Al-Baghdadi on the Pillars of Islam - Religion Essay Example

Al-Baghdadi on the pillars of Islam is a topic or rather a chapter of its own that is concerned with five pillars. These are the five pillars that are set out to ensure that the children of Islam grow in the religion witnessing the presence of God and not gods, rising for the prayers, charity giving, Ramadan fasting and pilgrimage performance in the house in Mecca among other (Rippin & Knappert, 2006). The pillars are concerned with the following from the first to the fifth respectively, the shahada, the prayer, the charity, the fasting in the month of Ramadan, and the last one is the pilgrimage.

The Shahada

Is saying of taking the perception that there is no god, but there is a God who has a messenger by the name Muhammad. Thus la-ilaha ill-Allah wa inna Muhammad rasul Allah. The pillar depicts significant aspects of the fact that god will not hear anyone who says the shahada unless that person is true to the statement with huge understanding and has that sense of sincerity. Therefore, in this case, any individual who pretends to know God but is not a believer in God will never be heard. In fact, one will not have redemption from any punishment due to this. At some point, such individual can be considered for death in cases whereby the repugnant innovation is evident such as the Qarmatians and theRafidites (Rippin & Knappert, 2006). Thus, such a person requires no prayers. However, with the innovation of the Qadarites, that severance of the inheritance between the innovator and the people of the Sunna is considered to be the most theologian. It is evident that this is the reason as to why al-Harith al-Muhasibi was prevented from inheriting from his father. Therefore, the jurists and the theologians have come to agree the prayer should not be permissible standing behind Mu'tazilite nor said to this person or even share with such a person in eating animals the person has slaughtered. On the other hand, Karramites have the mind such hypocrites are true believers (Rippin & Knappert, 2006). The pillar reminds individuals the purpose to worship with simply following God's instructions or rather teachings.

The Prayer

It is an obligation of taking a prescribed number of prayers as well as the specified number of rak'as with no any form of shortcut to be seventeen. However, if shortened during incidences such as traveling can be eleven. Therefore, anyone who fails to follow such an obligation becomes unbeliever (Rippin & Knappert, 2006) automatically. Also, the witr prayer brings a huge disagreement amongst individual for it is believed that anybody who follows this prayer is an unbeliever in God. Therefore, karramites are in this case taken to be unbelievers because they stand by the fact that they do not agree with a prescription of prayers and thus not obligatory to it. Another significant disagreement on those who believe in the obligatory but firmly refrains from the prayer. It is evident when Ahmed ibn Hanbal takes them, unbelievers, while al-Shafi'I feel they should be killed. Any individual who does not take the Friday prayers, as well as the various prayers pertaining different festival along with the people of Sunna, is an unbeliever. It is because the Friday prayer is obligatory to all except the women, slaves, the sick, and those attending the sick. In fact, the prescribed prayers have time requirement that is fixed and anything outside of that time is not permissible (Rippin & Knappert, 2006). Furthermore, in the Islamic tradition, the adherents to faith in performing daily prayers are an expectation.

Charity

Charity is the third pillar of Islam. It is an important aspect concerning the Islamic faith that centers the idea of giving generally. Ushr is the type of charity or rather zakar that is obligatory to all. It consists of giving cow, sheep, raisins, and dates, grains that are edible and giving of merchandise at the end of Ramadan. Thus, reminds the rich in the society their duty to the poor and the aspect of strengthening brotherhood amongst the people. Those how do not follow this are unbelievers in exception of the merchandise. However, there is a conflict between giving things such as horses, jewelry, and fruits, herbs, saffron and honey that rests in the opinion of an individual. Every charity obligation must be made in complete and receipts must be issued for the same except for that at the end of Ramadan. Jurists disagree with these matters (Rippin & Knappert, 2006). Therefore, the pillar is meant to ordinary individuals but with a stress on helping other and that dedication to one's life with a motive of promoting the sense of humanity.

The Fast in The Month Of Ramadan

It is an obligation that comes with a penalty. It is recognized as a custom within the elite and the jurists who are the unbelievers. Therefore, it is necessary to begin the month of Ramadan by sighting the new moon or instead for thirty days to have passed in Sha'ban (Rippin & Knappert, 2006). There comes with it disagreement among individuals such as the Refidites that take this month to be beginning on a given day regardless of the sighting of the new moon. It is during this period that individuals especially those who are believers are expected to fast by, abstaining from food or drinks from dawn to sunset, they are also devoted to prayers community services as well as different reflections.

The Pilgrimage to Mecca

The obligation of this pillar is once in a lifetime for anyone who has the ability and is in the capacity to do so. According to al-Shafi'i, the obligation has four aspects that include the following; the donning of the ihram, the standing at Arafa, the circumambulation of the Ka'ba, and finally the running between the al-Safa and al-Marwa. The standing period starts when the sun sets in the day of o the true appearance when the day breaks on that day of offering a sacrifice. The circumambulation should be performed minimally seven times as well as the run between the al-Shafi'i and al-Marwa (Rippin & Knappert, 2006). However, there is a disagreement concerning this obligation of matters dealing with the various aspects that are found within this obligation. In a general opinion, the prayers need or rather requires some elements that include the following; ablution, covering of the genitals, arriving at the proper time and using one's judgment when it is not the case.

In conclusion, the five pillars are important in one way or the other to various groups of individual. In fact, all the five are commended by the Allah but not comprehensively. For this reason, those who are too ill to fast, poor to express certain levels of charity, go on Hajj tends to live a life that is completely in obedience to pillars. However, it leaves the prayer to those who are unable to make prayers because they are very sick or too old and thus making their movement very difficult. Above all, most importantly, the pillars are made to remind Muslims about the teaching of Islam, unite the Muslims and strengthen the links between them during worship, support the general development of consciousness of Allah and helps Muslims to put God first in everything they are involved. It is through this pillars that Islamic children are brought up as responsible individuals in the society. Thus, they act as a foundation as Islamic faith.

Reference

Rippin, A., & Knappert, Jan. (2006). Textual sources for the study of Islam. Charlesbourg, Quebec: Braille Jymico Inc.