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Foundations of Islam
An introduction to Allah’s oneness, the testimony of faith, the Five Pillars, and the beliefs that guide Muslim life.
Key concepts
The shahadah: the testimony of faith
The shahadah expresses the foundation of Islam: only Allah deserves worship, and Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger. Its two parts connect devotion to Allah with following the guidance delivered by His Messenger.
The Quran explains that humans and jinn were created to worship Allah. Worship gives life a purpose and includes prayer, sincere obedience, and good deeds performed for His sake.
Knowing Allah’s oneness
Tawhid means affirming Allah’s oneness and directing worship to Him alone. Surah al-Ikhlas presents this belief in a short, memorable form: Allah is One, He neither has offspring nor was born, and no one is comparable to Him.
These teachings give the believer a clear focus for prayer, hope, and reliance. Allah’s uniqueness is central to understanding every other part of faith.
The Five Pillars of Islam
Islam is built upon five pillars: the shahadah, the five daily prayers, zakat, fasting in Ramadan, and Hajj for those able to undertake it. Together, they give faith a regular place in personal and communal life.
Prayer and fasting shape daily and yearly routines, zakat connects wealth with responsibility, and pilgrimage brings believers together in worship. Each pillar has its own conditions and practical requirements.
The six articles of iman
Iman means faith. The hadith of Jibril identifies six articles: belief in Allah, His angels, His revealed books, His messengers, the Last Day, and qadar, Allah’s decree, concerning both good and evil.
Belief in the angels acknowledges servants of Allah who carry out His commands. Belief in qadar recognises Allah’s decree while keeping the believer mindful of their own duties and actions.
Revealed books and messengers
Muslims believe in the books Allah revealed and in all His messengers. Among the named revelations are the Torah given to Musa, the Zabur given to Dawud, and the Injil given to Isa. The Quran is the revelation given to Muhammad.
The messengers conveyed Allah’s guidance to their peoples. Muhammad is the final prophet, as affirmed in Quran 33:40. Learning about earlier messengers helps readers recognise the shared call to faith and obedience.
The Last Day and accountability
The Last Day is the day of resurrection and judgement, when people will answer for their actions. The Quran teaches that even the smallest good or evil deed will be brought to account, making everyday choices meaningful.
Allah alone knows the exact time of the Hour. Belief in the Hereafter encourages preparation through faith, sincere worship, and fair treatment of others.
Ihsan: excellence in worship
In the hadith of Jibril, ihsan is worshipping Allah with the awareness one would have if seeing Him, while knowing that He sees us. It describes attentiveness and sincerity in the relationship with Allah.
Ihsan brings depth to outward acts of worship. A believer strives to pray with care, act honestly, and do good even when no other person is watching.
Further reading and resources
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