Fundamental Principles of Islam

teaches (2:183). Thus the essence of fasting is to produce the spirit of piety. In the words of the hadith, a fast without this spirit is only the experience of hunger and thirst. As such, it is not a true fast in the religious sense of the word. (Mishkat AIMasabih) That these are the five fundamentals of Islam has been made quite clear by the Prophet himself. Furthermore, what is desirable in the observance of all of these five pillars is the internal spirit and not the external form. Now if certain people take it upon themselves to revive these five fundamentals of Islam, their endeavours will be confined to an entirely peaceful sphere of activity. At no stage would they ever reach the point of resorting to violence and aggression. The inner spirit which is meant to pervade all actions stemming from the observance of these principles can only be inculcated by advice, counseling and well-reasoned argument. There is no other viable way of achieving this objective save that of peaceful striving. Islam and Politics In making an assessment of Islam in relation to politics, one crucial point must be taken into consideration, and that is that politics is only a relative and not the real part of Islam. This difference between a real and a relative feature is that what is essential is relevant in all circumstances and at all times, whereas the relative is required only in relation to particular sets of circumstances. Wherever such circumstances do not exist, relative features lose their relevance and therefore their desirability. This difference between the real and relative is illustrated by the Quranic injunction to perform the Hajj pilgrimage: “Pilgrimage to the House of God is a duty to God for all who can make the journey.” (3:97)