Q. 1 What arc the essential pillars of Islam? Explain system of Rituals of Islam (Ibadat)?

Q. 1  What arc the essential pillars of Islam? Explain system of Rituals of Islam (Ibadat)?

Pillars of Islam
The five pillars - the declaration of faith (shahada), prayer (salah), alms-giving (zakat), fasting (sawm) and pilgrimage (hajj) - constitute the basic norms of Islamic practice. They are accepted by Muslims globally irrespective of ethnic, regional or sectarian differences. Upholding the pillars is considered obligatory for all sincere followers of the Prophet Muhammad, male and female, Sunni and Shi‘a, but that doesn't mean that all those who identify as Muslims keep them consistently. As in all religions, circumstances vary and some people are more committed than others. Such things as age, stage of life, work, family responsibilities, health and wealth all make a difference.
The pillars
The Shahada is the fundamental statement of faith and commitment made by Muslims: “There is no God but God (Allah), and Muhammad is His Messenger.” It distinguishes Muslims from those of other faiths. The Shahada is perhaps better known in the West as the Arabic phrase on the flags of ISIS, al-Shabaab and Boko Haram. However, the Shahada is by no means the preserve of violent groups, in fact reciting it three times in front of witnesses isno means the preserve of violent groups, in fact reciting it three times in front of witnesses is a requirement of becoming a Muslim.
Salah is the ritual prayer of Islam through which all Muslims conform to the will of Allah. Prayer is performed in the direction of Mecca five times a day. Friday is set aside as the day for congregational prayer (Jum’a). The ready knowledge that large numbers of Muslims will be gathered together for communal prayer has frequently been exploited by terrorist networks such as Islamic State. In 2015 and 2016, Shi‘a mosques were bombed in Kuwait, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Boko Haram has also attacked mosques in northern Nigeria. Places of worship full of people at prayer represent easy symbolic targets for suicide bombers, where maximum damage and loss of life can be achieved.
The term zakat refers to the obligatory donation of a portion of a Muslim’s surplus wealth. Islamic charities encourage donors to use their services to relieve suffering and to help refugees, victims of environmental disasters, the urban poor and those in conflict zones and in recent years relief has been provided in Gaza, Syria, Yemen and Iraq. Whilst the majority of charities operate within the law, some have been banned following allegations that they have used their resources to fund terrorist activities.



Sawm - Muslims arc expected to fast during Ramadan - the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. During daylight hours (which vary depending on the time of year in which Ramadan falls), they abstain from food and drink, sexual activity and smoking, breaking the fast with a meal after sunset. Those who are elderly, ill, pregnant or breast-feeding are exempt, and children are not required to participate.

Completing the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, is a duty that every Muslim should perform during their lifetime. All pilgrims should be in good physical and spiritual health before they make the journey. Whilst in Mecca, they complete a series of individual and collective actions on the various days of their visit, following a pattern set by Muhammad.

Some two million Muslims from around the world went on Hajj in 2015. The 25,000 pilgrims who travelled from the UK joined thousands of Muslims from many other countries, all performing the same rituals irrespective of their many differences.

Knowing something about the five pillars and their significance for Muslims isn't just important to correct misunderstandings about what Muslims believe, it is also important in the work environment and for good working relations. For example, Muslim colleagues may request breaks and a space for prayer as well as support whilst fasting during Ramadan or annual leave at the time of the Hajj. These are important issues for all Muslims, and not markers of fundamentalism. Understanding this better can help overcome prejudices about muslims.




System of Rituals of Islam (Ihadat)

To some writers, Islam provides a clear enunciation of ritual. They simply equate ritual (in Islam) with ‘ibadat, and ‘ibadat with the five pillars. The Arabic word ibadat (sing, ‘ibada) which literally means to enslave oneself (to God), when it is used as a religious term, refers to the ordinances of divine worship. For example, Bousquet prefers to define ‘ibadat as: submissive obedience to a master, and therefore, religious practice, corresponds, together with its synonyms ta'a, in the works of fikh, approximately to the ritual of Muslim law ..., as opposed to the mu’amala.

Bousquet's definition of ‘ibadat to denote ritual in Islam is strongly ‘fiqh’ (Islamic jurisprudence) orientated. He even warns us not to translate ‘ibadat as ‘cult’ if we are to follow credible theoretical understanding. He urges:

If we translate ‘ibadat with ‘cult’ we are committing something of theoretical error . for it has quite correctly been said that, strictly speaking, Islam knows no more of a cult, properly speaking, than . . . it does of law; nor, we should add, of ethics. Fikh is, in fact, a deontology (the statement of the whole corpus of duties, of acts whether obligatory, forbidden or recommended, etc.) which is imposed upon man

It is clear that the Cirebonese see ‘ibadat from two different perspectives, specific (khusus) or narrow and general (umum) or broad, and thus bring the concept of ibadat into ambiguity. The Cirebonese, however, have a complex enunciation of how this ambiguity is clarified and understood, at least for themselves.

Actually, Rippin and Denny are not unaware of Bosquet's over-statement on the issue. Rippin's words that ibadat is the ‘centre’ and Denny’s use of the word ‘basic’ or ‘main’ in referring to ibadat, in the context of ritual in Islam, indicate their awareness of the existence of other ibadat which do not belong to this ‘central’, ‘basic’ or ‘main’ category. Rippin's position becomes clearer when he also states that to the extent to which Muslim identity is expressed, ritual is not limited to the five pillars although the prominence of the grouping is obviously high. He notes that the mawlid festival celebrating the birth of the prophet Muhammad, various informal du'a prayer (invocations), and visits to tombs are ‘additional’ ritual-type activities which are considered by many Muslims to be significant for the expression of their faith. It is true that many Muslims deny that these ‘additional’ practices which go beyond the enactment of the five pillars belong to ‘ibadat or Islamic ritual. They even denounce these activities as sinful innovations and condemn their observants for committing sin.

Actually, Rippin and Denny are not unaware of Bosquet’s over-statement on the issue. Rippin’s words that ibadat is the ‘centre’ and Denny’s use of the word ‘basic’ or ‘main’ in referring to ibadat, in the context of ritual in Islam, indicate their awareness of the existence of other ibadat which do not belong to this ‘central’, ‘basic’ or ‘main’ category. Rippin's position becomes clearer when he also states that to the extent to which Muslim identity is expressed, ritual is not limited to the five pillars although the prominence of the grouping is obviously high. He notes that the mawlid festival celebrating the birth of the prophet Muhammad, various informal du'a prayer (invocations), and visits to tombs are ‘additional’ ritual-type activities which are considered by many Muslims to be significant for the expression of their faith. It is true that many Muslims deny that these ‘additional’ practices which go beyond the enactment of the five pillars belong to ‘ibadat or Islamic ritual.

Owing to Bousquct's definition it is not surprising that Rippin (1990) asserts that ritual in Islam centres on the five pillars. Rippin considers the notion of the five pillars represents the epitome of the revealed law as enacted through ritual activity. The five actions embedded in the five pillars —the witness to faith (syahadat), prayer (salat), charity (zakat), fasting (sawm), and pilgrimage (hajj)— being an integral part of the belief system and a part of the explication of theological statements of belief, are duties for which each individual is responsible, separate from general ethics and rules of interpersonal relationship. At this stage Rippin implies that what he meant with his statement that ritual in Islam ‘centres’ on the five pillars refers to what is found in the treatises of fiqh. In fiqh books ‘ibadat is discussed separately from other subjects such as mu'amalat (rules of economic

contract), munakahat (rules of marriage), jinayat (rules of expiation), hudud (rules of punishment), faraidl (rules of inheritance) and jihad (rules of warfare).

Another writer also adopts a similar perspective. Denny (1985:69) points out that the most ‘basic’ term for ritual in Islam is ‘ibadat, meaning worship or service of inferiors toward their superior, their Lord. Denny clearly uses the term ‘ibadat to refer to the same activities noted by Rippin. Denny says that all of the official duties of Islam are subsumed under ‘ibadat, the

At the point at which the fiqh is concerned, it is clear indeed, as all Muslims unanimously agree that the enactment of the five pillars is undeniably and undoubtedly ‘ibadat. Nevertheless, Islam cannot be reduced to fiqh and thus, ibadat is more than the enactment of the five pillars. There are many other activities which are not set down in fiqh. The equation of ritual in Islam with ‘ibadat and then ‘ibadat with the five pillars to some extent is warranted but should not be overemphasised because seen in a different context it could be misleading.