Islam, in its lexical sense, means to surrender and to enter into peace; as the name of the religion, it expresses that a person surrenders himself solely to Allah (God), and does not serve anyone other than Him. This page is an introductory guide compiled from sources in the Keşkül library: at the end of each section, you will find links to writings that deepen the topic.
The Essence of Islam: Tawhid
The entire structure of Islam rests upon a single foundation: bearing witness that there is no god but Allah. The Qur'an expresses this essence as follows:
"They were only commanded to worship Allah, devoting religion sincerely to Him, turning away from false religions, to establish prayer, and to give zakat. That is the upright religion." (Surah al-Bayyina, 98:5)
In his commentary on this verse, the commentator of Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn notes that previous communities were also only commanded to worship Allah and to make religion exclusive to Him—that is, to live upon tawhid (the oneness of God) and ikhlas (sincerity). For details: Tawhid: Turning to Allah with Sincerity, the Essence of Piety. Imam al-Ghazali likens tawhid to a priceless jewel; he explains that the verbal utterance of the kalima of tawhid is the shell of this jewel, while the heart living by it is its essence: The Forty Pillars of Tawhid: The Quest for Inner Meaning.
Becoming Muslim: The Testimony of Faith (Shahada)
Entry into Islam is through the testimony of faith (shahada): "Ashhadu an lā ilāha illā Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ʿabduhū wa rasūluh"—I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is His servant and Messenger. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) gave the glad tidings that the shahada, pronounced after performing ablution well, opens the gates of Paradise; for the full hadith and its explanation: The Shahada that Opens the Gates of Paradise.
The Fundamental Acts of Worship in Islam
After the shahada, the pillars of Islam are prayer (ṣalāh), zakat (almsgiving), fasting (ṣawm), and pilgrimage (ḥajj). The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) personally taught this order when sending Muʿādh (may Allah be pleased with him) to Yemen:
"You are going to a people of the Book. Invite them to bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah. If they accept and obey this, then inform them that Allah has enjoined upon them five prayers every day and night..." (For the continuation and explanation of the hadith, see the source)
Source: Muʿādh’s Mission to Yemen: Iman, Prayer, Zakat, and Justice. The answer the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave to a Companion who asked, "Tell me an action that will take me to Paradise," also outlines the same framework: The Path to Paradise: Worship, Prayer, Zakat, Kinship.
Islam is Not Only Worship
Imam al-Ghazali summarizes the practical aspect of religious sciences under three headings: Islam (the principles of iman (faith)), prayer and zakat, and the lawful and unlawful. That is, Islam encompasses belief, worship, and the morality of daily life as a single whole: The Role of the Intellect in Islamic Ethics: The Balance Between Jurisprudence and Ikhlas. Commitment to justice is also part of this whole; for Islam’s stance against injustice: Islam’s Attitude Towards Unjust Rulers.
Related Articles
- Tawhid: Turning to Allah with Sincerity, the Essence of Piety
- Muʿādh’s Mission to Yemen: Iman, Prayer, Zakat, and Justice
- The Path to Paradise: Worship, Prayer, Zakat, Kinship
- The Shahada that Opens the Gates of Paradise: The Blessing and Virtues of Ablution
- The Root and Branches of Iman: An Ethical Guide from al-Ghazali
- All articles in the Islamic Ethics section
The next step in the guide: Belief in Allah →