Ibn Bazz: The First Pillar of Islam: Definition and Prerequisites

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The First Pillar of Islam: Definition and Prerequisites 

First question: Kindly explain to us the meaning of the first pillar of Islam and what it necessitates? How can one carry it out? What is the ruling on those who are ignorant of it? 

Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah. May peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, his family, Companions and those who follow his guidance. 

Allah sent Muhammad (peace be upon him) to all creations; Arabs and non­Arabs, Jinn (creatures created from fire) and humans, males and females in order to call them to Tawhid (belief in the Oneness of Allah/monotheism) and to believe him (peace be upon him) in what he preached and to believe in all messengers, angels, divine books, Last Day, resurrection, final rising, reward and punishment, reckoning, Jannah (Paradise), Hellfire and predestination whether good or bad. One should believe that Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) predestines, knows and writes all things. The Prophet (peace be upon him) first ordered people to testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah. This is the first pillar of Islam; the Shahadah (Testimony of Faith). 

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When he ordered people to testify that there is no god but Allah and that he is the Messenger of Allah, many abstained and denied his Da`wah (calling to Islam). Quraysh said to him as Allah reports in the Ever­Glorious Qur'an: "Has he made the âlihah (gods) (all) into One Ilâh (God Allâh). Verily, this is a curious thing!" 

Allah (Glorified be He) says about them: Truly, when it was said to them: Lâ ilâha illallâh "(none has the right to be 

worshipped but Allâh)," they puffed themselves up with pride (i.e. denied it). And (they) said: "Are we going to abandon our âlihah 

(gods) for the sake of a mad poet?" They denied the Da`wah for they used to worship idols and sculptures along 

with Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). Therefore, they did not accept the Prophet's call to Tawhid and 

devotion to Allah. This is the call of all messengers, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: And verily, We 

have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): “Worship Allâh (Alone), and avoid (or keep away 

from) Tâghût (all false deities i.e. do not worship Tâghût besides Allâh).” Allah (Glorified be He) also says: And We did not 

send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad صلى االله عليه وسلم) but We revealed to him (saying): Lâ ilâha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allâh)], so worship Me (Alone and none else)." 

It is reported in the Two Sahih (authentic) Books of Hadith (i.e. Al­Bukhari and Muslim)on the authority of Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Islam is based on five pillars: testimony that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; performing Salah (prayer), giving Zakah (obligatory charity); fasting Ramadan; and performing Hajj. It is also authentically reportedon the authority of `Umar ibn Al­Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that one day, a man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) in pure white clothes and extraordinarily black hair. There were no signs of travel on him. 

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No one of them recognized him. He said: "O Muhammad, inform me about Islam". The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Islam is to testify that there is none has the right to worshipped (in truth) but Allah and that Muhammad is 

the Messenger of Allah, to perform Salah, pay Zakah, observe the fast of Ramadan, and perform Hajj if you can afford the journey. The inquirer said: You have told the truth. `Umar ibn Al­Khattab said: We were amazed that he would ask and then he would himself verify the truth. The inquirer then said: Inform me about Iman (Faith/belief). The Prophet replied: Iman is to affirm your belief in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Day of Judgment, and the Divine Decree about good and evil. The inquirer said: You have told the truth. The inquirer again said: Inform me about Al­Ihsan i.e. perfection of deeds. The Prophet said: That you worship AllahasifyouseeHim,forthoughyoudonotseeHim,verily,Heseesyou. ... 

Then, the Prophet (peace be upon him) told them that the inquirer was Gabriel and he came in order to instruct them in the matters of religion. When they did not inquire about their religion, Gabriel came, under the Command of Allah, to ask about this great religion, in order to let people learn and benefit. Islam is built upon the following five outward pillars: 

First: To testify that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Second: To offer Salah.
Third: To pay Zakah.
Fourth: To fast Ramadan. 

Fifth: To perform Hajj to the Sacred House of Allah to those who can afford it. Islam is also built on inward pillars related to heart: belief in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Day of Judgment, and the Divine Decree about good and evil. The Mukallaf (person meeting the conditions to be held legally 

accountable for their actions) should believe in these six inner heart fundamentals. He should believe that Allah is his Lord, God and the Truth (Glorified and Exalted be He). He should believe in Allah's Angels and Books which He sent down to the prophets: Tawrah (Torah), Injil (Gospel), Zabur (Psalms) and the Qur'an. He should also believe in the messengers whom Allah sent to His Servants, the first of them is Nuh (Noah peace be upon him) and the last of them is Muhammad (peace be upon him). They are many and some of them are mentioned in the Ever­Glorious Qur'an. 

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He should also believe in the Last Day, resurrection, reckoning, reward, and other matters of the Hereafter where the believers will get happiness and Jannah and the disbelievers will get disappointment, regret and Hellfire. He should believe in predestination, whether good or evil and that Allah predestines, knows and writes all things and that what He wills happens and what He does not will does not happen. All that happens in this life whether good or bad, obedience or disobedience is predestined and known to Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). The essence of the messages of all messengers is to believe that Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) is the true God Who is alone worthy of worship. This is the meaning of testifying that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah. This is the essence that all messengers (peace be upon them) preached i.e. Allah is the True God, Who Alone is worthy of being worshipped. 

All idols, trees, stones, prophets, Awliya' (pious people) or angels that people worship are false; for true `Ibadah (worship) is due to Allah Alone (Glorified be He). Allah (Exalted be He) says: And your Ilâh (God) is One Ilâh (God Allâh), Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (there is none who has the right to be worshipped but He), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 

Allah (Glorified be He) also says: And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. Allah (Exalted be He) also says: You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything). Allah (Exalted be He) also says: And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allâh, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribingpartnerstoHim) Allah(GlorifiedandExaltedbeHe)alsosays: 

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That is because Allâh — He is the Truth (the only True God of all that exists, Who has no partners or rivals with Him), and what they (the polytheists) invoke besides Him, it is Bâtil (falsehood). 

In addition to this essence, there is the belief in all messengers (peace be upon them) since Adam. At the time of Adam, his offspring were to follow the knowledge and deeds that Allah revealed and ordained to him, the essence of which is Tawhid and belief in Allah sincerely and in His Messenger and prophet Adam (peace be upon him). At the time of Nuh, his people were to believe him and follow what he preached along with Tawhid and devoting `Ibadah to Allah. 

Nuh (peace be upon him) was the first messenger sent to the people of the Earth after they committed Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship). Before his coming, people were observing Tawhid which Allah instructed Adam and which Adam taught to his offspring. The People of Hud (peace be upon him) had to believe him and follow his preaching along with Tawhid. Similarly, at the time of Salih, his People had to believe him and follow his preaching along with Tawhid. Thus, at the time of each messenger, people were called to Tawhid and to believe that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, as well as believing the messenger and what he preached until the time of `Eisa (jesus, peace be upon him), the last prophet sent to the children of Israel. Then, Allah sent the last and the best Prophet, our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). `Eisa is last of the prophets of the children of Israel and Muhammad is the last of all prophets and messengers, as no prophet or messenger shall ever come after him. He is the best of messengers and their seal. The Ummah (nation based on one creed) of Muhammad (peace be upon him), including Jinn and mankind, Arabs and non­Arabs, males and females, the rich and the poor, rulers and subjects, should all believe in him and all the prophets and messengers that preceded him. 

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He who does not believe in him has no share either in Islam or religion. It is a must to believe that Allah Alone is the true God who is worthy of being worshipped and to believe in Muhammad and that he is the true Messenger of Allah to all people. He who does not believe in the Shahadah is not Muslim. One should believe in it and its meaning; none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, so it is not permissible to worship anyone besides Allah, not a king, prophet, tree, stone, Jinn, idol, etc. If someone says, "O Messenger of Allah, help me," after his death (peace be upon him) or "O Shaykh Al­Badawy, help me or cure the diseased," or "O my master Al­Husayn," or "O my master `Abdul­Qadir," or help! help! All these forms are acts of Shirk that nullify the requirements of testifying that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, for he who does so does not worship Allah Alone, but worships partners with Him. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: And the mosques are for Allâh (Alone): so invoke not anyone along with Allâh. Allah (Glorified be He) also says: "And invoke not besides Allâh, any such that will neither profit you nor harm you, but if (in case) you did so, you shall certainly be one of the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong­doers)." Allah (Glorified be He) also says: And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allâh, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him) Allah (Glorified be He) also says: And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. Allah (Glorified be He) also says: You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything). 

The Prophet (may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him) also says: "Du`a' (supplication) is itself the `Ibadah." Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: Invoke Me, [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islâmic Monotheism) and ask Me for 

anything]Iwillrespondtoyour(invocation). Oneshoulddevote`Ibadah,

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including Du`a' to Allah Alone. If someone says to a deceased, tree, or idol, "help me or cure the diseased," this is considered a major Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) which contradicts the saying that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah. Likewise, he who denies the Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) or any other messenger and prophet (peace be upon them), doubts his message or claims that he was sent to the Arabs, not the non­Arabs or that he is not the last prophet, falls into Kufr (disbelief) and deviation and violates Islam. We ask Allah to grant us safety! 

Thus, we come to know that Al­Qadayaniyyah commit Kufr, for they believe that Al­Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is a prophet who came many centuries after Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It is a must to believe that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah to both Jinn and mankind and that he is the seal of all prophets and messengers and no messenger or prophet shall ever come after him. Whoever claims prophethood after Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) such as Musaylimah Al­Kadhab is a Kafir (disbeliever) and liar. So are Al­Aswad Al­`Ansy in Yemen , Sajah Al­Tamimiyyah and Al­Mukhtar ibn Abu `Ubayd Al­Thaqafy and others who claimed prophethood after Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them) agreed unanimously that whoever claims prophethood is Kafir and so they fought them, for denying the Saying of Allah (Glorified be He): Muhammad ( 

is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allâh and the last (end) of the Prophets. And )صـلى االله عليـه وسـلم AllâhisEverAll­Awareofeverything. TherearesomeMutawatirHadiths(Hadithsreportedbyasignificantnumber of narrators throughout the chain of narration, whose agreement upon a lie is impossible) to the effect that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: I am the seal of prophets and there is no prophet after me (may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him).

The Shahadah that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah is the essential and first pillar of Islam. 

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A person is not deemed a Muslim until he applies the Shahadah through utterances, actions and beliefs. If a person offers Salah and Sawm (fast), pays Zakah, performs Hajj and makes Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah) a lot, but does not believe that Allah Alone is worthy of worship, he is considered Kafir like the hypocrites. Similarly, he who does not mind worshipping idols, Al­Badawy , Al­Husayn , Shaykh `Abdul­Qadir , `Aly ibn Abu Talib or others of the prophets, Awliya' (pious people), angels or Jinn bedside worshipping Allah or thinks it is permissible to seek their help and make vows for them is considered a Mushrik (one who associates others with Allah in His Divinity or worship), for his speech and belief contradict testifying that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah. Allah (Glorified be He) says: But if they had joined in worship others with Allâh, all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says: And indeed it has been revealed to you (O Muhammad صلى االله عليه وسلم), as it was to those (Allâh’s Messengers) before you: "If you join others in worship with Allâh, (then) surely (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among the losers." Likewise, if a person calims that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is not the seal of the prophets or is not sent to both mankind and Jinn, or was sent to the Arabs only, he is Kafir according to Nas (Islamic text from the Qur’an or the Sunnah) and Ijma` (consensus of scholars). A Mukallaf should believe that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah to both mankind and Jinn and that he is the seal of prophets as no prophet or messenger shall ever come after him. This is the core of Iman. Then a Muslim is ordered to perform Salah, Sawm, Zakah and Hajj, in addition to abiding by commands and quitting prohibitions. Besides believing that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, one should believe in all earlier prophets (peace be upon them) and that they conveyed the message. 

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Moreover, one should believe in the reports that Allah and His Messenger made about the past and what will take place on the Day of Judgment.