We shall now turn our attentions to the four principal acts of worship prescribed by Islam, which are prayer, Zakâh, fasting, and the Hajj pilgrimage. These four acts of worship – along with the testimony that there is no god besides Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah – are the five pillars that Islam rests upon. Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “Islam is built upon five things: testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing prayer, paying Zakâh, fasting during the month of Ramadân, and making pilgrimage to the House if one is able to do so.”
These four pillars are the minimum required acts of worship. Negligence in performing these acts of worship is considered a major sin and can lead to apostasy.
Muslims are encouraged to perform more than this in order to draw even nearer to Allah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) relates to us that Allah said: “My servant does not seek nearness to me with anything more beloved than what I have commanded him to do. My servant then continues to seek nearness to me with voluntary acts until I love him.”
These acts of worship are as old as they are new.
Acts of worship similar to these were prescribed in the religions that came before Islam. They were an integral part of those faiths. Allah says, referring to some of the Messengers (peace be upon them):
And We made them leaders that guided people by Our command. We inspired them to perform good deeds, establish prayer, and pay the Zakâh, and they were to us devout worshippers.
Allah says, after speaking about Moses, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (peace be upon them all):
O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those who came before you that perhaps you might be God fearing.
Allah says regarding the Hajj:
And when We gave to Abraham the site of the house (saying): Do not associate with Me anything in worship, and sanctify My house for those who circle it, or stand up, bow, and prostrate in prayer. And proclaim the pilgrimage to the people; they will come to you on foot, on every lean camel, and from every steep mountain pass.
Necessarily, the exact forms taken by these acts of worship were different for the previous manifestations of the Sacred Law. The manner of prayer in Islam is different than it was for the Jews and Christians. The same can be said about alms, fasting, and pilgrimage.
These acts of worship, though they are pure acts of devotion that must be carried out no matter how restricted the worshipper’s understanding of them might be, have wisdom behind them. Knowing the wisdom behind them and the positive effects that they bring about can increase the worshipper’s resolve and zeal in performing them. This knowledge can increase the benefit realized by the worshipper as well.
taken from islamtoday.com
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