The fundamental religious duties recognized by Islam are the five pillars included in the prophet's(PBUH) Hadith:
Abi Abd Al Rahman Abdul Allah Ibn Umar Ibn Al Khathab narrated “Islam is built upon five pillars: Testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah; performing prayer, paying the Zakkah, fasting the month of Ramadan; and pilgrimage to Makkah, for Those who can afford it."
عن أبي عبد الرحمن عبد الله بن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنهما قال : سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول : ( بني الإسلام على خمس : شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله ، وأن محمدا رسول الله ، وإقام الصلاة ، وإيتاء الزكاة ، وحج البيت ، وصوم رمضان ) رواه البخاري ومسلم .
The below - mentioned diagram shows the importance of the five pillars as follows:
The top of the table is your first pillar Testimony. It is supported by four legs. if one leg is broken, Will the table be standing straight? Of course not I Therefore, if you don't practice any of these pillars. Your faith will not be strong and firm. For example, if you don't perform your prayer. Your faith will not be firm . So to keep your faith firm. You must practice all the pillars of Islam,
The five pillars serve all spiritual purposes and satisfy human needs some of them are daily. Some weekly, some monthly. Some bi - annually, some annually and some are required as a minimum once in lifetime.so, they embrace all the days of the week. All the weeks of the month. All the years of life, and above all, they mark the whole course of life with the Divine touch.
Their significance:
Briefly they may be summed up as follows:
They are the basis of an entire way of life for a Muslim.
They lay the foundation of faith and goodness in the human soul.
They strengthen the love of Allah and the prophet Muhammad “PBUH".
They strengthen the believer's power of resistance to forces of evil and destruction.
They urge Muslims to be compassionate to the poor, the needy and orphans.
They don't recognize any kind of separation between soul and body. Spirit and matter. Religion and life, because Allah has created man composed of soul and body.
They make a balance between spiritual life and physical needs.
Therefore, They elevate the spiritual life and discipline the physical desires.
Conclusion:
The significance mentioned - above shows why Islam extends its sense of organization to all features of life: individual and social behavior. Labour and industry. Economics and politics. National and international relations. and so on . Thus, the five pillars create the true Islamic personality and become the foundation of the entire moral fabric of the Individual and the community.
The Pillars of Islam (A simplified Introduction to The basic principles of Islam)
By: DR. 'Atiya Saqr
Chairman of Fatwa Committee at AL - AZHAR
Translated By: Sheikh
Mohammed Gemeah 'ah Office of the Grand Imam. Sheikh AL-AZHAR