The Five Pillars of Islam are the 5 foundations Islam rests upon. If part of the foundation is abandoned, the building is in danger of collapsing.

Islam, submission to the Will of God, is your religion…

Before I considered Islam, the only things I knew about it was that Jesus was mentioned in the Quran, and that Islam is a religion of peace, since that’s what George W. Bush said about Islam after September 11^th. When I actually made the declaration of faith, I didn’t know much more, since I read very little about it. All I knew and believed was that I sincerely desired to follow whatever religion takes the Quran as its guide, and I couldn’t wait.

I must admit that I was shocked and in grave uncertainty when I heard some Muslims mention aspects of Islam that seemed contrary to my understanding of the word “peace”. But I can’t begin to say how happy and thankful I am to Allah for keeping me a Muslim in spite of my prior misunderstanding of Islam. Although I believed Islam was “the TRUTH”, I wasn’t privy to the nature of the truth. I didn’t realize that Islam’s guidance was really that complete and practical. I didn’t link Islam to September 11th nor did I link it to the terrorists. Every religion has its terrorists, mostly born out of political conditions, not the religion itself. I suppose I thought Islam was more like Buddhism and embraced non-violence.^[1]Although, even the Buddhist claim of non-violence turns out to be a smokescreen. The persecutions that Muslims suffer from in Patani, Thailand and the systematic genocide of Rohingya Muslims in … Continue reading I just knew that the core of Islam’s message was undeniable. One God to know. One God to worship. Pure and simple.

Growing up in the US, I had the idea that political and legal affairs were beyond the sphere of religion. I didn’t know that Judaism, like Islam, and the religion of God’s prophets, does in fact contain guidance in these affairs, which, at times may even dictate bloodshed for the greater good. After pondering and researching some of those points, I learned how rarely they were exercised, and how much they impacted and bettered Muslim societies throughout history. It seemed less Draconic and more balanced and flexible. I was floored again at Islam’s guidance just as the Quran first floored me by its beauty and grandeur. I learned that Islam held the perfect balance between “cruel and unusual punishment” and ineffective attempts at rehabilitation or intimidation. Islam’s guidance in the judicial sphere guaranteed a secure society where people would feel safe to go out at night even wearing fancy jewelry, knowing that criminal activity would not go unpunished or forgotten. Then, I saw again that Islam occupied the perfect position between turning the other cheek, laying down defenseless in the face of an enemy and backstabbing Machiavellian diplomacy motivated by the quest for wealth, land and subjugation with sophistric justification. The methodology followed by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his successors in diplomacy and rules of engagement was the most humane, sincere towards reconciliation, while intimidating potential enemies. Alas, the guidance of Islam was so different and contradictory to anything I knew, but made more sense than anything I imagined. Learning about Islam, after becoming a Muslim, was like discovering its beauty and majesty for the first time, yet again.

Did you accept Islam thinking it was something else? Tell us your story between your original assumptions and when you delved deeper…

As you learn more about Islam, you may hear Prophetic directives that seem to make little sense or collide with some long held values. I encourage you to be patient with Islam and give it the benefit of the doubt. You may not be ready to trash your American heritage—nor do you have to, ever, but we have to realize that many of the principles we have grown to love may have been given to us with less than perfect definitions, perhaps even formed with ulterior motives in mind. For example, we may think that eating on the floor is “uncivilized” but until you do so yourself and realize how humble it makes you feel, we should refrain from critique. You can remember that rule with many other things that Islam embodies differently. It does not make us any less “American” or patriotic to improve our understanding of universal principles and moral values like modesty, honesty, courage, loyalty, prioritization or even the love of freedom.

Islamic, Western and Eastern values rarely collide, as eternal principles are universally acknowledged and celebrated. But their manifestations and the shapes they take differ from culture to culture, philosopher to philosopher. Islam provides a Divine base to arbitrate and set the record straight.

But an important question confronts us as new Muslim converts.

Is it our right to understand and “approve of” an Islamic injunction before accepting it, defending it or applying it?

It is our right to seek a second opinion always, and to learn about the validity of any directive. For example, we can ask ask is this a matter of consensus or do Muslim scholars differ over it? Not to sound rude, but is that hadeeth authentic? ^[2]Although never in my life have I heard someone tell a hadeeth and then, if asked, claim it’s not authentic. It’s best to ask an objective third party knowledgeable about hadeeth … Continue reading Are there other stories about this? Etc. We can, and probably should, also read more about how other Muslim scholars and callers to the faith explain the wisdom behind some of its directives.

For Muslim women in the West, no doubt the most difficult part of Islam to practice is that which screams out “I’m a Muslim!” It’s not easy going from a typical white, black or Latina American woman to all of a sudden being mistaken for an immigrant. As for bearded men, not unless you’re skin and hair are darker. When I worked at Target some co-workers asked, “Is Chris your real name?”

However, at the same time, we have to come to grips with the fact that a portion of Islamic guidance may lie just beyond our ability to justify or be persuaded were it not for the dictates of true faith. For example, the health benefits of fasting and social benefits of offering zakaat are easy to rationalize. On the other hand, the specifics of prayer, like the number of units each prayer has, is considered by most scholars to be legislation whose wisdom is beyond our limited ability to pinpoint, even though it contains wisdom, since it came from Allah, al-Hakeem, the One Whose Wisdom pervades all His decrees. Most scholars refer to such Islamic injunctions as worshipful [تَعَبُّدِيّ] and performed out of sheer faith, trusting that it contains wisdom, knowing that it pleases Allah.

So while much of Islam makes sense, other portions will remain mysterious from a rational standpoint.

If we understand what is sought from us, but not why, delaying its implementation would be contrary to the very meaning of Islam, which is submission to the Will of Allah. The Prophet’s companions understood this, and almost never asked “why”, but if they knew something was from our faith, they were expedient in its implementation.

As “rookie Muslims” we are allowed certain concessions or a “grace period” so that we can progress in our faith steadily, learning and applying the most fundamental and important, and then the next, and then the next. But even with that, we have to understand that Allah Knows what is in our hearts. We have to ask ourselves from time to time in our Islamic childhood, “Have I become accustomed to the basics of Islam yet? Am I ready to raise my potential iman? Or am I at a level that I’m still struggling to maintain?” Because once you ask or dig to find out, it as if you’re saying you’re ready, which is why the Prophet Muhammad generally discouraged excessive questioning. With knowledge comes responsibility.

{إِنَّمَا كَانَ قَوْلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذَا دُعُوا إِلَى اللَّـهِ وَرَسُولِهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَن يَقُولُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۚ وَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ} ﴿٥١﴾ سورة النور

“The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them, is that they say: ‘We hear and we obey.’ And such are the successful.” [24:51]

Islam doesn’t have clearly defined levels of progression for reverts, so it is difficult to judge how to progress and in what order. A good yardstick measure could be that you simply ask questions about injunctions once you’re ready to accept them, and refrain if you suspect the answer would shake your faith.

However, if your faith has been shaken by something you’ve learned about Islam and know to be true, then return to the most basic fundamental of Islam: tawheed,^[3]Also frequently spelled tauhid, or any other mix and match of the two syllables taw/tau and heed/hid. Sometimes this word is used similar to “faith” although more specific. Like, “you need to … Continue reading the oneness of Allah and His sole right to worship—the meaning of laa ilaaha illa Allah—the words you accepted Islam with. There is no other religion that contains such a simple and divine heartfelt truth as this, and it is that fact which will carry you through shaky times, i.e. knowing that Islam is the only path to Allah and from Allah, and that all other paths lead away from Allah and His religion, because they are about something else.

{شَهِدَ اللَّـهُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ وَأُولُو الْعِلْمِ قَائِمًا بِالْقِسْطِ ۚ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ ﴿١٨﴾ إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللَّـهِ الْإِسْلَامُ ۗ …﴿١٩﴾} سورة آل عمران

“Allah bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped but He, and the angels, and those having knowledge (also give this witness); maintaining His creation in justice. There is no deity but Him, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam.” [3:18-19]

Similar guidance applies to when we hear something about the Islamic belief system that may seem difficult to imagine, like faith in angels, miracles, or different aspects of life after death. Read these words from Allah, showing that while we know that life is a test, we accept that His revelations test us as well,

{هُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ آيَاتٌ مُّحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ ۖ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَاءَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَاءَ تَأْوِيلِهِ ۗ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّـهُ ۗ وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ ﴿٧﴾ رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ ﴿٨﴾} سورة آل عمران

“It is He who has sent down to you, [O Muhammad], the Book; in it are verses [that are] precise – they are the foundation of the Book – and others unspecific. As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation [suitable to them]. And no one knows its reality except Allah. But those firm in knowledge say, “We believe in it. All of it is from our Lord.” And no one will be reminded except those of understanding, who say Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower.” [The Qur’an 3:7-8]

Likewise, further proving that we cannot fully comprehend some aspects of our faith, whether due to our inability, or simply because Allah chose not to divulge, He says:

{وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ ۖ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا} ﴿٨٥﴾ سورة الإسراء

“And they ask you about The Spirit al-Ruh. Say: the Spirit is from my Lord’s affairs. And you, mankind, of knowledge, have only been given a little.” [The Quran 17:75]

If you accepted Islam solely for spiritual gain, with little concern over life after death, or following “the true religion” then continue following Islam’s spiritual and moral guidance, with prayer, fasting, and charity as well as learning, loving and living the Prophet Muhammad’s example for private and social living to exemplify his personification of a truly principled and balanced Quranic lifestyle. Know that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ never claimed to be “enlightened” like other spiritual teachers have alleged about themselves, but instead he was *chosen* like the rest of the Abrahamic prophets. He was chosen to communicate the Creator’s message to His subjects, by word and example. Allah tested him, and tested others through him. As creator of the universe, Allah chose to make that pattern of living and its least common denominator—the tawheed of Allah—to be factors that influence what a human soul would experience after its worldly attachment to the body ends. Vividly portrayed details of this are abound in the Quran and Prophet’s Sunnah. While we hope to gain immediate fulfillment by living the Prophet’s example and solace by praying to Allah, it is by putting trust in Allah’s promises of what He has stored beyond life that we enrich our Islamic experience even more, adding new dimensions and potentialities to our worship—not to mention, invigorating our commitment. Consider this example of prophetic worship…

{وَزَكَرِيَّا إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْنِي فَرْدًا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْوَارِثِينَ ﴿٨٩﴾ فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ يَحْيَىٰ وَأَصْلَحْنَا لَهُ زَوْجَهُ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَبًا وَرَهَبًا ۖ وَكَانُوا لَنَا خَاشِعِينَ ﴿٩٠﴾} سورة الأنبياء

“And (remember) Zechariah, when he cried to his Lord: ‘O My Lord! Leave me not childless, though You are the Best of the inheritors.’ So, We answered his call, and We bestowed upon him Yahya (John), and cured his wife (to bear a child) for him. Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us.” [21:89-90]

Thus, devotion to Allah, hoping in His mercy, fearing His rejection, begging His acceptance, is the true enlightenment and best companion to righteous action.

Read on to learn more about the prayer…