Advice of Scholars - THE FIVE PRINCIPLES OF ISLAM

Hadrat Imâm-i Rabbânî says in the 67th letter of the second volume of his Maktûbât:

The first principle of Islam is belief in Allâhu ta’âlâ and His Prophet. That is, it is to love them, like and admit their words.

After correcting the belief, it is certainly necessary to do the commands of the Sharî’at, to refrain from its prohibitions, that is, to carry out the rules of Islam. One should perform namâz five times without being slack or lazy. One should perform it with ta’dil-i arkân and in jamâ’at. “It is namâz which distinguishes the Muslim from the kâfir. ” [A person who performs namâz correctly and well is a Muslim. If a person performs namâz incorrectly or does not perform it at all, his being a Muslim is doubtful. ] When a person performs namâz correctly and well, he has held fast to Islam’s rope. For, namâz is the second of Islam’s five principles.

Islam’s third principle is to pay zakât.

Islam’s fourth principle is to fast every day in the blessed month of Ramadân.

Its fifth principle is to perform hajj by making tawâf around the Ka’ba-i mu’azzama.

Islam’s first principle, îmân, is to believe with the heart and express it with the tongue. And the other four principles are the worships that are to be done with the body and intended with the heart. Namâz, which has accumulated all worships in itself, is the highest of all. On the Day of Judgement the first questioning will be on namâz. If namâz is correct, all the other questions, with the help of Allâhu ta’âlâ, will pass easily.