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Thread: Very basic question about the 5 pillars
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Someone asked me if the 5 pillars had to be listed in a certain order, ie.

1) Shahada
2) Salat
3) Zakat
4) Sawm
5) Hajj

I always heard them in that order but didn't know if its because they are in order of importance or if they can be listed in any order.

I searched online and found that some people listed them with Zakat and Sawm the other way around. Does this mean that order is not important? or is it just that some people have a different order of importance?
 
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they're all important, some have more leeway given that they're not as accessible as the others, for example the pilgrimage/Hajj is only obligatory if one an afford it and the roads are safe etc, and obviously if one does not affirm the declaration of faith/Shahada then how is one a Muslim in the first place? so we can perhaps conclude that the shahada is the most important one, and then come the rest. think of Islam as a key, and the five pillars being the 'teeth' of the key, a key might work if a tooth were missing, but more probably it won't, and if the key has only a single tooth or maybe two, and the lock has five grooves, then the key will be useless regardless of having a single tooth or two. this is how my teacher explained it to us in class when I was in junior high school, hope it helps

of course one could be considered Muslim even without knowing about the five pillars, for example people who haven't received the message of Islam but strive to be good and so on, but for the purpose of your question I don't the scope of your question includes that.
 
alcurad said:
they're all important, some have more leeway given that they're not as accessible as the others, for example the pilgrimage/Hajj is only obligatory if one an afford it and the roads are safe etc, and obviously if one does not affirm the declaration of faith/Shahada then how is one a Muslim in the first place? so we can perhaps conclude that the shahada is the most important one, and then come the rest. think of Islam as a key, and the five pillars being the 'teeth' of the key, a key might work if a tooth were missing, but more probably it won't, and if the key has only a single tooth or maybe two, and the lock has five grooves, then the key will be useless regardless of having a single tooth or two. this is how my teacher explained it to us in class when I was in junior high school, hope it helps

of course one could be considered Muslim even without knowing about the five pillars, for example people who haven't received the message of Islam but strive to be good and so on, but for the purpose of your question I don't the scope of your question includes that.
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Thanks for the reply but you've just written what I asked. I know that some are more important and some less important/conditional, but is this the definite reason for the order? or can they be ordered any way you choose.

They are taken from the Hadith but is this the order in which they were mentioned in narrations or is this an order created by a Muslim organisation of some sort? It would be good to know how it originated and if its disrespectful to list it in a different order.

btw I now know why there is so much crime in America... if your keys work with 1 tooth missing :O :O
 
Ferown said:
:sl:

Someone asked me if the 5 pillars had to be listed in a certain order, ie.

1) Shahada
2) Salat
3) Zakat
4) Sawm
5) Hajj

I always heard them in that order but didn't know if its because they are in order of importance or if they can be listed in any order.

I searched online and found that some people listed them with Zakat and Sawm the other way around. Does this mean that order is not important? or is it just that some people have a different order of importance?
Click to expand...

I think this might 4th would be Zakah and 3rd as the Sawm
 
I believe that the reason they are written in this order is because this is the order the Prophet (saws) gave them in when the angel Gabriel (as) asked him to describe islam. No where in the hadith (nor in anything else that I have read) does it say that one is more important than the other.

Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (ra) reports: One day when we were with Allah's Messenger (saw), a man with very white clothing and very black hair came up to us. No mark of travel was visible on him, and none of us recognized him. Sitting down beside the Prophet (saw), leaning his knees against his and placing his hands on his thighs, he said: “Tell me, Muhammad, about Islam.” He replied: “Islam means that you should testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (saw) is Allah's Messenger, that you should observe the prayer, pay the Zakat, fast during Ramadan, and make the pilgrimage to the House if you are able to go there.” He said: “You have spoken the truth.” We were surprised at his questioning him and then declaring that he spoke the truth.

He said: “Now tell me about Iman.” He replied: “It means that you should believe in Allah (swt), His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and that you should believe in the decreeing both of good and evil.” Remarking that he had spoken the truth, he then said: “Now tell me about Ihsan.” He replied: “It means that you should worship Allah (swt) as though you see Him, for He sees you though you do not see Him.”

He said: “Now tell me about the Hour.” He replied: “The one who is asked about it is no better informed than the one who is asking.” He said: “Then tell me about its signs.” He replied: “That a maid-servant should beget her mistress, and that you should see barefooted, naked, poor men and shepherds exalting themselves in buildings.”

[Umar] says: He then went away, and after I had waited for a long time, [the Prophet] said to me: “Do you know who the questioner was, Umar?” I replied: “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said: “He was Gabriel who came to you to teach you your religion.” (Narrated by Muslim)
 
UmmSqueakster said:
I believe that the reason they are written in this order is because this is the order the Prophet (saws) gave them in when the angel Gabriel (as) asked him to describe islam. No where in the hadith (nor in anything else that I have read) does it say that one is more important than the other.

Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (ra) reports: One day when we were with Allah's Messenger (saw), a man with very white clothing and very black hair came up to us. No mark of travel was visible on him, and none of us recognized him. Sitting down beside the Prophet (saw), leaning his knees against his and placing his hands on his thighs, he said: “Tell me, Muhammad, about Islam.” He replied: “Islam means that you should testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (saw) is Allah's Messenger, that you should observe the prayer, pay the Zakat, fast during Ramadan, and make the pilgrimage to the House if you are able to go there.” He said: “You have spoken the truth.” We were surprised at his questioning him and then declaring that he spoke the truth.

He said: “Now tell me about Iman.” He replied: “It means that you should believe in Allah (swt), His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and that you should believe in the decreeing both of good and evil.” Remarking that he had spoken the truth, he then said: “Now tell me about Ihsan.” He replied: “It means that you should worship Allah (swt) as though you see Him, for He sees you though you do not see Him.”

He said: “Now tell me about the Hour.” He replied: “The one who is asked about it is no better informed than the one who is asking.” He said: “Then tell me about its signs.” He replied: “That a maid-servant should beget her mistress, and that you should see barefooted, naked, poor men and shepherds exalting themselves in buildings.”

[Umar] says: He then went away, and after I had waited for a long time, [the Prophet] said to me: “Do you know who the questioner was, Umar?” I replied: “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said: “He was Gabriel who came to you to teach you your religion.” (Narrated by Muslim)
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A perfect answer; thank you.
 
Supreme said:
Hajj can't be last? That's the most appealling part of Islam in my opinion!
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Your opinion counts as zilch in this matter, and I'm sure you realized that.

Anyway, hajj is only expected once in a lifetime and even then only if you can afford it. Why is it more important than establishing daily prayers, annual month-long fasting, and zakat/alms from monthly/annual income?

However, I understand that this is hard for christians to believe, because if left to them, they would have unquestionably changed that, and would have decided that hajj is the most important while the rest is unnecesary. It would be like how most christians who celebrate annual pagan christmast holidays while rejecting acts of worships prescribed by Jesus pbuh (who is claimed as their god) such as fastings, daily worships, etc.
 
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Your opinion counts as zilch in this matter, and I'm sure you realized that.
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I'm intelligent, heck, perhaps one of the most intelligent people in my college. I understand everything. You would have to go out of your way to give me something I don't understand.
 
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Supreme said:
I'm intelligent, heck, perhaps one of the most intelligent people in my college. I understand everything. You would have to go out of your way to give me something I don't understand.
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Modesty.
 
Supreme said:
I'm intelligent, heck, perhaps one of the most intelligent people in my college. I understand everything. You would have to go out of your way to give me something I don't understand.
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Good for you.
 
I personally think that the hardest one to follow would be Jihad. As it is a struggle against temptations towards sin, and those sins can be disguised as worldly pleasures. Also, if somebody is disabled, are they still required to go on the Hajj? And if someone is on medications that require them to eat, are they required to fast?
 
^^^Jihad is not a pillar of islam , only these are the pillars

1) Shahada
2) Salat
3) Zakat
4) Sawm
5) Hajj