Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

what are the religious duties that a muslim is obligated to do?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Duties of a Muslim

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

There are several duties that is obligatory on the believers; but there are five amongst them which are absolutely obligatory, and these were termed the five pillars of Islam.

The Prophet (saws) said: “The foundation of Islam is based on five pillars.

1. To testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and Mohamed is Allah’s Messenger.

2. To establish the (obligatory congregational) prayers.

3. To pay Zakat (obligatory charity).

4. To observe fast during the month of Ramadan.

5. To perform Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah).

Sahih Muslim Hadith 9 Narrated by Anas ibn Malik

A man from the dwellers of the desert came (to the Holy Prophet (saws)) and said: ‘ Muhammad, your messenger came to us and told us your assertion that verily Allah had sent you (as a prophet).’ He (the Holy Prophet) remarked: ‘He told the truth.’ He (the Bedouin) said: ‘Who created Heaven?’ He (the Holy Prophet) replied: ‘Allah.’ He (the Bedouin again) said: ‘Who created Earth?’ He (the Holy Prophet) replied: ‘Allah.’ He (the Bedouin again) said: ‘Who raised these mountains and who created in them whatever is created there?’ He (the Holy Prophet) replied: ‘Allah.’ Upon this he (the Bedouin) remarked: ‘ By Him Who created Heaven and created Earth and raised mountains thereupon, has Allah (in fact) sent you?’ He (the Holy Prophet) said: ‘Yes.’ He (the Bedouin) said: ‘Your messenger also told us that five prayers (had been made) obligatory for us during the day and the night.’ He (the Holy Prophet) remarked: ‘He told you the truth.’ He (the Bedouin) said: ‘By Him Who sent you, is it Allah Who ordered you about this (i.e. prayers)?’ He (the Holy Prophet) said: ‘Yes.’ He (the Bedouin) said: ‘Your messenger told us that Zakat had been made obligatory on our riches.’ He (the Holy Prophet) said: ‘He has told the truth.’ He (the Bedouin) said: ‘By Him Who sent you (as a prophet), is it Allah Who ordered you about it (Zakat)?’ He (the Prophet said: ‘Yes.’ He (the Bedouin) said: ‘ Your messenger told us that it had been made obligatory for us to fast every year during the month of Ramadan.’ He (the Holy Prophet) said: ‘He has told the truth.’ He (the Bedouin) said: ‘ By Him Who sent you (as a prophet), is it Allah Who ordered you about it (the fasts of Ramadan)?’ He (the Holy Prophet) said: ‘Yes.’ He (the Bedouin) said: ‘ Your messenger also told us that a pilgrimage (Hajj) to the House (of Ka'bah) had been made obligatory for him who was able to undertake the journey to it.’ He (the Holy Prophet) said: ‘Yes.’ The narrator said that he (the Bedouin) set off (at the conclusion of this answer, but at the time of his departure) remarked: ‘By Him Who sent you with the Truth, I should neither make any addition to them nor should I remove anything from them.’ Upon this the Holy Prophet remarked: ‘If he were true (to what he said) he must enter Paradise.’

In light of the above two narrations, it is absolutely obligatory for a believer to believe and practice the above five conditions of Islam.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan