws) and provide Zakat (provision of nourishment to individual human beings)." (Al-Quran 24:56)] If you fail to fulfil the responsibilities to people, you lose the right to their obedience." (The Governments of the so called Muslim World, please take note). Therefore, in the Quranic social order, the relationship between the individual and the State is a two sided affair. The individual obeys the laws of God through the agency of State and the State honours the promises Allah Almighty has made to Man. In order to fulfil Allah's promise to Man it is imperative that the means of production remain in the custody of State and surplus wealth is not regarded as private property.

[Quote: Zakat; The Government and people will keep all their wealth and resources open for the betterment of society and for the fellow human beings. People will give "whatever is more than their needs."] Allah Almighty says: "They ask thee, how much they are to keep open for others, Say whatever is more then your needs ." (Al-Quran 2:219) Therefore according to this injunction of the Holy Quran, an individual keeps from his income what he requires for his basic needs -without going short of anything- and gives the rest of his wealth to the State or keeps it open in trust for the State. (Since the Holy Messenger (PBUH) simply passed on to Mankind only that which Allah Almighty revealed to him and did not add anything of his own, where did the 2.5% zakat tax on wealth spring up from??)

With the materialistic mind set that Man has developed, a question arises as to why should an individual keep all of his surplus wealth open for the betterment of others? The answer is, for his own salvation. For every act of ours that fulfils the needs of others, nourishes our SELF. The Holy Messenger (PBUH) has said: "The best of Mankind are those who benefit humanity." And so the righteous people are those who make their SELF (NAFS) develop by fulfilling the needs of others. And they do so because of EMAN (conviction), for they know that they will be rewarded manifold in both worlds. The Quran says: "Allah Almighty has bought from the believers their lives and what they have of material things, so that He may give them Jannah (Heaven)." (Al-Quran 9:111) It is these resources that the Islamic State utilises to fulfil Allah's promises and provide Jannah for the whole of Mankind. This is the concept of Zakat. This is that powerful pillar that the building of Islam rests upon. You can also see how well these concepts of Salat and Zakat fit into one another. Both of these concepts are complementary to each other. For in the Holy Quran, whenever Salat is mentioned, so is Zakat. If Salat is to be translated simply as Namaz (Prayers), what possible connection has Zakat with Namaz, which is prayed and not established as is Salat?

Referring back to my personal case, am I not living in Jannah. Clearly it is not the Junnah that Allah Almighty has promised, but never-the-less I am living free of fear and in peace and security, am I not? This is the benefit of a system devised by Man. Can you visualise what splendour and reward of a system designed by Allah Almighty would be? Is it not lamentable, the loss that we are incurring?

Saum - Fasting:

It is evident from what has been discussed above as to what kind of society God envisages for mankind. "The believers give preference to the needs of others than their own even when they are themselves needy." (Al-Quran 59:9). A society in which the welfare of others feels like the welfare of ones own. This society comes about first, through the individuals EMAN in Allah Almighty and His book. Secondly through the establishment of Salat and provision of Zakat, which frees every member of society from want.

Such a society would require from its members obedience, discipline, courage, endurance, wisdom and magnanimity of the highest order. All of these qualities come about in the individuals of society through their Eman in Allah Almighty and His book. And these are then reinforced into their character, through a yearly repeated programme of self discipline and self control. Just as in order to maintain fitness of their soldiers and ensure their battle readiness, all armed forces, in addition to their daily work-outs, conduct yearly battle manoeuvres.

The objective of these exercises is to instil discipline in their soldiers and the officers who lead them. The exercises also ensure that the personnel of the armed forces remain focused and in perfect physical and mental condition to accomplish any task they may be called upon to perform.

Similarly Saum (Fasting) is a training programme for all able bodied to cultivate discipline, good manners and develop steadfastness, courage and endurance in themselves to bear hardship and labour under various conditions. In short, to develop ones personality through self control. For it is said that: "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that rules his heart is better than he that takes a city". It is also said that: "He that has conquered his Self, has conquered the world". The objective of this training is to gel an individual, a potential world conqueror into an effective member of a unit, a team (and what a team that would make, where every member was a potential World conqueror).. In short, one Ummah in preparation for establishing one nation under one God. These are the high ideals and purpose of the month of fasting (Ramdhan). This is the pillar on which rests the building of Islam. It is not simply abstaining from food and drink and other material indulgences to get near God.

Hajj - Pilgrimage:

Conclusion :

For goodness sakes, how long? How long will we continue to follow the paths that have lead us collectively to absolutely nowhere. Except to immobility, stagnation, divisions, fragmentation, fighting amongst ourselves and to the absolute ruin of generations of the people that Allah Almighty created to lead Mankind to the promised land.

For God sakes, it is about time, that Muslims took stock of their lot and realised that, there is no such thing as they. For they never change. It is we who will have to change. As the Hakeem-e-ummat Dr. Sir Allama Iqbal has said:" O! Mussalmaan if you desire to live your life as a Momin, you have no choice except to make the Qur'an your guiding light". We will have to cleanse our minds of the Religion (Mazhab) of Islam and return to the Deen-ul-Haq. We will have to follow the revelation given unto us by our Rabb, and follow not as friends and protectors other than Him (Al-Qur'an 7:3). We will therefore, have to disregard all other books written by men and seek guidance only from the Book sent down to us in truth, that we may establish the rule between men, as guided by Allah Almighty (Al-Qur'an 4:105).

We will have to demand from our respective States that they fulfil the promise that Allah Almighty has made to us. Or as Allah Almighty has said, they lose the right to our obedience. We will have to demand what is rightfully ours, the benefits of the system of Rabubiyyat (nourishment and development) which are manifest when the Salat and Zakat is established. Dear friends, the responsibility is ours. May Allah Almighty grant us the wisdom, courage and the strength to claim that, which is ours by right.