Hadith 3 & 4 — The Five Pillars: Building Faith's Foundation

[Arabic,إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ، نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ، وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَسَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا، مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ، وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ. ]

Indeed, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, seek His help, and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil within ourselves and from the consequences of our wrong actions. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide; whomsoever He leaves astray, none can guide. I bear witness there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah alone without partner, and Muhammad ﷺ is His servant and Messenger.

Part One:

Indeed, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, seek His help, and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil within ourselves and from the consequences of our wrong actions. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide; and whomsoever He leaves astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah alone, without any partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad ﷺ is His servant and His final Messenger.

[Quran,3:102,"O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him]."]

[Quran,4:1,"O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer."]

[Quran,33:70-71,"O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice. He will [then] amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment."]

Part One: The Foundation of Islam - The Five Pillars

Brothers,

Today's khutbah is based on the third and fourth hadiths of Imam Nawawi's 40 Hadith—the hadiths that teach us the foundation of our religion: the five pillars of Islam.

[Hadith,Bukhari & Muslim,"Abdullah ibn Umar (ra) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: '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 Salat, paying zakat, making hajj to the House, and fasting Ramadan.'"]

This Hadith is not just a list—it is a blueprint for life. The word "built" is deliberate. The Prophet ﷺ did not say "Islam consists of five things" or "Islam has five parts." He said it is built on five pillars. Like a structure that requires supports to stand, Islam requires these five foundations to remain upright.

If a building has weak pillars, or if one collapses, the entire structure becomes unstable. A house with four strong pillars and one missing is still incomplete. It will not serve its purpose. It will not shelter its inhabitants. And it will eventually fall.

This is the reality of the believer whose faith is missing even one of these pillars. The structure may still stand for a time, but it is vulnerable, unstable, and incomplete. Each of the five pillars is a support for the structure of our faith. Let us go through them, one by one, and reflect not just on what they are, but on how we are living them—especially in this place, under these circumstances.

The First Pillar: Shahadah

The first is the Shahadah—the testimony that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad ﷺ is His Messenger. This is the foundation, the key to Islam. It is the entry point into this religion. But it is not just something you say once. It is something you affirm every day, in your heart and with your actions.

[Quran,47:19,"So, know ˹well, O Prophet,˺ that there is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Allah. And seek forgiveness for your shortcomings and for ˹the sins of˺ the believing men and women. For Allah ˹fully˺ knows your movements and places of rest ˹O people˺."]

To say "La ilaha illa Allah" means we reject all false gods—money, fame, ego, leaders, even desires—and we submit to Allah alone. It means that in every decision, every choice, every moment, we ask: what does Allah want from me? Not what society wants. Not what my friends want. Not what my desires demand. But what Allah commands.

And to say "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" means we follow his Sunnah in every aspect of our life—in how we pray, how we speak, how we deal with people, how we raise our families, how we respond to hardship, and how we seek forgiveness. It means that when Allah and His Messenger say something, we hear and we obey—even if it contradicts what we grew up with, or what we want, or what feels comfortable.

[Hadith,Bukhari,"Whoever says 'La ilaha illa Allah' sincerely from his heart will enter Paradise."]

[Quran,24:51,"The only response of the believers, when they are invited to Allah and His Messenger so he may judge between them, is to say, 'We hear and obey.' It is they who will be successful."]

In this place, behind these walls, the Shahadah is your anchor. You may not control your schedule, your surroundings, or your freedom. But you control who you worship. No one can take that from you. And no circumstance can excuse you from it.

The Second Pillar: Salat

The second is Salat—the prayer. Our direct connection to Allah. The first action we will be questioned about on the Day of Judgment.

[Hadith,Muslim,"Between a man and shirk or kufr is the abandonment of the prayer."]

Brothers, this is not a light statement. The Prophet ﷺ drew a line in the sand and said: on this side is Islam, and on that side is disbelief. And the line is the prayer. Salat is the rope that connects you to your Lord. If that rope is cut, the rest of your faith begins to unravel.

That is why scholars like Imam Ahmad and others considered the one who abandons Salat, knowingly and continuously, to be outside of Islam. Why? Because if you truly believed Allah was watching, if you truly feared the Fire and desired Paradise, you would not willingly leave the prayer.

[Quran,74:42-43,"˹And asking them,˺ 'What has landed you in Hell?' They will reply, 'We were not of those who prayed.'"]

[Quran,19:59,"But after them came successors who neglected prayer and pursued desires. They will soon face the evil consequences."]

No matter how far you feel from Allah, never abandon your prayer. It is your lifeline, your anchor, and your witness before Allah. And here at LECI, the prayer is your refuge. Five times a day, you step away from this place mentally and spiritually, and you stand before your Lord. That is freedom. That is dignity. That is where no guard, no rule, no limitation can touch you.

The Third Pillar: Zakat

The third pillar is Zakat—the obligatory charity. It is not a favor from the rich to the poor. It is not generosity. It is a command from Allah and a right for the needy.

[Quran,70:24-25,"And in whose wealth there is a recognized right for the beggar and the poor."]

Notice the wording: "a recognized right." Not a gift. Not charity. A right. Meaning, that money does not fully belong to you. Part of it belongs to those who need it, and you are only the steward holding it temporarily.

[Hadith,Bukhari,"Whoever is given wealth by Allah but does not give its Zakat, his wealth will be made into a bald-headed snake with two black spots over its eyes, wrapping around his neck on the Day of Resurrection, biting him and saying: 'I am your wealth! I am your treasure!'"]

Zakat purifies our wealth, cleans our hearts of greed, and strengthens the bonds of our ummah. It reminds us that we are not owners—we are caretakers. And that whatever we have is a test from Allah.

Now, some of you might say, "I don't have wealth. I'm in prison. How does Zakat apply to me?" Brothers, the principle of giving still applies. If you have commissary, share it. If you have knowledge, teach it. If you have time, help someone. Generosity is a trait of the believer, and stinginess is a disease of the heart—whether you have money or not.

[Quran,2:110,"And establish prayer and give Zakah, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves—you will find it with Allah. Indeed, Allah is Seeing of what you do."]

The Fourth Pillar: Hajj

The fourth pillar is Hajj—the pilgrimage to the House of Allah in Makkah. It is obligatory once in a lifetime for those who are able—physically, financially, and logistically.

It is a symbol of unity, humility, and devotion. Millions gather in one place, wearing the same simple white cloths, doing the same acts, and crying out the same words:

Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk. Labbayk la sharika laka labbayk. Innal-hamda wan-ni'mata laka wal-mulk. La sharika lak.

Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Surely all praise, favor, and sovereignty belong to You. You have no partner.

[Quran,22:27,"And proclaim the pilgrimage to humanity. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel from every distant path."]

[Hadith,Bukhari & Muslim,"Whoever performs Hajj and avoids sin and argumentation will return like the day his mother gave birth to him—sinless."]

Brothers, I know that for many of you, Hajj feels distant. Some of you may not be able to go for years, perhaps decades. But the intention matters. If you intend to go, and circumstances prevent you, then Allah knows your heart. And if you cannot afford it or are not physically able, it is not obligatory upon you.

But even if we have not gone, the lessons of Hajj should live within us: to be humble, to let go of status and pride, to strive in obedience, to sacrifice for Allah's sake, to unite with our brothers in faith, and to purify ourselves. These are principles we can live every single day, in every place—including here.

The Fifth Pillar: Sawm

The fifth pillar is Sawm—fasting in the month of Ramadan. From dawn until sunset, we abstain from food, drink, and marital relations. This is the pillar that teaches us control, patience, and taqwa—consciousness of Allah.

[Quran,2:183,"O believers! Fasting is prescribed for you—as it was for those before you—so perhaps you will become mindful ˹of Allah˺."]

Fasting is not just about hunger. If it were, then every poor person would automatically be pious. No—fasting is about restraining our desires and elevating our souls. It is about proving to ourselves that we can control our nafs, our lower self, and that we are not enslaved to our appetites.

[Hadith,Bukhari & Muslim,"Fasting is a shield. So when one of you is fasting, let him not speak indecently nor act ignorantly. And if someone abuses him or fights him, let him say: I am fasting, I am fasting."]

Ramadan is the training ground. The rest of the year is the battlefield. If you can restrain yourself from food and drink for Allah's sake, then you can restrain yourself from backbiting, lying, anger, and sin. If you can wake up before dawn to eat, you can wake up before dawn to pray. If you can give charity in Ramadan, you can give charity in Shawwal.

[Hadith,Ibn Khuzaymah,"If my Ummah knew what Ramadan truly was, they would wish the whole year was Ramadan."]

And here at LECI, Ramadan is one of the most powerful times of the year. I see brothers transformed during this month. I see hearts softened, prayers lengthened, Qurans opened. That spirit—that is what should last all year.

Together, these five pillars form the foundation of our faith. But remember—a building with pillars and no roof is still incomplete. The five pillars are the base. Ihsan, character, sincerity, consistency, brotherhood, mercy, knowledge—these are what complete the structure. But without the five pillars, none of it stands.

Part Two: The Reality of Divine Decree and the Call to Hope

Brothers,

After describing the five pillars of Islam, the Prophet ﷺ reminded us of a deeper reality: that our lives are written, our fates are decreed, and our endings are known to Allah—even if we do not know them.

This is the fourth hadith in Imam Nawawi's collection—the hadith of Abdullah ibn Mas'ood about the stages of creation in the womb, and the angel who writes our decree.

[Hadith,Bukhari & Muslim,"Abdullah ibn Mas'ood (ra) said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he is the truthful, the believed, narrated to us: 'Verily the creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother's womb for forty days in the form of a nutfah (a drop), then he becomes an alaqah (a clinging clot) for a similar period, then a mudghah (a lump of flesh) for a similar period. Then an angel is sent to him, who breathes the soul into him and is commanded to write four matters: his provision (rizq), his lifespan (ajal), his deeds (amal), and whether he will be wretched or happy (shaqi aw sa'id). So by the One besides Whom there is no god, one of you may perform the deeds of the people of Paradise until there is only an arm's length between him and it, then what was written overtakes him, and he performs the deeds of the people of the Fire and enters it. And one of you may perform the deeds of the people of the Fire until there is only an arm's length between him and it, then what was written overtakes him, and he performs the deeds of the people of Paradise and enters it.'"]

This hadith is both a warning and a source of hope. Let us break it down carefully.

The Reality of Decree

First, it teaches us that before we were even born, Allah decreed four things for each of us:

Our provision – how much we will earn, eat, and possess.
Our lifespan – the exact moment of our death.
Our deeds – meaning Allah's knowledge of what we will choose to do.
Our final destination – Paradise or Hell.

This is the doctrine of Qadar—divine decree. It is one of the pillars of iman. We believe that Allah has knowledge of all things, that He has written all things, and that nothing happens except by His will and permission.

[Quran,57:22,"No calamity befalls the earth or yourselves but it is in a Record before We bring it into being. Surely that is easy for Allah."]

[Quran,54:49,"Indeed, We have created everything, perfectly preordained."]

But here is what many people misunderstand: Qadar does not mean fatalism. It does not mean you sit back and do nothing because "it is already written." No. You still have choice. You still have responsibility. You still have free will within the boundaries Allah has set. And you will be judged for what you choose.

The angel writes what Allah already knows you will choose—but the choice is still yours. This is the balance of Islamic belief: we affirm Allah's complete knowledge and control, and we also affirm human responsibility.

The Warning: Never Be Arrogant

The Prophet ﷺ said that a man may do the deeds of the people of Paradise his whole life—praying, fasting, giving charity, being righteous—until he is only an arm's length away from Paradise. But then what was written overtakes him. He changes. He falls into sin. And he dies upon that state, entering the Fire.

This is terrifying. It means that years of good deeds are not a guarantee if your ending is corrupt. It means that Shaytan never stops trying, even with the righteous. It means that we can never be arrogant or complacent about our faith.

[Quran,39:56,"Lest one should say, 'Alas! I have surely been negligent of ˹my duty to˺ Allah, and I was indeed one of the mockers.'"]

This is why the scholars say the believer should always be in a state between fear and hope—never so confident that they become heedless, and never so despairing that they lose hope. You should fear your own ending, even if your deeds are good.

[Hadith,Bukhari & Muslim,"None of you will enter Paradise by his deeds alone.' They asked, 'Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?' He replied, 'Not even me, unless Allah envelops me in His mercy.'"]

The Hope: Never Despair

But the hadith also gives tremendous hope. The Prophet ﷺ said that a man may do the deeds of the people of the Fire his whole life—sinning, disobeying, falling short—until he is only an arm's length away from Hell. But then what was written overtakes him. He repents. He turns back to Allah. And he dies upon that repentance, entering Paradise.

Brothers, do you understand what this means? It means that no matter how far you have gone, no matter how many sins are in your past, no matter how distant you feel from Allah—your ending can still be good. One sincere repentance, one sincere prayer, one sincere turning back to Allah can erase decades of sin.

[Quran,39:53,"Say, O Prophet, that Allah says, 'O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not despair of Allah's mercy. Surely Allah forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.'"]

[Hadith,Muslim,"Allah extends His Hand at night to accept the repentance of those who sinned during the day, and He extends His Hand during the day to accept the repentance of those who sinned at night."]

I know some of you feel like your past disqualifies you from Allah's mercy. Some of you carry guilt and shame about what brought you here. Some of you think, "I am too far gone. Allah will not accept me."

Brothers, that is from Shaytan. That is a lie. Allah is Al-Ghafoor, the Most Forgiving. Allah is Ar-Rahman, the Most Merciful. Allah is At-Tawwab, the One who constantly accepts repentance. And He has promised that if you turn to Him sincerely, He will forgive you—no matter what you have done.

The only unforgivable sin is shirk, associating partners with Allah, and even that can be forgiven if you repent before you die. Everything else—lying, stealing, adultery, violence, drugs—everything can be forgiven if you repent sincerely.

[Quran,25:70,"As for those who repent, believe, and do good deeds, they are the ones whose evil deeds Allah will change into good deeds. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful."]

The Call to Action: Strive Until the End

So what do we do with this knowledge? We strive. We work. We repent. We stay consistent. We never give up.

Do not say, "It is already written, so why bother?" No. You do not know what is written. So act as if Paradise depends on your actions—and trust that Allah's mercy is greater than your sins.

Do not say, "I have been good for years, so I am safe." No. Shaytan is patient. He waits. So remain humble, remain vigilant, and constantly renew your repentance and intention.

And in this place, behind these walls, where many of you feel stuck, limited, and forgotten—know that you can still build all five pillars. You can say the Shahadah. You can pray your five daily prayers. You can give from what little you have. You can intend to perform Hajj when you are able. You can fast in Ramadan.

You can do all of this, and you can do it with sincerity. And if you do, then your faith is complete. Your structure is sound. And your ending, by Allah's mercy, can be among the people of Paradise—no matter where you came from, no matter what you did, no matter where you are now.

The past is gone. The future is unknown. All you have is this moment. So make this moment count.

[Quran,103:1-3,"By the time! Surely humanity is in ˹grave˺ loss, except those who have faith, do good, and urge each other to the truth, and urge each other to perseverance."]

Closing Dua

O Allah, make the best of our deeds the last of them, and the best of our days the day we meet You.

O Allah, we ask You for sincerity in our words and actions, and firmness upon the truth until we meet You.

O Allah, give us a good ending. Let the last words we say be 'La ilaha illa Allah,' and raise us upon it on the day we meet You.

O Allah, we have wronged ourselves greatly, and none forgives sins except You. So forgive us with Your forgiveness and have mercy on us. You are the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

O Allah, guide us to maintain the five pillars of Islam with sincerity and consistency, and do not let us be among those who neglect them.

O Allah, protect us from dying upon sin. Protect us from sudden death while heedless. And grant us the gift of repentance before our time runs out.

O Allah, accept our sincere repentance, forgive our sins—those we know and those we do not know—and renew the light of faith in our hearts.

O Allah, make us from the people of Paradise, save us from the Fire, guide us to what You love and are pleased with, and be pleased with us, O Most Merciful of the merciful.

Wa ākhiru da'wānā an al-hamdu lillāhi rabbi'l-'ālamīn

We ask Allah to make us firm upon His straight path, to guide us and not let us go astray, to have mercy on us and forgive us.

Whatever good was said in this khutbah is from Allah alone, and whatever mistakes or errors are from myself and from Shaytan. I ask Allah to forgive me and you for any shortcomings.

I say these words of mine, and I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and you all. Seek His forgiveness—indeed, He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

[Arabic,أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ. ]

Wa sallallāhu 'alā nabiyyinā Muhammadin wa 'alā ālihī wa sahbihī ajma'īn