Page 85 - World Religions I - Islam

• The Five Pillars are summarized in the famous Hadith of Gabriel.
o "One day while the Prophet was sitting in the company of some people, (the angel) Gabriel came and
asked, 'What is faith?' Allah's Apostle replied, 'Faith is to believe in Allah, His angels, (the) meeting with Him,
His Apostles, and to believe in Resurrection.' Then he further asked, 'What is Islam?' Allah's Apostle replied, 'To
worship Allah alone and none else, to offer prayers perfectly, to pay the compulsory charity (Zakat) and to
observe fasts during the month of Ramadan.'"1 The Hadith of Gabriel contains the best summary of the
core tenants of Islam. The Five Pillars are also recorded many other places throughout the Hadith.
• The Five Pillars are presented as a framework for worship and a sign of commitment to Islam.
• The majority Sunni and minority Shi'a both agree on the essential details for the performance of the general acts
of the Five Pillars, but Shi'a do not refer to them by the same name (and generally add to the list).

The Shahada (Creed)
The Shahada is the Islamic statement of faith which professes monotheism (the oneness of God, or tawhid) and the
acceptance of the prophethood of Muhammad.

• The Shahada states, "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God." Shi'tes add the following
line: "and Ali is the wali (viceregent) of God." The second part of the Shahada carries several implied conditions
that relate to Muhammad, namely: the firm belief in him and his message; obedience to all his commands; to
emulate his way of life; to love him more than you love yourself or any other; and to understand and practice his
habits (sunnah).
o The term "shahada" comes from a verb meaning "to bear witness" or "to confess", and means "to know and
believe without suspicion, as if witnessed; testification."2
o While Christians and Jews generally have no qualms about declaring the oneness of God, the Shahada
incorporates by implication the concept of la sharikah, or that there are no equal partners associated
with God (which, according to Islam, eliminates the concept of the Trinity).
• Reciting the Shahada is a key part of a person's conversion to Islam.
o Most traditional schools of Islam only require a single honest recitation of the Shahada in Arabic with
comprehension and understanding in order for a person to become a Muslim. It's interesting to note that
while Islam is said to have existed since the beginning of time and superseded Muhammad, the
recitation of the Shahada (which includes Muhammad's prophethood) is required for one to become a
Muslim.
o The Shahada is without value unless it is earnest. Islamic scholars have developed criteria for testing the
earnestness of the recitation of the Shahada based off of information in the Qur'an and the Hadith.
 al-'Ilm - Knowledge of the meaning of the Shahada and both its negation and affirmation.
 al-Yaqeen - Certainty that counteracts suspicion and doubt. 3. al-Ikhlaas - Sincerity which
negates shirk (the sin of idolatry or polytheism).
 al-Sidq - Truthfulness that permits neither falsehood or hypocrisy.
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