Hi, ok the fundamentals of Islam are simple. I’ll quote legitimate references from two sources, which we muslims use in our daily lives:
- Qur’an (Which we believer is the final message revealed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ) and
- Sunnah (The teachings, sayings and livelihood of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which has been compiled into collections, known as hadith)
These two make the primary sources of Islamic Theology, and where Shariah Law is derived from.
Note: If you see ﷺ anywhere, it is just an honorific we give to the Prophet Muhammad, which means [Peace Be Upon Him], we give the same (AlayhiSalam) honour to all the Prophets in Islam; Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus [Peace Be Upon Them All] (those are only a few of the Prophets in Islam, who are also mentioned in Christianity and Judaism).
Now, to the fundamentals of Islam
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنه:Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said: Islam is based on (the following) five (principles):1. Shahadah: To testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger ﷺ.2. Salah: To offer the prayers dutifully and perfectly.3. To pay Zakah (i.e. obligatory charity) .4. To perform Hajj. (i.e. Pilgrimage to Mecca)5. To observe Fast during the month of Ramadan.
[Sahih Bukhari: Book 2, Hadith 1]
1. Shahadah; this is the most important principle, it is the declaration of faith. Declaring the Oneness of God. Without believing in Allah and Muhammad ﷺ being his Final Messenger, one cannot be a muslim. Even if one is forced to declare this, it is still not true belief. A person also cannot force another into believing this, because again it does not mean true belief.
2. Salah; This is just as important as the Shahadah. It is the offering of 5 daily prayers: Fajr (During Dawn), Zuhr (Slighty after Midday), Asr (Afternoon), Maghrib (During Sunset), Isha (Evening/Night). These are the 5 compulsory prayers which every muslim must offer. There are also congregations prayers on Friday (Jumm’uah) where the Imam (Leader of the Mosque/Community) will deliver a sermon.
3. Zakah; This is an obligatory charity that muslims must give every year. The Zakah given differs upon every muslim as it is based on income and value of specific possessions/assets. There are other types of charity that a muslim can give. This is not compulsory on every muslim, as those who are poor are exempt.
4. Hajj: This is the pilgrimage millions of muslims perform every year, by visiting the Holy Mosque. Hajj is compulsory on those who are physically and financially able to do so.
5. Fasting during Ramadan; Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, and it is the month where the Prophet ﷺ first received his revelation, through the Angel Jibril. Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset throughout this month, we do not eat anything… and no ‘not even water’.
These are the five basic principles.
A muslim must also believe in the Torah; revealed to Moses (Musa AlayhiSalam), The Book of Psalms; revealed to David (Daud AlayhiSalam), the Gospels; revealed to Jesus (Isa AlayhiSalam) and the Lost Scrolls of Abraham; revealed to Abraham (Ibrahim AlayhiSalam).
The information above is just touching the surface of Islam, there is much more to learn about. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask.
To anyone else reading this, if I have made a mistake or missed anything out, please correct me :)
