The first of the five basic foundations is the declaration, knowingly and voluntarily, of:

• La ilaha illal lahu Muhammad rasulul lah.
• “There is no god except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”.

This declaration is the basis of all actions in Islam, and the other basic duties follow this affirmation.

It is a compulsory payment from a Muslim’s annual savings. It can only be spent on helping the poor, the needy, and the oppressed and for the general upliftment of society.

Zakah is one of the Islamic economy’s fundamental principles, ensuring an equitable society where everyone has a right to contribute and share.

It is the annual obligatory fasting during each day of the month of Ramadan – the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. One must refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and conjugal relations, from dawn to sunset.

Fasting or Sawm develops a believer’s moral and spiritual standard and keeps them away from selfishness, greed, extravagance, and other vices. Sawm is an annual training program that increases a Muslim’s determination to fulfill their obligation to the Almighty Lord.

It is an annual event, obligatory for those Muslims who can afford to undertake it at least once in their lifetime. It is a pilgrimage (journey) to the “House of Allah” (Al-Ka’bah) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar.

Hajj symbolizes the unity of humankind; Muslims from every race and nationality assemble together in equality and fraternity to worship their Lord.