3rd Hadith - Pillars of Islam (Bukhari: 8)

الحديثُ الثالثُ

 عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ : سَمِعْتُ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُوْلُ : بُنِيَ اْلإِسْلاَمُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ : شَهَادَةُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُوْلُ اللهِ وَإِقَامُ الصَّلاَةِ وَإِيْتَاءُ الزَّكَاةِ وَحَجُّ الْبَيْتِ وَصَوْمُ رَمَضَانَ. 

3rd Hadith Translation

On the authority of Abdullah, the son of Umar Ibn-Al-Khattab (R.A.), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) say,

"Islam has been built on five [pillars]: testifying that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the Salah (Namaz, Prayer), paying the Zakat (obligatory charity), perform the Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House of Kaaba, and fasting in Ramadan." (Bukhari: 8)

 Brief Narration

This hadith is part of the previous 2nd Hadith. Most Scholars say that the reason why Imam Al- Nawawi included this hadith in his collection, even though it seems that it repeats some portions of 2nd Hadith, is because of the importance of the 5 Pillars of Islam.

If a person fails to fulfill these five obligations then the entire structure of his “Iman” (faith) may be threatened. This depends on how much is being violated - e.g. violation of the “Shahadah” (Oneness of Allah) is the most dangerous.  

All the Pillars of Islam have rulings, conditions and mannerisms applied to them. It is important that we know these mannerisms and regularly remind ourselves, especially before Ramadanor before performing the Hajj, so that we perform the Pillars properly and according to the teachings of the Quran and Hadiths of our Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W.).

 (Reference: Commentary of Forty Hadiths of An-Nawawi by Dr. Jamal Ahmed Badi)