Adherent's Tawhid: The Five Pillars Of Islam

Tawhid refers to the concept of monotheism within Islam. It is one of the core and fundamental beliefs of the religion; that there is one single God. The concept of Tawhid extends further than just the idea of oneness in God, however - it is the conceptual substance of the five pillars of Islam, and implies the idea of submission to Allah – the core of Islamic ethics. Adherent’s lives are hence informed and changed by the requirement that all their actions are to be compliant with and for Allah himself. Tawhid integrates all aspects of life of an adherent, therefore incorporating the ethics of sexual relationships; reproductive, martial and familial. Hajj is another expression of ones belief in Tawhid. Through performing actions from within

It is perceived as maintaining the strength within the relationship due to the fact it reduces unlawful sexual practices by spouses. Sexual relations between married couples are considered as a form of ibadah (worship) or “expression of faith” within Islam, underpinning the concept of Tawhid through expression of Shahada. "Has Allah not given you something to give as sadaqa? Every time you praise or glorify Allah, that is sadaqa. There is sadaqa in sexual intercourse” (Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, 227), shows us that sexual intercourse is considered an act of voluntary charity, which falls within the core pillar of Zakat. The stimulus is primarily an expression of Tawhid: “all my acts of worship, and my living and my dying are for God alone”. Adherents are thereby required by Tawhid to perform sexual acts within a martial environment; by doing so an act of charity (sadaqa) is

Hajj translates directly to “pilgrimage”, and refers to every Muslim being obliged to make the journey to Mecca at least once within their lifetime: “And Hajj to the House (Kaaba) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, for those who are able to undertake the journey” (Qur’an, 3:97). Hajj provides a window for Muslims to see and understand the religion in a practical sense, by experiencing this understanding; adherents are showing devotion to the religion, and hence expressing their belief in Tawhid. When within a certain distance (10KM) of Mecca, a pilgrim is expected to dress in Ihram clothing. Ihram clothing is plain and white, generally consisting of two white unhemmed sheets, so as not to attract attention to any specific individual and to focus on the ultimate goal of Hajj. By dressing the same, the clothing also strongly reflects the idea of ummah; the unity of a single international community, and extension of the belief of Tawhid. All this contributes to an individual’s internal movement towards total submission to Allah by further understanding and following the teachings of Islam; an ultimate goal amongst the religion. While predominately fulfilling the fifth pillar of Islam (pilgrimage), Hajj also directly demonstrates Shahada, Salat and Zakat. Shahada – a declaration of faith and trust that expresses belief in one God and that God’s messenger is Muhammad – is expressed through