Islam is based on 5 things

<span class="content1"><strong>Islam is based on 5 things.</strong> <strong>From Mawaaiz-e-Hasana by Hadhrat Muhaddith-e-Deccan (May Allah SWT shower His Mercy on him) </strong> <p>Hadith:</p> <p>Translation: The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Islam is based on 5 things.</p> <p>1. Testifying that there is no God except Allah SWT and that the Holy Prophet Hadhrat Muhammad Mustafa (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is the Prophet of Allah SWT.</p> <p>2. Offering Salaat.</p> <p>3. Giving Zakaat (those who are eligible)</p> <p>4. Fasting in Ramadhan.</p> <p>5. Performing Haj (those who can afford it)</p> <p>Hadhrat Hasan Basri (May Allah SWT shower His Mercy on him) says: Islam is that we surrender (hand over) our heart to Allah SWT and that no one is hurt through Muslims. The perfection of Muslims is Islam. You acquire perfect Islam and Insha Allah you will become respected without any material things. Remember! Respect is not through money, wealth, clothes or get up, for Muslims respect is through Islam. In earlier times, Muslims used to be perfect Muslims, so they were respected. Now we are Muslims only in name, so we are insulted and humiliated.</p> <p>The mark of a Muslim is that he/she is firm in religion and has Yaqeen (certitude, certainty) in Iman, fulfils the rights of Allah SWT and the rights of the creation, is moderate when rich and patient when destitute and poor, is benevolent when strong and patient when overburdened. Desires do not rule over him/her and greed does not humiliate him/her. There is no defect in his/her niyyah (intention); helps the oppressed, has mercy on the poor; is neither a miser nor extravagant; when somebody oppresses him/her they forgive and excuses the illiterate. His/Her self (nafs) is stifled in their hand, but others are happy with him.</p> <p>Islam is not only belief in the heart and declaration by the tongue, but it is to cross those stages and reach the stage of Ihsaan. This is that stage in which the difference between &ldquo;seeing&rdquo; and &ldquo;testifying&rdquo; does not exist. The awareness of the Lord is such that all the time we feel as if He is present with us.</p> <p>Hafidh Ibn Taimiya says: The beauty of Islam is that the beliefs (Aqaaid) are correct and Islam is accepted both outwardly and inwardly and while performing every action, this awareness is present that the sight of the Ultimate Lord is forever seeing us and He is not far from us but is so close that even our jugular is not so close to us.</p> <p>Hadhrat Ghouse Azam (May Allah SWT shower His Mercy on him) says: If there is no Islam, there is no Iman. If there is no Iman, there is no Yaqeen. If there is no Yaqeen, there is no Ma&rsquo;arifah (Realization of Allah SWT).</p> <p>These are all stations and stages of progress. When Islam is correct, then surrendering everything to Allah SWT will be correct.</p> <p>Nowadays, Muslims are far away from Islam. Neither the appearance is of Muslims nor the character. The beliefs are corrupted, actions are spoiled. There is deception (cheating) in our dealings. Our lifestyle is of Nonmuslims. Do not even ask about manners and etiquette (akhlaaq).</p> <p>In short, we have left Allah SWT so Allah SWT abandoned us. We lost this world and we have lost the next world (aakhirah), which is a great loss. We are neither here nor there.</p> <p>Hadhrat Shaykh Ahmed bin Kabir Rifai (May Allah SWT shower His Mercy on him) says: Islam is the way to meet Allah SWT. If Nonmuslims perform worship like all the Jinns and the human beings combined, even then only Allah's SWT wrath (anger) will descend on them&hellip;.</p> </span>