Firstly: Islam

It refers to all the outward words and deeds that Allaah The Almighty or His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, enjoined us to do.

It has five pillars:

1.    Testifying that there is no God but Allaah, and that Muhammad is His Messenger.

2.    Performing prayers

3.    Paying the Zakaat

4.    Fasting the month of Ramadan.

5.    Pilgrimage to the Sacred House (Mecca).

It was narrated that the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Islam is based on (the following) five (principles): To testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah and Muhammad is Allaah's slave and His messenger, to offer the (compulsory congregational) prayers dutifully and perfectly, to pay Zakaat (i.e. obligatory charity).To perform Hajj. (i.e. Pilgrimage to Mecca), and to observe fast during the month of Ramadan.” [Reported by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

1-   Ash-Shahadataan (Two Testimonies of Faith) (Laa ilaaha illallaah, Muhammadun Rasool-ul-Allaah):

- Testimony of (Laa ilaaha illallaah) meansthe belief and the acknowledgement that none is truly worthy of worship except Allaah, firm commitment of that and acting upon that.

-  Laa ilaahameans negating divinity and worship (ilaahiyyah) from anything except Allaah The Almighty and disbelieving in all what is worshiped besides Allaah The Almighty.

-  Illallaahmeans affirming divinity and worship for Allaah The Almighty alone i.e. Allaah The Almighty alone is truly worthy of all kinds of worship.

Allaah a noun refers to the Lord, Glorified and Exalted be He. No one other than Him can be named so. The Arabic root of this word means the one who is worshiped. He is the One Who is loved, glorified and exalted humiliatingly and submissively; due to fear, hope and reliance upon Him; as well as being the One Who is asked from and is supplicated to.

Negation and affirmation is the two pillars of the testimony of Laa ilaaha illallaah. Allaah The Almighty says:

{So whoever disbelieves in Taghut (it is every object that is worshipped instead of Allaah) and believes in Allaah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold.}[Al-Baqarah: 256]

His exalted saying: {So whoever disbelieves in Taghut} refers to the first pillar (Laa ilaaha) and His exalted saying: {and believes in Allaah} refers to the second pillar (illallaah).

This testimony (Laa ilaaha illallaah)will not benefit the one who says it unless he has:

- Knowledge of its meaning. Allaah The Almighty says:

{So know, [O Muhammad], that there is no deity except Allaah.}[Muhammad: 19]

-         Certainty i.e. it is to have complete surety of what it indicates. Allaah The Almighty says: {The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allaah and His Messenger and then doubt not.}[Al-Hujuraat: 15]

-         Acceptance i.e. it is to accept what it indicates of worshiping Allaah The Almighty alone and renouncing worshiping whatever other than Him. Allaah The Almighty says: {Indeed they, when it was said to them, "There is no deity but Allaah," were arrogant. And were saying, "Are we to leave our gods for a mad poet?"}[As-Saafaat: 35-36]

- Submission i.e. it is to submit to what it indicates.  Allaah The Almighty says: {And whoever submits his face to Allaah while he is a doer of good - then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold.}[Luqmaan: 22]

- Truthfulness i.e. it is to have sincerity in saying it. It was narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “There is no person who bears witness that there is no god but Allaah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger truthfully from his hear, but Allaah will forbid him to the Hellfire.” [Reported by Ahmad]

- Sincerity by saying it. It was narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Allaah has forbidden the Hellfire for those who say, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allaah' for Allaah's sake only.” [Reported by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

- Love i.e. it is to have love for what it indicates, its people – those who act upon it, adhering to its conditions. Allaah The Almighty says: {And [yet], among the people are those who take other than Allaah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allaah. But those who believe are stronger in love for Allaah.} [Al-Baqarah: 165]

So this necessitates loyalty for the believers and disassociation from the disbeliever.

Loyalty is to love the believers of whatever/any origin, race, country for their faith. It is to support, advise, help, show mercy, respect, and honor them. It is to feel their pains whenever a calamity afflicts them and feel happy for their happiness. Allaah The Almighty says:

{The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give Zakaah and obey Allaah and His Messenger. Those - Allaah will have mercy upon them. Indeed, Allaah is Exalted in Might and Wise. }[At-Tawbah: 71]

He The Almighty also says:

{Your ally is none but Allaah and [therefore] His Messenger and those who have believed - those who establish prayer and give Zakaah, and they bow [in worship]. And whoever is an ally of Allaah and His Messenger and those who have believed - indeed, the party of Allaah - they will be the predominant. }[Al-Maa’idah: 55-56]

It was narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “No one of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” [Reported by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

So the sincere truthful believer such as the steadfast affirmers of truth and the righteous and on the top of them the companions of the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessings be upon him, should be absolutely loved. However, the believers who had mixed a righteous deed with another that was bad, they will be loved from one side and hated from another. They will be loved for the faith they have and hated for the sins they commit which is less grievous than Kufr (disbelief) and Shirk (associating partner with Allaah The Almighty in worship).

Loving them entails advising them and denouncing their deeds. It is not permissible to keep silent towards their sins. Rather, they should be denounced, enjoined to do good deeds and prohibited to do evil ones. Hudood (prescribed punishments) and Ta‘zeer (discretionary punishment) should be carried out against them so that they may stop committing sins and repent of their sins. But they should not be purely hated to the extent that one dissociates himself from them. Furthermore, they should not be purely loved or taken as friends. One should take a moderate stance with them.

If good and evil, obedience and disobedience, Sunnah and innovation combined in one person, so he deserves loyalty and reward as much as he has of good, and deserves enmity and punishment as much as he has of evil.

Disassociation and disavowal: It is have no loyalty with the hypocrites and the disbelievers in general and disassociating from them and their actions; of whatever origin, race or country they are for they fight Allaah The Almighty with the greatest sins and misdeeds i.e. Shirk and Kufr. They worship other than Him, make an associate with Him, dishonor and do not respect Him, Exalted and Glorified be He. Allaah The Almighty says: {O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allaah guides not the wrongdoing people.}[Al-Maa’idah: 51]

He The Almighty also says: {And those who disbelieved are allies of one another.}[Al-Anfaal: 73]

He The Almighty also says: {You will not find a people who believe in Allaah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allaah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred.} [Al-Mujaadilah: 22]

He The Almighty also says: {There has already been for you an excellent pattern in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, "Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from whatever you worship other than Allaah. We have denied you, and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allaah alone.}[Al-Mumtahanah: 4]

Disavowal and disassociation from the disbelievers does not entail treating them unjustly, assaulting them in their bodies, honors, and properties, or coerce them to convert to Islam. All of such matters are really prohibited for Muslims to do. Allaah The Almighty says: {Allaah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allaah loves those who act justly. Allaah only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and aid in your expulsion - [forbids] that you make allies of them. And whoever makes allies of them, and then it is those who are the wrongdoers.}[Al-Mumtahanah: 8-9]

He The Almighty also says: {O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allaah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allaah; indeed, Allaah is Acquainted with what you do.} [Al-Maa’idah: 8]

He The Almighty also says: {There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong.}[Al-Baqarah: 256]

It was also reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims, shall not smell the smell of Paradise though its smell is perceived from a distance of forty years.” [Reported by Al-Bukhaari]

However, it is obligatory for every Muslim to invite them to Islam, clarify the truth for them, and establish argument against them to get them out of darkness into light and save them from the worship of the created beings to the worship of the One.

As for the meaning of the testimony of (Ann Muhammadan Rasool-ul-Allaah (Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah), it is to acknowledge inwardly and outwardly that Muhammad is the slave and Messenger of Allaah The Almighty to all people and act upon that.

(Muhammad) is Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abd Al-Muttalib ibn Haashim Al-Qurashi Al-‘Arabi (of Arabic origin) from the children of Ismaa‘eel (Ishmael) ibn Ibraaheem (Abraham), peace be upon him.

(Messenger of Allaah) Allaah The Almighty sent him to mankind and jinn as a bringer of good tidings and a warner.

Allaah The Almighty says:

{And We have not sent you except comprehensively to mankind as a bringer of good tidings and a warner. But most of the people do not know.}[Saba’: 28]

He The Almighty also says: {Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His Servant that he may be to the worlds a warner}[Al-Furqaan: 1]

And made him, peace and blessings be upon him, the last of the prophets and messengers, peace be upon them all.

Allaah The Almighty also says: {Muhammad is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allaah and last of the prophets.}[Al-Ahzaab: 40]

Abrogating with his message the other previous messages: Allaah The Almighty will in no way accept any religion except by following Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. No one will realize the pleasure of Paradise except through him. Allaah The Almighty says: {And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.}[Aal-‘Imraan: 85]

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, no one of this nation, Jew or Christian, hears of me then dies without having believed in that with which I was sent, but he will be one of the people of the Hellfire.”[Reported by Muslim]

So he has to be obeyed and believed in all what he has informed and we have to avoid all what he has prohibited and warned against. Furthermore, Allaah The Almighty should not be worshiped except with what he (the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him) has prescribed. Allaah The Almighty says: {And whatever the Messenger has given you - take; and what he has forbidden you - refrain from.}[Al-Hashr: from the verse no. 7]

He The Almighty also says: {So believe in Allaah and His Messenger and the Qur'an which We have sent down. And Allaah is Acquainted with what you do.} [At-Taghaabun: 8]

He The Almighty also says: {So believe in Allaah and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allaah and His words, and follow him that you may be guided.}[Al-A‘raaf: 158]

Such Shahaadatayn (Two Testimonies of Faith) are what make one enter Islam. Uttering them is an acknowledgement of their implication and a commitment of acting upon their requirements of fulfilling the rites of Islam.

Nullifications of Shahaadataynare the nullifications of Islam such as associating partners with Allaah The Almighty in worship, ridiculing or joking about any part of the religion, performing magic. They will be explained later on.   

6. Performing prayers

7.Paying the Zakaat

8.Fasting the month of Ramadan.

9.Pilgrimage to the Sacred House (Mecca).

Such pillars will also be explained later on, Inshaa’ Allaah (Allaah willing).

Eemaan is the firm conviction, complete and perfect acknowledgement with the Lordship (Ruboobiyyah) and Divinity (Uloohiyyah) of Allaah The Almighty and the heart should have assurance for all of that. It is also to adhere to the commands of Allaah The Almighty and avoid His prohibitions. It is to believe in the prophethood of the Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, accept all what he has informed about his Lord and religion of Islam, submit to him, peace and blessings be upon him, in absolute obedience in all what he commanded, avoid all what he has prohibited inwardly and outwardly and demonstrate submission and assurance to all of that.  

It is to believe with the heart, testify with the tongue and act with the limbs. It increases with acts of obedience and decreases as a result of committing acts of disobedience. Allaah The Almighty says: {The believers are only those who, when Allaah is mentioned, their hearts become fearful, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith; and upon their Lord they rely.}[Al-Anfaal: 2]

He The Almighty also says: {It is He who sent down tranquility into the hearts of the believers that they would increase in faith along with their [present] faith.}[Al-Fat-h: 4]

It was also narrated that the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Faith has seventy-odd branches, the highest of which is saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (there is go god except Allaah) and the least of which is removing a harmful thing from the road. And (Hayaa’) modesty is a branch of faith.” [Reported by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

It has six pillars:Belief in Allaah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and Al-Qadar (Divine Predestination), both good and bad.

Allaah The Almighty says: {Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allaah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets.} [Al-Baqarah: 177]

He The Almighty also says: {The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allaah and His angels and His books and His messengers.} [Al-Baqarah 285]

He The Almighty also says: {Indeed, all things We created with predestination.} [Al-Qamar: 49]

It was narrated that ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allaah be pleased with him,  said: “One day when we were with the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessings be upon him, there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and his hair was exceedingly black, and there were no signs of travel on him. No one among us recognized him. He came and sat down by the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and rested his knees against his and placed the palms on his hands on his thighs. He said: “O Muhammad, tell me about Islam.” The Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Islam is to testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, to establish regular prayer, to pay Zakaah, to fast Ramadan and to go on pilgrimage to the House if you are able to.” He said: “You have spoke the truth.” And we were amazed at his asking that and saying that he had spoken the truth. Then he said: “Tell me about Eemaan (faith, belief),” He said: “It means believing in Allaah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Last Day, and believing in Al-Qadar (the Divine Predestination), both good and bad.” He said: “You have spoken the truth.” He said: “Tell me about Ihsaan.” He said: “It means worshipping Allaah as if you can see Him, and although you cannot see Him, He can see you…” Then he said to me: “O ‘Umar, do you know who the questioner was?” I said: “Allaah and His Messenger know best.” He said: “That was Jibreel, who came to teach you your religion.” [Reported by Muslim]