*** THE FIVE BASIC INSTITUTIONS OF ISLAM***


The Five Basic Institutions on which Edifice of Islam is reared up:

[1]  IMAN is the motive force for heroic performance in allegiance to sole Sovereign Allah, to attain and maintain World Unity, World Peace and plenty for all people. Iman fires enthusiasm, inspirits the will to conquer and inculcates contempt of death to reach the target of World Unity and World Peace, following the ideal life-pattern and life-examples of Muhammad – the Last Messenger of Islam

[2]   SALAT is the formal service of allegiance to sole Sovereign Allah, and self-dedication to the World Order of Islam (4:103, 17:79,11:114, 22:78). Salat is State function, and it is always led by the head of the State of Islam. The Messenger of Allah led the Salat services throughout his life. The constitutional Caliphs of Islam used to lead Salat services during their term. Salat is described in the sayings of Muhammad as ‘The key to Paradise’ and ‘Ascension of the believers to Heaven’. It was, for him, the apple of the eye. The Qur’an says: Prostrate yourself and draw nearer to Allah to gain His audience (96:19). Salat is the communion between the servants and Allah - the Master of the Worlds. It is performed in the spirit of humility and in remembrance of Allah. It keeps Allah-Consciousness ever fresh in the heart of the believers. Salat has purifying effect on the soul, and observance of Salat is meant to keep a believer from all sorts of 
indecencies (29:45).

[3]   SIYAM is ordained process of self-purification to keep body and soul in a state of perfect trim (2:183).  Observance of siyam helps to attain ‘Taqwa’ or the Allah-consciousness and it generates the spirit of heroism to fight all wrongs and all evils.

[4]   ZAKAT is the compulsory State levy at prescribed rates on the annual net savings after meeting all kinds of liabilities and expenditures. Zakat means that which purifies and fosters. It purifies the giver from the taint of selfishness and augments social development (30:39). Zakat is to be administered to eradicate poverty, misery, ignorance and unskilled labour and not to multiply the number of beggars &c.

ONCE LEGITIMATE NEEDS HAVE BEEN FILLED AT A MODEST SCALE (NO EXTRAVAGANCE IS PERMITTED) THE REST IS THE SURPLUS (= AL ‘AFW 2:219, 7:199).

Unused and uninvested surplus however, is to be surrendered to, and to be collected by, the State of Islam, which guarantees securities of means and employment on a World basis to all. These measures have been enacted to finance the Welfare Programme of the State to eradicate and banish poverty, ignorance and all kinds of maladies from the World.

[5]  HAJJ is the Annual March Past of humanity around the Ka’aba at Makkah, and the Annual World Moot at Arafah and Muzdalifah, and the Annual Campaigns, and the Annual Dinners at the Plateau of Mina to demonstrate and keep alive the sense and spirit of unity of human race. The Hajj is the institution which inspires mankind to live as World Citizens without 
the gadgets of passports and visas (2:196, 3:97) and Jihad in the cause of Allah, that is, to undertake war only for World Unity, Justice and Peace under the sole Sovereignty of Allah.

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